True Hospitality

Posted on November 18, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

This man in the picture below, has been a friend of the family for a very long time. Three years a go he and his family obeyed God’s call to start a church and be missionaries to PR.

Our kids were ecstatic when they heard we were having a “missionary” over for dinner tonight. When I was thinking…what will I cook, I need to clean the house, what if the dinner taste terrible….thankfully, those thoughts settled as quickly as they rushed in!

Hosting is not about a special dinner or decorations or even a perfectly clean house, it’s about the fellowship! I can read stories to my child about missionaries, but to hear the stories first hand is powerful and life changing.

In this picture they are blocking the door, they are protesting Arnel leaving. Every now and then they will do this when certain family members or friends try to leave. It touches my heart every time I see them do it!

~My prayer is that the “me” never allows negative thinking to hinder fellowship. God help us to keep our doors open, may all that enter feel your love and comfort and leave refreshed. Amen

Do you see others as walking trees?

Posted on October 10, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

Our little ones are growing quicker than we care to realize. Monday through Friday, I teach them about the three R’s, writing, reading, and arithmetic, but I know that is not the purpose of life.

I regretfully admit I have not conquered looking past my own chaos daily, to see others that are suffering. However, God has begun to clear my vision. In Mark it says, Jesus took a blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

At times this is how I view others, as walking trees and not as peers struggling with soul-searching battles. I have allowed the busyness of life to fill my surrounds with pollution, so much that others become like mummies just roaming around me. Instead of viewing them as a life with importance, my actions demonstrate as though they are already dead. My desire is for God to remove the toxic “my-life”, so that I will be an effective tool for God to use and example to my children.

I don’t want to just tell my kids what is right…I want to live it before them. I don’t want to just tell our children how to love…I want to demonstrate it.

God clear my vision I pray. Eliminate all distractions; open my eyes to the big picture, your picture. Help me to see past my own mess, remove self, so I can be full of grace, mercy, encouragement, and most of all LOVE. In Jesus Name, Amen.

How are you positioned?

Posted on August 24, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

“When we want God first and most, we position ourselves differently than we did before.” -Lisa Whittle

Our world needs revival, but before it can come to the world it must come to the church, and before it comes to the church it must begin in us.

“That is the beauty of a relationship with God: It always starts with the personal. God only did corporately what He did first within each of them. It is why we must seek a revival of the soul before we seek a large-scale spiritual awakening. God is about consuming single hearts for Him one at a time and then bringing those hearts together to do something extraordinary. But revival always begins in one.” (Excerpt from I Want God)

How are you positioned?

When the Stirring Doesn’t Stop!

Posted on August 20, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

For the past eight years of my life I have been pregnant or nursing. I have given my full attention to my family. Until a couple of years ago, this was enough. Then all of a sudden, my heart started saying, there is more. I like the way Lisa Whittle explains it in her new book, I Want God, “Even when we ignore it, the God-call inside all of us does not keep quiet. In everyday life, the God-call persists too. So while we may be able to run from service for a time, eventually we won’t be able to. The God-call on our life will simply be too loud and too strong.”

Since I believe a woman’s number one ministry is her family, I continued to pour into each of my family members, all the while my heart was stirring. I eventually started a blog, From the Committed Heart. I thought this blog would be the missing piece of my heart’s call and though it has helped, my heart kept stirring. About mid May, of this year, I felt God say, it’s time. My heart was pounding, tears were flowing, it’s been almost a decade since I lead a ministry! I prayed for God to show me how I would be able to lead a small group without it taking away from my number one ministry, my family.

After throwing around some ideas with a friend, I have received the blessing from my church to start a women’s group called, From the Committed Heart. I will be sharing about the many hats we as women wear and the importance of your relationship with our God the Father first and our husband second.

I’m excited to announce that the first meeting will be Monday, September 8th, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am at Faith Assembly, in the Prayer room. If you are a married woman, living in the Orlando area and are available, I would love for you to join us.

*ATTN: If you are planning to attend Monday, Sept. 8th and need CHILDCARE, please contact 407-275-8790 ext. 1105 or childcare@faithassembly.org by Friday, Sept. 5th

I Want God

Posted on August 8, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

We need more of God, but we do not really want Him. The truth is, until the want matches the need, nothing will ever change. Needing without wanting is just a really good idea that never sees light. (Excerpt from Lisa Whittle’s new book, I Want God)

*Do you want Him or just need Him? Something to think about this weekend.

To PREORDER Lisa’s book, I Want God, CLICK here.

Put Your Hope in God

Posted on July 15, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

We are our biggest critic and therefore, we are always adding unnecessary pressures to ourselves. We also pick up the pressures of this world, if we didn’t have enough already.

Today, I encourage you to release the stress you put on yourself, God’s grace is sufficient in all areas of your life. Take a deep breath with me now and put your hope in Him.

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” -Psalm 39:7

Storing His Word in my Heart and in Picture Frames…

Posted on April 10, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

I have never been able to memorize scriptures. My grandfather was a pastor, I have uncle’s that are pastors, and my brother is an amazing evangelist, but even with all these people in my life, the verses still don’t stick.

I realized if I want to memorize God’s word, I will have to submerse myself in it. I’ve started by printing out scriptures and putting them in picture frames. Each week I print out a new one. These scriptures are the same ones I’m teaching the kids so we can learn them together.

You might ask, Bethany why are you so determined to memorize scriptures. Well that is a whole other blog…but for one there is power in the word of God! When the enemy comes against me, I can remind him the promises God has already spoken over me and second, when my friends are struggling, I am able to speak truth into their confusion.

Here are some tips on memorizing Bible verses:
-Pick out a scripture for the week.
-Write it on Post-It notes. Place them on your mirror in your bathroom, on the fridge, in the laundry room or wherever you go throughout the day.
-Write down your scripture on top of your “To-Do List” for the day. This way every time you look at your list, you can look up at the scripture for the week.
-And last and my favorite, print out the scripture to place in a picture frame. Mine sits right beside the stove. That way I can look at it during breakfast time, lunch, and dinner.

Power Verse:
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Daughter Quotes…

Posted on March 11, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

She is more precious than jewels. -Proverbs 3:15

A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give. -Laurel Atherton

I believe in love at first sight…because I’m a mom. -Unknown

A daughter is someone you laugh with, dream with, and love with all your heart. -Author Unknown

If I had a flower for every time you made me smile and laugh, I’d have a garden to walk in forever. -Author Unknown

The more a daughter knows the details of her mother’s life…the stronger the daughter. -Anita Diamant

You’ve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself. -Glinda- Wizard of Oz

Angels are often disguised as daughters. -Author Unknown

A daughter may outgrow your lap…but she will never outgrow your heart. -Author Unknown

The greatest thing a father can do for his daughter is to love her mother. -Elaine S. Dalton

To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter. -Euripides

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. -Psalm 127:3

I am…

Posted on March 7, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

You might say, “Bethany I’m not all these things!” Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well.” Friend, you are wonderful! God has designed you to have these qualities and so much more.

There are often days we can have feelings of failure…crumbs are scattered all over the kitchen floor, there’s an avalanche on Mount Everest in your laundry room, and you burned the dinner again for the second time this week. Other times doubt comes in…am I doing a good job, does my husband know I love him, are my children learning anything? These are all thoughts from the enemy. We must take these thoughts captive, then stand strong and speak truth into our life.

When negative thoughts come in, I want you to stand in front of a mirror, pick your head up, bring your shoulders back, look into your eyes and speak the words from the poem “I am”…then believe it.

Power Scriptures:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” -Ephesians 3:20

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” -Philippians 4:13

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” -Psalm 139:14