Hallelujah Chorus in Mall

Hi everyone, I don't have an article to post right now, but I came across this video that has gotten really popular really fast. It is a video of a choir of people that get together in a mall and start singing Hallelujah, my family really liked it and I hope you will too.



God Bless,
Abigail Prudence

Thanksgiving Verses

Hello everyone, I hope you all had a good time with your family and friend's this Thanksgiving! I had a great thanksgiving with my family, the weather is starting to get colder and you start to get the feeling that winter is just around the corner! But today I just wanted to post a few scriptures about being thankful. We can pray about all of the things we are thankful for, but reading about it is good too, so here are some versus that I have picked out, I pray you all have a great rest of the weekend.













Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Psalms 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

A Modest Heart

Hi everyone, I'm so sorry that it has taken me so long to make another post, I took a trip back to San Antonio to get my braces fixed and to visit family. It was good to see them again. The weather here in Missouri has been great, it looks like it is going to snow in a few weeks! This will be the first time that my home town will have snow, I am very excited! Thank you all so much for your patience, here is my new article. :)

A Modest Heart

This is an interesting subject. Everyone usually thinks that modesty only applies to the outward appearance, but it doesn’t. Having your heart and mind wrapped in modesty is also very important. In this day and age, it is very hard to keep your thoughts clean. The media constantly bombards us with impure things that can fill our mind. But even if you have been exposed to some very unbiblical things, it is still possible to keep your heart and mind clean. First, if you do come in contact with something, be it music or television, or another form of media that is unbiblical, the first thing you should do is pray that God will help you keep your mind clean. Also, reading your bible and fellowshipping with others will help you keep your mind on the right track.

Remember, what is in your heart will come out through your lips. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matthew 12:34b” One of the best ways a person can tell if you have a chaste and modest heart is by listening to what you say. The tongue is the hardest member of the body to control. It is set on the fire of hell and will spew out almost anything, if not controlled by the mind. But the tongue can also be used to bless and to encourage, but it’s all about what you put into your mind. Your ear and eye gates are so important to protect. Both television and music can be used for great good in the kingdom of God, so they are not bad in general. But protecting the kind of fuel that will fire up your spirit tank is harder than it sounds. Everywhere the devil has placed traps for God’s sheep, you can't go hardly anywhere without being bombarded with sinful messages. But the key is to have such an intimate relationship with God that we don’t even notice all the sin around us. This only comes through prayer, reading the word, fasting and praising Him.

There are lots of families that make their own music, if you live in or have been in a musical home, you know that there is a beauty that can't be explained. You can feel the presence of God when you walk in the room. All throughout my childhood I grew up with my father playing hymns on the piano after he got home, I remember dancing around with the tambourine and singing with my father. We had 3 pianos in our living room so we called it the piano room, I still remember him teaching me how to play How Great Thou Art when I was 7 years old. If any of you have experienced this kind of thing in the home, then you know that you can have Godly music in the home and how it can be a great blessing. If you don't have any musicians in the house, then I encourage you to look up and find peaceful Godly music that you can put through the airwaves of your home, it is usually a great blessing to everyone.

Television and movies are not limited to what is available at your local movie rental store. Recently, there has been a lot of very good Christian films that have been produced, you can find a lot of these at the Vision Forum website. And if you can't find what your looking for there, you can always go to Amazon, and see if what your looking for is there. I hope you can all find a way to put something edifying into your heart today.

Here's a couple verses to spur us on to Praise our wonderful Creator:

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:15

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

May God bless you all,

Abigail Prudence

What He Must Be ~ Book Review

Hi everyone, I have just finished reading this book called, What He Must Be If He Wants To Marry My Daughter, by Voddie Baucham. It's one of my favorite books ever, and I highly recommend it to any young lady capable of reading. The writer has so much wisdom and experience, it's hard not to love this book.

