Do you trust God?

Hand extended

Normally I don’t promote other people’s products – I want you on my site purchasing mine!  :D – and in fact, I have not even read the following book to even know whether to recommend it to you or not. 

BUT the video book trailer is what caught my eye tonight on my Google Reader.  I wanted to share it with you tonight.  Sheila Walsh does an excellent job with video, challenging us on whether we trust God.

Do you trust Him?

Waka Waka, Africa and zumba

Giraffe in Africa

Those who are my family and my friends, who read my blog, or who listen to my audios here at Tablet Of My Heart, know that Africa is very much on mine, my husband Ray’s, and our oldest daughter Heather’s heart. We’ve been praying for several years now to go on a short-term missions/pleasure trip to Africa. 

You also may have recently read my blog about our daughter Heather teaching zumba classes. She just finished teaching her summer class, and the classes start again this month.

When Heather showed me on a Gmail instant message this You Tube video of a class doing zumba aerobics to Shakira’s song “Waka Waka” (for Africa), I absolutely LOVED it!!!  It gives me goose bumps and makes me want to go to Africa that much more – and dance! Yes, I am going to learn how to dance and do zumba aerobics like this, LOL!   Heather is already making up some new routines for her class starting soon, and she is including these steps as a routine, so now I can’t wait.

Heather and Ray, we will go to Africa one day!  Amen!

The lyrics to the song are also powerful and I feel very significant for us as Christians. We are soldiers of the cross, on the frontlines of war. The world is watching us as ambassadors for Christ. But we’ve got it all in Jesus Christ – just believe in Him in faith!  And when you fall, get back up – listen to our God. It is yours and my time to shine for Jesus! Finally, raise your expectations of what God is going to do on this earth, for HIS glory!

I also believe the song is very significant for Africa. I have always believed that Africa has a very powerful, important destiny as a nation (as does Israel and the United States).  May the people of Africa, Israel, and the U.S. fulfill that incredible destiny for God’s kingdom on earth! Shine, Africa!  Shine, Israel!  Shine, U.S.A.!

(Important Disclaimer: I don’t speak African, so if any of the African words in these lyrics say something bad, please forgive me! I am assuming they are all okay!). Shakira released it as the FIFA World Cup 2010 Official Anthem (for men’s national association football teams – the word football meaning soccer).

Here are the lyrics to Waka Waka by Shakira, followed by the You Tube video with the zumba class. Enjoy!  I’d love to hear your comments on this one.

Waka Waka

You’re a good soldier
Choosing your battles
Pick yourself up
And dust yourself off
And back in the saddle

You’re on the frontline
Everyone’s watching
You know it’s serious
We’re getting closer
This isn’t over

The pressure is on
You feel it
But you’ve got it all
Believe it

When you fall get up
Oh oh…
And if you fall get up
Oh oh…

Tsamina mina
Zangalewa
Cuz this is Africa

Tsamina mina eh eh
Waka Waka eh eh

Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa aa
This time for Africa

Listen to your god
This is our motto
Your time to shine
Dont wait in line
Y vamos por Todo

People are raising
Their Expectations
Go on and feed them
This is your moment
No hesitations

Today’s your day
I feel it
You paved the way
Believe it

If you get down
Get up Oh oh…
When you get down
Get up eh eh…

Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa aa
This time for Africa

Tsamina mina eh eh
Waka Waka eh eh

Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa aa

Tsamina mina eh eh
Waka Waka eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa

Step UP Webinar! Be an overcomer and fulfill your great purpose!

Woman stepping up

Are you fulfilling your great purpose right now, today?  Or are you struggling to just  get through the day?

Are you an overcomer – or are you overcome by the stress in your life?  Do you need an afternoon to relax and to be encouraged that God has a wonderful plan for your life and a great purpose? Then this webinar is just for you!

Join Lois Graham and Kimberly Ehlers at my third webinar, Step UP! You will LOVE these precious friends of mine. They are anointed women of God!

