bread and water

I pray you are not growing weary in daily spending time with the Lord through these devotions.   If you keep it up, it will become a habit to read your Bible and pray everyday, then it will become a delight!   So, let us press on together sister J 1.     Read Psalm 63:4   How does David praise the Lord and how should we? I have been saved since I was 13 years old and have been going to church at least three times a week or more every week of my life.   That is a lot of opportunities to offer praise to the Lord, but I wasted a lot of those opportunities.   When I was at a youth camp it was easy to raise my hand to worship because other people were.   However, when I got back to my regular church I quit raising my hands to worship for two reasons.   One reason was no one else was raising their hands to worship.   The second reason was the devil was telling me that because I wasn’t perfect and had not prayed enough or been with Him that day that I would be a hypocrite to raise my hand an

Moment With the Master           Week 3 1.      Read Psalm 63:1-2   Why did David seek God early according to Psalm 63:2? 2.    During church services I have seen the power of God and felt the presence of God.   David had seen God’s power and glory in the sanctuary and it was so wonderful that He longed to see it again.   I love to go to church to worship God and sing to Him with other believers.   The Bible says “Where two or more are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst”…   Why do you come to church? 3.    When we go to church as much as we can, experience the presence of God through worshipping Him, and hear the word of God preached we will grow as a Christian.   However, God desires that we seek HIM and spend time with Him daily.   Everyday you need to be reading your Bible and praying a little so you will grow in your relationship with God.   How would you feel if your husband or friend only talked to you and listened to you one day a week when you were in public

1.     Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and give you understanding. 2.     Read Psalm 63 3.     This is a Psalm that David wrote when he was in the wilderness of Judah. 4.     Most Psalms are songs of praise or worship to the Lord, or heartfelt prayers to God.   Let’s let Psalm 63 become our prayer. 5.     Read Psalm 63:1a.   Can you say with the psalmist, “O God, thou art my God”?   Was there a time in your life when you realized you were a lost sinner and needed Jesus to save you?   Did you choose to make the one true God your God?   Having a relationship with Jesus is a personal thing that you have to decide on your own.   Once you are saved you can have an ongoing, intimate, and personal relationship with God.   If you are unsure of your salvation please talk to Pastor John or me (Brandi). 6.     Read Psalm 63:1b   Do you seek the Lord early?   I have a hard time with this one.   I do sit down and read my Bible and pray in the mid-morning, but it is not super early.   Howe

Join me for a devotional I am writing called, A Moment with the Master.  I know we are all busy but as children of God we must spend time with Him each day, even if only for a moment in His Word and prayer.  My goal is to help you dig in the Word with some questions and thoughts for your time with God  through the week.  Here is Week 1... 1 .Read John 4:1-8 and list the two people in this passage. 2 . Where does this story take place? 3 . Read John 4:9-14  What did Jesus mean by saying, "Whosever drinketh of  the water that I shall give him shall never thirst?" 4 . Read John 4:15-19   Describe this woman's past.  Describe your past before you met Jesus as your Savior. 5 . This woman said, "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw" John 4:15  She was saying, 'I want what you have Jesus.  I want to be satisfied by you and not temporarily satisfied by the 'water' of this world'.  Describe the time in your l

On October 27th we had a big accident at our house.  We had been at the church earlier that day and were talking about how great it was to be starting a church, etc.  The devil saw how excited we were and thought he would throw a trial our way that day. We were cleaning the house and getting ready for a missionary to stay with us and preach at our church that night.  Our three year old son said, "Daddy, look I peed in the trashcan!"  My husband put our almost 1 year old son down in the hallway and went into the bathroom, slowly shutting the door behind him. He did not realize the baby had quickly crawled toward the door and put his right ring finger at the hinges and the door shut all the way on his finger . I heard the baby screaming and ran to see what happened.  I saw two big drops of blood on the floor and my husband was holding the baby's hand and hiding it from me.  He calmly said, "Brandi hand me a washcloth.  We need to go to the hospital."  I start

