I know that I have been hit or miss with my #fmfpart posts. I really dislike missing any. However, with all that's been going on, I just haven't been able to sit down and write...not even for five minutes! It's frustrating as I feel like I have so much inside that needs to come out yet I just can't release it. Right now, it's as though it's a jumbled mess of words swirling around with no destination to place them. Until tonight... I feel like something is about to come out and I'm EXCITED!!! Let's see what our prompt is from Kate this evening...
GIFT
Remember peeps: 5 minutes, unedited, freestyle writing straight from your heart.. GO!

A gift can come in many shapes and sizes. The cost range from money to time to love. It's a gesture or a piece of merchandise. It's a letter or even a sacrifice. Every day that I breathe is a gift and I try to always make sure I thank God for each breath that escapes my lungs. And as I count my blessings, I remember why I have them. Because Jesus, sent down to this Earth to die for our sins. That gift in of itself, is the most precious gift I will ever receive. If Jesus were to write me a letter, I think it'd go something like this:

Dear Shannon,
The moment you were in your mother's womb, I knew the plans our Father had for you. Oh, how I wanted to save you from all the pain and suffering I knew you had to overcome but I also knew you would be safe as I carried you through those darkest of times. I sat beside you as you cried. I saw how you were afraid but acted as though you were bold and courageous. I dried your tears at night when no one was looking. My child, I've been with you the entire time. I'd never leave your nor forsake you because you are a child of God. The love I have for you is immeasurable by any human aspect. And I'd climb onto that cross again for you if I had to. The beauty I see in you is not of this world, but of God. And that same beauty is in each and every child of God on Earth. Look in the mirror, my child, and see what I see...A precious and wonderful gift...You! 
All My Love,
Jesus

STOP

My friends, that letter goes out to each and every person reading this. YOU are a precious gift to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! We are HIS and will be HIS for eternity!! So, when you're having a bad day and you feel like your self worth is minuscule, remember... HE LOVES YOU!!!! He wipes away all the stains and makes us clean again. We aren't called to be perfect- we're called to be His.

May you find refuge in His arms,
-Shannon 

Before I start this nights FMF post, I'd like to send a shout out to my daughter who turned double digits yesterday! Happy 10th birthday my sweet little girl!! Mama loves you sweetheart <3

So, it's been a few weeks since I have done a FMF post and I have really missed the ladies on Twitter. The encouragement and support are always superb and His light shines brightly through their words. For that, I am very thankful! I don't yet know what tonight's prompt is but I know what's on my heart. Last night, I have finally put into words exactly what my heart has been screaming for the last 5 years but my brain couldn't formulate the sentences and said, "No, not yet." It takes courage and boldness to speak the truth and although it may hurt initially, I pray it will be put to Good and help someone else. I'll be adding an additional critical piece to my book before it's release. It's been delayed longer than I originally anticipated and now I know why. Thank you, Father, for your perfect timing. And with this additional info involving a particular character, it will allow the audience to know the truth about every person involved and how the effects of their choices and actions can alter one's way of thinking and self-esteem.  Safe Under the Willow has yet to be released, but once it is, it will be a powerful look into one's journey with abuse, the way it shaped the main characters life and how it formed her personality and ways of thinking. In the end, the audience will see just how God carried her through the toughest of times and showed her how to walk on her own two feet. Encouraging and inspiring, Safe Under the Willow will show God's love and grace and how He pull's her through. 

Now that I have that off my chest, let's look at tonight's one word prompt from Kate 
Remember, unedited, non-scripted, freestyle writing from your heart...5 minutes, ready, set, GO!

