Wanting to Write

Today, I went to a Writer's Workshop.

My mind is full. I learned at lot. And I hope that I will have the inspiration to once again be consistent here. I want to write - - Blogs, Magazine Articles and Books.

Dreaming...

and desiring to put feet to the dreams...

Hopefully more coming soon!

The Incomparable Christ (chpt 1)

Today the topic (from the book, "The Incomparable Christ" by Oswald Sanders) was "the Moral Perfection of Christ." His beauty, His Loveliness, His Perfection.
There is NO ONE like HIM!

I have a few thoughts that I would like to share, because when I am having a feast... You know that I am compelled to give you some. I want you to see what I am seeing, to hear what I am hearing. Certainly, I cannot recount it all. But just maybe you will be encouraged by the nuggets. And even maybe some will join in reading the book, and listening to the podcasts.


John Flavel (a Puritan pastor in the 1600s) wrote:
"Bread has one quality, water another, raiment another, medicine another; but none has them all in itself as Christ does.

He is bread to the hungry

water to the thirsty

a garment to the naked

healing to the wounded

and whatever a soul can desire is found in him. "

Nancy Leigh DeMoss makes this observation:

When we realize the treasure that Christ is, that will cause us to live our lives differently.

We will not spend all of our lives in pursuit of things and people that can never fully satisfy.
We will focus our attention and efforts on Christ.
We will want to have undistracted devotion to Him.
We will want to spend time with Him.


That is food to "chew" on for this day. Looking at Christ. The Incomparable Christ. He is altogether Lovely!

It is my prayer that TODAY (well, actually everyday) I will reflect and display the beauty of Christ...

Ash Wednesday

Today is known as Ash Wednesday...

There are many posts on Facebook - from people who are denying themselves certain things for this season leading up to Easter. A fast of sorts.

I am choosing to join Nancy Leigh DeMoss on a study of the book, "The Incompariable Christ", by Oswald Chambers. (My friend Tricia was my encouragment to do so... I am following her lead)

The Revive Our Hearts Broadcast Schedule of Nancy teaching through this book is posted here. I have just purchased my book from Amazon for my Kindle (by the way - I LOVE my Kindle). Maybe you will want to join us too!

Quoted from the coversheet:

"MAY YOU COME TO KNOW, LOVE, TRUST, FOLLOW

AND REFLECT CHRIST IN A GREATER WAY

DURING THIS HOLY SEASON."

That is what I want...

Quote from Susanna Wesley...

Back in Feburary of this year I posted a blog about all of my books and being a book-a-holic. In the course of the year and all that life brings, I have not completed any of them yet. I have however, started many. That is just how it happens some times.

I am back reading "The Grand Weaver" by Ravi Zacharias again. And have put all others down until I finish this one. My goal is to have it read completely by the time I go back home to Alabama. (In my free time while here in VA visiting with my Julia, Ronnie and baby Josiah!)

I have a quote that I want to share...
John Wesley had asked his mother, Susanna Wesley, to define sin. Here is her answer:

"Son, whatever weakens your reasoning,

impairs the tenderness of your conscience,

obscures your sense of God,

or takes away your relish for spiritual things;

in short, if anything increases the authority and

power of the flesh over the Spirit,

then that to you becomes sin,

however good it is in itself,"

I agree with Ravi Zacharias- I doubt any theologians could have done better than she did!

Certainly we all would do well to use this as a guide to search our lives and our decisions and our choices.

2010 Blog Party

*** Please NOTE**** My party time has been interrupted by a death in our family. I have not had time to visit with you in your blogs... I will be back to visit with you all next week. Thank you for your prayers for my cousin's family and the death of their 2 year old daughter...

I participated in the blog party last year and had a wonderful time! I have not had the time to prepare as well as I would like to - but decided to go ahead and join in on the fun anyway.

So, to introduce myself... and the different aspects of my blogging.

I am a wife (of 33 years), a mother (of 3), a mother-in-law (of 3), a grandmother (0f 2 and one on the way). I am also an ex-homeschool teacher. I had the privilege to teach them for 12 years. You will find that I value this role (wife/mother/grand) as a high calling... and will share about the dailyness of our home life.

