Tonight I was driving on this beautiful fall night and I was listening to the radio. One of my favorite songs came on. It’s a love song.. a sweet song about couples staying together, being an example of love to those who look on. The sad thing about this video and song is that it was sung by Vince Gill. He sang it for and the movie is with his first wife. Yeah… he then left his wife for, professing Christian, Amy Grant. Check it out here -

I got to thinking about this and thought about my dear Grandparents Ken and Jane Pierpont they have the cutest love story. They met at a church Sunday school picnic. I love hearing their full story. I believe it’s now been almost 54 years of marriage for them. They would tell it’s because of Jesus and His work in their lives and hearts keeping them solely for each other throughout those years.

I was working on an older lady client you came into the salon/school the other day. She said she was married at age 17. And was still married to the same man. Over 50 years. I asked what her secret was, because I know to ask older people for wisdom. She looked at me through the mirror and she said when we said our vows it was not “hopefully this will work out” or “we will try to make this work” she said “We went into this with no option. This will work out!” She said, “So many people today go into marriage with prearrangement’s if things don’t work out! We just didn’t do that back then”.

As I was driving tonight and this song was playing. Someone had called in and it was their anniversary and wanted it played for them. I got to thinking… that’s what I want. Unlike the generation I am growing up with I don’t and will not go into marriage thinking…. “if” this works out. Or maybe this will work. Or I will try to be faithful as long as I can hold out. No. When I say my vows, when I look into his eyes whoever it may be… it will be for life. It will mean forgiveness when he does something painful that hurts like fire, it will mean staying and loving… when all I want to do is turn and walk away… it will mean when someone walks by and they look younger or better… I have eyes and heart for the one I married and eyes for only him. It will mean remaining faithful to that man… no matter what happens and building your life around and with his. Having his children. Always believing the best even when doubts arise. Maybe that’s why I am taking my time. If you want this then that’s why it’s so extremely important to wait for the man… who desires the same things. And makes Christ his focus. This is what I want. I pray with tears in my eyes, “God help me have this” I know that without Jesus, it can’t happen. And I know that a three fold cord can’t easily be broken and Jesus is the center of that cord.

To me this is what love really is. It’s not the way hollywood would have us see it. It’s not the self indulging books about passion that are unrealistic that we can only read about… it’s about couples like my Grandparents. So few have it. But Grandma and Grandpa we are watching you! I am watching you and when I want to see what true love should be, I will look at you. Thanks for being faithful.

I share a room with my youngest sister Hope. We are pretty close though the age gap is significant. I am 25 she is 10. I was there in the room when she came into this world. I loved helping take care of her. I remember looking at her and wondering how you could love a little thing SO much! Her brown eyes were soooo beautiful… she was so small. Hope and I do a lot of special things together. We are both a lot alike. So we both LOVE a good movie. This winter we had fun waiting till 10 at night, getting in our pajamas and going down to our local theatre, through the snow, to watch a movie. She would ask me after that can we go get in our pajamas and go to the theatre again? Don’t worry we wear classy PJ’s hahah…. I think the coolest part to her was that we did something different and fun together.. the two of us. We get told all the time we look and act alike. We even naturally love the same kind of pajamas a gray t shirt and velour sweats

The other night and it’s my habit right before I sleep I read a chapter of the Word every night… a lot of times she will be doing something and say quietly to me… read me that chapter. I was gettin ready for bed and she was telling me about how she has bad dreams sometimes. I was talking to her about this and then it went from that to talking about how Christian people can drink and still go to heaven hahah… I began explaining it to her that it’s not based on works that we go to heaven… and she said “So drinking really isn’t that bad then if we can still go to heaven….” ( I assured her of the dangers) then she asked about heaven. She wanted to know if her and I would live in the same house… I told her I didn’t know. She asked “Will we at least be right beside each other… cause I am kinda a little girl and that would be nice” I told her I didn’t know that either…. she asked some more questions about heaven and our laying up treasures there. She asked if we have to have money here on earth to lay up treasures in heaven. She then started confessing sin in her life. She started to cry. Her heart was so tender to the Lord. She was broken about what we would call “normal everyday sins” she was repentant about them and wanted to change.