FOLLOW

I've never been one to follow the crowd. In fact, I'd be the one standing in the background shaking my self-righteous head saying, "No this isn't right. They are wrong!" I wasn't ever a true follower of anything- always moving from place to place, job to job, friend to friend, hobby to hobby. I guess I've always been more of a jumper than anything else. Commitment has always been an issue for me. In fact, the only thing I ever committed myself to was my husband of almost 13 years of marriage and our children. So once I sat down to write a book, I didn't think I could commit myself for the long haul. But somehow I did. (I'm sure the Lord was pushing me forward through it all) Then came the night where I sincerely committed my life to the Lord. Living FOR HIM and NOT FOR ME. I've remained faithful and have followed Him along this path I'm walking, learning and growing each day. Since that time began, I've done a tremendous amount of soul searching and self discovery to find out the person I was before was...well... I didn't like her. 

Reflecting upon what I've put into words only last night, one of my FMF most favorite gals gave me a special scripture tonight as I'm dealing with a struggle that I know I must do but I'm afraid of the hurt it will cause. It surely fits with tonight's word: follow 

Five Minute Friday: I missed the Twitter party for the 2nd week in the row... kinda bummed about that but I find happiness in writing. So, that's just want I'm gonna do. Write for 5 minutes, unedited, unscripted... All for Him...

Our prompt this week from Kate is RELIEF

Ready, set, GO!


I find many reasons to struggle however with each struggle, I find relief: Relief from the multiple deaths these last two weeks. Relief of a work load that seemed to be never-ending. Relief from the laundry list of to-do's. Relief of not understanding Scripture when I knew there was an answer to be found. Relief in watching my daughter practice her dance routine for this weekends competition. Relief from not knowing the opening topic to a ministry that is supposed to start next Tuesday. Relief, from every day woe's that can tear me down before the day even starts. And it all has one common denominator: where does one receive such relief? Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! The one who defeated death, the one who is the Alpha and Omega, the one who redeems and mends our brokenness. Yes, our God and creator who loves each of us! 

My prayer tonight is for anyone who may need to receive relief from the daily struggles that life seems to like to throw at us. I pray you may find rest in your times of struggle and comfort in His arms of refuge. Amen

-Shannon 

Hello friends! It's Thursday night again and chatting with the #fmfparty crew this evening. I always get a chuckle and tonight's was from a friend who "may" need bail money! LOL Not really but it cracked me up! 

Every week we get together and share our Faith with prayers, words of encouragement and inspiring women that lift one another up. It's a wonderful party on Twitter and I encourage you to join us! 

Tonight Kate has chosen the word BREAK. We have 5 minutes of unedited, fast typing as we listen to our hearts as God supplies us with what message He has put upon us to write. 

Ready, set, GO!  

If you have followed my posts, you know that domestic violence is a huge passion of mine. When I saw the word 'break' I instantly knew what I was going to write about. How far can one push another until they break? Battered women and children often feel broken in a world that (until recently) has been hushed. "I love him," she pleads to her friend. "He doesn't mean it" she defends him. Until the next night when he has a gun to her nose asking if she wants him to pull the trigger. When would YOU break?
Last Saturday I spoke to a group of Christians regarding my childhood. Before I went up to the podium I was shaking uncontrollably. Honestly, I don't know why- it wasn't the first time I ever spoke about my upbringing. But this time was different and I knew it. Afterwards, I saw the faces of those women that my message effected, and I hurt for each one of them. All I could do was offer hope and a place of refuge... Our Lords loving arms. You see, women who's been abused can be weak and filled with fear. They aren't sure who to trust and opening talk about what goes on behind closed doors. So, God used my story to shed the shame of abuse, to be a beacon of light for salvation, and the courage to be bold enough to speak the truth. 

God won't let us break. Why? Because when we turn to Him for our needs, He. Will. Provide. Even as a child and into my teens I thought I couldn't go on. I sunk to my knees and begged Him, "Please Lord, Please, Save me from the violence." Looking back it reminds me of Paul's own battle. Three times he begged God to take it away. And our Creator said, 

Paul goes on to save one of my favorite, most powerful statements I have ever found...