I am a pastor's wife and also the Women's Minstry Director at our church. I have a passion to support/lead/teach women and to encourage them in their various roles. I am a Bible study teacher, and have had the opportunity to speak in some Women's Conferences. My husband and I have also lead in several Marriage Retreats. I view my primary role in our church as my husband's prayer warrior. But my ministry will be to our women. I really desire to be a Titus 2 woman - and to teach/lead other women to do likewise.

Our son is a soldier - and we have weathered the challenges of two deployments. You will see that this is on my heart and will spill over into my blog. Thankfully, this second deployment is almost complete. We are all so proud of him but from this mother's perspective - I pray that he does not have to go to war again. Regardless, you can visit with me in that part of our lives with the link on the navigation bar. I have had the opportunity to minister to others who are walking this road also. Please let me know if you are facing this - I would love to add you and your soldier to my prayer list.

During this past year - my blogging has been lacking. I think Facebook is part of the problem. LOL. My plan is to use my twitter to update my facebook. And to let my facebook lead to my blog. I can add so much more information here and have more of the ministry to others through my writing here. So, I plan to detox from my addiction to facebook. Anyone else had that problem lately? You can find me here: www.facebook.com/dbwarren And if you have a twitter account you can follow me here: www.twitter.com/ddwarren

I am offering two give-aways. I did not get them sent in to have it posted on the gift page... so I offer them here.

The first gift is a STARBUCKS CARD. ($10.00). Leave a comment and let me know if you are currently a follower of my blog - or if you have added yourself to my list of followers. I will enter you twice if you will also join my list of networked blogs (see the sidebar) for FB. How I would love to meet you at Starbucks to visit in person - but since that is not possible - I will send you for a latte with a friend.

Second gift: Go to our Family Blog.... Hal and DeeDee (Ministering Together to Families). We (my husband and I) have such a heart to help families not only SURVIVE but also to THRIVE together to the Glory of God. This blog also has been lacking for the past year.... but we are ready to get it moving again. I will be giving a book: LOVE and RESPECT. You can enter two times here also: (1) follow that blog and leave me a comment to let me know that you have done so. (2) Let me know some topics that you would like to see us cover on this blog for the home and family.

Now, to let the party begin - I look forward to meeting you and visiting with you on your blog!

A Book-A-Holic...

I mentioned a few weeks ago - the need to clean/organize/declutter my study. And even though I have had short moments to begin the work, it is has been very minimal - until yesterday.

But as you know, it is tax season. The necessity to get all of the stuff together to take to our wonderful accountant is what MADE me get in that room and really do some work.

And the first need was accomplished. The tax folder is loaded and ready to go.

Much of the clutter is filed away. Lots of it went straight to the trash. But the needed filing is certainly better - and what is left is in a tray "to be filed".

But the real meat of this post is to confess that I am a book-a-holic. And that was also the cause of much of the disaster of that room. So, as I worked, I began to stack the books that I have purchased in the past year - that have yet to be read. All the while I was wondering where in the world I would put them. I did not want to just put them on one of my bookshelves (AS IF there is any room on the shelves).

Maybe I need to mention here that another bookshelf is on the purchase list...
And maybe there will be enough of a tax return to purchase it... just maybe.

However, I decided to take the books that were in stacks and bags in my room, and put them on the top shelf of the computer desk. This would be my "to read" section. There are 28. That should keep me busy for a while huh? My goal is to read them ALL this year. 2010.

How - I ask myself? Our lives ARE busy... but there IS time. I just need to manage it better. I keep thinking about the quote that I read once that said, "A person who CAN read and does not...is no better off than a person who CAN'T read at all." So, that shelf full of books is of no benefit to me - if they just sit on the shelf.

The first on my list is "Grand Weaver" by Ravi Zacharias. I had to make myself put it down to write this blogpost. I am sure that there will be quotes and thoughts about it that I will want to share with you along the way. It has already pricked at my heart...

So tell me...What are you reading? I would love to know...

2009 Scripture Memory # 7 and # 8

Continuing with Psalm 91...here are the next verses:

Psalm 91:5, 6
"You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

nor the destruction that wastes at noonday."

