Oh! How I love the F~A~L~L!!!!!

Next to Christmas...this time of year is my absolute favorite! Fall, oh, how I adore the fall! Here are a few reasons why:
-Pumpkins Everywhere!
-Mums in bright colors
-Pumpkin bread
-College football and the NFL (my favorite team: Dallas Cowboys!)
-Inviting Friends over for a cup of hot cider
-Yummy Casseroles
-More pumpkins everywhere!
-Autumn and apple scented candles
-Sweaters and boots
-Leaves changing
-Running on a fall afternoon with leaves crunching under me
-Sitting outside with John and the children
-Fall scents of hand soap and lotions next to the kitchen sink
-My children trick-or-treating

Oh....the fall! I cannot get enough!

Here is a great hot appetizer to get it all kicked off. Would be great for tailgating or, for a dinner with new friends:

Hot Chicken and Artichoke Dip

2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
3 cooked chicken breasts, chopped up (boil or b
1 8 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonaise
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. Louisiana Hot Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

(This recipe is easily doubled)
Place in 8 x 8 glass dish sprayed with PAM and bake at 350 for 20-25 mins. or until bubbly. Serve with crackers. (Use glass 9 x 13 dish if doubling recipe)

Happy Fall!
Blessings to You,
Beth

A Great Piece of Advice for Wives

My friend, Jennifer Bell, wrote this wonderful email re: being a pastor's wife. Her husband Brad Bell planted The Well Community Church in Fresno, CA over 5 years ago. Jennifer was a college girl when I met her and, I have watched her "bloom" into such an amazing and wise woman of God. These words not only apply to being a pastor's wife, but, to any of us who are blessed to be married and, to those of you who long to be married one day. Jennifer truly speaks truth here and, I hope you can glean from it, as I have.

1. FLEXIBILITY. I decided to get pregnant the week prior to planting the well, so when the baby came, my man took , oh, hmm, I believe ... 2 days off? let's just say I wasn't real happy.. I mean, I was definitely up for eternal perspective and the "greater good".. but it sure didn't show in my attitude! so to expect to be a single mom for a season and do it with a joyful heart is certainly helpful..

2. PERSPECTIVE. read good books (including your Bible!). I have really benefited from books.. some of the best being "Created to be His helpmeet" (Pearl) and "High Call, High Privilege" (Macdonald). and "Calm my anxious heart" (dillow). We need to be constantly reminded of the big picture. DO NOT attach yourself to negative people.. especially if YOU tend to see things half full.. remember the verse about the corner of the roof? I have seen men forced out of ministry due to a bitter wife's faucet dripping acid onto his ministry. If you can find a fellow ministry wife who is positive about the experience, buy her lots of gifts and don't let her out of your sight!

3. SELFLESSNESS. If you truly desire to be a support to him, you can't get obsessed with the question "what have YOU done for ME lately?". .. Brad told me to expect a tremendously busy first year.. MAYBE two.. well, here we are seven years later.. probably much busier than we were then.. so settle in, and learn to enjoy the ride. Find ways to connect with him in the midst all that he's juggling and be a place of refuge for him. (you'll know when you're doing a good job if he speaks sweetly about you in his sermons and he doesn't have to ask permission to use your latest blowup as an illustration : ) FOCUS on the benefits of your lot in life.. NOT the negatives.. don't compare yourself with your girlfriends who may have more money than you do or live in a bigger house....compare yourself with the poor widow in Africa who has to walk five miles each morning to draw dirty water for her children to drink before she has to leave them to fend for themselves while she walks another 3 miles to the marketplace to sell trinkets totaling $1 for the week..

4. INTIMACY. Try to remember that your hubby is stretched in a hundred directions trying to wear way too many hats, all the while attempting to look competent in all of them.. He has to juggle so many things.. so take care of him physically. There are so many books out right now about a man's need for physical intimacy.. read them. He is already feeling the weight of the world.. knowing everyone is sizing him up. If you communicate deeper than words that YOU think he is desirable, he will have much more strength and confidence to forge ahead. This also helps him get in touch with his ability to meet you in your own need of love and affection..

Thank you Jenn for sharing...

BOOKS TO READ: MY FAVORITE BOOKS!

