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Blog, Faith, Family, Marriage, Parenting, prayer, Spiritual Gifts, Travel, worship/praise/music

My birthday: Destin beach, a surprise visit, Japanese hibachi grill, Starbucks gift cards, songs, and more

Yesterday was my birthday. My husband Ray’s gift to me was my recent week-long trip to Destin beach, Florida for a week alone (August 15-22, 2022). I’ve been praying for over 3 years to travel there. One day I found a reduced plane fare online and Ray said, “Book it!” so I did immediately!

Destin beach is gorgeous with soft, white sand and clear, blue-green water. I desperately needed this time of relaxation on the beach and to work on my speaking and writing biz. You can see my recent vlog, My Happy Place, here at YouTube. It is my 11th vlog about the trip.

Destin beach, Florida

Beth Jones, Destin beach

Ray also gave me a pretty card with a Starbucks gift card and took me out for supper to a Japanese restaurant in Lee’s Summit, MO, called Siki.

We got dressed up to go out, a rare occasion. I found a pretty teal, inexpensive dress on Amazon and an elegant but cheap necklace and earrings from Paparazzi. I already had my bracelet and black shoes with a slight heel. The dress had high reviews on Amazon and was soft and comfortable. Ray wore a charcoal-grey, button-up shirt and beige slacks.

My teal birthday dress and Paparazzi jewelry

Ray in charcoal-grey shirt and beige slacks

We had a nice, funny chef who cooked us delicious food.

Chef at Siki restaurant

He couldn’t put on the usual great show of fire, because there was a toddler girl there at the hibachi table, who screamed and cried when he first made the flames appear. I’m sure this was a disappointment to the chef. Everyone else at the table was related to her, so they understood. Ray and I are parents so we got it, too. We remember those days! They grow up so fast!

September 21, 2022 by Beth Jones

Blog, Faith, Family, Friendship, Marriage, Parenting, prayer, Travel

Do you need a miracle? My 2022 one word

beach with sunset

Do you need a miracle or two? I know I do! Don’t we all?

A miracle is defined as:

a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency;
a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences;
an amazing product or achievement, or an outstanding example of something;
a wonder; a marvel;
an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause;
such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.

2022

At the end of each year, I reflect on that year and pray about the coming new year.

For the last several years, instead of making new year’s resolutions, I ask God for a “one word” and an accompanying Scripture for the year.

December 30, 2021 by Beth Jones

Blog, Business, Faith, prayer, Spiritual Gifts, Travel

My trip to Antigua, Guatemala (“the place of many trees”)

Me by Santa Catalina arch, Antigua, Guatemala

My big dream is to travel all around the world to many nations. But Antigua, Guatemala was never on my radar, and yet I just returned from traveling there! It is what I call a “God thing.”

My friends Ron and Rhonda Hedrick, who are missionaries in Guatemala, had both invited me there to visit and to speak to women, but I sensed it was not the right time yet. They are doing a great work for God there, feeding hundreds of hungry people.

Kim Rogers
Founder, Heart for Guatemala

Then last year, I became Facebook friends with Kim Rogers, who heads the not-for-profit organization, Heart for Guatemala.

She inspired me with her posts and her beautiful pics of Antigua, Guatemala. I felt God stirring my heart to go there and began to pray.

First view of Guatemala from my plane

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 13:1, “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”

I am not the type of person who needs 100 confirmations to make sure what I heard is really God! Jesus says His sheep hear His voice, and I am His lamb (a Christian believer). But since Guatemala is dangerous, I felt that I needed God to confirm that I had heard accurately and this was HIS idea, not just my own bright one. 🙂

As my sister Maria pointed out when I told her about the trip and one of my daughters had expressed concerns about me traveling there alone, I have been to other dangerous nations, including Haiti, the Bahamas, and Kenya, Africa!

View of volcano in the clouds from my plane

After getting to know Kim a little more on Facebook, she invited me to Antigua to visit her – and she even offered for me to stay in her home! When I shared with my friend Ron that I was thinking about going there, he too invited me there (again), offering for me to stay in his and Rhonda’s house for a week.

November 17, 2020 by Beth Jones

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I'm an International Speaker, Author of 25 books (and still writing!), traveler, wife to fire chief/paramedic Ray, and a blessed mom of 3 beautiful daughters, Heather, Eden, and Leah. I encourage women to use their gifts for God's glory, fulfilling their great purpose, and living a life they love. The ocean is my happy place and place of peace and refilling. I love Jesus, my family, my adopted cat Natalya, traveling, chips and salsa, coffee, chocolate, walking in nature, music, and art. My husband Ray calls me an enigma: I love to laugh and cry a lot. What about you? Thanks for stopping by here. I pray you will find the hope, inspiration, and motivation you need to become all God created you to be. Dream big because we serve a big God!