If you find yourself living in an abusive home, I sincerely encourage you to seek His refuge. Ask your local churches if they offer Bible studies or support groups. Speak with a Christian counselor or Pastor. Don't let another day slip through your fingers believing that's its your fault...because it's not!!! And most importantly- pray. Ask God to lead you, to carry you- He already loves you - let Him help you so you begin to mend from your brokenness. 


Find refuge in His arms
-Shannon 

Here is yet another week of  Five Minute Friday where uplifting women gather together on Twitter for a session of encourage, laughter, and really cool ideas. I somehow managed to miss the videos they've been doing and I gotta say, it's such an amazing idea to get to know the women we chat with every week. To hear ones voice makes everything that more real. It builds a connection with the face and words we see on screen. Kudo's ladies :) 

Last week, I made a vow that I was going to stop letting all the difficulties I've been dealt get to me. And this week I am very happy to say, I'm focused and poised. Praise God! 

This is when we are given our writing prompt and given 5 minutes to write freely about what's on our heart. So, without further procrastination, our word is: REAL

Recently, I have been in awe of what the Lord has been doing in my life. I sometimes think I need to pinch myself to make sure I'm still alive and breathing. That's it's not some sort of dream or fairy-tale I've been in. Is this real I ask myself? How can God use someone as myself with such sin and shame? For years I hid my past and wouldn't budge on revealing it especially to the public. Maybe a close friend or two but that was pushing it. And my husband and children? How would they react if I stood in front of a group of people and talked about the demons that would haunt my dreams? I know in about every post, I mention something to do with this... but you see, I must because God has shown me such mercy and grace and I want everyone to know they can have it too! He is our REAL LIVING GOD who works in each of us for a very specific purpose. We each have our duties to fulfill and this Saturday marks yet another milestone in my walk of faith. I'll be speaking at my church (I'm pretty new to this church that God has placed me at). It's a women's breakfast and the ladies have asked me to be their guest speaker. God has truly granted me this blessing and it will be the launch of the ministry Refuge Under the Willow. I;m nervous and very excited all at once. This will be my 4th time speaking however it feels like it's the most important one I'll ever do and I don't know why because I would think the 1st one was the one that made all this happen in the first place. 

STOP

I don't know what all God has up His sleeve but as long as it's His will for me, I am remaining obedient and following the path He is leading me. I pray each one of you are able to reach out and take His hand knowing He will guide you along this journey.

Prayer & Love Always,
-Shannon 

Thursday night, a time when a group of fabulous women connect on Twitter- it's an evening that I can sit down and unwind-let go of all of my worries and release the burdens of the week. I've noticed over the last few weeks, I've had some heaviness on my heart for one reason or the other. I yearn for the weeks prior where I had very little stress and felt absolutely wonderful. So, I ask myself what's changed? Why have I let the ways of the world dictate my usual happy spirit and transform my smile into anxiety and feeling overwhelmed? Because I have let the darkness slip it's dirty claws around my thoughts...

When I walk, I think. The winter has been harsh and I haven't take the time to explore the outside this entire season. Last night I was able to take that walk and talk with a great friend.  I love how nature rejuvenates my spirit! It's time to revert those thoughts back to being like a child of faith. Pure. Holy. Light. Love. Back to the way Jesus taught so many years ago as He tells us in Matthew 18:3. 'And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." NIV So, tonight I am determined to pull up this anchor, adjust the sails, and head towards the light.

Tonights writing prompt is PLAN. I'm sure many posts will mirror where I'm going to go with this but it's a great topic that can be discussed in a variety of ways. I look forward to reading all the fellow writers found over at Kate's

Remember, 5 minutes, unedited, free writing that flows from the clicking of keys from your heart to the screen.

GO!

