Family Life Winners Family Life Winners

September 14, 2013

To Adopt or Not to Adopt, There is Only One Question

Filed under: Charleen's Kitchen of Life,Uncategorized — admin @ 6:34 pm

swanhidingplace
To adopt or not to adopt. There is only one question:  ” Is  it  God’s desire for me, or my family to be a hiding place for a child in need?”

 

“And here I felt a strange leaping of my heart…. My job was to simply follow His leading one step at a time, holding every decision up to him in prayer.” Corrie  ten Boom, The Hiding Place

I am reminded of Corrie ten Boom and her family in the days when the Jews were so severely persecuted by the Nazis. When the Lord was confirming his will to my husband and I regarding adoption,  we sat watching The Hiding Place.

 If you haven’t seen it, please rent it.  It is a riveting film of Corrie ten Boom,  and her family’s beautiful self-sacrificing  lifestyle, as the Lord used them to save many Jews.

 I can  hear the words of her sister when asked why she would be involved in such an endeavor, “Truthfully, I’d rather do anything else. I’d like to close the door and never open it again until this whole hideous thing is over, but that’s me. My Lord Jesus tells me to open the door to whatever comes, to give His love in whatever ways I can. And I will listen to His voice, not mine.” Betsie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

Seek His will for your family first.  If He is leading you to adopt, He will confirm it in exceedingly abundant ways.

Years ago the Lord began  enlarging my heart in ways I didn’t understand at the time concerning adoption.  The first time my husband and I had a strange young boy stay with us for the weekend, it completely stressed me way beyond my comfort zone.

Michael felt this troubled boy could benefit by being out of his situation for a few days, and wondered if I would be willing to share our home with him.  Have you ever felt the Lord’s stretching?

First, let me back up just a bit.

Before I met my husband, Michael, an amazing man of God in every way, I thought I knew everything about the Lord.  Michael had been moved by the Lord to forsake all and follow Him into the field of social work.

He remains today,  a man totally sold out to hearing and obeying the Lord’s voice. The Lord began using him to help me see all of the  riches of my relationship with the Lord still to be unlocked.

He was already fathering  my two precious sons from a previous marriage, and with all of his heart was attempting to be a most perfect father to them.  They were suffering greatly from the divorce, and it was terrible to watch.

Let’s get back to the young man I first mentioned.  All I kept thinking about was our two older sons, and how much discomfort they would be experiencing. Hadn’t they gone through enough? How could I put them through added trauma? I knew my only choice was to obey the Lord.

To my surprise, it really didn’t seem to bother them very much at all. I learned so much from having this young man stay with us, about his life, and his culture.  This experience was such a great blessing, and I believe it was good for our family. I almost missed it because of my silly fears.

After the divorce from a previous marriage, I became a born-again Christian, but I had so much to learn.

The Lord’s ever-present help was my only salvation.  His word became my food!  The enemy came at me hard, and at that time, I had no clue about the authority Jesus gave us over all of his work.

Therefore, I became the enemy’s victim, and watched him separate me from my two older sons in ways I never could have imagined.  It was devastating, and I  seriously didn’t think I could make it.

As is always the goodness of the Lord,  He took what the enemy meant for evil and used it for my good.  He enlarged my heart to adoption, and gently took me step by step into blessings I would have missed if I had closed my heart off, and shut the door on His provision.  I was no longer living on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of my God.

“Do you know what hurts so very much? It’s love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked that means pain. There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill that love so that it stops hurting. But then of course part of us dies, too. Or we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.” Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

I am so very thankful to the Lord for giving me another route for that love to travel.  His blessings of  birth children and  adopted children, each are  a gift, exceedingly abundantly above all I could ever ask or imagine!

Once you have discovered His will, take the next steps He gives. Be sure you are completely saturated by His Holy Spirit who enables us to do all things.

“Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.” Corrie ten Boom

Counting the cost is a must before you adopt.  Going in, you must realize there may be some adjustments you may have to make, and some sacrificing that will be required.  Never go in blindly.  Ask the Lord to prepare you, and know He is going to make you more than able.

There are no ‘if’s’ in God’s kingdom. His timing is perfect. And no places that are safer than other places. The center of His will is our only safety. His will is our hiding place. Let us pray that we may always know it. “Lord Jesus, keep me in Your will. ”  Corrie ten Boom

Truthfully, until just recently, I haven’t wanted to share much about my adoption experiences.  I love each child so much, and wanted them to be protected.  I have been upset when people would ask if they were all my birth children.  I have hidden them in a hiding place of sorts. I thought it was for them, but I realized it was mostly for me.

Just like the Jews were eventually able to come out from hiding, I am feeling the Lord tugging at me  to share our  testimony so others may know the extreme benefits to enjoy through adoption.

Am I trying to say that adoption can be equated with the  dangerous, self sacrificial beauty of the ten Boom family, not at all.  What I am saying, the need is just as great.

My prayer for you is that you will know His love, know His will, and you will follow His voice.  Ask the Lord, “Am I to be a hiding place for a child needing a family?”

Galatians 4:4-6  “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

 

 

 

 

 

September 13, 2013

Investing In Your Health

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 2:56 pm

  Welcome To The Healthy Life!healthyfamily

We know that your time is valuable and we want to let you know how to get your first month’s supply of our awesome fruits and veggies whole food product.