Talking with Hope in the darkness of our bedroom, as I stared up at the ceiling, God was convicting my own heart through the Bible verses that were coming through my own lips to encourage her. We talked for two hours about the Lord… and after about 1:00 am we prayed and fell asleep… but not without God reminding me of the sweetness and pureness of childlike faith that He Himself loves.

Growing up I remember visiting a man in the hospital that I hardly knew. He always scared me a little. He looked sad, angry and very lost. He hardly ever said a word. He would stare at the TV in the hospital room or just stare away from us. Above his bed were pictures of him as a young man in his uniform, serving his country. From the pictures he still had his whole life in front of him to live. We would visit him for a little while and then we would need to leave. I remember as we would walk to the elevator Dad would always give us the talk of how important it was to stay away from alcohol. The effects it had on this man’s life was so obvious. He would warn us sternly that if that was the road we chose that would be where it led. I remember we would quietly listen and the trip home was always a little quiet as we thought over what we had seen and heard…..

At a young age he was offered just a drink. Not really a big deal at the time. It was a big deal. It would change his life forever.

I can remember some of my Mother’s stories. Growin up she learned some things the hard way by watching her Dad. She told me that when she went through hard times as a girl she would tell herself she would never live this way and she made a deal with herself she would have changes. She said she made a promise to herself that she would never marry a man who drank. She married a Pastor, my dad. She would lay in her bed at night and listen to a preacher talk about Jesus. She made it to church… sometimes by herself. She made a deal, she would never let her kids see from her, what she lived with.

My older Brother Kyle, they say, looks like Grandpa. (The picture here is my brother Kyle taking little Kyle on a walk) Kyle said that he and his wife made a vow to God that they would never take a sip of alcohol. Kyle is a youth pastor. He warns young people against alcohol often. He has a little boy, Little Kyle, he wants to be like Big Kyle.

Grandpa is gone now. We still visit his grave site on a hill just outside of the small town in Kentucky that he grew up in. Mom will put flowers on his grave and we will enjoy the peaceful setting. We will be quiet and think about him. Grandpa may never have known us and won’t ever know the influence he had on us but he had a powerful influence on his kids and now his grandchildren and great grandchildren. We often wish that he would have been open to Jesus. But God used his heart though it wasn’t open to Him. Sometimes the example we look at doesn’t always have to be good one… and for that we thank him and we love him.

Mom, I love you. Thank you for warning us against alcohol and telling us the truth. Thank you for making the decision as a young girl that you would have a different life no matter what. Thank you for looking to your perfect heavenly Father and letting Him lead you. Thank you for never allowing us to experience the hard things you went through because you knew Jesus was the answer. Thank you for being determined not to marry a man who drinks. Thanks for encouraging us to make vows against taking “just one drink”. I will encourage my kids to do the same.

Here is a sweet song that I love. Listen to it and if you can look it up on youtube and watch the original one. It won’t let me post it here. I almost made my mom cry when I sent it to her and she doesn’t cry.

(Please turn off the music at the bottom left side of this page)

Yesterday, I taught Sunday School. I teach two groups. First the older ones – 3 and 4′s. Then I teach the 2 year olds. They are SO small. Sometimes I wonder how much they really take in. But they are so sweet. I love them so much. As they entered the classroom I greeted them like I always do. You have to be very energetic from the very moment they enter to the moment that they leave to keep their attention. Sometimes they will all run up to me and give me hugs. I love it when they do that. So cute. Some Sunday’s I am flooded with so many hugs from them all at one time they they almost push me backward!!!