As a young Pastor's wife I love to ask older Pastor's wives for their advice.  One older lady told me to simply guard my tongue . A different lady told me to simply love Jesus with all my heart . Another lady told me to support and follow my husband. When I don't get an opportunity to talk to an older godly lady I like to be discipled by them through reading their books. I came across a wonderful book for minister's wives that has really been a help to me.  I have tried to read some of these books before and I didn't get very far before I quit reading.  However, this book has really impressed me so far.  It has a cheesy name and a cheesy cover, but don't judge a book by it's cover .  The title of the book is 10 Things Every Minister's Wife Needs to Know by Jeana Floyd  It is only a couple of years old and it is very relevant. To give you a quick overview, here are a few of the "10 things" in a nut shell. 1. The "Secret" to S

I just made our favorite food to eat this time of year...pumpkin muffins.  We eat them for snack, dessert, breakfast and everything in between!  The original recipe was found by my sister-in-law on cooks.com, but I tweaked it to make it healthy and dairy free and they are still the bomb! You have got to try this recipe...your kids will love it and the pumpkin is good for them:) Make them 1-2 days ahead for best flavor.  Ours are gone before then so I make a double batch and refrigerate the batter. Makes 12 regular or 48 mini muffins. 1 2/3 cup whole wheat flour   (I use freshly ground) 2/3 cup sugar or sucanat (if brown sugar, add to wet) 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice* 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 2 large eggs (I use powder egg replacer and water) 1 15oz can pumpkin 1/2 cup or 1 stick melted butter (I use earth balance) 1 cup (6oz) chocolate chips 1/4 cup milk if mix is too dry (almond milk) Mix dry ingredients and in another bowl whisk wet ingr

Oneday I was talking to my Grandmother about life and how fast time goes by.  She is what some people would consider "old".  She has great grandchildren and has lived a long life.  Nana said that as she thought back over her whole life and how fast it went that it was like a vapour. I'm sure you have heard the saying that "life is a vapour".  It is a true saying, not because I think so but because the Word of God says so.  The Bible says in James 4:14, "...for what is your life?"  Then it answers the question for you by saying "it is even a vapour".   My husband preached a message on this thought and I want to share it with you.  1. A Vapour is Passing ...our life appears for a little while and then we are gone...so make sure you know where you are going when you die...Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh to the Father but by Jesus! John 14:6 2. A Vapour is Pivital ...it is a state between a solid and a liquid...it

Here is an easy recipe that everyone will enjoy during this time of year.  It is easy and tastes good.  My kids love it and its not bad for you!  All you have to do is buy a gallon of apple cider and add the seasonings to it!                                   Semi-Homemade Apple Cider                            1/2 gallon cider or juice  (I use cider)                                     2 cinnamon sticks                                           2 cloves                                        whole nutmeg                           1/2 orange peel cut into strips                           1/2 lemon peel cut into strips               Put all of the seasonings in cheesecloth and add to the cider.                     Put in crockpot on low for 2 hours, then strain and enjoy!

Do you pray specifically?  If not, you are missing out on some exciting stuff!  I LOVE to pray very detailed about things.  When you pray things that only you and the Lord know, it builds your faith when He answers . God desires that we pray at all times, for all things.  I pray for BIG things and small things.  I pray for spiritual things and material things .  For example, I pray for people by name who are lost and in need of Jesus.  But there was a time when I prayed for a pedicure one time when I could not afford it and I won a free certificate for a pedicure that week!  Jesus cared about my silly toes because I am His daughter, His child! I keep a list of prayer requests in my Bible that I pray for everyday.  I read a Proverb everyday so I keep my lists there.  I pray certain things for my family daily.  Daily requests: wisdom (James 1), confess and repent of sins, to protect our marriage, the prayer of Jabez, to restore the joy of our salvation, to be a godly help meet and mo