Only 10 people  a month will qualify for this gift.

It really was a no-brainer for us since we recognize the nutritional value of getting your fruits and veggies every day.

But who can do that these days?!

And the quality of today’s fruits and vegetables have gone way down. Whole Foods grocery market is great but way too expensive. Enough said.

We Pay For Your First Month

But It Gets Better: You can additionally get one child’s order FOR FREE every month for up to 3 years as long as you stay active with your order.

YOUR NEXT STEPS:

1) Open up another tab in your browser while you stay on this page and go to your email that you entered in our form and there you will need to verify your welcome email. You will then get an email with our product link to discover exactly what we are talking about.

2) Check out the site and product information which includes a great 120 day unconditional money back guarantee from an established company with a stable history.  Why 120 days?  Drugs effect your body very quickly. It takes more time for the consistent daily intake of fruits and vegetables to have a positive impact. Many people experience beneficial results within one month, however.

3) Send us any questions you may have through that email. We will also let you know if we have reached our monthly limit.

4) When you order, you will pay for your first month’s supply but receive a 4-month supply package in the mail.

5) Let us know by email that you have made your order and we pay you for your first month’s cost, a $41 value, either by paypal or by check, whichever you prefer.

We are excited about investing in your health!

Charleen and Michael

 

 

September 11, 2013

7 Reasons Christians Should Follow The Jewish Holiday Calendar

 The Jewish Holiday Calendar For Christians?

What possible reason might Christians be interested in the Jewish holiday calendar?
The simple answer is that our Heavenly Father established these times of feasting to help us live “the abundant life” by experiencing His great blessings. The Biblical holidays are all about celebrating God’s great grace and His desire to be an intimate part of our lives.
My Jewish Cookbook
We have the perfect guide to help you discover the life-changing treasures found in the Jewish feasts. To help you and your family enjoy these exciting events every year, we created this Jewish cookbook for Christians.
Watch your family change as you begin to observe the Biblical feasts.They truly are an extension of the presence of Jesus who brings life-giving power. Here are 7 convincing reasons you should want to make them a lasting part of your existence.

GREAT GIFTS



God’s Miracles In Your Life
1) Mighty displays of God’s miraculous power were common in the early Church UNTIL the fourth century. These occurrences began to fade away when the Roman emperor Constantine interfered.
He prohibited any relationship between the Church and following the Jewish feasts, especially Passover. This happened at the Council of Nicaea in 325AD. I am suggesting there is a strong relationship between observing God’s appointed feasts and knowing God’s miraculous hand on your life.
God Has A Calendar?
2) I think almost all Christians would agree that the Lord indeed is the author of time. Taking this into consideration, does it sound unusual that He would have His very own calendar? He possesses one, and He revealed this calendar to the Hebrew people.
His method of keeping time is also available to you and me. The calendar we all familiar with is called the Roman calendar. Concealed in God’s calendar are many opportunities for us to experience the fullness of His blessings. Isn’t it time for you to make room in your life for the Lord’s calendar?
Many Chances To Start Strong
3) A strong start is vital to our success in life. A useful example of this is a house needing a stable foundation. We see it in how we make plans for any new assignment. The Lord knew that strong beginnings would be important for us and He gave us 12 chances each year to get things on track. They are called the Firstfruits Celebrations. Through them, you can tap into a new ability to begin strong and rise to the top.
Are Tired of Getting Beat Up?
4) Are you successfully dealing with the barriers you face in life on a continual basis? This may be shocking, but Scripture is full of commands for us to walk in supernatural power. The Bible calls us such outrageous things as “overcomers”, “conquerors”, and “dominion-takers.” Be prepared to see God’s life-changing ability thriving in your family as you do 1 simple thing. Adhere to the Lord’s command of keeping the Sabbath day holy. Isaiah 58:13-14
Family Time vs. TV Time
5) The Jewish feasts are indeed exciting times for your family to come together and be prepared for the challenges of these days. Today, our families are being undermined and divided by everyday hassles and demands.The average total of quality time a parent spends with their children daily is only 10 minutes.
Enjoyable family memories are waiting for you as you get involved in these feasting times. Families need to learn how to become teams again and have fun doing it. The family unit should be the springboard for our children to launch off into successful lives.
Do You Have A Thankful Heart?
6) If anyone has a reason to be grateful, it should be Christians. Can your friends and church family see the joy in your life? With all the destructive events taking place around us, we need more Godly opportunities to celebrate. The Jewish holiday calendar is full of times of feasting and chances to express our thanks for all that God has done and what He will do.
And what is an exciting party without memorable food? Discover some of the delicious Jewish dishes that are a big part of these festivals.
What Would Jesus Do
7) You’ve heard the powerful question in Church circles: ” What would Jesus do?” Maybe you even wore a WWJD bracelet at one time. Do you suppose Jesus celebrated the Jewish feasts? If you look at the Gospel accounts carefully, you can see that he did. One of the secrets to success and happiness in life is our commitment to imitate Christ.

 

When we align ourselves with His perfect timing, new anointing and grace is released to us. Our family of 12 have been enjoying these blessings for several years now and we are convinced that God’s times of celebration will be a vital key to overcoming the challenging times we are facing!
 
There’s an adventure waiting for you and your family. Some important hints: Keep this fun, involve your children in the process, and don’t make many rules..

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