An Award

Many thanks to Miss Sarah for blessing me with this award!

The Rules:

1. Post these Rules

2. Write seven random facts about yourself

3. Award ten other people

4. Leave a comment on their blog to let them know you awarded them


Seven random facts about myself:
~ I am a bookworm!
~ I am training for a 5K in March (1st one ever :)!!
~ I am a piano teacher to 10 students...and counting!
~ I am a 2012 homeschool graduate - Woo-hoo!
~ I enjoy playing the piano and singing at my church.
~ I love babies (and pregnant mama's :)!
~ I enjoy watching movies with my family while eating popcorn or enjoying a bowl of ice-cream!

Thank you very much, Sarah!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits

These biscuits  complete a breakfast of Daddy's scrumptious only-he-can-cook-them eggs very nicely.  Maybe they'll become your favorite too!  Enjoy!

Plain Buttermilk Biscuits

Combine:
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 T. Mayonnaise

Mix together the following dry ingredients:
-3 1/2 cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour
-2 T. baking powder
-1 t. baking soda
-1/2 t. salt

Set out 2/3 cup of butter and let soften.  When soft, pour the dry ingredients in with the butter and cut together until the butter is pea sized.  Then pour in the buttermilk mixture.  Add flour if it looks too wet until it is able to hold its shape on your spoon.  Drop by tablespoon onto a greased pan (we use a stone).  Cook at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes.

To add a different flavor, sprinkle some with cinnamon and sugar before cooking.
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

Today is.....

...the one year anniversary of this blog!  I can honestly say I've been quite surprised by the number of people who have either viewed or followed this blog.  I sincerely hope that it has been used by the Lord to encourage, strengthen, and minister to you all.  The Lord has used this to keep me accountable, challenge my convictions, and increase my proficiency in writing :).

I asked the Lord to show me some things to make as goals for the blog for this year and He directed me to Hebrews 12.  Please see my goals below.

1) To strengthen my brothers and sisters in Christ.  "Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees," vs. 12.  If I am used to strengthen someone it is not because of anything good in me but because of Him.  Praise the Lord, thank Him!

2) To encourage those who are following the Lord with me.  "and make straight paths for you feet,..." vs. 13a.  All the time Jesus was on this earth he encouraged.  I want to follow that example and use this blog to encourage you.

3) To build up and assist my fellow co-laborers.  "...so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed." vs. 13b.  Only Jesus can make me a useful vessel of assistance to those who need Him.

4) To pursue peace with all men. "Pursue peace with all people..." vs. 14a.  Some things I write may be controversial but I pray that as far as it depends on me, I pursue peace!  

As far as personal goals I desire to continue to....
1. Run with endurance (Heb. 12:1) ~ even when I don't feel like continuing the race!
2. Look to Jesus ALWAYS (Heb. 12:2) ~ realizing I am strongest when I am weakest.
3. Demonstrate holiness (Heb. 12:14b) ~ only Jesus can make me holy.
4. Aim for heaven (Heb. 12:22) ~ Maranatha, Lord Jesus!
5. Serve God acceptably (Heb. 12:28) ~ the way He desires me to serve Him!
6. Know God more (Heb. 12: 29) ~ me decreasing, God increasing!!

Only by the help of Jesus will I be able to fulfill these goals...somewhat - I'll never get them all perfect as I am  a sinner saved by grace.

Young ladies, this blog was specifically started with you in mind.  Don't be ashamed to be women of God, especially in today's culture.  We need women who wear the beautiful garments of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:3-4).

Young men, I pray your intentions are pure.  I am not the one you should be coming to for advice or spiritual guidance.  Find a wiser male saint to learn from and be sure to search the Scriptures, for in them is eternal life.  

May you all be blessed as you continue to read!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

Book Review: Eric Liddell: Pure Gold

Go here to get your own copy!

I was perusing the newest selection of books at our church bookstore when this book caught my eye.  I had heard of Eric Liddell and had even watched the movie based on his historical race in the 1924 Olympics (Chariots of Fire); but other than that I didn't know much about his personal life.  Here was my chance to find out.