Homemade bread is so yummy!  It is so special to sit down to eat and know you made the bread to feed your family. It is another way to show them that you love them.  But why bake your own bread when you can conveniently buy it at the store?  There are many reasons.  First of all, it is way healthier than the bread you buy in the average grocery store.  White flour shoots your blood sugar up , makes you gain weight , does not satisfy your hunger, can slowly make you sick over time, does not give you nutrients, and is addictive .  People eat white bread because it is convenient and it tastes good.  However, if we knew all the facts about it (which I don't have time to mention here) then we would make every effort to eat fresh whole grain flour.  I challenge you to go on a search for why white flour is so bad...but be ready to change your diet!   My family and I started grinding our own flour (with the NutriMill) about 5 years ago.  We wanted to get all the nutrients from it and

I have talked to many people recently who are solid Christians but they are discouraged.  I have heard from people in numerous states and numerous churches that are discouraged.  Discouragement can be caused from so many different things.  When you are discouraged it is easy to quit reading your Bible and praying...the very things that help one come out of discouragement .  It is easy to have a pity party about whatever it is that has caused it.  I have found that it hinders when we look around at our circumstances and even at other people.  I have also found that it helps when we keep our eyes on Jesus.  "Look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame..."  Hebrews 12:2 (paraphrase from memory)  Because we are living in the last days where discouragement is rampant and people are quiting right and left it is so important to keep your eyes on Jesus! Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.  Peop

An older godly lady reminded me of the importance of encouraging my husband.   Most men need words of affirmation.  A lot of men receive accolades at work from their boss or other employees.  Some men might never receive the encouragement they need to become a better man.  We have a grave responsibility and an awesome opportunity to do something for our husbands that is so simple, yet so important: be his cheerleader and number 1 fan! I don't want my husband to receive his support and encouragement from a female employee or secretary.  I want him to receive it from me, his wife:)  It is easy to think of the negative things about our spouses and the things in them that we would like to change.  However, if I always focus on my husband's negative qualities (which aren't many-I got a good man!) then they will continually be in my mind and heart and will eventually come out of my mouth in the form of discouragement .  When we discourage our husbands it sets them way behind a

Children are precious gifts from God that we should not take for granted.  Sometimes I have to remind myself of that when they are running around the house, breaking things (accidentaly) and being a handful!  I must think about the fact that God chose me to be their mother for a reason .  If you are a parent it did not catch God by surprise!  He knows what He is doing.  His Word (the Bible) gives us some instructions on how to parent and what to teach our children. Children come into this world with a mind that we get the privelege of filling !  We can allow them to sit in front of the television all day and it will quickly get filled with all sorts of junk...or we can choose to teach them Scripture at the earliest possible age and put God's Holy Word in their mind. Garbage in, garbage out .  What our children (or you and I) watch on tv or read in books or hear from school or friends is going into our heads and hearts and will eventually make its way out of our mouths (or thro

My husband and I watched the movie Food Inc awhile back and want to ask you all to watch it as well.  It tells you where about 80% of the meat we eat in America comes from, how it is processed, how the workers and animals are treated, what harmful and disgusting ingredients are put in it, etc. This movie made me mad, sad, and disgusted.  My husband and I try to buy organic food and support farmers through going to farmer's markets when we can, but this made me want to even more so.  I was outraged at what is happening!  After the movie all I could do was to pray and to begin to change the way we buy food.  Genetically Modified foods are wreaking havoc on our health.  They are causing all kinds of health issues even including miscarriages .  Get educated now about the food you are eating, pray over your food, and ask God to lead and guide you in how to keep your family healthy.  Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . 

The other day our whole family went to the Chiropracter because I got a gift certificate to go...and I love to go!  Dr. Bryan Hooper in Watkinsville is a great one and he is a Christian as well.  Going to get adjusted and then doing the daily stretches to keep you in line can really help you stay healthy. A trick to keep babies from having tummy troubles is to hold the baby facing away from you and put your head on their back until their legs hang down.  Then, you know they are relaxed! The Chiropracter can help with headaches and many other issues!

