Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s a quiet morning on the homestead! The sound of crickets outside the window, the calm stillness in the air, the hum of a tractor in the far distance, and the crows from the chicken coop stir a desire deep within me to reflect on our bountiful blessings from God. I am thankful for our salvation, our family, our health, our church family, and for His amazing grace. As the sun rises, the world outside our window comes to life… what a beautiful fall-like day we have been gifted!
Early morning visitor!
With the recent surge in heat we have been experiencing, the fall-like temperatures are a welcomed change. This change has brought many of the summer leaves down early over the course of the past few weeks. The crunch of the dry leaves beneath my feet this morning feels as if it were late September in the mountains. I am reminded of time this morning and how precious it truly is. Time is something that we often take for granted. Many of us count down the days until Christinas, a birthday, summer vacation, the birth of a child, a holiday, graduation, and even retirement. Just as many of you are guilty, I too, have counted days until an event or date.
During the quiet morning meditation, prayer time, and Bible study, my heart aches for a friend who received the news that no one wants to hear… you have cancer. I know God is bigger than cancer and He can perform miracles that man cannot. This news made me think even more about life. It is truly as described in the Bible as vapor on water. In other words, it is temporary and we have it for a borrowed amount of time.
This thought lead me to be even more thankful for life and the time that I have been blessed with and a question on my thoughts. What are we doing with this time? Once time has passed, it cannot be reclaimed… it’s gone. This lead me to the urgency, even more than before, to stop counting days down until some big or even small events. I am reminded to cherish this day, make the most of this day, live it to its fullest, be thankful for what the day brings, and be content with this specific day and know that tomorrow is a new day and then today becomes a yesterday… a day that is past and finished.
Early morning fog in the mountains.
I hope this short post inspires you to slow down, stop wishing your life away, take time to enjoy the day to its fullest, and cherish the days one by one we have been given. Remember, each day is a day that we are gifted. As the Bible tells us in James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Feel free to like, share, or follow. Also, head over to Apple Podcasts and check out our latest episode on Homesteading in the Mountains. God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky and happy homesteading from our homestead to yours.
Hello from the mountains of Kentucky! Fall has arrived and with fall, comes cooler temperatures at night and in the mornings. With fall also comes a beautiful array of colorful leaves, mountain sceneries, and fall flowers. The beauty of our mountains is better experienced than described. Come along with me as I take you on a photographic journey through the mountains.
Taken while traveling to see our granddaughter.
I enjoy the drive and the scenery along the curvy mountain roads as we travel deeper into the southern Appalachian Mountains to visit one of our granddaughters.
The deeper south… the bigger the mountains. Another view of Pine Mountain. Traveling deeper south.
The deeper we travel in the mountains, the more amazed I am with each mile. God’s hand and miracles abound everywhere. The picture above is a view of Pine Mountain. The view is stunning in all seasons.
Brilliant red leaves on the homestead.
A glimpse of some of the beautiful colors in our own yard. Beauty abounds everywhere in the mountains in the fall.
Fall blooms!Kentucky’s famous Cumberland Falls during mid fall. Photo Credit Marvin Meyers.Another view of Cumberland Falls. Photo credit Liz Hubbard.
Cumberland Falls is a state park that boasts of its beautiful natural water fall, hiking trails, hidden caves, a gift shop and picnic area. It is located near a beautiful Inn where great food and lodging are available. The Falls are famous also for the moon bow. The bow appears at night certain times of the year.
Laurel Lake Photo credit Denva Hoskins.
Laurel lake is a great place to fish, ride boats, relax on a pontoon, or ride jets across the water. It’s a common tourist attraction that brings people from far and near.
University of the Cumberlands. The campus is beautiful year around.
University of the Cumberlands is a private college that is nestled in the southern region of the state. Students from all over the world attend college here. The campus is beautiful regardless of the season.
View from the top of the mountains! Ride the trails and the scenery is gorgeous! Another beautiful view of the mountains.
Whether you ride a mountain trail or country road, or stop along the side of the road to enjoy the beauty, the view is breathing!
The backroads in the mountains.Beautiful fall colors from our driveway.Even the streams (creeks as we call them) are beautiful this time of year.
