The View From The Front Porch

This blog combines God's word & the personal reflections of myself and the 6 other Front Porch Sisters. All from different walks and seasons of life, and scattered across the country, we have been brought together by God. This site was created to offer weekly challenges to women who feel called and are ready to start serving God with intention each day. We hope you will decide to pull up a chair and, with coffee in hand, join us and share your front porch moments. Your story could change a life.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

The Christmas Porch

I am praying that this post finds you all aglow with Christmasness all over you. Just two days ago we celebrated the birth of our Savior and I don't know about you, but I'd love for that feeling to last as long as possible. The preparation that we all go through for weeks, some of us months, in order to prepare for Christmas Day is just unreal.

I know that we, personally, travel right after Christmas every year and by the time I get back on Dec. 28th most of the decorations around our house are already gone. My goodness, the wisemen hadn't even got to the stable yet! Now, I know many accounts say Jesus was two when they finally got there; so while homeowners covenants surely aren't going to let the decorations stay up year round, let me encourage you... if you haven't yet taken those decorations down, let them stay just a little while longer. We spent so much time in preparation, now it is time to sit in adoration and gratitude.

By letting those decorations stay up just a tad bit longer that is more time for you to sit in your favorite chair with a cup of tea or coffee and your Bible. Read through again in total amazement what God has done for us through this perfect baby. Imagine Mary holding her newborn close and praising God for their safe travels. Imagine the wisemen still wandering and seeking...were the shepard's even there yet?

Just for a little while longer breath in the scent from the evergreen and enjoy the lights you worked so hard to put up. Sit and watch their glow from you tree or mantle and think about how God came to us in flesh to be the light for everyone.

I am all about rushing into the Christmas season, but lets hesitate to rush out of it.

Merry Christmas just a little while longer.
Laurie

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Life Simplified Series-Decisions, Devotion and Diligence

Isn’t it nice to get a fresh start? I really love fresh starts. When I have hurt a friend who offers me grace or when I have cluttered my home or my heart; I love having the opportunity to start new and clean. We are going to begin a new "series" of sorts here on the Porch called Life Simplified and we hope that you will use this series to begin challenging yourself, as well as give yourself permission to have a clean and fresh start from all the things you haven’t been doing that you feel you should.

It's Summer and many of us are out of our weekly Bible Studies and maybe feeling a little absent from life or your support network or maybe even from God.

While this is not even close to a Bible Study, maybe it will help fill the void short-term and help you re-focus your thoughts on God's calling for you. I am certainly hoping it will for me.This is a guilt-free and judgment-free zone and anything goes. If you want to share something that you feel has been holding you back in this part of your walk we want you to know this is a safe place for you to begin whatever changes at whatever pace you feel called to do.

The next few weeks in the series Life Simplified- Decisions, Devotion and Diligence, we are going to take a fresh start in the daily implementation of our faith with simple yet profound ways to implement immediate changes that will begin to bless you and those in your life.Some might call these baby steps for those who really aren't sure where to start.

Many of you may have done these things long ago and we hope that you will feel comfortable sharing ideas of how to take these things to the next level. However, for many of us this will be the first time we will make this attempt and these are changes that many of the ladies on the Front Porch will be making for the first time along with you.

Week 1-"Do Not Disturb!"
Time with God- What happens to our ability to reach out to others when we seek God first?
Week 2-The People in the Prayers
Prayer comes from the heart, but isn’t always easy for everyone. Ways to keep your heart and mind focused in prayer without falling asleep!
Week 3- The Decision to look
It is fairly easy to ignore the lives of others especially when our own lives are very busy, but we can't be impactful if we aren’t looking. How to make a decision each day to look for the people God wants us to see.
Week 4- Devotion to Others
In a world where so many people come before us; as women, how can we put someone else we don't even know there too?Week5- Diligence
You can diligently work for God even by taking baby steps.We are not all at the same place in our walk with God, however each time you choose God, even in the smallest situations, he has the chance to use you for glorious things.
Week 6-Talking the Talk
Aren’t ready to preach the gospel from the street corner with a mega phone? Yea, me neither. How can we tell others about Jesus without feeling like we are making ourselves look like we just escaped from the nut house or the televangelist channel?