I am currently reading Life Management for Busy Women by Elizabeth George.   She is one of my favorite Authors because she can take the Bible and make it easy to apply to your life through simple steps.  The first step in this book that is key to managing a busy life is to read the Bible first thing in the morning .  It sounds too simple to change anything, but it makes a world of difference!  My flesh is tempted to hit the ground running every morning doing my daily chores and numerous duties of a wife, mother, and homemaker.  Although, when I put off my Bible reading til later it sometimes never fits in the schedule like the Devil desires.  Here is what I have realistically been doing: I wake up at a somewhat different time each morning depending on how late I stayed up or if the baby kept me up at night. I wash my face, and brush my teeth. I put on my skirt and shirt for the day, throw my hair up and put earrings in.  (This helps me feel better about myself and look decent!)

I have only been using my reusable wipes now for a week or so but I absolutely LOVE them!  I gave my mother in law (who likes to sew and has more time to do that now than I do) my cute baby receiving blankets that my 6 month old has grown out of.  She took the cute blankets, cut them in little squares of various sizes and surged the ends.  I then placed them in a plastic wipe container and put some water and liquid natural soap in it.  One time I put water and Burts Bees Baby Shampoo in it.  You can also put essential oils in it like tea tree oil (antifungal) or any oil that smells good.  I have read that you should not use lavendar oil on little boys because of adverse effects....anyone have any info on that??  These wipes are SO EASY to make and use.  They are a little damp and work great on bottoms and faces and sticky hands.  After I use it I put it in the dirty cloth diaper and put them both in a big bucket by the toilet with a lid.  Every other day I wash my cloth diapers a

What do cheerleading and scripture memory have in common?  I just found out today!  When I was in Middle and Highschool I was a cheerleader and I loved the Lord.   (He has since convicted me of wearing such short skirts though:)  Now as a mother of three sometimes I wonder why I spent so much time cheerleading...does it help me any today?  Now I can say "Yes!"  I have been trying to think of creative ways to teach my children how to memorize scripture .  A lot of people put them to songs with catchy tunes but I'm not the best singer .  I decided I would put hand motions to the scripture (like a cheer). :) If you know me well then you might know that I put my hands on my hips when I get mad-which causes my husband to laugh!  Now my two year old puts his hands on his hips when he is ill!  LOL Well, now I am putting my cheerleading skills to use again and having fun watching my boys learn the Bible in a new way!  Remember we are to "hide God's Word in our hea

We have been in Kentucky this week because my husband is preaching a revival .  When we are away from home like this sometimes I have more time to spend on the internet or reading because I don't have a house to clean or daily laundry to do.  Yesterday I wanted a nap with the rest of the family but the baby did not, so I stayed up with him and looked up a few new blogs and sights I had been meaning to visit.  I was hoping to find some encouragement in the Lord (as a supplement to my prayer time and Bible reading).  NOTHING can take the place of talking to Jesus and reading His Word...and nothing should:)    Anyway, I found myself looking at this woman's blog who I did not know and coveting and envying what she had , etc.  I thought, "She is so pretty and her family is beautiful and the renovations they have done on their house are gorgeous..."  I did NOT measure up to this Christian family who seemed to have it all and do it all!  Instead of encouragement I foun

Words are powerful.  A lot of times I speak without thinking and my words hurt the person I was speaking to.  Sometimes my words make people angry and sometimes my words encourage people.  The words we choose to say have the power to build up or tear down other people!   Wow.  What an opportunity.  Yesterday morning I woke up and walked into the living room where my husband was sitting and without thinking I said three things that either bossed him around or were negative!  He pointed it out and said,  "Why didn't you just say 'Good Morning Honey !'"  Haha!  I wake up on the run and want to get the laundry started and breakfast started and the morning chores out of the way before I sit down with tea.  I woke up with my to do list on my mind and blurted it out to my hubby and it made him ill.  If I would have chosen different words, sweet words, happy words then it would have made my hubby happy! Another problem I have with words is that I say too much !  Can a