I had always wanted to write a book and I attempted to do so many times, failing miserably. Nothing every felt right. But I kept trying and getting frustrated. I'd stop and try again only to get frazzled with my words because they just weren't "it". It had no wow factor and felt lame. When I turned 30, that all changed and a book began to flourish. I knew what I had started was something special. It felt right, so I knew this was the "one". All those years prior, all those attempts were part of my timing; not His. After almost 2 years of writing, I was nearing the end of the book. That's when the Lord gave me a glimpse of what was to come. I put the hope on the back burner for 3 years. I knew this was His plan...not mine. And I remained hopeful that it would flourish to life like a lily blooming in early July. It's delicate petals requires nurturing. The roots become firmly planted in the ground over time. It requires water and light so that it will grow tall and strong to withstand the wind and rain once it blossoms. And just like the lily, a ministry needs to grow, to be nurtured, watered with roots firmly planted, and the light brighter than the sun. It took 3 years of waiting, learning, relying, and trusting and I'm very excited to announce the start of a new ministry that's been place on my heart to lead. Refuge Under the Willow will be consisted of Bible studies that look at various aspects of domestic violence. It will refer to scripture and lessons written about a variety of topics such as God's love, shame, abuse, alcoholism, submitting, salvation, and many more. Along the way, I fell into the trap of turning His PLAN into my plan. Needless to say, my plan was smashed into the ground and some very valuable lessons were learned. For that I am thankful because it has taught me very valuable wisdom. I pray that as I continue my walk with the Lord that I always reach His light, love and truth.






STOP

In the midst of my angst, I'm reminded of Romans 12:11-12  "Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying." NLT 

Hope for His Plan...Love His Plan...Rejoice His Plan...Glorify His Plan...Live His Plan -- because His Plan is perfect

My dear friends, I pray that God is the splendor of your world. 

-Shannon 

Tonight, my friends, I write with a heavy heart. My 9 year old daughter who is usually a happy girl filled with lots of giggles and her love for Jesus shines brightly. However, this evening her heart was broken. Due to her mini meltdown of crying and asking why while trying to explain the hurt and frustration through the tears that has overcome her spirit, I wasn't able to join in the weekly conversation on twitter tonight. So, I headed over to Kate's blog to find our writing prompt. Tonight's word is Gather. 

As a back story to what I am about to write:
My daughter has an eye condition called coloboma. It's rare and happens around the 5 week mark of gestation. During that time, the eye lids are supposed to close to form the baby's eyes. However, on the rare occasion those eye lids doesn't fully close and leaves slits. When that happens parts of the eye or eyes are not formed. In my daughters case, both of her eyes are effected and she is missing part of her iris' leaving her pupil to make up for the empty space. She has what is sometimes called "key-hole shaped" pupils. What's this mean? It varies with every case. With my little girl, she has peripheral vision loss as well as a 40% chance of spontaneous retinal detachment. If she would get hit in the face (eye area especially) that chance increases dramatically because the muscles that hold the iris in place are weaker than the average persons. So, due to this risk, she isn't in sports such as basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, etc. I am also aware that accidents happen so even a simple poke in the eye may cause damage. I also know that I can't exactly keep our daughter in a bubble and we have to put our trust in the Lord for protection. With that being said here is my 5 minutes of unedited free style writing of whats on my heart. Go...