Wow, I can’t tell you how wonderful this book has been for me! The book was initially written to father’s who wanted to know what a Godly young suitor looks like, but it has been a wonderful education for me as well! Before I had read this book, I knew I didn’t believe in dating and was convinced that courtship was the right way to find a husband. But this book expanded my knowledge of this subject so greatly. There are so many roles that a husband has to take on when he becomes the husband of a wife and soon to be father. It is his responsibility to the provider, protector and prophet of the home. He must have a great passion for teaching the Word of God to his Wife and children. If a young lady was to date around with lots of young men, she would probably never find the man God has made her to be with. This book really helped me understand some of the basic rules of courting, rule #1 always stay with your family, it is not proper to go anywhere with this young man you have just meet, it might be romantic, but not wise. Rule #2 If you are interested in this young man as a possible husband, watch him very carefully, see how he treats his mother and sisters, see how he behaves in different situations, this will greatly influence you and your father’s decision. Most of the time when 2 people are in a relationship, they are on best behavior, learn from friends and family members how he normally acts, when your not around. Rule #3 Learn from his family, find out everything you can about him.

There are other guide lines, but every family’s view of a courtship is always a little different, which isn’t a bad thing. For instance, some families think its okay for the courting couple to go off together for an afternoon, other families are very strict about the two having alone time. Again, every family a bit different, and this book just made some basic observations, no real laid out rules, the rules above are my rules for courting. J This book has greatly exhorted me to learning as much as I can about being a wife and mother, so I can be the best wife possible to my future mate. A father and husband’s job is tuff, I want to be capable of doing everything I can to help him in his vision for my family. There are so many things that this book covered, I am so grateful that my dad bought it for me. This book is wonderful for anyone in the family to read, for young women to learn about what kind of husband to look for. A dad might read this book to further his understanding of the qualifications that a suitor should have. A young man might read this to learn more about what roles a Godly husband and father plays in the family. May God give me grace to learn and be the best wife and mother I can be.

God Bless you all and give you grace,

Abigail Prudence

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The Mayflower Compact

Hi everyone, as I have mentioned in my last post, I will be posting my favorite pieces of the new book I have just acquired. This is actually the first thing in the book, I have read quite a bit past this passage, but wanted to share it with you all. Below is the Mayflower Compact, it was signed just a few days after the early settler's arrival. Hope you all enjoy it.

THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT

In the name of God Amen! We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britian, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith etc. Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of the Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620.

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41 Men signed this document, among them were William Bradford, Capt. Standish, William Mullins, John Carver & 37 more. If you would like me to post a list of all the names please leave a comment.

I really enjoyed reading this document. Something that you all probably noticed right off the bat, was that they are praising God, in a government document! (it was actually the first government document composed on American ground) My guess is (that nowadays) you would have a very hard time finding a legal document that even mentions the name of God anywhere in it - much less praise his name! These men were committed to honoring God in everything, and they were committed to their families well being. This is how our country got started, family men that loved God and their families with all their hearts and would do anything to protect them. Their government structure was based around honoring God, ( and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ ) which is a far cry from what our government looks like now. There are very few men in government today - who honestly represent God, Family and Country. I encourage you all to pray for the men in our government system that are making and changing laws. This country got started out with the children reading the bible in schools and memorizing verses. The laws are so different now, I wouldn't be surprised if you can get kicked out of school just for bringing a bible. I encourage you all ask your father's during your family prayer time to devote a few minutes to praying for our leaders.

May God bless and keep you all,

Abigail Prudence

THe Portable Patriot

Hi everyone, I am still in Texas. I did pretty well in my last tennis tournament so that means I will be going to state! Since state is in a few weeks, we decided to stay here until it rolls around on the 17th. Today daddy and I were walking around Border's bookstore to get a history book for my schooling. While we were looking we ran across this wonderful book, I have only been able to read the forward so far it looks great. Let me give you a brief description. ~ The Portable Patriot. documents, speeches and sermons that compose the american soul ~. It's composed by a Christian man, and I am very much looking forward to reading the documents and statements from our founding father's that made this country strong in it's beginning. Let me read you an excerpt of a quote from Noah Webster

The history of the first English settlements in America, and of the measures which prepared the way for a revolution in the colonies, is too interesting not to be well understood by men of common curiosity and reading... That history unfolds a series of great events, evidently suited to accomplish important purposes in the economy of Divine Prodence... events which every American of expanded views must contemplate with admiration; and every Christan, with delight.

- Noah Webster

I will keep you updated with my favorite quotes and poems from this book as I read it.

May God bless and keep you all safe this weekend and give you a wonderful time with your families this Labor Day!