 There is no charge for this webinar, and you will receive bonus goodies just for coming.

To learn more, click here!

Videos of trip: Get away someplace new

Do you need to just get away someplace new for some relaxation?  This week Ray and I went to Osage Beach, MO, for his work conference.  We both really needed the time away from the daily routine. 

Maybe you can’t physically get away, but you can take a few minutes each day to just pull away and be with God for rest and refreshment.  Learn more here.

 Below are videos of our trip on the way there, at the Mexican restaurant, and of the lake with the cute ducks. Enjoy!

Vlog of cliffs on way to Ozarks

Vlog of unique church in Weaubleau, MO

Vlog of pretty lake on drive to Osage Beach

Vlog of jacuzzi and swimming pool

Vlog of Mexican restaurant – Ray ordered grouper (fish!) with chipotle!

Vlog of lake with cute ducks

Vlog of Bahama Bistro  – Ray ordered lobster bisque and delicious lemon cake, I ordered warm rolls and spinach-avocado dip spread

Vlog of decorative flowers in shop – for Heather

Face your fears: I went parasailing!

Tan-Tar-A resort

This week Ray and I went away alone for four days to Osage Beach, MO (Lake of the Ozarks) for his work conference. We had a great time in the air conditioned hotel room, relaxing, eating out Mexican or ordering room service, and spending some much needed time together. 

The Tan-Tar-A resort offers a variety of activities to do while there:  swimming in the pools or lake, having a nice soak in the jacuzzi, riding a wave runner on the lake, horseback riding on a trail, being pampered with a massage or facial in the salon, playing putt putt golf, and much more. The best part of all was that Ray’s work covered the expense of the hotel, gas,and his meals! 

I was able to pray for more direction from God while there, read, sleep in, shop, and just get away from the routine of dishes, laundry, and my work. I wanted to ride a wave runner but Ray thought I should go parasailing, something I did NOT want to do.

Ray has gone parasailing before and loved it.  Of course, working in the emergency field as a paramedic, firefighter, and policeman for over 25 years, he thrives off excitement – emergency workers are what some call “adrenaline junkies.”  People who work in the emergency fields often don’t feel “normal” without that adrenaline rush. 

He encouraged me to face my fears and said I would have fun, so I went for the first time in my life.  I should have known by the grin on his face as I was walking out the hotel room door NOT to believe him!   (This rule also applies to him telling you to “Try this” – candy, food, etc.  It will either be incredibly sour and make you want to spit it immediately out, or be so Cajun hot that you are running for water. Ask any number of family or friends, who he loves to see choking with watered eyes, while he is laughing hard!)

But he’s my husband, so I thought I should listen to him!  When I told the clerk at the marine desk that I was nervous and it was my first time, the captain who was nearby joked, “Oh, that’s ok.  It’s our first time doing this, too.”  :)  There was a boatful of first-timers, all of them teenagers.  They went before me and they all loved it!  This was reassuring as I was hooked on by the co-captain.

Have you ever been in a situation that you couldn’t get out of and it was a little too late?

As soon as the co-captain had me lifted high up in the air, I began to literally PANIC.  It was not the height that scared me, but that I was unable to physically hold onto the little black straps with my hands (see black straps in beginning of video below).  I didn’t have the physical strength in my hands and forearms to keep holding on.  Ok, ok, I need to start seriously PUMPING IRON!  If I let go of the straps, I could fall backward and fall OUT from an incredible height!

I was screaming, LET ME DOWN, LET ME DOWN, but nobody on the boat heard me. Instead, everyone in the boat was looking up at me, smiling and waving. People riding by in waverunners and other boats also would look up at me, wave, and smile.  Ray and our oldest daughter Heather thought this part was hilarious, and laughed and laughed. I’m glad I provide comic relief for our family!