Week 7- When Satan tries your patience
Sometimes when you do good work for God the flames will rise and the tests will begin in our own lives. This can be scary. How can we hold strong and still keep our eyes focused on others when we are in the fire ourselves?

Below is "Do Not Disturb!" written by Sharon in CA. I know you are going to be blessed by what she has been pondering from her porch!

Sweet Blessings,
Laurie

Meet Laurie

NC
I am a 30-year-old mother of three amazing children; Isabelle(6), Braden(4) and Jaxon(2) and a May 2008 Journalism graduate of East Carolina University; obviously a non-traditional student.
I have a wonderful husband, Scott, who God perfectly hand-picked for me and who has supported me through many amazing joys and difficult struggles over the past 9 years we have been married.
The last five years have brought many challenges for me both personally, physically and spiritually, including loosing our son five years ago and a pancreatic cancer scare requiring devastating surgery two years ago at 28, just two months after my youngest son was born, but God has been so faithful, and my friends and family have loved me through it all.
I am so excited you are here and hope that you will join us each week. I pray that this blog will bless you as it has blessed me. God has called me to write, and with his help, I pray this blog will help us all look beyond our own front porch and fearlessly, with intention, share the love of Jesus Christ.

You can read about our family's journey after the loss of our son at the Tyler's Tree Ministries Web site http://www.TylersTree.com

I also write a daily blog all about my kooky family, which can be found at http://www.momentsfromthemaddness.blogspot.com

Meet Cyndie

Cyndie- NC

I am the wife of an amazing and studly youth pastor and the mother of three lively and incredible children! After being blessed with two beautiful boys, God brought us our beautiful adopted daughter.

I am a true girl at heart.

I love coffee talks, crying at sappy commercials and eating breakfast with my husband each morning.

My life is thoroughly blessed and I am honored to have been adopted into God’s family as a daughter of the King!

Please visit my personal blog “Always Talking” at www.cyndietruax.com and thanks so much for looking at the world from the view on your front porch.

Meet Sharon

Sharon- CA
I am a native Californian, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, but moved "WAY"- Northern Cali. in 1980, to a Beautiful "Recreational" area surrounded by Spectacular Lakes, Mountains and Streams. My husband Gary,is a man of deep faith and determination, and positive attitude despite the trails he faces daily. Together we have A " blended family": a Talented and Beautiful Daughter and the BEST Son in law a Mother could ever hope for, and an Equally handsome Son, both living in Oregon. No "Grand" babies yet, but some darling Grand Critters!! You'll hear more about them later, as they are certainly at the HEART of our homes!! I recently attended a Writers Conference, in North Carolina, as my hearts desire is to put into a book ALL THE LESSONS I have learned while on this road of life. While there, I met the most WONDERFUL "table mates" who quickly became FOREVER FRIENDS . They have inspired me and encouraged me to write this blog, and it is an adventure to begin. May you read and share with me, as the entries unfold in what I believe to be my Life Story.."THE HEART OF THE MATTER" at http://www.thetrueprincessheart.blogspot.com

Meet Tammy

Tammy- KY

I am married to Tim Nischan, Professor of Business at Kentucky Christian University. Together we have five beautiful children ranging in age from 10 to 20! Through the years, our family has experienced some amazing mountaintop experiences like the adoption of our daughter, Olivia, from India. However, we have also survived some very difficult valleys. In 1992, we lost our 6-week old daughter, Adrienne, to SIDS. In 2002, our son, Nick began a 5-year battle with brain cancer which he still battles today. Through these highs and lows I have truly learned that the most important things in life are not things. I have also learned that a deep faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to survive on this planet! My hope is in Heaven! My strength comes from His Word! I live for Him and Him alone! My goal for 2008 is to memorize as many verses of the Bible as I can. I believe that God's Word holds the answer to all of life's problems and that it is alive, active, and sharper than a two-edged sword! I also blog on www.tammynischan.blogspot.com I hope to share my heart and His Words! God Bless You All!