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God Bless,

Abigail Prudence

Hi everyone, this is my last post for a while. I am taking a trip back down to San Antonio, Texas for a visit. While I am there I will be playing a tennis tournament, something I haven't been able to do here. I haven't talked about it yet, but I have been able to get horse riding lessons here! I have been having a wonderful time, at some point I would like to get my own horse, but time will tell. So anyways...

I don't really understand why I got this award, but okay! The rules of this tag are as follows: I must answer the questions given to me below by the tagger, and then I must tag more peoples and ask them ten questions for them to fill out. Yeah.So, the questions me:

From Abigail:

1. In what location do you feel God's Presence the greatest?
Definitely when I am sitting on the park bench at the Lake. Sometimes I go there and look at smoke come off the water early in the morning before anyone is up. That is my special time with God.

2. What is your favorite craft? (i.e. knitting, scrapbooking, drawing, etc.)
I don't think I have a craft, I love to cook? does that count?

3. How many brothers and/or sisters do you have?
1 Brother

4. Do you have an iPod?
Yup, i-Pod touch!

5. Do you speak a second language?

I am currently learning Spanish =)

6. What type of food is your favorite? (i.e. American, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, etc.)
Either Tex-Mex (home town cooking) or Chinese.

7. Have you ever eaten sushi?
nope, never and don't plan on it.

8. If you had to live in a foreign country for five years, which country would you pick and why?
Either Egypt or Scotland, I know two really strange choices.

9. Can you either "speak" sign language or read Braille?
Nope, but I should probably learn.

10. Describe your pets:
Midnight, completely black cat. Nacho, white striped with light orange, & Taco, scrougy mutt white and brownish hair.

I hereby award:
Ashley M @ A Cowgirls Dream

Prism @ A Girl of Many Colors
Antoinette @ Practical Simplicity ~ For His Glory
More Questions...

1. What is your favorite book?

At the moment? Probably What He Must Be ~ If He Wants To Marry My Daughter.

2. Comedy or Adventure?

Comedy

3. What is the farthest you've ever traveled from home?

From home (Texas) Maryland is the farthest, but not the coolest place I've been.

4. What is your favorite song, and from which author is it?
Slow Fade ~ Casting Crowns

5. What color is your room painted?

Light Blue and Vanilla

6. What place, for you, in the world has the best memories?
Right where I am, Ozarks Missouri

7. What is your favorite baby name?
I have no idea really? Micha maybe?

8. Do you play pranks? If so, what is the best one you've ever made up?
Nope, not into that.

9. What is your favorite beverage?
homemade lemon aid, seriously the home made stuff, not the stuff from the store.

10. What, to your mind, is the perfect vacation?
It wouldn't be in one place, it would be a world tour of the most beautiful places in the world.

God Bless,

Abigail Prudence
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Awards!

Hello! About a week ago I was given this award, and today I found the blog it was from. http://destinyofone.blogspot.com/, Sarah H is the girl who runs this blog! She is really sweet and is a very good writer, I recommend you check out the link! I am going to pass this on to 12 of my followers, the list is below. I have just starting taking horse riding lessons again! It has been a while since I have gone riding, but has been a lot of fun! I want to hear from you! Do you ride horses often? Or are you interested in riding, but haven't had the opportunity? Comment and let me know! May God bless you all, and if you are on the lists, be sure to award someone else!

1. Post the logo on your blog and/or within the post. 2. Pass it on to 10 other bloggers.

3. Add links to these 10 bloggers within your blog. 4. Let them know they are receiving the award.

5. Share the link of the person from whom you received the award.

I would like to give this award to…

Ashley Kristen Liseby Lee Prisim

Sarah Grace Hannah Leigh Miss Zara

Rachel M Maiden of Emmanuel

Antoinette K. (no link found) Guinevere (no link found)

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I pray you all have a wonderful weekend!