I knew there was NOTHING I could do by now, so I just began to pray for peace (and for God to get me back on the boat ALIVE!) and told myself to JUST CALM DOWN! 

I improvised by wrapping my elbows and forearms around the black hand straps to hold on, and was finally able to look around and SEE the gorgeous view. Don’t let your fears keep you from seeing the beauty all around you!  Anyway, what else was there to do up there? (besides panic and wonder how I could get Ray back, lol!)

I’d told the captain that I wanted to be dipped “just a little” coming back down, so I got my feet wet. The “dip” is supposed to be the funnest part of the ride.  (I thought it was fun, probably because I knew it’d be over soon!)

Below are videos of me parasailing – going up high into the air, then the dip in the lake and getting back onto the boat, sharing with everyone how I panicked initially.  Ray said he is very proud of me and that it is an accomplishment. I will probably never parasail again, but I did overcome my fear.  I went parasailing! 

What fears do you need to face today?  What risks do you need to take?  God will be your help and your peace, and you will be more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8: 38)

Vlog of me just before parasailing

Vlog of me parasailing – apparently the co-captain got bored at times and would turn my Flip recorder sideways!

Vlog of me getting my feet dipped in water

Talkshoe interview with Heather today on missions

Heather Denney

Today’s interview with our daughter Heather Denney at Talkshoe went well overall – although I did learn from a geek’s wife in the chat room that wireless mic headsets can cause an echo; thanks for the tip, Hattie!  The replay does NOT have the echo, thank God!   :)  

In this interview, Heather was able to share about her Nashville missions trip to help the flood victims, as well as her interesting missions trips to South America and India when she attended YWAM.

Eagle Creek Church’s website is http://www.eaglecreekchurch.com/.

The Ustream live video of the Nashville missions trip is found at http://eccfloodrelief.weebly.com/live-video.html.

If you missed the interview today, you can listen here with the widget below, or download it from Talkshoe here.  Heather and I would love to hear your feedback from the show.  Just comment below, filling out your name and email address.   Enjoy!

Interview with Heather on Nashville mission

Heather Denney

Do you have a heart for missions work?  Our daughter Heather is back fom her mission to Nashville, TN, and it’s life-on-the-go as usual with Kyle’s and her two little girls getting ready for school next week, her part-time zumba class, time with friends, and church activities. 

Tomorrow I will be interviewing Heather here on TalkShoe about her recent mission trip to Nashville to help the flood victims.

You don’t want to miss this exciting call!  You can choose to talk, text chat, or just listen into the call with a land line, your cell phone, or via Skype. On TalkShoe, you can make new friends, network, and connect with people with common interests. It’s a lot of fun!

I hope to “see” you there!     Again, the link to the Talkshoe interview with Heather is here.

A getaway for just you two

Lake of the Ozarks

Do you and your husband need a getaway for just the two of you? It’s not always easy to take a family vacation or go out of town somewhere fun if your husband works a lot, if you have kids at home, or if your budget is tight.  There’s still a little bit of summer left, so maybe it’s time for a romantic getaway for just the two of you alone.

Your getaway doesn’t need to be expensive, jam-packed with activities, located overseas or far away in another state.  Look in your own town, city, or state for affordable places where you can spend some quality time alone.

If your budget doesn’t allow an entire week or weekend, take some time to just spending a day together at the park, window shopping, antiquing, or having a nice lunch or dinner (like at the Cheesecake Factory or Olive Garden).  Use that time alone to get to know each other again and to talk (deeper than surface talk – not about the kids misbehaving or bills!). 

If you haven’t been connecting lately, this is a good time to do so.  Lay aside the painful yesterdays, and receive God’s fresh new mercies and forgiveness for today.  If he has walls with you, pray for him.  He may be facing stress and pressures at work that you’re not aware of right now.

Study your spouse. Make a mental list of his (or her) good qualities, the ones that originally attracted you to him. Then tell him what you admire about him. Hold hands, take a walk, and breathe a sigh of relief that you have someone to walk this journey of life with you.

