My Church!

Hi Everyone!

I received an e-mail yesterday containing this picture, and it made me SO happy that I wanted to share with all of you!  THIS picture may not look like much to others, but to ME it is beautiful!  Not because it is ornate or anything--quite the contrary!  You can see it is a very simple structure---it doesn't even have walls yet, and certainly nothing like utilities or indoor plumbing.  Really, it is just a roof--but to ME it is much more than that. . .

Why?  Because THIS is MY church!  You see, this is my Christmas present to myself, and it makes me so very very happy!  Not because it is the most beautiful church in the world--but because THIS church I helped build.  :)  I wasn't able to go physically and raise the roof, but I did help with funding quite a bit of this new church and others went and built it.  I wasn't able to physically go, and perhaps others were not able to finance it--but together we could each do something, and here is the result!

My church is in Ghana.  That is a country in Africa, just in case you aren't sure.  Why can't they build their own churches?  Because most of the people there are very poor and do not even have what they need for daily living, that's why.  The average annual income in Ghana is $1,550.  Poverty levels are very high, with 30 percent of people living on less than $1.00 per day, and 54 percent living on less than $2.00 per day.  Oh yes--on average, if you lived in Ghana you could expect to live to age 61, but many people do not and there are 1.1 million orphans in the country.

And that's why this was my chosen Christmas present to myself this year.  I am delighted that I was able to help join with others--each doing what we could--and the results being a church structure where my brothers and sisters can meet together with a roof over their heads to shield them from the hot sun or from the rain.  I was told that in this region, most people use a type of small cane to weave and make walls for their homes, and that this is what the local congregation will do to "finish" the sides of this church.  They will do what they can.

And from now on, each time the blessed Sabbath day comes around and I am worshiping in my heated and air conditioned church here in America, I will think of a little church group in Ghana--meeting underneath a metal roof.  And pray for them.  And maybe, I will be so blessed as to have them praying for me!

If you would like to learn more of how you can help your brothers and sisters around the world, you can find out more information here:

One Day Church

Don't think that you have to fund an entire church--even just $10 helps!

Have a Beautiful day with your Savior!  And don't forget your brothers and sisters!

~Susan

The Last Day of Prophecy Bible Series

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to make sure you all knew about a great Bible series that is coming up real quick here, starting on March 21.  While it is taking place in North Carolina, it will be broadcast live so people can watch it on-line where ever they are!  I know I am sure going to try and watch as much of it as I can!

I have been blessed for years by Pastor Doug Bachelor's ministry.  He has a gift from God in explaining things from the Bible in a clear easy to understand way.  Follow the link below, and it will take you to the web page for the upcoming series and you can read more about it!

The Last Day of Prophecy

God Bless!
~Susan

How it's Made: Lego

Hi Everyone!

I remember back in the day when I was a classroom teacher, one of the things I really enjoyed was being able to take my class on a field trip.  All kinds of field trips can be fun and educational, even something as simple as a trip to the Post Office, if your children are young.  But one of the things I find the most interesting is learning how products that we use in our day to day life are made.

Today, with the invention of the internet, it is simple to look on-line and take a virtual field trip without even leaving your home or school.  When I ran across the following link today, I knew I wanted to share it with you all here.  Because if you are anything like me, you probably have plenty of these little things somewhere in YOUR house as well!

How it's Made: Lego

Hope you enjoyed that glimpse into the Lego factory!  I love toys for children that are open ended and the children can use and dream up their own unique creations!

~Susan

A Message from Your Creator

Hi Everyone!

I know--I know!  It has been a long time since I posted last!  Since the day after Christmas, to be exact!  I have been around--just busy on things that take a higher priority.  Around the beginning of January, a friend of mine asked me some questions about the Bible in 90 Days reading program.  She knew this was something I had some experience with--in fact, I have even led several groups in the 90 Day reading program.  From my first experience with reading the entire Bible through in 90 days, I learned how vitially important having someone to check in with, and a sort of reading coach, so to speak, really was to my success in sticking with the program.  When I was kinda bogged down in reading some sections of the Bible that were hard for me--either hard to understand, or hard as in I simply did not enjoy reading about what was happening in that Bible book--I learned that the fact that I had someone I was to check in with weekly kept me from dropping out.  I didn't want to let my mentor down!  And when I finished the program, I was so very very blessed, and so thankful that I had not quit when the going got rough!  Anyway, it was realizing how important having a mentor to me was that made me volunteer to be a mentor in the program several times.  

Then most recently, my friend started asking me about the program.  The on-line program which I worked as a volunteer mentor for is no longer operating the same way it was--so I couldn't just simply send her over to that web site.  So I decided to go ahead and plunge in, and agree to be her mentor.  As a mentor, you are not required to be actively doing the 90 Day reading program yourself--it was only required that you HAVE done the 90 Day reading program in the past.  But I knew it means so much more when the mentor actually IS doing the reading along with you.  Then you are each reading at the same hard parts of the Bible at around the same time.  ANYWAY, so when my friend comitted to really wanting to do this reading program--I committed to being a mentor for her and doing the reading along as well.  

So in a nutshell--that is where I have been this calendar year!  I have been reading the entire Bible through in 90 Days--and it has been a blessing!  My friend and I are not finished yet--we started later on in January, so still have approximately a month or so still to go.  But we are getting there!  And when I am reading the Bible through in 90 days, that is all that I have time to do--it takes me around one hour of reading a day--which does not leave me very much time left for posting on my blog.  And therefore I disappeared--into the pages of my Bible.  Into reading more of His letter to me.  Into thinking more about what I am supposed to learn from those parts that are not my favorite.  Into reflecting as to whether I am doing the same thing as the people I am reading about.  Into Him.  Which is just fine with me.

It has been a blessing.  I had not done a 90 Day Bible reading program for a couple years, so it had been a while.  I know when I do cross that last finish line--the last chapter in Revelation, I will close my Bible and sit there awed.  Amazed at what God has done.  Amazed at what God will do.  Amazed that He loves me THAT much!

I ran across the following list somewhere--I do not remember where.  All things about your Creator.  I hope it blesses you.  And may you spend some time today thinking about Him--for I know He is thinking about you!

Until next time!

~Susan

I am familiar with all of your ways. Ps. 139:3 
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. Matt. 10:29-31
For you were made in my image. Gen. 1:27
I knew you even before you were conceived. Jer. 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation. Eph. 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Ps. 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26
I knit you together in your mother’s womb. Ps. 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born. Ps. 71:6
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. Matt. 6:31-33
I will never stop doing good to you. Jer. 32:40
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Ps. 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires. Phil. 2:13
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. Isa. 40:11
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. Jhn. 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. Jhn. 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being. Heb. 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. Rom. 8:31-32