Abigail Prudence

God's Beautiful Creation

Hello everyone, I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to make another post for you all. But I am back and ready to write! First I would like to give you an update on how I'm doing. If you have read a few of my last posts you will have noted that I have moved from Texas to Missouri. Life is very different in a small town, but it has been a lot of fun! We have a little bit of land, and my dad and I have been hacking through our woods with weed-eaters and saws making trails, it is so beautiful to see God's creation of the different trees, plants and birds that are all around you when you are in the woods. It has been wonderful! This is actually the topic I wanted to write about. I have been surrounded my so much of God's beauty I was inspired to write about some of it. We live in the Ozarks and there are lakes all over the place. Down at the park, there is this bench that I come to sit at and enjoy God's creation. I get to hear all kinds of birds singing and sometimes when it is really sunny, the lake sparkles. Thank God for his creations! Daddy was reading us daily devotions the other night, and he read Genesis Chapter 1. I am going to post some of my favorite verses from the first chapter of the bible: 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day. 20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

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Those are some of my favorite creation verses. I have been thanking God for this opportunity to get a closer view of so much of his creation. I am starting to learn more about the names of the different wildlife, trees, birds, bushes and other things that are indigenous to this area. We made

a wonderful discovery last month! We have black raspberry bushes! Dad found them first. He told me where they were and then we picked them together. This picture shows just a few of the ones we found, but there were hundreds! God's creation is all around us, but sometimes we just have to stop and look and know that He is Lord. Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God

It is very sad that some scientists have told us that God didn't create this world or anything in it. Compare that message, to this passage in the Gospel of John: All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:3 They tell us that evolution is how everything came to be. But there is so much evidence that proves evolution is a lie. God created this world and everything in it so perfectly, and he did it all in only 6 days. There are some, who say that “days now” and “days then” are different. They say that each of those first 6 days were millions of years long. But didn't God say: And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. So, we have one evening

+ one morning = one day. Sounds like 24 hours to me! Genesis 1:5 God created light, dry land, sky, stars, all the fish, all the animals and Adam & Eve in just 6 normal days. Thank you Jesus Christ, for your beautiful creation. Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Every once in a while we will see a deer in our front yard. They are so pretty, epically the fawns! God has given me the blessing of enjoying his beautiful creation, I am so thankful! “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 - 18

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God Bless you all, and may you see some of God's gorgeous creations today!

Abigail Prudence

If we are the Body of Christ

Hi everyone! First I would like to tell you all that my family and I have finally made it to our summer home! We made it to Missouri safely and are somewhat moved in, (we were able to get Internet). We have already been to town and have been able to clean up a bit around the house, there is so much to do! I am really going to enjoy my time here!

So, the title of this article is, If We Are the Body of Christ. This is actually the name of a song I heard this evening on my newest Casting Crowns CD. You are probably hearing it now. It talks about how we (the body of Christ) aren't doing our job enough! We are supposed to be God's tools for evangelism to the world. When was the last time you talked to someone about Jesus Christ, or even just handed someone a bible tract at a gas station? We need to do our part, so many people are confused about Christianity because they aren't seeing God's peace, love, and grace through His servants. The world looks at us and makes an immediate judgment on us based on our dress, speech and actions. Are we accurately representing Jesus Christ to the world? As an example, I was shopping with my mother in a grocery store and two young girls about my age approached me. They both were interested in where I got my denim skirt, after talking a bit they told me they were Christian homeschoolers as well! But because of the short shorts and tight jeans alone, I never would have guessed we were on the same team! I have nothing against jeans that are practical, but when you look like you have had blue paint poured over yours legs, then I have an issue with jeans. For me, this song is very inspiring, it makes me want to really study my bible, pray, and try to be as Christ -like as possible. I can't change anyone but myself, the way the world see's me is up to one person. I have to make all the little decisions, such as: Humm, what shall I wear this morning? I could wear the brown skirt with the green blouse, or I could wear that old pair of blue jeans that are a tad bit tight then they used to be and that V neck T-shirt my aunt sent me? --- Ahww, good morning world! Should I just get myself ready for the day, or should I take a few moments to read my bible and pray? These are just a few examples of some of the tiny decisions we have make everyday. We (the body of Christ), are the little light bulbs of truth around the world, let's make each day count!!

May God give you grace to accurately represent Jesus Christ to the world through your actions!

God Bless,
Abigail Prudence

P.S. My calf muscles are all better! Thanks to all who prayed, next time I won't push myself too hard at the gym :)

The Patriarchal Vision

Hi everyone! I am sorry that it has taken me this long to write a post, I have been very busy with the move and all. Also, if I could request prayer for my legs. I seem to have injured them Thursday when I was at the gym running. So any prayer would be very much appreciated! Yesterday, I was going through the family books and came across something wonderful! The book is called, Poems for Patriarchs ~ compiled and edited by Douglas W. Phillips. And I wanted to post the first poem for you all, I was reading it last night and it touched my heart.

THE PATRIARCH

More noble than the valiant deeds of shining knights of yore,

More powerful than earthly plights that make the rich man poor,

More kingly than a royal throne or a lion with his pride,

Is he whose babes sleep well at night sure Daddy will provide.

There is a spirit in this land and Jezebel's her name.

She's calling you to leave your home for power, fun and fame.

She wants you wife, your children too - she'll never compromise,

Until your house is torn in two by listening to her lies.

But though a hundred thousand million men may fall prey to her lures,

And wives en masse leave home in search of "more fulfilling" chores,

Though preachers praise, and friends embrace, her pagan plan of death,

Stand strong and quit you like a man with every blessed breath.

Stand strong and rise, O man of God, to meet this noble call,

The battle is not new you see, it's been here since the Fall.

Your wife is your helpmeet, my friend, and not another man's,

So care for her and keep her far from Mistress Jezi's plans.

Protect, provide, and give to her your undivided life,

This is the dear one of your youth, your precious bride, your wife.

And rally to those tiny ones who trust you for their care-

A lifetime spent discipling them's a lifetime pure and rare.

For when they put their hand in yours and know a Daddy's love,

You're showing them a picture of the Father from above.

Look not toward worldly goal or gain, or for your liberty,

Look only into their sweet eyes to find your ministry.

Devote your heart and sacrifice and make your manly mark-

There is none so great as he who finds his call as patriarch.

Douglas W. Phillips

May God Bless and keep you all, & may you all have wonderful summers!!!

Abigail Prudence

Special Article from Daddy

Hello followers and visitors to my blog! My dad has written this article and I would like to share it with you. I hope you can gain from his wisdom just as much as I have. Here it is.

Hi everyone, this is Abigail's dad, Chris. When Abigail was 5 or 6 years old, we use to buy big bags of frozen cherries at our local grocery store. One of my favorite activities during these years with her (we called her "Abi" back then (and her brother) was to sit them on the counter and play a game we called "Here comes the cherry!". They would sit there with their happy little bright eyed faces while daddy opened up that new bag of cherries, and anxiously await the commencement of this joyous family activity. I would get one cherry at a time in my hand and make buzzing airplane noises up and down and around and then plop a cherry in one of their mouths. Their eyes were totally glued to my hand, awaiting the wonderful taste of those dark red frozen cherries. Sometimes daddy would also get a few cherries out of the game as well. This would go on for several minutes, until we either ran out of cherries, felt like we better save some room for dinner - or we just all had enough. The excitement that welled up in my 2 precious children during this game brought great joy to their daddy's heart.

There may be some of you that are saying, "that's a nice little story, but what does it have to do with being a "young woman of virtue?" Well, let me try to explain an interesting parallel that I see with the "First Commandment with a PROMISE". Let's refresh our memories with this famous verse from the book of Ephesians:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. (Ephesians 6:1-3)

Many of you reading this blog have heard this verse on a fairly regular basis for the last 5 to 10 years. But I am hoping that a fresh look at this powerful New Testament passage may be helpful to at least some of you, as we consider how this verse may parallel our "Here comes the cherry" game.

Before I tell you the parallel, let's look at the Old Testament verse that directly parallels Ephesians 6:1-3: It's found in

Deuteronomy 5:16

"Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."

What a tremendous promise! God is actually saying that if we can meet just these TWO requirements, we can have 1) our lives go well with us (don't all of us want that?) and 2) we can live long on the earth.

A lot of times you can better understand something if you break it down into slow motion. People do that with golf swings, karate motions, dance routines, etc., but not often do we think of how we respond to our parents - in slow motion. Let's go back to our Here Comes The Cherry game. Except now, let's imagine that instead of your father (or mother's) hand moving at you with a frozen cherry, imagine that something even better than a juicy cherry is about to head your way...it's A COMMANDMENT from your parents. Yippee, just what a godly young woman wants - right there, coming her way - in slow motion, through the air - heading for her ears, and if she receives this incoming treasure of parental direction with the right attitude and response, she can actually unlock the God-given powerful secret to having her life go well with her, and to her living long on the earth.