Eric was born on January 16th, 1902 in Tientsin, China.  His parents were LMS (London Missionary Society) missionaries and much of his early life was spent at the mission station in Zhaoqing, China.  He eventually traveled to England to complete his formal education.  While in college he was given the opportunity to compete in the 1924 Olympics.  After several months of training he was physically ready for the games.  He finally received his schedule where he learned that he would have to run on a Sunday.  Refusing out of personal conviction he had to run in several races that he didn't train for.  The Lord was on his side though and allowed him to win in several of his competitions.  He used his newly won popularity to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ wherever he went.  Several thousands were touched by his testimony and quiet, persistent love of the Savior.
When he graduated college, he decided to return to China as a Science teacher in one of the Christian schools nearby to where his parents still ministered.  After several years of teaching he finally met a girl he felt he could love.  The daughter of a missionary doctor, Florence MacKenzie was a God-given gift that Eric soon treasured greatly as his wife.  He was blessed with three beautiful daughters in the ensuing years.  During this time political turmoil forced many missionaries to leave but Eric refused.  The LMS mission board soon asked him if he would be willing to assist some of the missionaries who were staying in China.  Always the man to do whatever he could for others, he agreed.  As the turmoil increased so did his prayers.  He finally decided that would be better for his wife and 3 little girls to go back to Canada (where she was from) and he would join them when things settled down.  Unfortunately before they could be rejoined the Japanese invaded and overtook China.  Eric, along with several other missionaries, were placed in the Civil Assembly Center at Weihsien, Shantung Province, China.  They were not allowed to leave the camp and had very little contact with the outside world.  While there Eric made himself useful and organized sporting activities along with prayer meetings and worship services.  Near the end of his time there Mr. Liddell began experiencing severe headaches.  Without the proper medical equipment on base his friends could do nothing to help him or find the source of the problem.  Soon he suffered a stroke and not long after that he lay in a coma.  On February 21st and 9:20 p.m., Eric died at the age of 44 from what they later learned was a brain tumor.  He had indeed run his race and now he had been forever joined with his Savior.

I learned so much from this amazing biography and encourage you to read this book if you can!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah                 

Your WHOLE heart

On Wednesday night during service I felt the Lord speaking to me about the words "whole heart".  We were going through Psalm 119 and in the 11 verse we read 2 spoke about seeking the Lord with the whole heart
(verse 2 and 10). In order to follow the Lord wholly we must be devoted.  See the definition below:
"to give up wholly, a yielding of the heart and affections to God..." Websters 1828 dictionary
This made me search and see if I was truly devoted to God with my WHOLE heart.  Suddenly I remembered my verse for the year,
"Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you."
1 Samuel 12:24
How amazing (although I shouldn't be amazed as this is the God I serve)!  The Lord had given me this verse without me really knowing why and now He was showing me what my goal was to be this year.  Not too long after that I was reading an article in the Above Rubies we just received and the writer was talking about how God required our WHOLE heart, WHOLE mind, WHOLE body, everything...not just bits and pieces.  Ironic right :)?  When you read through the Scriptures do you ever see God complimenting half-hearted behavior?  One illustration that comes instantly to mind is the church of Laodicea in Revelation.  They were not hot nor cold, not wholly for God or wholly against God but halfway.  And what did Jesus say, "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."
Revelation 3:16
Um, I don't think that's a good thing ;)!  Another example in the Old Testament is in Jeremiah Chapter 3 verse 10 which says,
"And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the LORD. "
In this section God is pleading for Israel and Judah to return to Him but they would not have it.  Israel fell away first and even though Judah saw Israel's judgment she still continued on her path towards destruction.  To all those outside she appeared to be "following the Lord" but He knew their heart and that it was not wholly His!
Is that me?  Do I just appear to be following the Lord on the outside but in reality my heart is elsewhere?  Is my heart WHOLLY my Savior's for Him to do with as He wills, even if I don't understand His methods?
This is my prayer for this year; that I would be wholly devoted to Jesus with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Will you join me in giving your ALL to Jesus this year?

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

Goals

I know every blogger in the world is exclaiming, "I can't believe 2011 is gone" so I'll join in their cry :)!  This year has flown by but in a good way.  Many new things happened which stretched me to higher heights and closer to my Lord.  

