An Open Heart

“The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” -Acts 16:14

In my Bible study at church, we are studying To Live is Christ by Beth Moore. I believe this was her 3rd study so we love every week seeing Beth’s hair and clothes from the mid 1990s:) The Word is still and always so relevant to our lives though!
Lydia was a topic in this week’s study. That verse is about her and it struck me so deeply. Lydia was a Christian business woman who opened her home to others. She was successful in the marketplace and probably struggled with balancing it all like a lot of us do.
I just love the power of God working in our lives! Here was Paul who was headed to Asia to spread the Gospel and felt hindered by the Lord not to continue. Instead of getting upset at his plans being re-routed, Paul pressed on, trusting the Spirit of the Lord leading them. In a vision, God spoke to him to go to Macedonia.
Enter Lydia. And the Lord opened her heart. With that, the Gospel was introduced to Europe. One door closed and another opened to a continent, changing its history forever.
It’s not our plans.
It’s not our path.
It’s not our power.
The Lord opens the heart to respond and lives are changed, hearts are encouraged and history is marked.

The Great Physician

We have had a great sudden loss in our family recently and as we all deal with it, I keep thinking about something I read several months ago.
It is from Soul Talk by Dr. Larry Crabb and he was recounting a trip to the ER in the middle of the night for kidney stones. He even had to call an ambulance to his home. He was in tremendous pain and was met by a doctor who told him, “We have more pain medicine than you have pain.” Dr. Crabb related how he just began to relax after the doctor said that.
Sometimes life can overwhelm us with pain, despair, or depression. Sometimes we can feel so hopeless.
The hospital conversation struck me so deeply. That’s what Jesus says to us.
“I have more peace than you have fear.”
“I have more hope than you have despair.”
“I have more provision than you have debt.”
“I have more joy than you have depression.”
And on and on. God’s Word tells us that the Lord’s peace passes our understanding; He provides for all our needs; His joy is our strength. And we are never without hope. I just have to remember to stand on that.
Maybe you needed that reminder today as much as I did.

Hair Help

Oh my word, I have a new hair product. I always need hair help. I missed the gene where you just know how to fix, flip, fluff, sleek and all that hair stuff:P
I realized I needed something like a finishing cream. But where do you even start with that? I didn’t want something to make my hair look oily but it did need to smooth things out so what to do? There are some great salon products but I just didn’t want to spend money on that. (Also, did you know Suave is now making rosemary mint shampoo just like a very popular salon shampoo? And for less than $3, that is a bargain:) )
This is what I found at Wal Mart-

Just a dime size drop in your hands, pat together and run your hands through your fixed hair. Great product and great price=AMAZING:)

Have you ever thought about how you look when you are styling your hair? A couple of weeks ago, right after a fresh haircut, Alex happened to be in the room when I was fixing my hair and proclaimed “it sure was a lot of trouble” It’s funny when you think of all the tweaks and tricks you use to coax your hair into cooperating into a presentable style!
What’s your favorite bargain hair product?