Something happened where an opportunity to play in a soccer game was set in Jeanie's mind. I knew that I didn't want her in any soccer game due to the risks. However, the decision wasn't solely up to me. I have a husband and a daughter to reason with. To me, it was a no brainer. NO! To him the sad eyes and a spark of hope for her to play laid on his heart wanting to give our little girl whatever she wanted. So, our decision was to ask the doctor. (Plus we needed clearance for other reasons) Today was the day and the news was not in their favor but mine.  That two letter word sent my daughters heart into the depths of despair. The hurt was poured out onto my shirt with every tear that dripped down. She stated how upset she is with her limitations to sports. How she feels left out and how I can't understand her because her eye disease is permanent. "It's forever, Mom." And she reminded me of the fact that I can't change that. Talk about pulling my heart out- this was one of those nights. We spent a great deal of time talking. I had no true words of comfort instead I offered her teachings from our Lord. So, I gathered my thoughts and I reassured her that she will not have this forever. That her eyes will be restored and perfect once she is in Heaven. And I told her a story- one that I haven't spoke of in depth until tonight. I was able to tell her I understood her disappointments. I took that story and weaved it into another one that she knows of but again- not as in depth as it actually is. I offered her a hope- God will take all bad things and turn it into His good. That he has a plan and purpose and although we may not know now, she will know when the time is right. I gave her some possibilities of what it could be (even a miracle that her eyes would be cured) but only He knows what He plans. So, my prayer tonight is for my daughter. Father, I ask that you be with Jeanie. That you offer her comfort in her time of despair. Lord I ask that you blanket her with peace so that she may let go of her hurt and anger. And God I ask for strength as she wakes up in the morning ready to face a new dawn. Gracious God, I know you have a plan. And I know you will use this for Your good. Please Lord, be with my little girl tonight and all the rest of her days providing that hope that one day her eyes will be without a disease or condition. I thank you for all that you do that we don't even see or notice and I thank you for loving us as you do. In Jesus' name -Amen

STOP

Often there are times when we must stop and do more than just listen- but feel. Especially when it comes to our children. Sometimes it could be a friend, a sister, or a cousin- but we are compelled to simply stop... Gather our thoughts and offer hope because that's the only thing we have. If I could wrap my arms around my daughter and all of her pain and suffering would diminish that would be a miracle. However, more times than I can count- God is working on building us to be something better. So, although I couldn't comfort my child and make her pain disappear, I reminded her of God's love and wondrous ways in which He works in each of us. I ask that the next time you are faced with a loved one filled with grief, gather your thoughts, pray, and let the Holy Spirit lead you so that He can do His work. 

-Shannon 

The sub-zero temps here in [small town] Pennsylvania feels like we are living in a frozen tundra! Between the minus zero temperatures and the snow storms, its been a very LONG week. Last Saturday I actually heard thunder during a white-out. I admit- it kind of freaked me out and the first thing I did was look to see if I saw Jesus in the sky. I ain't even gonna lie- I thought the end had come. As the week wore on, my munchkins have had only one day of school this week. My usual days of working at our quiet home have been filled with my 9 year old & (newly-his b-day was Monday) 6 year old have been busy playing, laughing, and playing some more, making my "quiet time" more of a "let's get crazy" time. Tuesday started out the same as Monday. Both kids running around chasing each other. Until my little man walks into my office with a very sad look on his face. And then I saw it... the bump right above his eye... 'Oh that's gonna leave a mark' I thought. (And it did the...a very black and blue mark around his entire eye). So, I asked him, "Joe, what happened buddy?" His response: "Me and Jeanie were playing tag and the wall ran out in front of me!" Joe-0 Wall-1
This week feels like I have been running into the wall with my eyes closed. I feel almost disconnected from our Father and I'm yearning to feel His love. Tonight, I'm hoping to find His embrace as I write tonight's post. 

Tonight's prompt is Open
Remember: 5 minutes of unedited, let your fingers fly across the keyboard and let the words pour out of your soul! 

When I saw the word 'open" it instantly brought to mind the night my heart was opened... the key had been inserted, twisted to the right, and unlocked. I'm not sure I can write the entire story in just five minutes but I'm going to try my best. I'll finish afterwards if I can't.

Ready, set, .... GO!

For as long as I can remember, I've always believed there was a God. Our God, our Savior, Our King of kings. I don't recall ever doubting, it was just something I simple knew. He was there, always was, always has been, always will be. However, I didn't always live for Him. I put my own wants and needs first and as an after thought, I brought Jesus in when it was convenient for me. Man, was I doing things all wrong! I'd like to go back and kick myself a few good times if I could. But, here I am now, growing stronger because of His grace and love and I am learning how amazing our Lord is! 