This command could be as simple as "Jodi, please vacuum the living room" or "Susan, it's time to brush and floss", or "Angela, please share that toy with your brother", but regardless - their is a potentially wonderful blessing awaiting that young lady for the simple price of a cheerful, prompt and completely obedient response to their parent's direction.

But also in slow motion, immediately after this precious command leaves her parents mouth, we see the work of the Thief who has come to steal, kill and destroy - our adversary the Devil. While that command is still in the air, and as soon as it registers in her ears, the enemy of her soul will be feverishly attempting to utilize the quick speed of the human brain to devise an ungodly first response to her parents command, so that she will NOT receive this blessing.

Instead of "yes ma'am, I will do that right away...or "Certainly mother, I would be glad to do that for you", or a myriad of other respectful, honorable and obedient responses, Satan would like her to say something like: "I'm busy right now", or "Oh mom, can't I do it later?", or even worse, a direct refusal to obey.

The devil clearly knows the power of "the first commandment with a promise" and he, by his very thieving nature, wants to make sure this young woman does not partake of this heavenly blessing - which is so close to becoming hers. Imagine again - speeding at her ears at 742 miles per hour (the speed of sound) - from just a few yards away, is the blessed opportunity to cash in on this first command with a promise.

In summary, remember to be as excited about the commands and direction coming from your parents lips, as Abigail and her brother were about those frozen cherries heading their way when they were sitting on our counter ten years ago. The sweet blessing of "a life that goes well" is just a command away. Embrace every opportunity you have to show your parents honor, and practice responding to their commands and direction with humility and cheerful obedience. Make this a habit for a few hundred commands in a row, and you will have developed one of the precious disciplines that will help shape you into the Proverbs 31 Woman that you are probably already working to become. Also along those lines, developing these cheerfully obedient responses (to your parents direction) will make it natural for you to receive direction from your husband - in the years ahead, when you will probably be married.

It does not come "natural" for a young lady to just walk down that aisle and then instantly be able to obey

Ephesians 5:22 when it states: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. It takes discipline to have the correct responses to your future husband, but you can help ensure your success as a wife, if you practice this discipline now - the next time your mom needs you to wash the dog, or clean the dishes, etc.

Jesus says that we will not inherit the kingdom of God except we become as little children...perhaps he was thinking of a similar example when he made this statement. If you really, I mean really get this biblical truth down in your soul, it will transform your response to the commands that emanate from your mother and fathers' lips.

Also, when you get a grip on this truth, you may want to humbly tell your mom or dad that you are sorry for times in the past when you wrongly responded to their direction. God will bless you for your humility and repentance.

And may God richly bless you, and allow you to fully inherit all He has for you, as you embrace the truth of Ephesians 6:1-3. In Jesus Name, Chris (Abigail's Dad)

Thanks Calico Zak!!!

Hi everyone! So, I know that I haven't made a post in a long time, but I am working on one, hopefully to be posted within the week. But this particular post is a fun one! I have been awarded the Stylish Blogger Award, from Calico Zak, thanks Zak! I have always enjoy reading Zak's posts, they are fun to read and his blog is awesome! So, the rules of this award are to list five random things you like and to award some other folks, so here it goes... 1. I love horses! 2. My favorite kind of skirt is denim. 3. I got a purity ring for my 15th birthday! 4. My favorite colors are brown and red. 5. I love working out at the gym. There, you have your five random facts about me! I am awarding the Stylish Blogger award to the following... Maiden of Emmanuel - A Girl of Many Colors - From the Kitchen of Kaylee & Kenzie. May God bless you all and give you a great week!

God Bless,

Abigail Prudence

Spring is here!

Ah finally, spring is upon us! The grass is getting green and the sun is shining brightly! And with all these wonderful things that come with late March, also comes spring cleaning. This weekend we have cleaned out the entire house! It was a big project, we got rid of a few pieces of furniture we didn't need anymore, and did a LOT of dusting & vacuuming, but finally it is all done, and we can rest, and make blog posts about it. :) I am glad that we finally got it done! This is one of my dad's favorite verses to use when we are doing a family project. Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. I apologize for my tardiness and not posting more articles for you all, I have been very busy with my family, getting ready to show the house and all. If you have ever moved anywhere you will know what I am referring too :) Hopefully after this month is over I will be able to sit down and write something for you all!