Yesterday I was teaching about the good news that there would be a baby born to Mary. Mary running to tell Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s baby jumping for joy in her womb. I gathered all the kids together at the end of the lesson and asked them what the real meaning of Christmas was. I asked them if it was about Santa and reindeer? Some said yes some screamed “Jesus”! I gathered them around the nativity scene we have posted on the wall in the classroom. I pointed to the different things on the wall and asked them “Who is this?… and who is this?” They usually always say “Jesus!!” no matter what I ask! I point to a sheep it’s Jesus! I love them. I pointed to Mary and asked “Who is this?” One little guy named Thomas yelled out “Mama!!

I am amazed and taught every Sunday by their small, yet profound, faith in God. They believe and they have faith. I wish my faith was so simple and so complete. No questions asked. Just Faith. Just trust.

The evening service we had a beautiful drama unfold before us. Beautiful. As I watched the Wise Men come and Mary and Joseph adore Baby Jesus.. my heart was so full of love for that Child… who became a Man… who changed the entire course of history.

As I think about Him I want my life to be wrapped up in loving, serving and knowing Him. As I reflect on the things He has done for me I in turn want to lift up my hands to Him and say take me I am fully and completely yours! I hope that as we reflect on His birth as we think about His coming to earth…. we think about what He wanted when He came. He came for us so that He could bring us Life. What an awesome, loving, self-sacrificing Man?

Whatever we do today and during the last few days until Christmas I hope that we will understand the real meaning of Christmas. I hope that we will understand He came because He wanted a relationship with us. He bridged the huge gap… because He loved us so much! I hope that we will build, build, build a strong living beating relationship with our Father. That’s what He wants most from you.

How do we DO this? I believe that we look into the stable… we look at the Baby. Gather around the Baby. Just look at His Life. In Sunday school we gathered around the Baby. In church and in the Christmas play we gathered around the Baby. Have you? I believe that when we look at Him our lives, our faces will reflect His beauty and glory and Life and we can’t help but be changed.

“In His Name all oppression shall cease”

About two or three weeks ago I got home from Winter Camp, as a youth counselor, and opened my email to find one of the happiest most fulfilling emails I have read. It was from my Sister Heidi. You see it’s been a little over a year ago that I was able to lead her to Jesus Christ. She is the first one I was able to lead to Christ, I am so glad it worked out that way. Awesome feeling!

When I opened my email, it was later on that night, I was in the living room with Mom and Dad. All I could do was break down and cry! They asked me what was wrong and I sent them the link. They cried too. You see Heidi doesn’t really talk a whole lot and she really doesn’t like to write a whole lot either. But, I was so happy to see that she would take the time to thank me for the work of Christ in her life. It was a big deal to her. He has made such a big difference in Heidi’s life! I can see the changes. I am so happy that God would open her heart to Himself. Here is the ecard she sent me. Click here to look at it, it’s beautiful. I walked into her bedroom that night and she was asleep. I woke her up and told her through many tears how sweet the letter was and how thankful I was to get it from her. She was sweet and said in her own quiet way how thankful she was. I can’t tell you how happy it is to serve the Lord! I can’t tell you what He can and will do through you when you yield your life to His work. I never would have guessed and yet at the same time it’s nothing about what I did or how I did it! Amazing…

The other night all of us girls took another girl here in the church out to coffee. We were talking with her about Jesus and salvation. I asked Heidi if she would tell what God did in her life. She boldly, passionately, in her quiet way through tears told her story of her salvation. That made me very happy. I know it made God happy. He is good.

Thank you to my Mother for her photography. We love you Mom. www.loispierpont.com

We got in late last night from being gone over the weekend. About 2 am was when I finally went to sleep. As soon as my head hits the pillow I am out. I never have problems falling asleep. We were able to sing as a family, something I love to do. “When He Reached Down His Hands For Me” I love that song. And yes we sing with that country flare to it…. I have a solo that I sing and I absolutely LOVE to sing solos. People often tell me “you look like you enjoy singing” and I say I do! I love it.

Today I got up tiredly to wash my hair and curl it as always just to realize I had left BOTH of the curling irons I use all the time at the hotel. I was sad. They are NOT cheap either. These are professional curling irons so they cost a good amount of money. And since I got paid today I guess I will have to stop by Sally’s Beauty Supply for more… I can’t go on without my irons, that’s for sure.