So, how did I get to where I'm at now? This is my testimony... 

As I said before, it wasn't an issue of believing if God existed, it was giving up my life, my freedoms, myself - to Christ. 

Looking back on the events that happened, I can see where God was working. But I didn't see it as it was happening because the moment my heart was opened was a game changer. I had heard of a local ministry trying to get off the ground to help those in domestic violent situations. It sparked my interested considering 1. that's the subject content of my book 2. I grew up in DV & 3. I actually wanted to start a ministry for DV. So, it was a no-brainer to ask the founder about info to the benefit dinner she was hosting. Small talk was made, yada yada and one evening I had this nagging feeling in my gut that I needed to ask if there were any public speakers at the event. I tried to swat the notion to the back of my mind. No way was I ever going to be a public speaker. I couldn't tell my story. I was too afraid, what would people think? I'm not one to put my business out there like that. NO. And when she asked if I'd like to speak... WHY did my fingers type y.e.s.?? YIKES! 

STOP 

Okay, I really thought I'd get further than that! So, back to the story- I agreed with very shaky fingers to speak at this event. I was a nervous wreck since up to that point I had never done any sort of public speaking and I wasn't one to share my past with too many people. It was personal and it was mine. But, God was preparing me for something far greater than I could have imagined. I sat down, prayed, and started to recap my life on paper (well screen cause paper is so 1990's lol). It took all of an hour to complete a rough draft. By the following day I had it tweaked and waited nervously. The evening had finally arrived and I was all set. I was incredibly anxious, couldn't eat and wanted to chain smoke (I since quit). The moment came and the mic was in my right hand. All I could do was shake. Seriously. I get to the podium and take a deep breath and asked God to help me. And that's when the Holy Spirit showed up! Whew! Cause I was seriously sweating! My voice was steady, calm, and full of passion. My words were powerful, they were meaningful, they had heart and love. It was one moment in my life that was absolutely beautiful as God showed who He is and what he offers. The night ended and I reflected on what had just occurred. First, I knew I was redeemed. I also found out that God loved me more than I had ever imagined before. I was special. I had a purpose! He showed me my heart... you see it was full of cuts and tears. It cried in agony when I allowed myself to think of the past. The trampled feeling of defeat as I felt useless in the Lord's Army. My heart was broken and in need of restoration. That night... it was more than restored, it was filled with the Holy Spirit and I stopped living for me and started living for Christ. When I say I wanted to climb Mount Everest and scream "Hallelujah Praise God!" I seriously would have if I could have! I never expected the Lord to show up in my life so abruptly. But that night it was as though he bombarded my entire body. 

I started looking back on old blog posts, fb statuses, notes I had written here and there. God didn't just show up one day and said hey now's the time... He has been there the ENTIRE time... watching, guiding, loving me even when I didn't love myself. Those old posts proved to me I had more of the Lord with me than I ever realized I had. They showed me that it was me who denied Him at times and chose to live for my earthly desires instead of His desire. And that breaks my heart. 

I cannot explain how thankful I am that God has allowed me to serve Him. I don't ever want to be lost again. Ever. And when someone asks me why I believe in God, my answer is simple: "I believe in God because He believes in me." 


-Shannon 

Tonight I was wrapped up in some family fun creating some awesome Valentine's Day boxes for my munchkins. So, I missed out on chatting with all the lovely ladies tonight on Twitters #fmfparty. I was bummed but spending quality time with my babies was amazing! Here are the finished products: My daughter wanted a camo mailbox for her Valentines. (Camo...this is new...usually it's pink, purple, rainbows and butterflies....) and my son wanted Indiana Jones. (Because Ninja Turtles just aren't cool enough!)

Tonight's prompt is WHEN
Remember: 5 minutes of unedited, let your fingers fly across the keyboard and let the words pour out of your soul! 


Ready, set, .... GO!