I love things that are healthy and cheap and Kombucha is just that!  What is it?  It is a fizzy tea that you drink cold.  It is refreshing and hydrating.  It is fermented so it puts all that good bacteria in your gut which is the center of your health.  (Yes, your gut!) A few days after drinking it my intestines hurt and it cleaned and detoxed my body easily.  After that I felt SSSSSOOOOOO GOOD!  I had bursts of energy and just wanted to jump up and exercise (which is unusual these days!)  I felt like I was on the verge of another sinus infection but drinking kombucha kept it away.  It is like a probiotic drink.  When you take antibiotics it kills ALL the bacteria, even the good.  We must have good bacteria in us to fight off sickness and be healthy. How do you make it? Either buy (for under $5 some places) a mushroom (sounds weird but you don't drink the shroom) or use on from a friend who makes kombucha. Then all you need is apple cider vinegar, sugar and 8 green tea bag

I looooove to read.   My Mom loves to read.  She always has different books on the end table beside a comfy chair.  When I'm visiting I always catch myself in her books.  I find myself reading labels of things if there is no book in sight!  I am usually always reading several things at one time.  I only read books that help me in my walk with the Lord or teach me things like health, nutrition, parenting, etc.  Although sometimes if a fashion magazine is in my mailbox for some odd reason I may glance through it...but it usually is a waste of my time and makes me feel unattractive!  lol!  I have found that reading godly, scriptural books along with the Bible help me to grow as a Christian woman .  I want to share some of my favorites with you so they can help you too.  Always compare what you read to the Bible to make sure it is correct teaching.  I bought most of these books online as they can be hard to find.  (Or you can get your bookstore to order them for you.) 1. Parentin

The pretty weather makes me want to stay out in the yard and clean the porch and everything else in sight that had been forgotten during the winter.  I LOVE Spring and everything that comes with it!  It is so refreshing to feel the sunshine after the snow.  God always knows what we need.  Just like we spring clean our homes, we need to spring clean our hearts.  Normally, I would never let my porch stay that cluttered and messy for so long...BUT (fill in your blank here)  I was sick or tired or lazy.  Normally in my Christian life I would never watch that kind of movie... or gossip ... or yell at my children...BUT I did!  It is time to spring clean my heart!  So, recently I have cleaned out a few things that were getting my life and heart dirty and sinful.  Is there something or some things in your life that you need to clean out?  Magazines?  Movies?  Books?  Gossip?  Complaining?  Stubborness?  Bitterness?  (Bitterness is like mold...it is HARD to clean and it can make you sick!)

This was a great Sunday School lesson by Sean Thomas that gave me a new look on the Lord's Prayer and the Basics of Prayer .  I thought I already knew all about the Lord's prayer (haha) but God still convicts me and shows me new and wonderful things in His Word!  I always need to be challenged and reminded to pray more.  Lets look at Luke 11 for a minute... I noticed in verse 1 that he prayed in a "certain place".  Do you have a certain place that you go to to pray everyday and meet the Lord?  I like to pray lying in the bed talking to God as a friend as I drift off to sleep.  I like to pray in the shower at the beginning of a new day.  I like to pray about circumstances while driving down the road in the car.  I like to pray for my family while I am doing the laundry and the dishes.  But, the times when I really want to get ahold of God I go to my room and get on my knees and pour out my whole heart to God so only He can hear me.  You can pray anywhere and everywhe

Sometimes our bodies need help digesting food because of various reasons.  Papaya mint tablets or chewables is something you can buy at a health food store ro help your food digest.  I bought these when I had eaten chili from Wendy's for a week straight while out of town and I got the worst indigestion and acid reflux at night!  No kidding!  You eat them with your meal and it is so easy!  Peppermint and chamomile also help digestion. Sometimes our spirit has a hard time digesting truth from God's Word, or a rebuke from a friend . This is when we take a dose of humility and a cup of openess and honesty !  It is healthy to have a close friend of the same sex that you can share your struggles with and they can pray with you and for you...and sometimes set you straight!  The Bible says, "Better is open rebuke than hidden love."  You may have a friend that is a Christian but they are doing something that is not biblical.  Pray about if God would have you kindly share

My husband has a website now that is still being updated, but you can check it out at http://www.johnsmithministries.com/ .

