To be dramatic is to over exaggerate. Many of us over the years have at some point been involved in either being in a church Christmas play or being part of directing one. We all know when we are practicing, we are trying to get the kids to over express or emphasize their actions or their words. This is exactly where drama should be used, to get the point across as they are acting. Key word here is acting. It is not real life. When working with the children involved in the play, typically it is harder to get them to be dramatic, because everyone is watching.

Children, Christian Life, Friendship, TrialsAmy SappOctober 7, 2024Drama, Teenagers, Girls, Children, Mother, Daughter, Exaggerate

Stay Faithful - Becky Williams

As Christian ladies, I know each one of us would like to hear the Lord say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” I wanted to encourage you today to stay faithful in these areas that I believe are important to the Lord, and also under so much attack from the devil in our current day and age. May I encourage you to:

Children, Christian Service, Faith, God's Will, marriage, Trusting GodAmy SappJuly 29, 2024Faithful, Marriage, Church, Children, Serve, Serving, Servant

In Your Season of Waiting - Katelyn Tyler

I remember the days as a teenager when my friends and I would be dreaming of our someday prince charmings and pinterest weddings. I remember feeling as if my prince would never come. I thought I would never get to do all the fun wedding things. People would always tell me “Katelyn just wait on the Lord”. I remember thinking to myself “Okay once I get married I’ll never have to wait on the Lord again”. I laugh at myself now because boy was I wrong. If we really think about it. We are all in some kind of season of waiting right now. You may be waiting for the Lord to bring you a spouse, waiting to find that perfect home for you and your family, waiting for a ministry opportunity you feel called to, waiting for God to give you children, or waiting for your loved one to be healed from a disease. These are just a few things you could be waiting on. These are all things I have personally had to wait on.

Children, Encouragement, Faith, God's Will, Life Changes, marriage, Peace of God, Prayer, Trials, Trusting GodAmy SappFebruary 19, 2024Wait, Waiting, Children, Marriage, Child, Disease, Cancer, Love

Don't Lose Sight of the Harvest - Melissa Jupp

This year the town that I live in started a gleaning program. People could sign up to go and pick the leftover fruit and produce that was still left on the plants in the farmers’ fields. The free program allowed you to pick as much as you wanted and share with family and friends, but you were not allowed to sell what you picked. I had never heard of this kind of program before and I was a little skeptical at first, but when I went with some of my kids and a lady from our church, I was blown away by the bounty we could pick! While speaking to the farmer, he explained that the harvest was so large this year that he did not have the laborers to keep up with it. He decided to donate the rest so the harvest would not go to waste. As he walked away to answer someone else’s questions, I could only stare out at the field. There were 20 gleaners and three strawberry fields; we did not even put a dent into the harvest.

Children, Christian Life, Christian Service, Encouragement, Faith, Trusting GodAmy SappNovember 13, 2023Harvest, Field, Children, Home, Church, Ministry, Salvation

It's Not My Problem, or Is It?? - Dot Soldavini

As society continues to normalize sin, it has become even more important that we provide and

promote safe environments for children. As parents, grandparents, and caregivers, this should be

a top priority. As society tries to make sin into “right”, we must continue to hold steadfast to the

Bible’s definition of sin. Also, as society seeks to normalize abnormal sexual and relational

behavior, they are making it easier for predators to pursue victims. Activities that are now being

disguised as “family-friendly”, leave children vulnerable to harm.

Rehearsal Time - Jessica Shipp

We have all heard someone say or have ourselves said something that we don’t intend to act upon. But why would we say something we don’t mean? Most of the time we quickly forget what we said or thought, but what damage have we caused? I have started thinking about this more and have become more aware of it after I heard a phrase in a sermon last year. The phrase was “don’t rehearse evil.” DON’T REHEARSE EVIL. You might be thinking it’s not that bad, it’s not evil because they or I didn’t mean it. If it’s not Phillipians 4:8 worthy it’s evil. If it’s not righteous it’s evil. The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” and in Matthew 12:34b, “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” What is in our hearts? God destroyed all of mankind with the Flood because “…every imagination of the THOUGHTS of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5b) What is in the heart will eventually spill forth to our mouths. “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Psalm 34:13 We need to be on guard for even the tiniest splinter of evil. How do we keep those thoughts and words of destruction from forming?

To Everything There is a Season - Charity Payton

Everyone is going through something. It may seem like the hardest thing you have ever faced. No matter the age it’s big for you! A different season a different time.To Every Thing there is a season - a time for every purpose under the Heaven. What will you do with your Season?