At the end of each year I have a habit of setting goals for the coming year.  These goals vary from exercising more to memorizing certain portions of Scripture.  One of the goals that stays constant every year is a verse for the next year.  It is so neat to look back on the past 12 months and see how the Lord fulfilled the verse given at the beginning of the year.  The verse I had for 2011 was Daniel 12:3, "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever."  My desire for 2011 was that Jesus Christ would be even greater in my life and that through me people would know Him more!  This is obviously my life's goal but I felt it especially stressed this past year.

The verse I feel the Lord giving me for 2012 is 1 Samuel 12:24 which says, "Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you."  Following graduation in June I will enter a whole new phase of life. I do not anticipate following the normal course of high school graduates instead I desire to serve my Lord while I'm most available to do so.  His love for me requires my life for Him.  More than anything else I desire that my life be used by Jesus this year.

Do you have goals that you set for the new year?  If not, pray and see if this is something the Lord would have you to do.
May we all strive to be used mightily for His Kingdom in the coming year.  I can't wait to see what the Lord will do!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah 

Obedience

"One word stands out from all others as the key to knowing God, to having his peace and assurance in your heart; it is OBEDIENCE.
To OBEY God's Will was like food to Jesus, refreshing His mind, body and spirit.  'My meat is to do the Will of Him that sent Me.' {John 4:34}
OBEDIENCE to God's Will is the secret of spiritual knowledge and insight.  It is not willingness to know, but willingness to DO (obey) God's Will that brings certainty.
OBEDIENCE IS THE SECRET OF GUIDANCE.  Every Christian should live a God-guided life.  If you are not guided by God you will be guided by something else. 
The Christian that doesn't know this sense of guidance in his life is missing something vital.
Take OBEDIENCE with you into your prayer hour, for you will know as much of God, and only as much of God, as you are willing to put into practice.

"When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we DO HIS GOOD WILL
He abides with us still,
And with all who will TRUST and OBEY" "

Written by Eric Liddell in his book "Prayers for Daily Use"

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

My Mother

As I've gotten older I've realized exactly how much this household needs our wonderful mother to run properly!  Mamma never planned on staying home, homeschooling, or having more than 3 babies but the Lord had other plans (thankfully!).  When she was pregnant with me she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and has since then striven to live every moment of every day serving, loving, and worshiping Him.
 

My beautiful Mamma!

 After she had me she couldn't imagine leaving me in some stranger's hands and thus began her journey of faith.  About 18 months later my sister Kimber was born.  Not too long after that my sister Alexis was born and then finally a little brother, Caleb arrived.  About this time I was ready to attend my first year of school but once again Mamma and Daddy did not feel comfortable leaving me (or my siblings) to be raised by the anti-God public school system.  After much prayer and searching the Scriptures they decided to homeschool.  Once again they stepped out of the normal and into the way God was calling them.

Daddy and Mommy enjoying a time of fun together :)!

  Everyone was sure that Mamma was done having kids- I mean 4 kids under 6 was more than enough for one woman to handle...right?.  But Mommy and Daddy wanted a little playmate for Caleb so Seth entered our family.  Well, by this time people were definitely beginning to wonder about how many children Mom and Dad were aiming for.  But that was just it...they weren't aiming for any certain number.  Every time the youngest child was around 2 or 3 Mamma began to have that God-given urge for another child.  Wondering if they really were off their rocker they once again searched the Scriptures.  The Lord impressed upon their hearts during their study that children were a blessing and that they should accept however many He wanted to give them.  Since then 4 more blessings have joined their growing brood!

Mamma and her youngest child (as of right now :)

  My mother has for years been our loving nurturer, godly teacher, and thrifty chef.  Her tender care when you're sick, her constant self-less serving, and her love of knowledge are all examples to me.  I couldn't ask for a better mother and confidant!

I love you!!