Creeks as we call them are staple for our homestead. We use it to water the garden, water the animals, and the grandkids love to play in the water. In the picture above it appears very small. However, when it rains a lot, it gets quite rapid. On the south side of the creek, there’s a hole deep enough and wide enough for the kids swim and fish in.
A glimpse from of the mountain tops behind our home.My drive home!
Whether you going or coming, the Kentucky mountains are beautiful during the fall season. I hope you have enjoyed God’s beautiful country in this small photographic journey through the Kentucky mountains. God bless! Feel free to like, subscribe, or comment.
Good afternoon, from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s a windy spring day in the mountains. The trees are beautiful! All of the blooming trees are in full color. Friday finds me busy with assignments that signify the spring semester is winding down. During this time, there is always extra work consisting of year end meetings, various writing assignments that need to be scored, classroom observations, and numerous interviews with students entering the education program. Thus, comes added stress to complete work in a timely manner. So, how do I deal with this added stress?
First and foremost, I like to rise early to pray and spend time in the word. Anything we need or questions we have, can be found and answered in His word. Secondly, I love to cook and bake. Cooking and baking are both therapeutic and help relieve anxiety and stress. While in the kitchen, I find it to be an opportune time to focus on Him. I love to listen to good gospel music, inspiring podcasts, and videos about the goodness of God. Today, I listened to a good friend of mine speak about sounding the alarm! This was the topic of the sermon at church yesterday! It’s time to sound the alarm. Time to be about our Father’s business. it’s time to be out in the highways and the byways and asking others to come to church, get to know Christ, and form a relationship with Him. During my time in the kitchen listening to and being inspired by others, it was also a wonderful time to pray.
Spending time in the word is a way to grow and learn.
As I chopped vegetables for a big kettle of homemade soup I called out the names of neighbors, friends, and family. I lifted them up to the Lord for their various needs, and most of all for their salvation. It’s time to sound the alarm! While I kneaded dough, I thought of the process of baking bread. We should follow the instructions in the recipe. If a step in the process is overlooked, the bread may not rise. Likewise, we must always follow the Lord’s instructions. If we overlook others whom the Lord is bidding us to invite to know Him, they may not be saved. If we don’t follow what He asks us to do, we may not grow to our full potential in Christ. Let’s follow His instructions. Sound the alarm!
Homemade crusty seeded yeast breadfresh from the oven! Homemade vegan beef less veggie soup
So, for now, I’m off to bake my bread! I’m anxious on this rainy spring day to enjoy a bowl of homemade vegetable soup with a slice of crusty homemade bread. This has been a prosperous and insightful Friday in the mountains. I’ll leave you with the message from our Thursday night service! Sound the alarm! Work while there’s time! Sound the alarm! Invite those you may see in the grocery store, witness on social media, encourage all those whom you meet. During her live, my friend shared about a young couple she recently invited to church. They were anxious to come, and they came. It was sad to find out they had wanted to go to church before she asked them, but hadn’t been invited by anyone and didn’t know where to go. Be that person who loves and invites others to get to know Christ. You never know when the person behind you in the checkout line at the store, may be waiting for someone to invite them. Don’t pass opportunities up, instead, sound the alarm! Jesus is coming back! God bless! Feel free to comment and follow.
Good afternoon from the mountains of Kentucky! Today feels like spring in the mountains. Easter Lillie’s are bloomed, some of the trees and bushes are budding, and I see green plants emerging through the flower bed covering. I am excited about spring as it always feels like an opportunity for new beginnings, time to plant, and time to enjoy the beautiful mountains that we are blessed with.
Summer in the mountains!
For those of you who are serious tea drinkers, and for those who enjoy a cup of tea from time time… you’ll enjoy my series, Tea Time Tuesday. It will be a reoccurring blog post that will include random topics ranging from making teas, uses of teas, to recipes that include tea in them, and occasional recipes for goodies to eat while drinking tea. I will also review books I’ve read while enjoying a cup of tea. While some posts might be simple ramblings or inspirational words. However, today’s post is about a topic that is worthy of conversation. Loose tea verses tea bags.
I’ve been an avid tea drinker for years. I like almost all flavors of teas. But, I do have a few favorites. I love a good chai tea with oat milk, and lavender. I drink peppermint tea almost every day. I like black teas and love a good chamomile tea with either honey or lavender and sometimes both. Regardless the tea I drink, I prefer loose leaf to tea bags. The tea that I grow and dry does not even compare to purchased teas, but there are times when I buy loose leaf, especially black tea and chamomile tea. So, why do I prefer loose leaf to bagged tea? Loose leaf is more flavorful, I don’t have to worry about how long it’s been shelved, I don’t have to wonder if the bags are good quality or could they be toxic. There are so many different reasons, but flavor and the ability to use a tea ball of loose leaf tea a second time, which is a great money and tea saver, especially if you purchase tea. If you don’t like a tea ball, you can always purchase organic tea bags that you can fill yourself. The organic tea bags are great for tea on the go. They store easily in my lunch bag that I carry to work.
I’m curious about your preferences. Which do you prefer bagged tea or loose leaf, and why? I would love to hear from you. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. I think I’ll enjoy a cup of tea and porch sit a little while on this beautiful spring-like day!
Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. I hope this post finds each of you well. I wanted to share a small part of my heart with you today. I awoke early in the morning hours, just after midnight. I had a sense of uncertainty welling up within me. If you are like me, it seems today, more than ever, i find myself being stretched to the limit with time to complete tasks, some of which go untouched. Unfinished work, tasks, or plans leave me with a feeling of uncertainty, which sometimes interferes with my sleep. This morning was one of those mornings. But through the sleepless hours, I was reminded of just how Big God is.
His joy will fill us… if we are willing to be filled.
As I lay awake trying to find sleep, I pondered questions such as when I could complete the task(s) neglected yesterday due to unplanned obligations. How can I stretch time to allow me to meet all of the tasks that face me tomorrow? When will I find a little much-needed time for myself? And the big question, Lord, am I spending enough time with you? With questions swirling through my mind, sleep seemed far away. I began praying for peace, answers, and for sleep to come.
I was reminded while praying to pray the Lord’s word. I was reminded that life and death are in the power of the tongue. There is life in His word. I found comfort in the following scripture. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV). I prayed for the Lord to help me trust Him during difficult times. He reminded me that He is my Heavenly Father, and just as I, as an earthly parent, will ensure that our children are cared for and help them in any way that I can, He, too, would help me. Trust filled me and sleep soon came. It was good sleep. It was restful sleep. I awoke feeling rested and ready to face the day. I was reminded this morning of His love and mercy and His word from 1 Peter 5: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you. My heart was filled with peace and the trust that the enemy tried to take from me in the early hours of the morning. The enemy is a liar! I am an overcome.
His word don’t lie!
We must remember that we wrestle not against flesh but against the principalities of evil. Spiritual warfare is real. The enemy’s sole purpose is to discourage, take away, and destroy God’s children. We must be steadfast, hold tight to His word, trust Him with all our heart, rebuke the enemy, and plead the blood over and around us and our family during this trying time, and at the name of Jesus, the enemy will flee. Life will be filled with uncertainties; you will feel overwhelmed at one time or another, and you will see that full calendar and fear that the tasks will not be completed. But, remember that fear does not come from God, but rather from the enemy spiritually fighting against you. God is ever-present and is as near as you allow Him to be. He will be there to help you when you call upon His name. The name that is above all names. He never leaves us, nor will He forsake us. The word tells us that He will go all the way with us.
Finally, let us never forget that as long as we have been born again, we are blessed and will be overcomers. Stay the course, press forward, pray on, stay steadfast, and trust Him for all our needs and we will finish this race as an overcomer. He is our Alpha and Omega, beginning and ending, and everything in between. I learned a valuable lesson in the early morning hours talking to Him. Maybe my awakening aimed to teach me and help you when you have that sleepless night.
God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky. I love to read comments. Feel free to like, share, subscribe, leave comments, or prayer requests. Enjoy this beautiful day that the Lord has blessed us with.
Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky. It’s official! We are 22 days away from spring 2024. I am eager to say that I am very happy about that! When the butter cups are blooming, daylight lasts a little longer, and the birds are singing early in the morning, I begin to have spring fever. I am ready to sow seeds, plant crops, and enjoy the sunshine on my face. I am eager to share a new bread recipe with you that is clean, easy, and tastes delicious. But first, I would like to ask if you have ever looked at the list of ingredients on bread you buy from the grocery store? The ingredients are numerous and many that I can’t pronounce or have to search the internet to determine what they are. This is scary to say the least. Even most of the breads that are labeled as organic contains a long list of ingredients. The recipe that I am sharing today has basically five organic ingredients, of which one is water. Are you ready to take control of what you put inside your body? Let’s get started!
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups of organic, unbleached all-purpose flour (I like King Arthur’s)
1 1/2 cups of warm filtered water 75 degrees
1 1/2 teaspoons of aluminum-free sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
2 teaspoons of organic non-caking yeast
1/4 to 1/2 cup of organic seeds of choice. I used pumpkin, flax, and hemp seeds. (This is optional)
In a large glass mixing bowl mix the dry ingredients and add warm water slowly stirring as you add the water. I like to add the yeast to the warm water to help activate it and then add the water to the mix. I also like to mix by hand, but a stand mixer with a dough hook can be used. Gently fold in the seeds of choice. Once the dough is mixed set the bowl aside in a warm place and cover the bowl with a clean dish cloth. Let rise for two hours.
Freshly folded dough awaiting the oven to heat.
After two hours, turn your dough out onto a floured parchment paper or floured wood cutting board. Fold the dough each way into itself. Shape it into the shape the desired shape that you prefer your bread. Lightly dust a stone pizza stone and place it on the oven rack that you will bake your bread on. Preheat the oven and the pizza stone to 450 degrees. Add about two inches of water to a shallow glass cooking dish and place on the rack beneath the rack you’re going to bake the bread on. This will help your bread have a crispy exterior on top and a soft bottom. Allow your bread to continue to rise while the oven and stone are preheating. When the oven is preheated, score the top of the bread three to four times with a serrated knife. Remove the hot stone and carefully remove the dough and place it on the the hot stone. Bake for 25- 30 minutes, depending on how crusty you like your bread.
Fresh bread just out of the screaming hot oven still on the baking stone.
This bread can be made from wheat flour if desired or oat flour. The seeds are optional and can be exchanged for other seeds, or left out of the recipe. You may bake this bread in a preheated covered cast iron Dutch oven that is lined with parchment paper before adding the dough, or you may divide the dough into two small loaf pans.
Once the bread has baked transfer to a cooling rack and allow to completely cook before cutting. Sharp serrated bread knifes are great to cut the bread. This bread makes great sandwich bread, toast, French toast, as a side to supper dishes, toasted as crusty bread, or buttered as is. The inside is soft and airy and delicious. I love the texture of the baked pumpkin seeds within the bread. The possibilities are vast!
Cooling on the wire rack.
I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe. Every time I bake, I am reminded of one of my favorite components of the Lord’s Prayer.
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread. (KJV)
The top is crusty, the bottom soft, and inside is airy. It’s delicious!
We should focus on this day, not days that have past, nor days that haven’t yet arrived. If we keep our focus on, this day, we do not get caught up in the what ifs, from yesterdays, or the what wills, of tomorrows. Keeping our focus on the Lord for this day encourages us to rely on Him more completely.
God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky. I welcome Feel feedback and or questions.
The leaves are beginning to turn in the mountains!
Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. Can you feel fall in the air? Fall is one of my favorite seasons. When fall comes to the mountains, something magical happens. A carpet of beautiful foliage slowly emerges throughout the mountains. The colors are brilliant yellows, crisp oranges, and fiery reds, all mixed with hints of green lingering for a few more weeks. The foliage reminds me of my sister’s handmade quilts. My sister is a brilliant artist who creates gorgeous quilts from scrap materials of diverse colors. She is legally blind but still creates unique quilts by hand with tiny stitches. Not only is she legally blind, she is also totally colorblind. My children used to ask me if she saw things in color, just like a child to wonder. Yes, I would answer she sees in colors; she just can’t distinguish which color is which. So, her quilts come together in a stunning color scheme… just like the foliage in our mountains does in the fall.
A postage stamp quilt gifted to me by my sister. Each block is the size of an actual postage stamp!