Meet Melodie

Melodie-NC
I am married to the most loving and generous husband (Tony) and we have been blessed to have been married for 25 years this coming Nov.12th. We have two incredible sons who bring us much joy. We are now dealing with a son (15 years old) who is taller than both of us and our baby (10 years old) who is no longer needing us. They grow up so fast. We lost our beloved daughter, Brittany, to cancer 18 months ago. Life is not what it use to be. Our hearts are broken, but we continue to trust God and serve Him in pastoral ministry. What a challenge! But each challenge takes us to new heights in family, ministry and new levels of trusting God. He is so faithful.

As I contribute to Front Porch Sisters, I look forward to expanding my territory past my own front porch. I never knew how comfortable a person could get, when they lock themselves away from venturing past their comfort zone. It is time for me to do just that. Today, I'm getting out of my rocking chair and looking for what God has for me. With God's blessings and my faith, I will never look back.
Blessings,
Melodie

Meet Jennifer

Jennifer-VA

My husband and I have been married for over 22 years and my pride and joy is our three children, my step-daughter and our brand-new baby granddaughter!! On a perfect day, I would be at a Bible study, browsing an antique mall, doing volunteer work or spending the afternoon with a girlfriend in a newly discovered tea room. However, on most days, I am coordinating my family’s schedule, searching for one more creative way to use chicken for dinner and simply looking forward to enjoying the “evening sounds” with my husband on our deck. I would love one day to perfect the art of making homemade cinnamon rolls and to convince myself I really do love to exercise!! I am blessed to be a Front Porch Sister!!

About Laurie's Journey

My life changed forever when in 2003 my identical twin sons were born 12 weeks early and we lost our oldest son, Tyler, when he was 8 days old. Out of deep desperation and grief, as well as out of love for him Tyler's Tree grew. (Link below)

Three years later we would face another major obstacle. It was 3 months after delivering my youngest child, and I had just turned 28. Doctors coincidentally found 2 tumors on my pancreas and it was feared that I had pancreatic cancer. This is one of the most feared of all cancers.

After under going devastating surgery to remove a portion of my pancreas, which would change my physical body forever, I was graced with the news that it was one stage before cancer. To God be the glory!

While not completely out of the clear, and probably never will be, (but truly who is?) I under go yearly follow-up with scans and labs, but God has never left my side. After the surgery, I was completely out of commission for close to a year. I decided to return to school to finish my college degree, which was a huge regret in my life.

Ladies, if you have regrets in life over anything, make it right! You can't always go back and fix it or start over, but there is almost always something you can do to have closure. Living with regret is no different than living with guilt and God does not desire that for us. He will provide you a way to make it better, even if it is only within your own heart.

God bless East Carolina University, which offered all my remaining needed courses online, so that while my body was healing I was able to complete my degree from my recliner and yes, even my front porch rocking chair. At that time, I had three children under four, one of them a nursing newborn, and I did all my class work after 7pm. It was so hard but it was a life saver. It gave me something to do and focus on when my body was completely helpless, and I could do nothing for anyone in my life.

I went full time for 22 months and graduated with honors this May 2008 with a BS in Communications for Journalism and PR and a minor in Psychology. I am also the author of Moments from the Madness http://www.momentsfromthemadness.blogspot.com

God has challenged our family and grown and bonded us. He has sharpened our character and brought us closer to him. He has shown both his mercy and faithfulness to us in countless ways, and taught us that no matter what you think lies ahead, every day can be filled with joy. No matter the state of your body, if your heart is right with God, you can still be a witness to the one who loves us beyond our comprehension, as well as share his message.