 I love you, mommy!  Thank you for your Christ-like example that you exhibit inside and outside of our home.  I don't think people realize what an amazing woman you really are!  I hope to one day be a wife and mother just like you!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah 

Book Review: Preparing to be a Help Meet

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"And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

Genesis 2:18

As soon as this book came out I knew I wanted it!  I had watched as Mommy read and diligently applied Debi Pearl's book "Created to be His Help Meet" and I knew I needed to know more about this seemingly forgotten subject of being a help meet.  On my 16th birthday my younger brother kindly surprised me with my very own copy of "Preparing to be a Help Meet".  Over the next couple of months my mamma and I studied this well-written, sometimes humorous book.  Sprinkled throughout are true stories of how the Creator of the universe orchestrated the amazing love between a man and a woman and how they used it all for His glory.  You will learn about the different types of men and women and how the Lord uses both genders together to portray a fuller picture of Himself.  You will also read of tragedies and learn from the mistakes others have made.  Gently yet firmly, Mrs. Pearl explains some of the things that will either build your marriage up or break it down.  She also warns that the habits you form now will effect your relationship with your man (if the Lord has one for you) in the future.  She urges you to wait, save as much as you can (especially physical and emotional purity), and pray for your future beloved.  You will receive practical and spiritual advice in how to better prepare to be a help meet to the one the Lord gives you.  Personally, this book reaffirmed many convictions and goals I already had.  It also pushed me to study more, prepare more, and pray more for my husband-to-be. 
Please read this.  It will encourage you, it'll challenge you, it'll prepare you to the best help meet you possibly can be for His Glory!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah           

Traditions

"and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God."

Numbers 15:40 

Today I thought I'd share with you some traditions my family has, especially with all the upcoming holidays.  Daddy and Mamma have always tried to teach us to remember what Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Resurrection Sunday are all about.  Unfortunately in this day and age people think that Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy a huge meal, Christmas is the day you receive presents, and Resurrection Sunday is a time to search for easter eggs.  While each of these "traditions" are not bad in themselves we believe it's important to remember why they are here in the first place.

Some friends and some siblings re-enacting the First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Traditions: Every year we are reminded about the Pilgrims and God's Providence to them through the Thanksliving Treasure Box by Family Life.  Easy to understand this resource is excellent for families with young children.  With several colorful paintings and figurines of corn, the Mayflower, the cross, etc. my siblings have no problem sitting still and listening to the short devotional.  Another thing we do is get a piece of Thanksgiving-themed stationary and write down specific things we are thankful for from this past year.  We then store it in a safe place to look back on in the coming years.

Our traditional manger scene

Christmas Traditions: Several years ago my parents decided to switch the traditional Christmas tree for a nativity scene.  Every year the week-end after Thanksgiving, Daddy cuts up a small tree and sets the logs in a semicircle around a straw-floored manger scene.  Daddy handmade a small manger and on Christmas Eve Baby Jesus is placed gently in his straw bed (usually a spare baby doll ;).  About one week before Christmas day the "Wise-men" arrive.  Three gunny sack bags, tied with gold string, suddenly appear around the manger scene.  Inside are the presents which we enjoy opening as a family on Christmas Eve morning (we have our Christmas a day before since we're usually at a grandparents' house on Christmas Day).  About 2 weeks before Christmas we enjoy reading through our Adornaments.  This creative devotional contains the different Scriptural names of Jesus and defines them.  This helps us to remember what, or rather Who, Christmas is all about.

One fancy Resurrection lunch

Resurrection Sunday Traditions: This is the one holiday that isn't the same every year. We've celebrated the Jewish Passover before, enjoyed a fancy Easter lunch, loved on a newborn sibling (only 3 days old), etc.  One thing that is consistent though is our 12 eggs of the Resurrection.  Each one contains some symbol of the last supper, crucifixion, and resurrection of our Lord.  When the eggs are all passed out we listen intently as daddy explains each symbol and their Biblical meaning.

The whole things with traditions is to remember that Jesus is to be the center of everything!  This is hard to remember especially with the business of the season but it's so important.  The Devil desperately wants us to forget the Scriptural meanings of all these (that's why he uses such tools as Santa, Easter Bunny, and Turkeys) but we must not allow it.  We, the next generation, must strive to never forget the God-whom we serve and the many traditions that were made to ultimately honor and glorify Him!
May you be blessed this Christmas season!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah