The Braddy Family

Taters turns 3!!

2012-01-24T17:03:00.001-08:00

Taters turns 3!!!

2012-01-24T16:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone that came to the park today to make Peyton feel special today!! I think she had a great day hanging out w/ her buddies at the playground. We had an awesome day, sunny and 65. Who would know it is late January??

Our sweet nephew Cayden!

2012-01-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

Our new nephew Cayden after his stay at the hospital with RSV. He's a little fighter and you know that I LOVED holding the little guy! And a few other pics from our trip to Delaware.

Christmas Morning

2012-01-11T12:43:00.001-08:00

We had so much fun w/ the kids this year on Christmas morning celebrating the greatest Gift God gave us...Christ, because without His birth there would be no death and without His death there would be no resurrection and without the resurrection, there would be no forgiveness of sins!! Thank you God for the birth of your Son! We totally didn't get a pic of us w/ the kids...

Flower Girls

2012-01-11T12:32:00.000-08:00

2012-01-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

A precious couple from our sunday school class got married and asked if the girls could be their flower girls!! You know they LOVED that! Peyton walked the whole way down the aisle w/ her hands over her eyes. They were cute and did a pretty good job. Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Nick Lofton for loving our children!! They sure love ya'll!

Been Sooo long...

2012-01-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

So much has happened since I last updated our blog. If you ever look at this, please leave a comment so I feel motivated to keep it up.

Our Christmas photo session didn't go so great...Lucas is an angry little man these days and was none to happy about having his picture taken. But we got a few good ones.

Dance Recital

2011-06-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Halies first (and possibly last) dance recital. She acted too shy to ever dance at all during practice. Most days she just stood there looking at the teacher. But she really brought her personality to the recital!! She did a great job and seemed to love every minute! Thanks Grams and Pop for dance/gymnastics this year!!

Halie Graduates from Preschool

2011-06-11T16:52:00.001-07:00

What a fun year it was for Halie!! She really enjoyed her year in Preschool at the Creek. She had awesome teachers and a really fun class. She seems like such a big girl in her cap and gown.

Easter

2011-04-28T12:03:00.001-07:00

Thank you Jesus for the death you died in my place and overcoming the grave that I might live!

Lucas turns 1! Already!!

2011-04-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

Great Wolf Lodge

2011-03-23T12:01:00.001-07:00

Great Wolf Lodge

2011-03-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from our fun night at the Great Wolf Lodge. Such a fun little getaway with Halie and Peyton and their cousins!! Thanks to Aunt Jane and Uncle Mike for keeping Lucas so we could enjoy the water park with the girls! And thanks to Bryan and Emily for bringing the boys. We had a great time w/ ya'll!!

Fun in West Virginia

2011-02-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

So its been a super long time since I updated the blog but here it goes for anyone that cares...we got back yesterday from a family ski trip in WV. What awesome memories we made this week!! It was sooo much fun enjoying time with family. Ski conditions were great and Halie is now, after 2 days of ski school, skiing intermediate slopes by herself!! Skiing was not Peytons favorite thing...maybe next year! Thanks to my mom and dad for taking us on these great trips!! Here are a few pics of the fun!

Fun with Grandmom, Pop, GT, and GiGi

2010-11-28T16:47:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love these three!!!

2010-11-28T16:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2010-11-28T16:03:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving...a time to think about what we are most thankful for in our lives. I love to hear the things people are thankful for. Especially children. When I asked Halie what she is most thankful for in the whole world she said, "Ummmm rainbows." Such a simple answer. I am most thankful for God. I am thankful that He chose to send His Son to take the punnishment that I deserve and offer me forgiveness and life. When I think of how Jesus willingly left His throne in Heaven to come to Earth, knowing exactly why He would come, and He chose to anyway. All because He loves me that much! This blows me away. I did nothing to deserve this. What I deserve is to suffer Gods wrath for the rest of eternity. Thank you Jesus for taking my place on the cross!!! Here are a few pics of the festivities...ran my first 5K that morning and enjoyed a meal and some hang out time with my family.

Wait a minute...Is he the same size as Peyton??

2010-11-03T16:20:00.001-07:00

Halloween Fun

2010-11-01T12:49:00.001-07:00

A Fun Time w/ The Fam

2010-10-25T12:17:00.001-07:00

Makenzies 2nd Birthday Party at the Farm

2010-10-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

We went to a farm in MD this past weekend to celebrate my niece's 2nd birthday. Boy did the kiddos have a blast!! Here are a few pics.

Hillridge Farms - A Little Fall Fun!!

2010-10-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun last week w/ some friends at Hillridge Farms in Youngsville. If you've never been, its super fun for the kiddos, you should go.

A few cute pics

2010-08-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

Fun with Grandpa Augie and Marcia

2010-08-17T17:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday we took a trip to Morhead City to visit Zacks Dad. The girls LOVE their house because Marcia decorates with lots of fun beachy nick nacks that they love to play with and Marcia always lets them take a few things when they leave. Let me sum up our ride there...forget something and have to turn around as soon as we leave, Halie and Zack have to pee an hour into the trip and Peyton has soaked her pants because she drinks so much, an hour later I had a drink and somehow managed to poke a hole in the bottom of the cup w/ the straw so we had to stop at walmart so I could get some pants that weren't soaked w/ coke, the last hour Lucas pooped and it exploded out of his diaper all over his pants and car seat. The good news is we had an uneventful trip home! The joys of traveling w/ young children. We'll miss these days when they are gone.

How much do I love this little guy??

2010-08-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

Our Big "Little Man"

2010-07-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Lucas is now 15lbs 5oz. This weight for his age isn't even on the growth chart. He's a beast. He's 24 1/2 inches long which is the 95%. He's 2 months old and filling out 6 month outfits. At this rate he'll be wearing 2T by winter. I'm mostly breastfeeding so I don't usually know how much milk he's getting but it appears to be enough. We praise God for a strong, healthy big little man!!

Happy 4th!!

2010-07-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

We are thanking God for our freedoms in this country this Independence Day! Mostly for our freedom to gather and worship Him without fear of persecution! We've got some pics of our patriotic little kiddos!

2010-07-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Here are a few fun pics from the wedding. Congrats to Su-Anne and Jason!!

Wedding Hair

2010-07-04T13:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a fun day of helping the bridesmaids get ready for Su-Anne and Jason's big day!! I love doing bridal party hair because everyone is always giddy and excited anticipating the day and its a fun chance to be creative. Here's a few we came up with...

A few cute pics...

2010-06-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

Lucas is a picker!

2010-06-07T07:10:00.001-07:00

Lucas is 1 month old and already picks his nose....guess he got that from his daddy!!

Halie Turnes 4!

2010-05-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe my little girl just turned 4. I feel like I was in labor w/ a few weeks ago. Well I was in labor a few weeks ago, just w/ a different kid. We had to cancel her big party, which I was way sad about, because the playground screwed up on reserving our shelter. But we still had a family cookout at our house to celebrate. Here's a few pics...

Be Encouraged - Beth Moore, So Long Insecurity

2010-05-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

This is from Beth Moore's new book So Long Insecurity You've been a bad friend to us. A sweet friend emailed this to me. I need to read this book! Be encouraged!

Proverbs 31:25 "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."

Psalm 112:7-8 "[She] will have no fear of bad news; [her] heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. [Her] heart is secure, [she] will have no fear; in the end [she] will look in triumph on [her] foes."

"When you feel that familiar panic begin to rise in your heart like a river coursing its banks and your soul begins to roll with another round of 'What will I do if...?' what would happen if you were willing to hear the voice of God whisper these inaudible words? 'Child, you are asking the wrong question. Here's the one that would assuage your fears: What will God do if...?

I, the Maker of heaven and earth, will:

perfect everything that concerns you (Psalm 138:8)
work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28)
contend with those who contend with you (Isaiah 49:25)
fight this battle for you (2 Chronicles 20:15)
equip you with divine power (2 Corinthians 10:4)
delight to show you mercy (Micah 7:18)
meet all your needs according to My glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
give you grace that is perfectly sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9)
be your power in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)
do immeasurably more than all you could ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within you (Ephesians 3:20)

No illness, loss, rejection, or betrayal will ever get the last word. You will stand to your feet stronger than ever. And oh, may your unseen enemy regret the day he set the crosshairs of his weapon upon your forehead."

AMEN!

Strawberry Picking at Volmer farm

2010-05-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

Monday was such a pretty day and it was nice and cool so my friend Morgan and my mom and I decided to take the kids strawberry picking. Here are a few pics of the fun before I passed out, started pucking and had to go back to the ER. That ruined a nice day but before that we had a great time. Oh and, today we were leaving to go out of town and my car broke down and we had to get a tow truck and come back home. Some luck lately huh??

Really fast update

2010-05-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

I figured I'd post since I'm getting a lot of messages from sweet friends that have heard about our drama this past week and left messages on my phone. Peyton had a fever of 104 for several days, which makes me super nervous that Lucas could get whatever she has. We took her to urgent care one night and its just a virus which is good but that means contageous, so please pray no one else gets sick. I had to go to the ER one afternoon bc I was having a really hard time breathing when I laid down and couldn't take deep breaths and was getting a headache w/in seconds of laying down. Apparently I had some fluid between my heart and lungs from the fluid they gave me in the hospital after delivery and then the next day they gave me a blood transfusion and they gave me 3 units of blood. The ER ruled out a blood clot in my lung and sent me home. After seeing a doctor and cardiologist they determined that the body just isn't made to have that much fluid through your veins and it had to go somewhere. So they gave me a pill to make me pee a lot and I am breathing much better now. Lucas's jaundice is much better and he is gaining weight. Anyone who prayed that I would have a sleepy baby....God definitely listened. He sleeps all the time. I know this will end but it has truly been a blessing w/ the week we've had this week. Next week will be better. Thanks for all the prayers!!

Lucas Pics

2010-05-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

2010-05-02T18:15:00.000-07:00

So on the hottest day of the year (also first night home from the hospital) our air conditioner broke. It has been 89 upstairs in our house the last 2 nights. And this happened Sat. night and no one comes out to fix things on Sundays w/out charging a ton. So we decided that today was a water park in the backyard kind of day. Here are some pics. Who do you think had more fun? Zack or the girls?? Pray our air gets fixed tomorrow so we can sleep in our bed tomorrow night.

Glad to be home!

2010-05-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is our first full day home w/ Lucas. Peyton just blabbers about him but seems clueless and Halie is loving her baby brother and is being a sweet big sister. We are so thankful for our new family!! So far Lucas is a great baby that rarely cries, we'll see how long that lasts!

Welcome Lucas Ryan!

2010-04-30T14:22:00.001-07:00

Well, it only took 24 hours after he was born, but we finally decided on Lucas Ryan Braddy! Hopefully, as hard as it was to name him, the name will serve him well! Here, he is with his 2 proud sisters and grandmas!

Some promised pics

2010-04-29T18:21:00.001-07:00

Forgive the delay in pics and updates. Mama had a bit of a rough time after delivery w/ a plummeting blood pressure that included the shakes and being really loopy for a few hours. Feeling much better now. Great labor and delivery, only had to push twice, I am getting quite good at that. Love the epidural. Still nameless. My dad's gonna flip if we don't decide soon. Hopefully we'll sleep on it a little and come up w/ a name tomorrow as Zack has thrown some new ones into the pot. Thanks for all the prayers!! We are so blessed!! Halie even likes her baby bro.

He's here!

2010-04-29T17:18:00.001-07:00

Baby Boy Braddy was born at 5:02 pm, weighed 8 lb 13 oz, and was 22 1/2 inches long!! Mom and baby are doing great! No name decision yet, but stay tuned for that and photos!

At the hospital!

2010-04-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

So, we're finally at the hospital! Kim just had her water broken and she has received her epidural, so we're just waiting on baby boy to arrive...we'll keep you posted.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy Braddy Tomorrow!

2010-04-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

I forgot to update about my appt. on Tues. I'm 4 cm dialated, baby not stressed, plenty of fluid around baby. So therefore the hospital will call me in the morning to let me know when to show up to be induced. Who would have thought that the 3rd go round you'd have to be induced when you weren't w/ the others? I don't much care, just want a healthy baby and delivery. Maybe we should take bets for how much he weighs and who ever comes closest w/out going over can name him!! Please pray for us if you think of us tomorrow!! Much love!

One Day Left!

2010-04-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

We decided to go to the downtown Raleigh Farmers Market today to pass the time until induction day tomorrow. Probably 100 other more productive things we could have spent the day doing but we wanted to take the girls to do something fun. The Farmers Market was kind of a bust but the kids loved running around on the turf field. We had some good BBQ too. Unless something happens tonight, we should be getting a call w/ an induction time in the morning. I hope I can sleep tonight, last chance to do that for a while. Here's a few pics from the day. Just an FYI, if you are going to hit up the farmers market just go to the state one not the city one.

The Overdue Bigness!

2010-04-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

So I was due on Friday and it is now Tuesday. And NOTHING!! I'm going to the OB this afternoon to check on this little/or rather large (you look at the pic and judge for yourself) boy. Honestly, I think he wants a name and is refusing to come out until he gets one. Will someone call my husband and tell him to just give in to my favorite names? A sweet friend reminded me that God knows the perfect time for him to come and He will whisper in his ear when the time is right. I hope He whispers before Thursday because they plan to induce me then if he doesn't come sooner. At the request of some friends...check out the overdue belly!

Baby Update!

2010-04-24T13:41:00.001-07:00

So I'm a day overdue now and still no baby boy Braddy. I think he wants a name before he makes his debut but since Zack and I can't agree on one I think he'll stay right where he is for now. I'm 2cm and 75% effaced but have been for several weeks w/ no change. He's head down but high. Right now the plan is to go Tuesday to the Dr. and they will check the fluid around the baby and the stress of the baby and assuming I haven't already gone into labor and everything looks fine they will induce sometime Thursday if I don't go before then. Zack and I both have a pretty bad cold right now so I'd like to get better before I go into labor. My prayer is that we will both feel better tomorrow after resting for a day, as I just finished my last client today at 2, and then go into labor early this week w/out being induced. Anyone willing to join me in praying, please do. Just wanted to give everyone that cares a quick update on the status. I'm getting a bit grumpy but thankful that my babies like my uterus so much! Hopefully he will be big, but not so big I can't push him out, and will come out sleeping like a champ. Pray for that too if you think of it!!

We'll post when we've got something to post about!! Much love!

Big Belly

2010-04-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is for you Kelli Rumbough. Have you ever seen anything so big in your life? This pic is taken at about 36 weeks.

2010-03-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

Skiing in WV

2010-03-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

Turns out Halie is quite the little skier already at 3 1/2. We had a great time in WV, although it is kind of like toture watching everyone do something I love and not participating. But I got to take all the pics. Snow was awesome and it was in the 50's. PERFECT ski weather!! Here's a few pics.

Powerful! Embrace Life

2010-03-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

Playground Fun Time

2010-02-23T13:00:00.001-08:00

Can you KNOW that you KNOW?

2010-02-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

Can you KNOW that you are going to Heaven??

This was the topic of this weeks bible study on John 7:25-52.

Matthew 7:21-23 says "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kindgom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord,' did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never KNEW you; depart from me..."

In todays words they will say to Jesus, "Lord, didn't we attend church on a regular basis, give money to good causes when we could, feed the homeless and be nice to others?" Yet his response to these people is, "depart from me, I never KNEW you."

What does this mean? Jesus implies that He has to KNOW you in order for you to enter Heaven. So how do we do that? Many people, when asked if they will get into heaven, respond, 'I hope so." Surely, this is something we want to be sure of and we have a God who loves us enough to want us to have a confident faith that we can KNOW that we will spend eternity in Heaven. Jesus tells us in the Matthew verse that doing good things and practicing religion do not grant entrance into Heaven. That only by KNOWING Him are we granted this. So what does it mean to KNOW Him? The word KNOW comes from the greek word "oida" meaning full or complete knowledge of someone. This is an intimate, personal knowledge. Jesus calls believers friends in scripture. How sweet that the Creator of the universe desires friendship with us!! John 10:14 says, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." So how can we be sure? In John 7, Jesus gives an invitation to KNOW Him. He stands up in a crowd and cries out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." What does this mean? The key words here are thirsty, come, and drink. We have to seek God, come to Jesus, and receive Him. How simple? Aren't we thankful eternity isn't based on our goodness!!! I know I am because I would be in big trouble if that was the case. In summary, believer: be confident if you have placed your trust in Christ as the only means for your salvation and repented of your sin. Unbeliever: you know what Jesus requires of you. Turning from your sins, and simply trusting in Him as the only way to heaven, because of Him paying for our debts on the cross. I hope this is encouraging, it was to me.

I don't think anyone actually reads this blog so I suppose I wrote this to encourage myself too!!

Rex

2010-02-15T20:51:00.000-08:00

Pray for Rex, that he would come to know Jesus through repentance and faith.

Downtown

2010-02-14T10:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to downtown Raleigh to share the Gospel with folks from the inner-city who are either homeless or struggling financially. It was pretty cold, as you can see from the picture. The people are lined up waiting for food, as neighboring churches set up and bring hot meals and blankets for the needy. But, perhaps an even greater need that their physical needs, is their spiritual needs. These people need Jesus. Most of them have no real understanding of what the Gospel is. Most of these folks think that if they go to church, if they are good people, or if they pray a prayer that they are right with God. But, what they fail to understand is that we are each sinners who have fallen desperately short of the mark of perfection that God has laid out for us. Jesus said,"Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect." And none of us are perfect. That is why God must punish us and send each of us to hell, because we have sinned against Him and violated His holy and righteous law. But, thanks be to God, He sent His Son Jesus to live a perfect life, die a brutal death on the cross, and take upon Himself the wrath of God that each of us deserves. We broke God's laws, and Jesus stepped in and paid our fines. Praise Him! Then, He rose from the dead, showing that He had defeated sin and death, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father. What a great Savior we have in Jesus! What He commands us to do is repent (turn from sin) and place our trust in Jesus and his death on the cross for us. Not our good works. Not going to church. Not any other religion, but in Him alone. Jesus said,"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6)

I had the wonderful privilege of sharing that good news with several folks yesterday. Please be in prayer specifically for Louis, Mike, Damien and his girlfriend, Willie, and Dr. Wolf (don't ask me where that name came from!). I fall in love with these people and realize how much God must really love and care about them. They are hurting, without jobs, without hope, and in need of forgiveness. Pray that they would turn to Him.

Are we this excited over God's Word?

2010-02-12T14:05:00.001-08:00

Nothing like receiving your first Bible!

Hilarious Song about Marriage!! Prepare to laugh out loud!

2010-02-11T18:21:00.000-08:00

Peytons birthday!

2010-02-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the family for coming to visit to celebrate Peytons bday w/ us!

Peeton Weeton turns 1!!

2010-02-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

Her real bday was last Sunday but we will celebrate it this Sat. We had to give her a cupcake to celebrate the real day though. Who would have thought that one year ago while we were in the hospital w/ Peyton, we'd be getting ready to do it all over again? Surely, not I (or Zack).

Peytons first Oreo Cookie!!

2010-02-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

I think she liked it!

Better late than never

2009-12-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

A few random pics of the girls from our Emerald Isle trip in Sept.

Christmas is coming!!

2009-12-01T15:42:00.001-08:00

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving spending time being thankful for all the blessings God has given us. We are Christmas fanatics and decorate on Thanksgiving, get and decorate our tree the day after. We love the season. Here are a few festive pics w/ the fam. Merry Christmas people!!

Bahamas

2009-11-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

So it took a few years to save for the trip but I totally recommend all couples w/ young kids make it a priority to save some $ and take a trip w/ no kiddos. We had a great time at Sandals and loved the Bahamas. The sharks in the pics, we totally got in with them and didn't get eaten.

Disney World

2009-11-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

We had the best time in Disney, thanks to Grandma and Pop for taking us! Halie was in awe of the princesses the whole time and can't wait to go back.

ITS A BOY!!

2009-11-18T06:20:00.000-08:00

We went to our 18 week ultrasound yesterday and found out that we are adding a little boy to the Braddy family. We are super excited but needing to get our heads wrapped around this new idea since girls are all we know. Let the name debate begin!!

Origin of Species project....will you help?

2009-09-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Narrow Road

2009-09-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

Could anything cheer up a day like this face??

2009-08-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

Hope for grieving parents....

2009-08-12T19:31:00.001-07:00

Friends, watch this w/ a tissue near by as you will be overwhelmed w/ thankfulness to God for His mercy. This is for all the moms who know the heartache of losing a precious baby before meeting them face to face. But, praise God, there will come a day, when we will meet them face to face.

Moore Square

2009-08-08T19:06:00.001-07:00

Today I went to downtown Raleigh to Moore Square. Each 2nd Saturday of the month, Providence Baptist, Kim and I's church, prepares meals and takes food down to hundreds of homeless men and women in the downtown area. Each Saturday that I go down is such a blessing. The funny thing is each Saturday I don't want to go because of the countless other things that I could be doing, but after I go and spend a couple of hours down there, I realize how it was such a blessing not only to the folks that we encountered but to me as well. God is so good!

So,today I had the opportunity to share the gospel with several different men and two females. Some of their names were Ronnie, Michael, Sandra, Charles, Crystal, J.W., and Gerald. Most of these guys have lost their jobs or have gotten hooked on drugs and are now on the streets with no place to stay. My heart goes out to them as I see the hurt and the desperation in their eyes and can hear it in their voices. I want to help them. But more than their physical needs, my heart really breaks for them because of their spiritual needs. They don't know Christ. Most of them believe themselves to be good people and they think that when all is said and done, God will let them into heaven because their good works will outweigh their bad. But, we know that none of us are good, and all of us are deserving of God's wrath. I was privileged with the opportunity to walk each of them through God's laws, show them that they are sinners, and then tell them about their desperate need for the Savior. It is so wonderful to see men and women finally understand the Gospel. It's almost as if a light bulb goes off over their head. While no one trusted Christ today, many seeds were planted. And that's all we're called to do. Plant seeds. God will bring the increase.

This is where the battle is. For men and women's souls. Please join me and begin sharing your faith with those around you who don't know Christ. Every Saturday Moore Square is full of people who need to hear the Gospel. Will you come? We're not guaranteed tomorrow. Who will you share with today?

Sharia Law in America

2009-08-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

This is truly frightening. The false religion of Islam is gaining much ground here in America and in Western Europe. We, as Christians, must stand up and preach the Gospel - the only thing that will change the hearts of men and women.

4th of July 2009

2009-07-08T08:05:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th!!

Convoy of Hope

2009-04-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, a large group of area churches locked arms together and reached out to the downtown Raleigh community in an event known as the "Convoy of Hope." Over 6000 people came to the event,and by all accounts, it was a huge success. As I looked out over the masses of people, I could not help but be touched by the fact there were so many people in need, most of which probably did not know Christ. My heart goes out to these men and women and everything within me desires to see them come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Many thanks to the men and women who put this event together and were so willing to give of their time, energy and talents at this event to make it possible!

The event offered participants free hotdogs and drinks, free bags of groceries, free haircuts, health assessments, and prayer for any and all who wanted it. The picture to the left is the tent where the health assessments were being done. There was also live music, courtesy of Daniel Renstrom and Shelly Moore. If the participants went to receive the groceries, they had to spend a couple of minutes in prayer with the volunteers, where they would likely be presented with the Gospel.

God blessed me with the opportunity to attend the event for a couple of hours (thanks to my Mom being willing to babysit...:) thanks Mom!)While I was there I was blown away by how many people had showed up and were simply in need of so much. I was also amazed at the sheer kindness of all the volunteers, giving of their time and energy to such a worthy cause in 93 degree weather. I thought "This is how the body of Christ is supposed to work. Meeting the needs of people physically, but also aware of the fact that they have a much larger need....the Gospel. They need Christ." The picture to the left is part of the gang from Providence. These guys were cooking and serving the hot dogs, handing out drinks, and helping in any way possible. Thanks for being such humble servants!

While I was down there I was able to speak with several different attendees. My first conversation was with two young gentlemen by the name of Louis (center) and George (right). Both of these guys were from Ohio and had been in the area for only a couple of months. As we began to talk they told me about how they had grown up in church but had gotten away from going and were hoping to start back soon. As I dug deeper it became clear that they did not know the Lord. They both told me that they were good people and the way that a man gets to heaven is by doing good things and living a good life. I was able to then tell them that about how God was going to judge them not by their good works, but by his moral law, also known as the 10 commandments. As we went through a few of the commandments, it began to become very clear to these young men that they had fallen way short of God's standard. They began to see that their situation was hopeless and that if things continued the way that they were going, that they would die and go to hell. But, (and this is my favorite part!), it was then, once their hearts and consciences' were pricked that I was able to share the good news of Jesus Christ with them; how He had come and died upon the cross, taking their sins and their penalty of death and hell upon himself, and paying our fine in His life's blood. I told them how He rose from the dead, defeating death, and how if they would repent of their sins and place their trust in Christ alone, that He would wipe away every sin, and give them a new heart with new desires. They both seemed to really be paying attention and asking questions, but especially George. He seemed to really be thinking about what I was saying and I think that the Holy Spirit was truly working in his heart. I pray that God would grant them the ability to repent and would give them the faith necessary to place their trust in Christ.

By the end of the day, I spoke with several more men, namely Neil, Kenny, William, Vernon, and Joseph. Each of them were unique and had their own certain needs. But, again, I fear that none of them, with the exception of Joseph, really and truly know Jesus Christ. I am constantly amazed by how so many people simply do not have a correct understanding of the Gospel, why Jesus died, what that means exactly, and how that applies to them. Pray that God would open these men's eyes to the truth of the Gospel and would bring them into His kingdom. I trust that seeds of the Gospel were planted and that God's word will not return void. Praise to be Him that He has chosen someone so undeserving as myself to be an ambassador of His. Praise to Him for all that happened at the Convoy of Hope!

A Conversation with Death

2009-04-19T12:56:00.001-07:00

Went to a class this morning on sharing the Gospel taught by Dave Owen. He had this conversation between a christian and death by John Piper on one of the sheets he gave us. Be encouraged!
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CHRISTIAN: Hello, Death, my old enemy. My old slave-master. Have you come to talk to me again? To frighten me?

I am not the person you think I am. I am not the one you used to talk to. Something has happened. Let me ask you a question, Death. WHERE IS YOUR STING?

DEATH: (sneeringly) My sting is your sin.

CHRISTIAN: I know that, Death. But that's not what I asked you. I asked, where is your sting? I know what it is. But tell me where it is.

Why are you fidgeting, Death? Why are you looking away? Why are you turning to go? Wait, Death, you have not answered my question. Where is your sting?

Where is my sin?

What? You have no answer? But, Death, why do you have no answer? How will you terrify me, if you have no answer?

O Death, I will tell you the answer. Where is your sting? Where is my sin? It is hanging on that tree. God made Christ to be sin - my sin. When he died, the penalty of my sin was paid. The power of it was broken. I bear it no more.

Farewell, Death. You need not show up here again to frighten me. God will tell you when to come next time. And when you come, you will be his serant. For me, you will have no sting.

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Praise God that Jesus defeated death making death something not to be feared but joyfully anticipated. Jesus conquered death. Our hope, Christian, is in this!!

More Easter Pics

2009-04-12T15:46:00.001-07:00

Easter Day

2009-04-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

Easter was a great day...Worship our Savior who defeated death so that we could live forever...Brunch at Winstons...Egg hunting with Halie. We praise God for the awesome life He has given us. Here are a few pics from the day.

Evidence for Easter

2009-04-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

The below is an excerpt from the blog "The Constructive Curmudgeon," which is authored by Douglas Groothuis:

Millions of Christians celebrate Easter every year, a day commemorating an event that distinguishes Christianity’s founder from all other religious leaders—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s not about colored eggs or cute bunnies. It’s about one who claims authority over all creation as the living Lord. Is there good reason to believe this?

In a pluralistic culture, diverse religious ideas are often viewed as merely products of subjective faith. A religion is “true” if it “works,” if it gives a sense of meaning to life and a connection to a community of faith. Matters of objective fact are dismissed in order to avoid controversy and strife. However, Easter makes no sense apart from the reality of a historical event. The Apostle Paul wrote to the early Christians, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (I Corinthians 15:14).

In a free society every religion is allowed to make its case publicly without fear of censure. All have the constitutional right to practice any religion or none. But this does not answer the question of what faith—if any—one ought to embrace. Easter offers an answer based on the compelling evidence that the story of Jesus coming to earth to redeem his people from their failures is vindicated by his space-time resurrection from the dead.

No blind leap of faith is required to believe that the resurrection of Jesus is more than a nice religious idea. The Gospel accounts that attest to the resurrection were written by people in a position to hunt down and check out the facts. They were either disciples of Jesus (Matthew and John) or individuals who carefully interviewed those closest to the event they described (Mark and Luke). These accounts were written shortly after the events they narrate; there was insufficient time for such mythological additions as a resurrection. The Apostle Paul, writing sometime in the 50s, spoke of Christ publicly appearing to many people, many of whom were still living at the time he wrote (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Had there been no resurrection, this kind of statement would have been suicidal, since hostile witness could have refuted Paul’s claim. We have no record of a refutation.

Moreover, all the New Testament books have been accurately preserved over time. Scholars have access to thousands of ancient Greek manuscripts from which to translate our modern versions of these books.

The earliest record of the Christian movement (the Book of Acts) reports that the church proclaimed a resurrected Christ as the source of its courage and drive. The first Christians weathered intense persecution for their resurrection-faith; yet they persevered—some even unto death. Had the notion of the resurrection been fabricated, it would have unraveled under the relentless social and political pressures it faced. As former Nixon aide Charles Colson has pointed out in his book Loving God, he and the other White House conspirators could not pull off the Watergate cover-up, despite their unmatched political clout. When the crunch came, the truth was quickly flushed out. The early Christians had no such power to obfuscate or intimidate; but they never recanted. Their resolve is best explained by their knowledge of the resurrection.

Those hostile to these determined followers of Jesus could have easily refuted the nascent movement by simply exhuming the dead body of Jesus and displaying it as the decisive evidence against any claim to his resurrection. Both the religious and the political authorities of the day had reasons to resent these Christians and to stop their evangelism. But there is no evidence that anything of the kind occurred. The tomb was empty.

Belief in the resurrection of Jesus is entirely different from the fascination many people have in supposedly supernatural events (of "The X Files" variety) that have no logical support. When Christians observe Easter they stand on the solid ground of history, looking upward with rational hope for a better life in the world to come.

The BIG Question?

2009-04-11T19:23:00.001-07:00

Perhaps the biggest question of them all......watch the following video.

EASTER EGG HUNT!!

2009-04-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

Ok so I know Easter is totally not about the eggs and bunnies, but how cute are these little blessings looking for their eggs. Thanks to Ryan and Angie for a fun time for all the kiddo's!!

A few pics from our trip to DE last weekend

2009-04-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

Ready for the rain to go away!!

2009-04-02T16:47:00.001-07:00

Thoughts for the day...

2009-04-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

Read this in a Max Lucado book and thought it was a great reminder...

The John 3:16 Promise:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

A 26 word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same. Brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in a moment, yet solid enough to weather two thousand years of storms and questions. If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here. We all need the reminder. The heart of the human problem is the heart of the human. And God's treatment is prescribed in John 3:16.

He Loves

He Gave

We Believe

We Live

Be encouraged,

Kim

The future of America

2009-03-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

James White, founder of Alpha and Omega Ministries, and a well known apologist, evangelist, and theologian, paints a dark picture of what lies ahead for Christians in what is becoming more and more a post-Christian America.

We need men and women who will rise up and speak the truth, no matter what the costs. We need men and women who will share the gospel, and are willing to take it to the ends of the earth.

Divine Appointment at Citgo

2009-03-27T07:17:00.001-07:00

I attend a bible study on Monday night each week in Raleigh. Each Monday, before I go to bible study, I will stop at the Citgo on the corner of Newton and Falls of Neuse, to get a drink and something to eat. Also, though, I stop there to talk to the clerk behind the counter. Over the last year or so, I have begun handing gospel tracts to every clerk behind the counter that I meet, whether it be at the gas station, Target, Chic-fil-A, etc.

So, after stopping for several consecutive Mondays at this same store, I began to develop a relationship with this clerk. His name is Sangaya, and he is from Kenya. Each week I have given him a new gospel tract or made it a point to ask him about the tracts that I had given him and what his thoughts were. He would always smile and say that he was reading them and was believing what he was reading. (You have to understand that I have about 30-45 seconds to speak to him each time, due to other customers waiting in line) Through our conversations I gathered that he is not a christian and has a limited understanding of the gospel. It is always my prayer that God would use the tracts to plant a seed of the gospel in his heart and that God would grant him the ability to repent and place his faith in Christ. The $1,000,000 bill tract is my favorite to use. People usually love these. Well, I believe the last two Mondays God has answered my prayer!

Two Mondays ago, I walked into the Citgo and he smiled and said hello. I asked him about the tract from the previous week and he said that he had read it. He then asked me if I knew of anywhere that he could get a bible! I was stunned! God has obviously been working in this gentleman's heart, and he is desiring to learn more about God and His word. I told him that I would be happy to bring him a bible next week. He was very excited about that. So, the next day, Kim and I went and purchased him a new study bible from Lifeway, and the following Monday, I presented it to him. He was very gracious and seemed very touched by the gift. He made several comments about the bible and how it was "perfect." God is so good.

I am planning on asking him this upcoming Monday if he would like to get a cup of coffee sometime or grab lunch. I want to talk with him more in depth about the gospel and show him how to use his bible properly. Pray that I will be bold in my witness for Christ and that the Holy Spirit will cause him to want to get together.

At the Y with Willie

2009-03-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

Since September I have been working at the Y in Wakefield as a lifeguard. Kim and I initially decided that I would work there for the sole purpose of making more money. However, the Y has proven to be quite the mission field. Since working at the Y, the Lord has presented me with countless opportunities to share the gospel. I am so thankful to God for my job at the Y and for the ministry that He has given me there.

Since I have been working at the Y, I have been specifically praying for an opportunity to share the gospel with the head of the maintenance department, Willie. Week after week, morning after morning, I would pray that God would give me a divine appointment with this older gentlemen. Well, our God answers prayer!

On Friday morning, God blessed me with the opportunity to speak to Willie. By chance (ha!), a row of lights on the pool deck went out early that morning. Thus, Willie needed to come into the pool area to fix the lights. As soon as he came in, my heart started pounding and I thought, "Ok Lord. This is the appointment. I'm going to talk to him." So, we chatted for 10 or 15 minutes about the lights and other maintenance type stuff. Then I asked him what he was up to this weekend. He said that he had to work all weekend, even on Sunday. So, I asked him if he ever got an opportunity to go to church. (This is a great question to open up a spiritual conversation....what are they doing that weekend; do they go to church?) He said that he would go on the rare occasion, but due to work and life in general that he was unable to find the time. Willie went on to say that he still maintained his faith and knew that in the end, his good works would outweigh his bad and that he would go to heaven. Through our conversation, I found out that Willie had recently been in a terrible car accident where his car was completely totaled. Willie walked away without a scratch though. I told him about how God had spared his life and that I knew that it wasn't an accident that he and I were talking. I told him about how Proverbs 27:1 tells us not to boast about tomorrow, for we do not know what a day will hold. From here we were able to transition into talks about heaven and hell, and how none of us are "good" enough to get into heaven. I told him about God's law and how each of us have broken His laws, and if God is a good Judge, He must punish us for our lawbreaking.

It was at this point that Willie's expression changed. Willie had been trusting in his own goodness to save him for so long, and the fact that his goodness was not good enough, seemed to shock him. He began to realize that he was a sinner, and worthy of hell. He said that it alarmed him that if he were to die that he would go to hell. There is something truly amazing about seeing the Holy Spirit at work in the convicting of a man's heart of his sin. Then, I said, "Willie, do you know what God did for you so that you wouldn't have to go to hell?" He said, "What?" He didn't have a clue. It was then that I was able to tell him about Jesus, and His amazing love; how He came to this earth, lived a perfect life in thought, word and deed, and then willingly went to the cross and died a horrible and painful death, taking our penalty of sin upon Himself. He then rose from the dead 3 days later and validated who He said He was. I was able to tell Willie that through repentance of sins and trust in Christ alone that God would grant him everlasting life, would wipe away every sin he'd ever committed, and would take away his heart of stone and give him a heart of flesh with new desires to serve Him.

Willie seemed very thankful for our talk. He seemed like he was interested in attending Providence Baptist with me in the future and learning more about the gospel. God never ceases to amaze me at how good He is and how He is in the business of changing lives.

2009-03-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

This is a sweet song...

You're a little piece of heaven,You're a golden ray of light
And I wish I could protect you from the worries of this life
But if there's one thing I could tell you it's no matter what you do
Hold to Jesus, He's holding onto you

The world will try to tell you that might is more than right
And beauty's on the outside and being good's a losing fight
But remember what I've told you'cause the world will make you choose
Hold to Jesus, He's holding on to you

Hold on to Jesus,
and cling to his love
rest deep in his mercy, whenever things get rough
and don't lose sight of his goodness
and don't ever doubt this truth,
that when you hold on to Jesus He's holdin onto you.

Hear me dear Jesus, rock this little one to sleep
Keep her close when she's scared
And give her grace when she is weak
I know she'll stumble
But I know she'll make it through if you hold on to her just like you said you'd do
hold her jesus so she'll hold on tight to you

2009-03-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

This is our precious neice Makenzie Jane with her mama Mel. Does she have Angelina Jolie lips or what?

Peyton's BathTime!!

2009-03-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

Peyton got a bath in Grandma's sink.

Trip to Maryland

2009-03-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

I took the girls to MD this past weekend to visit some family and friends that haven't met Peyton yet. We had a great time getting to see everyone. Here are some pics from the playground.

Sweet Girls!

2009-03-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Halie loves her new baby sister Peyton!!

Open Air Preaching

2008-12-24T20:31:00.000-08:00

I have open air preached only twice in my life, and, Lord willing, I would love to do it many more times. I highly respect men who open air preach in a loving and biblical manner, desiring to see men and women repent and trust in Christ. Many great men of God were open air preachers (John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Charles Finney, etc.) Below is a great clip of open air preaching with a sermon exhorting open air preachers. God bless! Be encouraged!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svtYnF0Bu6o

First Blog!

2008-12-23T18:08:00.000-08:00

This is our first venture into blogging.....a little late, but better late than never, right?!? We plan on putting up pictures of our family, talking about things that are important to us, and using this blog as a way to keep in touch with family and friends. But most of all, we want this blog to exalt Christ, the one who came and died for us! Looking forward to blogging in the future!