Ray and I are going away together (NO KIDS!) for a few days this week to Osage Beach, MO (near the Ozarks), for his work conference. It will be good to go someplace new and be together.  Take advantage of your husband’s work conferences like this to have a fun getaway for just the two of you.

Need some ideas for romantic getaways?  Click here.

Do you have the tools you need?

Pampered Chef dessert

Last night I went to my friend Genevieve’s Pampered Chef party. (No, I do not sell it!)  But I enjoyed watching the consultant Susan prepare the Cherry Cheesecake Trifle** dessert, and show us the cool gadgets to make life in the kitchen easier (some of us need all the help we can get!) 

The PC meat tenderizer, bamboo spoon, garlic press, and other tools  made me think about the different aspects of our lives:  marriage, parenting, at-home business, homeschooling, speaking, writing, etc.  Do you have the essential tools you need to succeed?

The right tool can make all the difference in the world.  When you are chopping vegetables for your fresh greens, salads or soups, you want a sharp knife, not a dull one. 

Another example is that the tool of effective, loving communication in marriage can result in closer intimacy with your husband.  On the other hand, blaming, interrupting someone, not listening, and being self-absorbed, are all destructive to good communication.

In homeschooling, choosing the right method of learning for your child, such as Charlotte Mason’s gentle ways, may mean much more joy in your children’s learning.  But insisting on using dry, dull textbooks and a rigid schedule only as the tools for your child’s education may result in frustration for both parent and child.

In your business, the powerful tool of God’s word, sincerely caring about your clients or customers and generously giving to them, and investing in knowledgeable coaches and mentors are incredible tools to achieve success.  On the other hand, being constantly disorganized or procrastinating, not backing up your computer data, and getting sucked into the Facebook black hole all day long are going to hinder your business growth and achievement.

What tools do you need to buy, invest in, or learn to be all that God created you to be and to see your dreams come true?  What essential tools do you need today to have what you truly desire in your marriage? Parenting?  Homeschooling? Your business, career, or ministry? Ask God to help you find and use the right tools for your fulfilling, successful, productive life.

**Cherry Cheesecake Trifle dessert recipe

Bottom layer…cubed angel food cake (1/2 large, round cake)

2nd layer, “light” cherry, strawberry, blueberry or other fruit filling (1 can)

3rd layer,  1/2 filling mixutre

Filling Mixture:

8 oz. Light Cool Whip

2 boxes sugar-free White Chocolate OR Cheesecake instant pudding

3 cups 1% milk

Mix milk & pudding. Fold in Cool Whip.

Directions:  Put cubed cake on bottom of glass dish, cover with pudding mixture. Scoop out fruit filling from can and pour on top of pudding mixture. 

Repeat layers, using large scoop. It looks like snowballs.

Second option:  Put pudding mixture in glass using scoop. Spoon cherry pie filling over the top, using no cake. Called “Cherries in the Snow.”  (You can also substitute strawberries or other fruit…delish!)

God’s Favor for the Ladies’ Retreat here

Wash Over Me ladies’ retreat – Woman under waterfall

Yesterday my friend Diane and I went around the town square to talk to local business owners about our September One Day Intensive ladies’ retreat, here in Butler. God gave us incredible favor from the businesses already, giving us some GREAT gifts for door prizes, and we are not even done yet!

Patty Bartlett (our other ANOINTED speaker!), Diane, and I are SO excited about this retreat. If you are not already signed up for this retreat, sign up today HERE as seating is limited. 

We will have praise and worship, Biblically-rich teaching, a “beautifying” preparation session on Friday, a tasty brunch on Saturday morning, and fellowship with other ladies. 

I can’t wait!  How about you?  Ready for some rest, relaxation, and fun?

Hope to see you there! 

“Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain.” (Psalm 30: 7, NLT)

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