When fall comes to the mountains, preserving and canning is usually near completion. Autumn, or fall, as we call it, is the time to go to the apple orchard to pick apples for tasty recipes, preserving, drying, and munching. We enjoyed the orchard this year as the temperature was comfortable; the crowd wasn’t as big as previous visits, and the fried apple pies were delicious. The grandkids had fun playing on the playground and games, while the adults enjoyed the atmosphere and sights. We used the apples we brought home for various dishes. Some of our favorite apple dishes during the fall include frying apples with breakfast or supper. We also peeled and dried many apples, resulting in three large containers of dehydrated apples for healthy snacks, frying, cakes, or pies. Nothing went to waste. We used all the apples, even down to the peels and cores, which the chickens enjoyed as a fall treat.
Picking applesGrandkids having fun at the orchard.
Seed saving is a common tradition within the mountains. Fall is the perfect time to save vegetable, fruit, herb, and flower seeds. The late-bearing acorn squash and peppers are the only vegetables left to be picked. We have a remnant of beans hanging on the fences drying to be used for seed next year. When collecting seeds, it is essential to use sources from plants that are healthy and produce the best vegetation or fruit. We collected seeds from the remaining vegetables and placed them on cheesecloth or white paper towels to dry. Once the seeds are dry, we put them in envelopes for storage. We recognize some sources in recycled brown jars/bottles containing organic vitamins. This is a brilliant method of recycling as well. Also, be sure to label your seeds to identify them when you’re ready to plant.
My seed box.
When fall comes to the mountains, so do pumpkins! Children and adults alike enjoy trips to the pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins, enjoy pumpkin treats, and enjoy the beauty of the mountains. Pumpkin spices and flavors are prominent in restaurants, store shelves, coffee shops, and more. Pumpkin spice is a favorite in the mountains. Many mountain families love pumpkin-flavored treats like coffee, pie, bread, butter, and cookies.
A trip to the pumpkin patch is always fun!
When fall comes to the mountains, it’s a time for family gatherings, cookouts, dinners, and a time to socialize and relax away from the world’s cares. Mountain cookouts usually have hot dogs, hamburgers, vegan burgers, marshmallows, chips, and some sides.. This is also a perfect time to include pumpkin cookies or pumpkin bread. Cookouts in the mountains are about the food and the socialization! Sitting by the campfire with loved ones, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories is the best way to enjoy fall in the Appalachian Mountains.
And finally, when fall comes to the mountains, it’s time to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving in the mountains is a time for family to come together for the day. Each person typically brings a side-dish to menu and everyone gathers at one house, which is typically my house. I love when all our family gathers together to relax with appetizers that consist of; my traditional cheese ball, peanut butter and chocolate buckeye candy, dips with chips, and of course banana and or pumpkin bread. We load Thanksgiving dinner with good food. Dinner usually includes the traditional dishes of turkey, usually prepared two ways. We roast one turkey in the oven and we smoke a second turkey outside in the smoker. A ham is prepared and complete with brown sugar and pineapples. The side dishes usually include mashed potatoes, green beans, fried corn, homemade cornbread stuffing/dressing, brown gravy, sweet potato casserole, and more. It’s a smorgasbord! A literal feast. Family members can be found eating around the dining room table and in the kitchen. We add tables for kids in the family room. After the dinner, dessert is available for those who have room, and those who do not! Dessert typically consists of peach cobbler, Butterfinger delight, carrot cake, cherry cheesecake, and other delicious recipes that family brings with them. Football can be found on the television and often-times, one of our favorite Christmas movies… The Christmas Story is on 24/7 on Thanksgiving and on one of the televisions. It’s also a time that most of the females are bargain shopping as the black Friday sales have begun! But, the best part of the day is the heartfelt prayer that is prayed before the meal begins, and the socializing during dinner and after. It’s a wonderful to catch up on what has been going on in the lives of our family.
When fall comes to the mountains of Kentucky… it’s more than the beautiful scenery. Fall is a time of hard work as we can preserve and clean up the garden. It’s a time of gathering seeds for the following year. Fall is a time of fellowship with friends, our church family, and our family. Fall is a time for campfires, holiday meals, and winter transition.