• 30 Days to Understanding the Bible- Max Anders
• Big Picture - Tom Nelson
• The Lost Art of Disciple-Making - Leroy Eims
• The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom
• The New Eve:Choosing God's Best for Your Life - Robert Lewis
• The Pursuit of Holiness – Jerry Bridges
• The Practice of Godliness- Jerry Bridges
• Radical Womanhood – Carolyn McCulley
• Becoming a Woman of Influence – Carol Kent
• Fearlessly Feminine – Jani Ortlund
• A Jewel in His Crown – Priscilla Evans Shirer
• Lord, Give Me a Heart For You – Kay Arthur
• Loving God with All Your Mind – Elisabeth George
• A Woman After God’s Own Heart – Elisabeth George
• Calm My Anxious Heart – Linda Dillow
• A Resilient Life – Gordon MacDonald
• Keep A Quiet Heart – Elisabeth Elliot
• Fragrance of Beauty – Joyce Landorf Heatherly
• Disciples of a Godly Woman – Barbara Hughes
• Becoming a Woman of Excellence – Cynthia Heald
• Feminine Appeal – Carolyn Mahaney and Nancy Leigh DeMoss
• Lies Woman Believe – Nancy Leigh DeMoss
• Disciplines of The Beautiful Woman – Anne Ortlund *This is an AMAZING book written over 20 years ago and has wonderful wisdom in it for becoming a Godly woman.
• Disciplines of the Heart- Anne Ortlund
• Disciplines of the Home- Anne Ortlund
• 31 Days of Praise- Kay Myers
• Streams in the Desert- Mrs. CJ Cowman
• My Upmost for His Highest- Oswald Chambers
• Thrive, don’t simply Survive: Passionately Live the Life You Didn’t Plan- Karol Ladd
• Love and Respect- Emerson Eggerichs
• Creative Counterpart- Linda Dillow
• Fit to Be Tied- Bill Hybels
• Grace Based Parenting- Tim Kimmel
• The Grace Awakening- Charles Swindoll
• Laugh Again- Charles Swindoll
• Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life- Charles Swindoll
• Titus 2 Bible Study- Denton Bible Church Media Ministry. Dentonbiblechurch.org
• ANY THING by Beth Moore!!!
• The Reason For God- Timothy Keller
• Humility: True Greatness- C.J. Mahaney
• Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World- Joanna Weaver
• Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook- Martha Stewart
• Home Warming- Emilie Barnes
• Ordering Your Private World- Gordon MacDonald
• Your Girl: Raising a Godly Daughter in An UnGodly World- Vicki Courtney
• Making Room for Life- Randy Frazee
• Smart Women Keep it Simple- Annie Chapman
• Fresh-Brewed Life- Nicole Johnson
• Grown-Up Girlfriends- Erin Smalley and Carrie Oliver
• The Friendships of Women- Dee Brestin
• Chris Madden’s Guide to Personalizing Your Home- Chris Madden
• Love in Every Room- Karla Dornacher
• More Hours in My Day- Emilie Barnes
• The Financially Confident Woman- Mary Hunt
• The Spirit of Loveliness- Emilie Barnes
• Sheperding a Child’s Heart- Tedd Tripp

Downline Women! Get Ready! Less than One Week!

Hello Downline Women!

Less than one week away! Downline is beginning and, it is going to be a FANTASTIC year! I am excited about the bar-b-q kick-off night this coming Saturday, the 22nd. Be there at 5:30 p.m. and, we are going to have food, fun and, fellowship! I cannot WAIT to get to know each of you better!

How is your reading coming along? Please send me comments (right on this blog!) as to your favorite ‘read’ so far and, what you are learning! We would all love to see what you are gleaning from these books!

The Lord has been teaching me SO much this summer! I have been thinking and praying for each one of you. Praying that the Lord would totally WAKE YOU UP to the need and urgency of discipling women! Praying for each of you to have energy and a continued passion to be in your seats and ready to learn/absorb/study the WORD. The AWESOME and MIGHTY WORD ~ the Bible is our LIGHT and our GUIDE. The Lord is our RESCUER and our HOPE and our REFUGE! He is our end all and our be all…….He is closer than our breath every minute of every day!

I am excited! I am typing faster and faster this minute because I am wanting it to be August 24th right NOW!

I will close with a quote from Ruth Myers:

“How astonishing that this majestic, sovereign God yearns to be involved with us and longs to meet our needs! Repeatedly He reveals Himself to be our Father and Friend, our Redeemer and Rescuer, our Provider and Guide and Protector. He is bread to satisfy our hunger, water to quench our thirst. He offers to meet not only our physical and social needs, but also the deepest needs of our total natures. Now and forever. He wants to make us feel secure, valued and significant.”

Have you all heard the song by the Dave Crowder band, “Oh, How He loves us”?….amazing lyrics! Go to iTunes NOW and get it! Amazing song!

Have a blessed day!

Beth