Psalm 91:7

"A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you."

When we went to the Family Readiness Group Meeting last month, we were given a free book. The title is "Psalm 91 -God's Shield of Protection." How neat is that? I am sure that I will have thoughts to share with you from it in the days ahead as I continue to memorize this chapter.

I am still catching up on these posts. Maybe in May I will get back on track. (even though I already have a post for tomorrow... oh well... I will try for the 2nd)

Regardless, I covet your prayers for the coming days. They will be hard. I know that God gives comfort. I am counting on it... I honestly do not know how those who do not know our Savior face such days. I do not.

Welcome...(# 10)

to TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD). I am so glad that you have joined us.

Remember our goal/purpose is that we are reading God's Word and we are sharing with each other a "nugget" of what we are learning.

This week our reading (posted on the side bar) was from Psalms 13- 15, and Acts 23- 28.

I want to focus on this passage:

"But I have trusted in Your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation."

Psalms 13:5

Years ago while going through a very tough time in ministry, I read the book, "God Works the Night Shift" by Ron Mehl. The Lord used it greatly in my life at that time, and I have been reminded of it again... this time - not ministry related. This time it is personal.

So, I say with the Psalmist... BUT I have - I AM trusting in Your steadfast love. Even when it is dark. Even when I can't see the reason. This walk this week with my mom is a road that we have not traveled. But I trust Him. Even when I can't see Him. I am also reminded of an old song - "When You Can't Trace His Hand... Trust His Heart."

I am trusting in His Steadfast Love....

Also, I thank you for the love and support that we have received. I agree with a post that my daughter wrote last week. She worded it so well. You can read the whole post here. But I want to say a special thank you to those of you have been there for us. You will never know how much it means when you reach out to us in times like these. We will forever be grateful for people that God puts in our lives who are not afraid to get close to the Pastor/Wife/Family, and who will be there with and for us when we are hurting and have needs.

I am trusting in His Steadfast Love...

Now, your turn. Remember... leave a comment... share your thoughts... and if you blog - link with us.

My First "GIVE-AWAY!"

I am so excited to be able to host my FIRST GIVE-AWAY!

(*** note- I will announce the winners on Monday, Dec 1st***)

Megan DiMaria, author of these two books, has graciously supplied two books for me to give away!



I must confess that I am not normally a "fiction" reader. But I have already finished the first book and am well on my way into the second one. Once I started reading, I could not put it down...So, I want to recommend them to you.

So, for this Thanksgiving week, I will leave this post up, and here are the details of how to register:

* Leave a comment - One register
* Tell me where you are from - One register
* Add your name (and your sweet picture) to my list of followers - One register (if you are already there - tell me so)

Looking forward to hearing from you this week - make sure I have an email address so I can contact you!

This is SO exciting!
Thanks Megan!

Oh.... and Have a Happy Thanksgiving with your precious Family!
I will have lots to share next week!

(for a listing of other give-ways see Scribbit.)

New Book

YOU GOTTA GO BUY THIS BOOK...................

"Crazy Love"
by Francis Chan

Hal recommended it on Sunday (for those who are at our church). And he has already told you that when we both want to read the same book.... we have to buy two because he does not like for me to write in his book (can you say OCD?)

Well... I read a little of his... and knew that I had much writing to do in this book... so we bought me one. OH MY!

Talk about challenge. Talk about stretching your thinking about life. Talk about LOVING our LORD!

Hal had an eye appointment yesterday (YEA! new glasses are on the way). I knew it would be a LONG appointment. And it was. How wonderful! I took my book with me.... and could not put it down. The magazines on the rack were not even a distraction.

I am a fast reader.. but many times found myself reading the page or paragraph over and over. Just to let it sink in. I did shed a few tears. I am challenged. I can hardly wait to find time to read again today. Could we just go back to the Eye Doctor again?

Anyway... I have tons to write about...
I have pictures to post...
I have much work to do at church today...

But I had to tell you.....................GO BUY THE BOOK!

And then discuss it with me.
I am sure I will be posting more about it later.

Love and Blessings,
DeeDee