Late fall last year in the mountains!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and a little time in our small corner of the world. Feel free to follow and or comment. Get ready! I have an outstanding sweet potato recipe that I will post in a few days. You can prepare this cake vegan or non-vegan. It’s delicious. Well, let me give you a sneak peek at the cake!
Sweet potato pound cake… recipe coming soon!
For now, God bless, and happy fall from the mountains of Kentucky!
Hello, from the Mountains of Kentucky! The heatwave continues in the mountains today! Dry and hot, yet beautiful! We all know what else comes with summer temperatures. Yes, that’s it! Bees! I’m not allergic to bee stings like our grandson is, but I certainly do not like the pain from those pesky things. To be so small, their stings can pack a punch!
Our beautiful flocks! Butterflies love them, but so do bees!
While watering my flowers this morning, wasps, or as we call them, waspers, were swarming the flocks. I thought as I always do, if I don’t bother them they won’t bother me. Wrong! As I left the flower bed a red wasp decided to make a plunge for my hair. My first instinct was to swish my hair back and forth to encourage it to leave. It left! But, it came back with a vengeance. I returned and stung me on the shoulder through the sleeve of my shirt. Ouch!!
Lavender and basil. Crushed basil leaves helps soothe a sting.
Once inside, I grabbed a roller ball of lavender and rolled it on the sting to sooth it. I had just finished drinking a cup of black so I grabbed a soaked tea bag and held it on the sting to draw the poison out. As the sting started soothing, I made my way to my apothecary chest to retrieve the purify essential oil, which acts as an antiseptic and massaged a few drops directly on and around the sting. Once it dried, I added a few drops of clove essential oil that acted as a numbing agent. It numbed the bee sting and the area around it. With the mix of essential oils, the organic tea bag, and a whispered prayer, relief came to affected area.
My apothecary chest that housed my essential oils and teas.
I am a firm believer in herbs, essential oils, and teas as well as prayer. I prefer natural methods of treatment rather than over the counter medicines. God created all living things and with that He provides us with an abundance of resources all around us. It’s a good idea to keep a few essential oils in a convenient place. I always keep a few essential essential oils in my purse and a couple of tea bags when we’re away from home, for bee stings, minor headaches, scrapes, or an upset stomach.
I look forward to sharing more tips that I have found helpful for using essential oils, herbs, and teas for minor ailments. I hope that this post will be beneficial to you and your family. Also, remember, those who are severely allergic to bee stings might find this method to help soothe stings until they can be seen by a physician or use an epipen.
Clove is a versatile oil that smells wonderful and helps numb bee stings.
Blessings from our home to yours! As always feel free to leave a message and or click follow to subscribe to my blog.
Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God
Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s a hot one here today! Heat advisory’s have been posted, and the air is already warm this morning. I am not complaining though, I love this time of the year! I wanted to share a small piece of my heart with my readers this morning. I want to encourage you. I hope you enjoy.
Standing alone, but not forgotten.
I have always had a fascination with old things, antiques, vintage items, old barns, old homes, old school houses, and especially old churches. I even find a fascination in the house seats where old houses once stood. You know the ones that still have remnants left behind. Sometimes it’s a really matured oak tree. Other times, it’s an old stone fence, or maybe a dilapidated barn or the remains of an old root cellar. I instantly begin to visualize and imagine those that lived there before. What was there life like? Were they Christian’s? Did they enjoy the mountain scenery? Did they have children? Did they farm? The questions roll sometimes until I can’t stop my mind from wondering. I am often stirred within and feel a connection to the past.
Beautiful home! Oh the stories that could be told.
I love the group, Abandoned in KY group that I follow on Facebook. I can’t browse too much or I find myself lost in the photos making them larger to see every detail of even the tiniest object that was left behind by the previous tenants. Then the questions roll again. I am fascinated and saddened at the same time, especially when I see so many abandoned churches across our state being postsed. I find myself asking, why did no one carry on? Why is the homes and the churches abandoned? Have they been forgotten? Where are the ancestors? Did no one share the importance of maintaining a home? Did anyone share the importance of attending services in the church. Did no one keep the fire burning?
A one-room school house/church restored through a grant written by teachers.