Today I am looking for two very exciting things in the mail. A movie I saw when I was little and loved and haven’t seen in video stores so I ordered it! I can’t wait till it comes. My sisters and I love to have girl movie nights of course the guys like to join us too, we don’t mind. So we are planning it already.. you know a good romantic movie. Whenever I am asked if I want to see a movie I always, always ask… “Does it have romance?” if the answer is “no” I usually don’t want to watch it, thats just me! That’s just how I am.. and I think God made me like that. That’s why I love the Bible too… it has beautiful romance stories in it. And of course the most beautiful love story of all time. So, I can’t wait to get my movie and have a movie night.( Little secret about me is that I LOVE movies, good ones that is. ) That’s going to come and my candles hopefully! I can’t wait to get them. That should come today! :Update: Mom just said my candle kit has arrived as I write!! I am so excited to get home now!

I am working now two days a week for a lady in Hinsdale, as I think I mentioned, I am a personal assistant helper and have really enjoyed that. The other day driving a BMW for the first time… I tell ya you feel very cool. People just look at you differently. Anyway, so tomorrow part of my work for her will be volunteering at the Hinsdale Community House. I tell you God has just opened the doors for me to go out and work in this community that I live in ! I praise Him for it. I want Him too “Shine” through me. People have asked me questions about Him and I have answered boldly. It’s been wonderful. Yet, I know my God is never pushy or awkward. He always knows just the right thing to say and I love Him for that… I know He will use me if I am just willing! The cool, awesome thing for me to realize is that God will shine through me if I am willing! I don’t need to know all the right words I just need to be willing. I want to be a willing person He can use.

Today, as I was sitting at my desk here at work it’s a little but of a slow day. The TV was on and “The View” came on. Bless their liberal hearts they are and there “views” are very much OFF. They were putting down Ann Coulter for something she said about out Christians and the topic of your fine as long as you serve or claim a god that seems to be the popular belief today. I sat here and watched as Hillary Clinton walked on and people applauded her and she spoke as though she was already the president of the United States.. (God Forbid) She has a feminist speech about how wonderful it would be if she was president and people remembered when women couldn’t vote to a day a woman became president. She talked about the fact that Bill would do what she wanted and she would send him around the world gaining back respect and speaking… I don’t want to be mean. I want to love people. But wrong they all are!

We need women… strong women who still stand for what is right and true and moral. Women who have a “Right View” based on the Foundation that cannot fail, the Word of God. Women who know what life is and they protect their own wombs from anything demonic that would try to destroy the preciousness of an innocent life inside them the life we, as women have been given to protect. Women who can humble themselves under the mighty hand of God who will all one day bow down to Jesus Christ alone who sits upon the throne. Who IS the only way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him and Him alone!! I don’t know much really, I don’t know a whole lot about my country and current events and I find myself not knowing a whole lot about much …. But I do no one thing… and that is I believe the Bible and that The only View we should ever have is through the Holy Word of God. I believe in my heart and KNOW what is right. He has opened my eyes to Himself… and I believe what He says to my heart. I know that He speaks to me this “High and Lofty One” and I believe what He says is true. And in that I have everything and know all I will ever need, and so much more! I want to be one of the women used to stand for truth in this world…

I praise God for women like Nancy Leigh DeMoss and her stand for what’s right… there aren’t that many out there saying what needs to be said though! They have their “View” do you? Then make it known wherever you go and however you can they are not quiet nor should we! So find a voice and stand for what’s right. And pray that God never allows a woman like Hillary Clinton to disgrace America by being our first lady president. I know I am going to pray that way… every single day. But, that’s just my “view”.

I got to see my baby recently! I love this little guy. He is such a joy to be around and love on. Which he get’s plenty when his family is around.