I am a perfectionist.  I used to brag about it and think that it was a good thing, but now I am starting to see how it can be a BAD thing.  I prided myself in a clean, organized, spotless house.  I used to judge other people's homes if they were messy.  (Those were the days before three kids, who live at home!)  I used to not be able to sit down and talk to my husband unless every little toy was picked up and the whole kitchen was clean.  All he wanted to do was talk to me, but I chose to clean instead.  I was obsessive about it and it began to drive my husband and I crazy.  The perfectionist in me chose a neat house over relationships.    The Bible tells us to be hospitable and have people over to love them and feed them and fellowship with them.  It is much more fun to have people over and make a mess than to miss fellowship and sit looking at a neat kitchen! One root of perfectionism is pride...and that is sin . I was caring too much about what other people thought of me. 

On the way to Kentucky last week for revival we were listening to a sermon in the van.  The preacher was talking about the people in history who literally wore themselves out in service to the Lord.  I remember my husband reading the book Praying Hyde and it said that he prayed so hard everyday and night that his heart shifted to the other side and caused major health issues!  Can you imagine!?  Jesus prayed so hard in such anguish that he sweat drops of blood in the garden. Jesus gave HIS ALL, HIS LIFE for us...the least we can do is serve Him .  The preacher said,"Have you ever wore yourself out for the Lord?"  I got to thinking...it had been awhile since I wore myself out in service to God.  Well, after 11 days spent away from home going to church almost every night and Sunday twice a day with 3 boys and the baby waking me up at night and supporting my husband in prayer as he preaches and visiting with many people...I can now say that I wore myself out for God's gl

Getting highlights in your hair can be expensive and unhealthy because of the chemicals that are used.  Here is a natural "do it yourself" remedy for blonde highlights: Boil water with chamomile flowers, strain. Fill a spray bottle with apple cider vinegar and the water infused with chamomile. Shampoo hair, then spray and rinse with the vinegar solution. You may then use conditioner, but the cider vinegar gently conditions as well. Repeat as often as you like until you see the highlights you like!

I posted earlier about Chamomile and how you can use it in tincture form for babies.  Some of my friends in Kentucky named it Baby Wonder   because they saw how quickly it calmed my baby down!   When my 3 1/2 month old cries during church (or anywhere for that matter) I dip his pacifier (a safe plastic one:) in the chamomile and glycerin tincture and put it in his mouth and he calms down immediately.  He likes the sweet taste of it now and it is perfectly safe.  It has a strong sweet taste you may not like at first but now my baby LOVES it!  Every Mom needs this!   I am about to make a big batch of it next week and mail some.  Leave a comment with your name, address and how much you need if you would like to get some from me.  Adults can take a Tbsp or two to calm them down or get them relaxed for bedtime.   

Many people made new years resolutions last month that revolve around weight loss, health, and nutrition.  Whether we are trying to lose weight or not we should ALL be concerned with our health.  I used to eat sooooo much white sugar and junk food.  I was not gaining weight because I exercised a lot so I kept eating it.  I did not realize the damage it was doing to my overall health until years later . White sugar is in almost everything these days in some form or another.  High fructose corn syrup, the first ingredient in most processed food, is even worse than sugar.  It poisons your body and damages your health.  I know you are thinking, "How can I live without sugar or processed food!?"  I used to think that way. It takes time to say bye bye to sugar.  It is hard at first, but your taste buds will slowly change.  Your sugar cravings will go away because it is actually the yeast buildup in your body that is craving more yeast from the sugar.  (Isn't that gross!)