I have pondered on these empty dwellings and sanctuaries for years. I have written many poems about them, and am currently working on a novel based on many of the empty structures that I have photographed. But today, I feel like lifting someone up. In the day we live in many of us look around at our churches and notice an undeniable trend of low attendance, lack of concern, and empty seats. I want to say this, don’t dwell on what you see or who you don’t see, but focus on God. Pray without ceasing, press for the mark, lift up His name, and pray for the return of fire in God’s church. Not just the church where you attend, but His church. The body of Christ. Remember a fire begins with one single tiny spark. The spark must then be fanned to produce a flame. Once the flames ignite, keep fanning and keep praying. A wildfire, a revival wildfire will erupt. But remember, don’t neglect the spark. Press on. Stay the course. Ignite the fire through prayer and fasting. Praise God for what’s coming, don’t look at current circumstances, and be willing to fan the flames of revival. Will you be that spark?
Let the the fire burn so bright that it can be seen even in the darkest times.
I hope you feel encouraged. Don’t be down trodden, don’t look at what you see with your physical eyes. Look through spiritual eyes and recognize that God is still God. He don’t change. It is His pleasure to restore and connect our todays and tomorrows to history of our yesterdays. Great awakenings erupted in the past through dedicated prayer and fasting and He can open up the geysers of anointed revival again. God’s not finished yet! Fan the flames! God is still God! The same today as yesterday!
Feel free to comment or click follow to follow my blog. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. Fan the flames, spread the word, God’s still God! He’s not dead! He’s still alive!
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. KJV
Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky. It’s a beautiful day in the mountains. The sun is shining, birds are chirping and singing, and I can feel the buzzing and abundance of life all around me. Nature inspires me, as I know who created all manners of life. As I sat down this morning to grade students’ work, I felt the still small voice of the Holy Spirit whisper a simple message to me; come walk with Me. I thought about that simple statement. Come, walk with me. After a few minutes of pondering, the Lord reminded me of the many times that He has spoken about paths that we, or that I, should follow. I am reminded that to walk the path that He lays before us, we must walk with Him. We must take up our cross and agree to take up His yoke and follow Him. To follow Him, we must walk with Him.
Regardless how the enemy tries to instill fear… we must trust and follow God. His way leads to victory.
As I face surgery next week to have my right hip replaced, the enemy tried to instill fear within me. Fear of being put to sleep, fear of being in an operating room vulnerable to the knowledge, skill, and wisdom of the surgeon, nurses, and assistants. The scariest thought of all was the knowledge of what weight and responsibility the anesthesiologist was going to be responsible for. He would be responsible for my breathing, or so the enemy said. For a moment, a bit of panic gripped my thoughts. But then a clear vision came forth. I am never alone and will not be alone in the operating room. God will guide each person involved in the surgery. He will be there with me, just as He has throughout this journey. He reminded me, He holds my very breath, not the anesthesiologist.
So, for now, the fear that the enemy tried to fill my mind with… has dissipated as I advance and walk with the Lord, who knows me more intimately than I know myself. He is the way and the way maker. He lays the path that we are to walk, but we have to get up, dust ourselves off, believe in what we can’t physically see, and walk with Him. I want to encourage you. If you are facing what feels like a mountain, or a giant. If a situation seems impossible, know that with Christ, all things are possible. Remember, it is the enemy, the oppressor, who tries to make burdens and trials seem impossible and who desires to fill you with fear. But remember that fear is not of the Lord, just as worry is not of Him. We must trust in the Lord, and give our fears, burdens, weight, and the mountain that stands before us to Him. We must trust and walk with Him. He is our life support, our breath, and our all.
I will cling to His promises for they are true!
I hope this short post has encouraged you. I feel encouraged this morning by what felt like the weight of the world to me only days ago. That which loomed before me now seems insignificant and an opportunity to tell others about Him. God is my refuge and my very present help in the time of trouble. He promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us. We must lay it down and follow Him. I encourage you to find a quiet place to abide in Him, talk to Him, and, most of all, listen to Him. Will you join me? Come, let’s walk with Him.
God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky. As always, I welcome your comments and questions.
A Healthier Me...Homesteading Simple & Clean 