It’s always a beautiful day when you are walking with Jesus! Just think your path is always getting brighter as heaven is a day closer. Today I felt so close to God’s will and I am so happy in Him. He is so good to me! I felt Him close to me all day today. So near — I didn’t necessarily take long amounts of time in prayer or reading the Word I just felt Him close by, nearby — like He is watching me ( as He is ) and knows all the paths that I take. I love Him.

I am so glad and happy in Him tonight. I felt like He was telling me that He is allowing the true desires of my heart to unfold for me. I feel like I am running around in the rain of His Blessings. My God is good.

Tonight as I was singing with my family one of my favorite bluegrass songs I was thinking about the words. They mean a lot to me. The one thing that hinders me from getting close to my Lord sometimes is being scared that I will try to be “better than others” or pharisaical, in other words thinking I am better trying to act like a am better all the while doing what God hates. Another thing is saying I am a Christian but doing things that are not at all Christan or Christlike or godly. This scares me sometimes because I don’t want this in my life. But I know that if we are like Christ then we will be farthest from being Christians in word only.

Here is the song we were singing:

You cannot gossip and cheat and lie and make it to those pearly gates,
You must love your neighbor as you love yourself your heart can’t be filled with hate,
Don’t act but be a Christian like the Bible says to be,
if your gonna live right let go of the wrong brother fall down on your knees.

There’s more to religion than Sunday morning it takes seven days of the week,
You just don’t know who might be listenin be careful what you speak.
Don’t act but be a Christian like the Bible says to be, if your gonna live right
let go of the wrong brother fall down on your knees.

It’s been a few days since I was as happy as I am today! God is so good and uses some amazing things to bring about His purposes. I am glad that I live in His plans for me. God bless you all tonight with the joy in serving Him alone and the peace that you are walking in perfect oneness with Him!

Well, this month has been so full of beautiful things. The most awesome and wonderful thing God did was that He brought a healthy and beautiful baby boy into our lives. My dear sister in law had some signs that labor was near so that evening they went on a walk through the mall. Then the hard contractions set in. My Brother Kyle called at 3:00 in the morning to tell me that Elizabeth was going into labor and they were driving her to the hospital. We kept in close contact with them and in the morning we were called with sounds of sweet baby Kyle crying in the background. I love that sound! Just look at that litte boy! He is perfect…don’t tell me God is not awesome when you look on such beautiful creation! I am going to be there to fight the girls away for him too. I am going to be just as prtective with him as I was with my borthers or more…and that’s pretty protective.

Elizabeth was tough and did everything natural. She is beautiful and looked great! She is a wonderful mother. I love her so much and thank God for bringing her into our lives. The hospital that she had Kyle were in was very family friendly which was a huge blessing to all of us as we hung out a lot in the halls and sometimes in the family waiting area but mostly with everyone in the hopital room! It was a great celebration of life.

Kyle Kenneth was born on May 16th to my oldest brother Kyle making me an Aunt! What joy and happiness he has already brought and I know will only add more throughout the years. We praise and thank God for him constantly! God is so good. He overwhelms me when I think about His blessings. Please visit my brother’s site to read his writings about being a father now. I love him so much. He has been a good brother and is a great Dad. www.kylepierpont.com

I lead my 6th Journey To The Heart and it was wonderful to see how God worked deeply in the hearts and lives of each young lady and to stand by and see how God lead another young lady to saving Faith in Himself. I was so glad to hear about this. God is really doing a work in and through the Journey To The Heart program.

The beginning of the month found me in Big Sandy Texas (where you cannot do your hair at all because of the thick and I mean thick humidity! ) anyway — .yes I was in Texas for the regional ATI Conference and it was great to be there and talk to the people about the “Journey’s” we are doing and what God is doing thorugh them. I loved doing it. On Monday or Tuesday we will be leaving for Nashville, Tennessee for the next regional ATI Conference and I am looking forward to talking to more people about the “Journeys” and also just being with my family and talking to people and seeing friends. I always enjoy being involved in the Conferences.

I have had a full, full year so far. I always say “Wow when you give God your single years He sure will take it and keep you busy!” It’s been great.

