Checking in after brief hiatus

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ, I've been off the message board for a while...but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading posts. Randall, I hope you and your children are doing well, Cindy Snyder... I am always amazed at your progress. Please know that I pray for many of you after reading your posts. I have been experiencing a lot of joy in my life with this new found energy and ability to move and fit into things...like airplane seats, theatre seats, normal clothing! I recently coordinated my women's ministry trip to the Women of Faith Conference in Washington DC. We gathered 48 women and chartered a bus and truly enjoyed the worship and teaching. I highly recommend this national conference to all of you. Next year Beth Moore is a featured speaker...she's amazing! This year, at the Washington DC conference there were 16,000 women in the arena and 1,700 of them made a first-time decision to follow Christ over the weekend! Praise the Lord! Today I am determined to stay connected...regardless of my progress or lack of progress. I have been really slacking on my personal spiritual disciplines and since I am single living alone, I lack the accoutability needed to stay focused on in the Word. Today I am determined to stay accountable because I don't want to loose focus on what is best for me...to be closer to God and walking along side other Christians who walk in the same direction. Feel free to drop me an email...ask me if I've read the Bible that day. It's my hardest discipline to follow and sometimes I feel like a fraud...I stay hooked into the music daily, hooked into Christian fellowship, even Christian television even...but not reading the Bible. Not sure what that's about. Any ideas? Love, Cynthia

I know the enemy does not like us to study the word of God. Jesus was able to answer every temptation with, It is written......The more of the word of God we have in us the better able we are to resist temptation and he hates that. I have started reading the word with my morning coffee the very first thing and it is a wonderful way to start the day. I don't have to read chapters either, even if it is only one verse it is wonderful and I have resisted Satan's attempt to detour me from it. Glad you are back. Hugs, Sandyd

Good for you Sandy in starting your day off in the word. That is the best way to get it going. I too find that reading the word is the hardest part to my walk. Now I am not happy in admitting this hiding behind my sunglasses. LOL and I do know better. I know that the word is the only thing that will even remain. This old world is gonna pass away but the Word will REMAIN FOREVER! and still I struggle to study it as I should. I have been trying more and more to make it a priority in my day. Some days it makes it to the top and then others well lets say I just need that accountability too. I once heard a pastor say." How would you feel if you wrote and wrote and wrote your heart out in love letters to your spouse, and all they did was stick them on the table or place them out of sight? How would you feel in your heart? I knew then how the Lord must feel when I am guilty of not taking time daily to study his word. His word is ALIVE and it gives us every answer in life and yet some many times it is the last thing on my list of things to do for the day. How SAD Help me Lord! Thanks for starting this post I think I needed to see myself write this now I have no excuse.

AMEN Dona and hugs, Sandyd

Hey Cynthia! Good to hear from you. You pic looks great. Hey, I went to the WOF conference in Atlanta, GA and absolutely loved it. There were only five of us but we had a great time. Sherri Shepherd (the actress) was there and she had an awesome testimony. Not a dry eye in the place. I went with the attitude that they were going to have to do a lot to bring joy into me (title of conference was "Contagious Joy"). Well, I can honestly say that I left there with joy in my heart. I truly enjoyed all of it and we are looking forward to going next year and going to the pre conference to see Beth. Anyway, just wanted to say hello. I know how you feel as far as the not reading the bible. This summer I have found myself not having my "quiet time" as much as I did during the school year. I just got out of my routine. Sorry I don't have any ideas. It is just something we have to get into our routines everyday. Anyway, have a great day. I'll ttyl. Shel