"Ye are the light of the world.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden...

In the same way, let your light so shine before others,

so that they may see your good works

 and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven."

Matthew 5 14,15.

What kind of light is your life giving today? Is your life a beakon showing forth the glory of our Lord? What will people remember of you today? Did your words encourage another? Did your heart for others show in how you responded to an unexpected visit or call? Did your children sense God's love through you in your response to their childish ways? Did your husband feel your love for him as you took time from your busy schedule to make time for him?

All these and many more are ways we are to let our light shine...NOT so that we get the glory but that our Father in Heaven receives the glory. We are the only light that many may see....so shine until Jesus comes. Be that beacon of light like a lighthouse that brings others to the Lord.

Today would have been the birthday of a very dear friend of mine. God, in His infinite mercy, took her home to heaven this year. I dearly miss a special friend that God unexpectedly brought into my life over 15 years ago. God knows what each of us needs and often gives us more than we could ever ask for. Rachel was a very unexpected blessing but oh how grateful I am that the Lord allowed our paths to cross. Her quiet manners, her steadfast friendship, her listening ear, her laughter at the small things, her caring spirit for the underdog, and oh so much more.

Throuh her homegoing to Heaven, I have become even more aware of what life should be like in the light of Heaven. God has reminded me over and over again of many things I needed to think hard and long on. Is my light shining for Him every day? Do others see I do want to listen to them and encourage them or am I too busy with "my things" to bother to listen and encourage. Am I available to others? Can they call and know I care? Do I "snicker" at the small or big things that come my way? In other words, instead of getting up set and downhearted, learn to laugh and smile and thank God for those things!

Thanks, Rachel, for teaching me so many things about how our life for the Lord aught to be. These verses from Matthew 5:14 & 16 are the verses I have chosen to remember you and keep before me...Miss you greatly but forever grateful you trusted in the Lord as your personal Savior and chose to be a follower of our Lord.



We have moved!!!!!!

After 2 years plus, the Lord opened wide the door for us to move to North Dakota! We are pretty much settled into our new home...ok so there are a few more boxes and corners to organize...but I would say we are "moved in!"

Many have been asking, "Why North Dakota?" and inside I am shouting...."Why not North Dakota!" I am saying that out loud now as I enjoy a fresh cup of coffee, windows wide open, happy birds shouting out the glory of the Lord, and all kids are sleeping still...all this equals peacefulness at the moment!

A little over 2 years ago, we received a call from good friends of ours. Now, this just wasn't a "Hi! How are you?" call! It had been suggested time and time again that we should move up north and we always said..."Find us a house for little rent and we will consider it." We own our home in Indianapolis and we knew we couldn't afford to have two homes so this was about all we could handle! Well, back to that call.....the person on the other end said something to the effect....we have a house possibility for your family....its out in the country, big, little rent, and we have suggested it be offered to your family. WOW!!!! This could be a dream come true! It sounded good and yet we knew we had several things that needed to be all in a line to make this work. After visiting the place and talking to the owners (who now are great friends of ours!), we decided we would look further into this great idea. If I could describe the past couple of years, I would say it was like climbing a mountain. As we climbed, we caught beautiful glimpses of "what could happen" as well as "dark, hard, discouraging, rainy days. Always in the back of my mind at least, I had this thought..."Its too good to be true... so it probably wont happen!" The Lord knew I personally needed to have my faith in Him straightened.

My husband and I knew we needed to "upgrade" the house we were presently living in in Indianapolis. Six energetic kids need space and freedom to grow! We started praying that if this move was of the Lord, He would need to clearly show us that and open wide the doors to walk through. We visited the house and owners several times and saw the improvements they were making on the house. We then started asking God's direction as to what we should do with our house in Indianapolis. To make a long story shorter, we were lead to a property managment group with which we felt comfortable with in managing the technical side of business...ie..finding a renter and maintaining the house for us. Before we even moved out of the house in Indianapolis, the Lord provided a renter for our home! Talk about excitment and shock all in one!

We then set a date to move. The Lord provided help and support in loading up our home into the back of a trailer that my husband David was able to pull with his semi. The Lord even provided a trailer for David to use at little cost. So, on May 1, 2012, we officially planted ourselves in the beautiful country of North Dakota!!! And from day one, we have not regretted our decision! What a change from city life! I now can watch my kids ride endless hours on their bikes, play on a beautiful wooden play set set up in our huge backyard, watch them fly kites with no power lines and few trees to avoid, and one of the best...watch my huge garden grow!

The Lord truly has done great things for us whereof we are VERY glad!

Thank you to all who prayed with us in this adventure; helped in various ways to make our dream a reality! But most of all, all the glory and honor must go to our great God who truly does give well beyond what we can think or imagine!

For those of you who would like our new address and phone number, drop me an email or inbox me on facebook and I would be glad to share that with you. Our email is dandjcomings824@gmail.com