I went to the post office on Friday to apply for my passport. I am going to New Zealand in August to lead my first International “Journey To The Heart” for young ladies. I am excited about this opportunity and this is “far beyond all I had ever asked or thought” possible! I am just so thankful to God for using me for His service though He knows I am far from worthy to even be called His servant.

God has been blessing and I am so thankful for what He has done just in this wonderful month. I will never forget it. I hope that each of you are enjoying the blessing of knowing the Giver of Life. I hope He is teaching you and molding you and you are learning the joy of walking daily in His Holy Spirit.

Continue walking on the pathway of light and blessing! And may you see God bless you abundantly.

Update: We sang as a family and gave testimonies last night of what God has been doing in our lives lately. Heidi gave her testimony of salvation and then we sang “One Little Lost Lamb” as a family with Kyle (Chuk wasn’t able to come yet but I think he might pull in tonight). Kyle also gave his testimony of staying under his parents authority in the area of marriage. I gave my testimony as well on the same subject and what God has done in and through my life when I gave my will and heart to my parents in all areas. It’s amazing to think about God taking a situation in our lives that we don’t know how to handle or that seems so sad and bringing beauty and good from it. Now I can say I was there when my sister Heidi knelt and asked Jesus Christ for salvation and when my sister Hannah opened her heart to the Lord in a deeper way. God is so good. I have never been more happy in His promises and in knowing Him in a deeper more real way then I have ever known Him before. Singleness is a beautiful gift of the Lord when we direct our all our passion into Him for one pupose and one goal.

April 12:…right now we are at the Indianapolis Training Center at the Dad’s Conference. I just heard that tonight our family is singing. It’s been really good to be here and see friends and make new ones. And just be with the family. Kyle was able to come here for the conference, as he will be a Dad soon. One more MONTH! Yes, I am thrilled. I am here getting caught up on emails, and writing and meeting girls that will be on the next Journey. I will be leading another Journey to the Northwoods on the 21st of April. I am very excited about this as I feel this is where God has so clearly placed me in His perfect plan right now.

On this next Young Ladies “Journey To The Heart” we have some really neat things planned. I am so excited about this idea and will be sure to tell you all about it when I get home. Yes, the “Journey’s” have been very time consuming and keep me going! Yet when people ask me about it I love to say “I came here to do ministry not sit around all day”. I have no deeper desire in my heart then to be in His perfect plan. How clearly He has lead me so far. So I am happy to see God open doors of opportunity. I can’t WAIT to tell you some of the things God is doing and open doors of ministry it is truly beyond “all I could ask or think”!

I will be posting some thoughts I have soon on modesty and femininess. The topic being on the question I so often had growing up. “Can I be “modest” and actually fashionable too?” I am so excited about sharing this issue on my heart as I too have faced this question many times. As this is one of the things I like to talk about the most! I will write more soon…

Have a wonderful day with Jesus!

We just got back from a weekend of ministry in Indiana. Here was the lodge that we stayed the night in and also had the meetings in. It overlooked a small pond and red barn. It was a beautiful November Sunday and as I walked out of the lodge that afternoon I could smell the strong scent of burning leaves. It was beautiful…I love that smell.

It was good to hear from the Lord once again. I am amazed at the closeness I have been feeling toward the Lord lately. I have a deeper desire for Him and love to simply pray. If you think about it it’s worth going through any hard times or struggle if we see Jesus more beautifully then before — it makes it all worth it. I am so thankful and I am hoping and praying that He continues to do this work in my heart. I love feeling close to Him. He is the one we all need to cling to in every situation in everything…He will bring about beauty for ashes… when we give it all to Him.

This weekend I was able to meet up with some friends who came to the “Gathering”! It was great to be able to see them and their families again. They have been an encouragement to me. Heather & Amy

Dad spoke on the power of praise, confession and blessing and it spoke to my heart. I realize so often the power we have when we do things the right way and the damage that’s done when we choose to do things the wrong way often to those we love the most in all of life- our family.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. And that you will never lose site of that beautiful face…and that is Jesus. God bless you all.