Recently, I have been chatting with a young friend of mine that I have known since she was incredibly young. We lost touch for quite some time and thanks to social media we have been able to reconnect. In the midst of our chats, she has told me on several occasions how "inspired" she is by my words and my story and how much of an impact I have had on her life as a young child. I too was quite young back then. Late teens - oh my...I knew myself back then... and she was influenced by that? I shook my head hoping if there was one good thing I said, she only heard that ONE good thing! 


When do we realize the seeds we plant, if ever? When we are going about our daily business, young, naive, and have not a clue in the world, how do we NOT realize the impact we are having on those around us? How do we NOT KNOW we are even planting seeds? At nineteen we are focused on a variety of other things. I wasn't thinking of being a mentor, or a person that one sought for advice. Now don't get me wrong, I had my faith, I believed in right and wrong but I was an angry, vocal, headstrong teenager who felt like I knew everything I needed to know to live this life and survive. But that's ALL that I was doing... simply surviving. 


Fast forward about 15 years. Reality check! 


My friend and I dove into a very lengthy conversation and  that's when I knew I stopped surviving and started thriving! She asked some difficult questions and I was incredibly candid with her. I felt the importance of truth to this young woman was more valuable than my pride. 

When Paul wrote to the Corinth's it was incredibly powerful. "For when I am weak, then I am strong." Its the moment we hit our knees and ask God to carry our burdens. We know that we cannot go on and we NEED our King of Kings. His strength picks us up and carries us through granting such a relief that our shoulders are no longer carrying the weight of the world. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have even thought of revealing any of my wrong doings. In fact, I would have covered them up and tiptoed around the truth. But now... now I've grown, matured and have been pruned and I know the Lord still has much work to be done on myself and I await another pruning session. During the journey, I keep Him as my center, allowing His hands to guide my feet, my words, and my actions. I've noticed a pattern of which He has been asking me to reveal the tough lessons I have learned to others- helping to guide the hurt to Him. Because that is where true healing starts, remains, and continues for all eternity.


STOP 


Dear friends, I pray this message finds a special place in your heart. It can be easier not to drag out all those bones you've so neatly tucked in your closet. We are set on survival mode as opposed to thriving for a greater spiritual relationship. The Lord offers us a chance at being great if we set aside our pride and follow His lead. Let Him use you for all the uniqueness of your heart and soul. We each have a very special purpose to serve- no one is greater than the next but each are undoubtedly wanted and needed! 

-Shannon 

Our word this week for Five Minute Friday is....
KEEP

When the waves are soaring to the clouds it crashes down pummeling our helpless soul. The rain keeps pelting down onto our bodies as we are stuck out on the boat... the storm is at it's maximum strength. We are desperate for just a ray of sunshine. It's our weakest hour and we are brought to our knees pleading for the darkness to end- we are told to keep the faith. Praise God for what you are going through because He will save us from our troubles. Psalms 138:7 NLT says,

"Keep the faith," is a saying that I hear many others tell their friends and family when the hard times hit. But, what's it mean? How does one keep that faith when their world is unraveling at the seams? Faith is more than a religion. It may seem complex to those who sort of sway back and forth thinking, "It's a nice idea, but..." 

When I handed my life over to our savior it was a game changer. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that no matter what I was handed, God would pull me through. Faith is simple. It's believing and knowing that God is our creator, Jesus Christ died for our sins and He sent the Holy Spirit down to guide us along our journey. Faith is the desire to keep love in our hearts just as Jesus loves us. Faith is leaning on our Lord for absolutely everything we do. Faith is serving God and seeking his will for us. It's that purpose that makes our life have meaning. So, when I tell someone, "keep the faith," it's not just a phrase I say to pacify them. It's filled with meaning, especially for those who may not have built a strong foundation with God yet. So my friends, if you find yourself in the middle of a vengeful storm, Keep the faith, because as Psalms 138:7 promises us, "He will save us from our troubles."