ThinMint

“As we prepare to celebrate two and a half centuries of freedom, I am inviting America’s great religious communities to pray for our nation and for our people. From the beginning, this has always been a country sustained and strengthened by prayer. So important, if we bring religion back stronger, you’re going to see everything get better and better and better. You are going to see it get better and better. So, as we chart our course for the next 250 years, let us rededicate ourselves to one nation under God.” – President Trump, Iowa, July 3, 2025

"Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we." G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

"Rejoice, you that are marred and broken, like vessels spoiled upon the potter's wheel, your great Creator puts his hand a second time to work, and resolves to form you for himself that you may show forth his praise." C.H. Spurgeon Read his sermon here.

-5- I’ll stumble. I’ll have snarky thoughts. I’ll eat my fair share of cookies. That’s okay. It’s not about getting knocked down; it matters that we get back up. And it matters more that we know we can get back up with help. We don’t have to do this on our own. If you’re like me, wanting to try something new, know that you are not alone. The month of January can be rather lovely. There’s a calmness to January, an opportunity to re-set and re-imagine. So pray, asking the Holy Spirit to give you one word that will be your theme, your focus throughout 2026. With God’s helping hand, let’s do this!

-4- My theme, my focus for 2026 is: clean, cleaning, cleaned. It’s purging. It’s getting rid of whatever isn’t, “…honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise…” (Philippians 4:8). It’s re-organizing, re-prioritizing, and re-vitalizing. It’s going back to my First Love. Whatever impedes me from making the LORD my priority has to be removed. And I suspect at times, that is myself! My attitude, my perspective, my worldly desires, my focus –all of it needs to be changed. Removing myself from conversations, from social media channels, from entanglements –whatever it takes to bring me closer to my Creator & Savior. Getting rid of the clutter (literally) and noise that pull me down –will be unseated.

-3- For some time I have been asking the LORD to cleanse me, to rid my body of the things that ail. But, what’s the point of a clean(er) body when the heart and mind remain corrupted?! So I started praying for a clean heart: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting…” (Psalm 139:23-24). I know I have unsavory roots that go deep in the dark places and pruning is ineffective. Ignoring the seriousness of my sins is putting down poison in the hopes the bedrock shrivels and fades. Only Jesus can dislocate the lusty foundation, purge the mangy trusses, and revitalize the neglected infrastructure. Knowing I want this, knowing that I want a healthy body, mind, and heart, He told me: “I am cleansing you and you must fast for five days.” *Gulp*

-2- I did fast for three days. It was difficult at times, it was new and weird, and the unknown seemed daunting and vast. It was also freeing, and my mind became unclouded and my focus razor-sharp. It was testimony for my children that when He calls, you answer. You trust and you obey, and you lean completely into Him. I’ve done a few 24 hours and one more 3 day fast since then. I started an intense parasite cleanse in November and part of December, and knowing there needed to be more fasting. Then He talked to me a couple of weeks ago…

-1- As we approach the New Year, I want to remind you of a challenge I’ve brought to your attention in years past: Pray, asking the Holy Spirit to give you one word that will be your theme, your focus throughout 2026. * * * * The Thursday before Labor Day I was chit-chatting away with the LORD. He told me He wanted me to fast for 3 days. Mind you, the most I had done was almost 24 hours. I asked Him when and He replied, “Soon.” It was one of those moments that you know His voice is solid and serious, no negotiating, no wiggle room, it was final. “Okay,” I whispered. I can do this. After all, when He directs, He helps. The next morning as I was getting ready for the day He said to me, “Today.” But… My daughter’s birthday was in a few days. I had plans to cook and bake! Do I start now or later? I don’t know what I’m doing! Help!!

Road to Liberty: Valley Forge

From our home to yours, from our hearts to yours... Abide in the comfort & joy of our King.

Hello Friends! And Happy Christmas Eve 😊 Wanted to provide an update... My son had a rough week but significantly improved after the sutures and splints* were taken out on Monday. There is still a bit of healing to do, but like many operations, time helps. *This would make a cool band name, no? The night after his surgery, I was knocked down by the Flu/Not Flu. A Pseudo Flu? Then slowly everyone else tumbled down, too. The high fever broke for me Sunday. Our dryer went kaput while I was at the doctor's with our son's post-op visit. So I've been unable to wash the cootie-laden blankets and bedding. Hopefully Felix can get it fixed soon! It feels like a million things have happened since clumping out of bed Monday morning. (Is it even legal to be up before 8 am?!) Some rough spots, some sweet moments. Some, "What planet am I living on" kind of moments. Through it all, sensing His presence so keenly when I least expect it in ways I could not have imagined. Jesus is becoming more and more real to me. I hope is for you, too. Go to Him. He loves you so very much.

Extra memes for my friends.