Are You a Biblical "Influencer?" - Angela Morrow

An “influencer” is one who has the power to move; in persuading or dissuading; one who leads or directs. I know this may sound foolish, but I just recently have found out what an “influencer” is according to our social media culture today. Honestly, I was not impressed. I found it to be a sad cultural norm. However not in the sense you may think. I did not find it sad that people in this day and age do the same thing they have been doing for centuries (just by a different name), but rather we have “Christian Influencer” that trying to “influence” others for Christ by doing it the same way the world does it. They use the world’s music, they use the world’s lingo, they use the world’s method of delivery to do what exactly?

The Fingerprints of a Mother- Julee Martinez

Fingerprints are a unique design God gave to every individual human. Webster’s dictionary describes fingertips a “an impression or mark made on a surface by a person's fingertip, especially as used for identifying individuals from the unique pattern of whorls and lines.” I marvel at the fact that the God of the universe could easily make the billions of different patterns needed for the billions of people on earth. The marks of a fingerprint are a reflection of the person who holds that mark.

Relationship in Christ - Duska Lovelace

It doesn’t make for a good relationship if we only go to someone when we want or need something. People that love us want to know those things, but that’s not all they want to know. When we are too busy and to talk with Christ more then when we want something we are treating Him like a genie in a bottle. Maybe you have even made empty promises you can’t and won’t keep just because you are hoping the Lord may answer this request that is so desperate for a quick answer and stressing you out. Hello! He knows us better then we know ourselves and knows we are not going to follow through.

Children, Christian Life, Faith, FriendshipAmy SappApril 19, 2021Relationship, Relationships, Friends, Family, Children, Christ

ARE YOU SAFE? DO YOU FEEL SAFE? - Elaine Kaighen

Several years ago, my husband preached a message concerning “the name of the LORD”. He explained that the phrase, “the name of” was a way of saying “the character of”, or what that person is known for. It was not simply using that person’s name, but rather knowing that person’s character. This was eye-opening for me, and it transformed my life enabling me to repent of living a life filled with WORRY.

Anxiety, Children, Christian Life, God's Will, Life Changes, Peace of God, Trusting GodAmy SappAugust 10, 2020Safe, Shelter, Children, Trust, Safety

Guarding Your Children - Angela Grice

There are so many ways Satan can attack our children these days. Evil influences can enter your home through television and movies, social media, the internet, YouTube, game systems, music, friends, activities, sports and more. If we aren’t in our towers watching for these breaches to our home, it could be too late to do anything. As mothers, we can learn so much from a medieval castle design to teach us about guarding our children from evil attackers and invaders.

Children, Christian Life, God's Will, Trusting GodAmy SappAugust 3, 2020Castle, Protection, Children, Guard, Guarding

Hannah - Full of Grace - Laura Doss

Hannah is one of my favorite women in the Bible. We have something in common. Both Hannah and I begged the Lord for children. My husband and I went 21 years without children before we adopted our 3 little boys!! I understand Hannah’s heart…the countless tears that no one sees and the cries that no one hears.

Children, Christian Life, Encouragement, Faith, Trusting GodAmy SappMarch 30, 2020Children, Barren, Grace, Encouragement

Friendship Makes Everything Better - Tina Dail

Our Savior, in His time on the earth, was our example in every way. He not only
taught us how to live, but He showed us how to live, how to behave, and how to treat
others. One of the things that stands out to me about the life of Christ is the relationships
he developed with the twelve men he hand-picked to be with Him. These men, who came
from a variety of backgrounds and occupations, were all uniquely loved and cherished by
Jesus. It is obvious that they meant more to Christ than merely the men who would carry
on His work after he went back to Heaven.

Children, Christian Life, Encouragement, FriendshipAmy SappFebruary 24, 2020Christ, Friendship, Joys, Parenting, Love, Children

Eve Was Deceived Are YOU?? - Ellie DeAnda

There are basically two voices in the world today. One is the lying voice of Satan and the other is the voice speaking truth through the Scriptures. In this new year 2020- choose to believe the truths that Jesus spoke about you and not the lies of Satan. We must know the difference between the enemies’ lies and God’s truth! Which leads me to say, we must know God’s Word! We must hide His word in our hearts!! The Bible clearly states that the Truth will set us free but we must have that Truth in our hearts and minds. We must combate lies with Truth. The truth is found in God's holy word....Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
James 1:19-20, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

Children, Christian Life, Faith, Loneliness, Love of God, Peace of God, TrialsAmy SappFebruary 17, 2020Eve, Deceived, Tricked, Blame, Children