May God bless you all! And may He give you a wonderful start to this new season of Spring!

Abigail Prudence

Scattergories, fun tag

SCATTERGORIES... because I can't find anything else to post about! (hopefully I will come up with something soon!) I know it's silly, but if anyone has an idea of what to post, just let me know!

This one is fun, you don't have to write it out, but think about the answers you would give!
> Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following.

> They have to be real places, names, things..nothing made up!

> Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial.

> You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Abigail
4 letter word? Aloe

BOY NAME: Aaron
GIRL NAME: Alisa
OCCUPATION: Associate
COLOR: Amber
SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Apron
FOOD: Almonds
SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Acne cleanser
A PLACE: Arizona
REASON FOR BEING LATE: A dog chased me and tore my blouse.
SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: Avalanche!!!

A PICTURE: Alaska

I hope you had fun with it! Oh, I almost forgot, I was going to tell you all that we are going to be here in the house while the owner is selling it, this way we don't have to move right away, which is wonderful! Thanks to all who prayed for us!

God Bless you & your families!

Abigail Prudence

Color picture contest!

Hello fellow friends and visitors! This is just a little post letting you know I am entering a photo contest! It's all about color, and you can enter too if you want at this site, it's a lot of fun!

www.trustinginhislove.blogspot.com. I really enjoy reading her writings, and you probably will too. What do you think of the photos I picked out? And should I start my photo contest? Let me know your thoughts!

God Bless

Abigail Prudence

Role Models: Hollywood OR Rebekah & Abigail

Hello followers and visitors to my blog! Recently, I have been pondering the influences that young girls and young women have been surrounded by, in the media. A few extremely "popular" females come to mind: Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and many other young women that are having devastating effects on the younger female generation. All of these names that I just mentioned are known for their smart remarks to their parents, suggestive clothing, doing whatever they want, hanging out with their worldly "friends", having numerous boyfriends, and of course, being "famous". This goal of being famous is worth examining. One of my favorite passages in the whole bible is found in Proverbs 31, in fact I even use it as the verse for my e-mail signature. Proverbs 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Today, I looked up the definition of favor in the strong's exhaustive concordance, it translates as follows: grace, charm, elegance, and strangely enough, acceptance. How interesting. So, the bible clearly tells us that seeking after "acceptance" is deceitful. That's worth saying again! Wanting to be accepted or popular is deceitful! That is what these girls are chasing, acceptance and popularity. This powerful little passage in Proverbs 31, provides us with a very precious promise. It tells us that if anyone wants a guaranteed way of being praised, they can simply choose to fear the Lord. These girls have been deceived by the father of lies, the devil, to chase after "favour and beauty - which God clearly defines as vanity. These two lies are not new concepts for young women. Satan has been tricking young ladies to chase after these two things for 1,000's of years. One passage that is almost humorous, that brings this to light, is found in Isaiah 3:16-24. This passage describes what the prophet calls "The Haughty Daughters of Zion". In other words, the worldly girls of Israel. You will see that they were absolutely consumed with their outer beauty, which we saw above in Proverbs 31:30 is vain. The scary thing about this passage is to read about how upset God was with this batch of ladies. Read what the Lord does to this group of prideful gals...

Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels, The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty. (Isaiah 3:16-24)

This passage makes me want to FEAR THE LORD. No wonder the Psalms speak of how important it is to learn "The judgments of the Lord". My dad really likes this passage in Psalm 19:9b-11 and suggested I post it for you all. The Judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Unfortunately, 95% or more of the girls in this country have not studied these types of warnings and judgments in the bible. Because of this, they do not fear the Lord. It is easy to fear the Lord when you understand these passages, and the scary judgments that have fallen on generations that have acted as these, haughty daughters of Zion did.

So, after all this drama, what role models in the bible and in modern day times should we look at as good influences and examples of biblical purity and virtue? First, let's start with good examples from the bible. Rebekah and Abigail are two wonderful examples. There are many virtuous character traits that Rebekah had developed as a daughter in her father's house. Perhaps most notably was her cheerful servant attitude, here is the famous "let me water your camels also" passage in Genesis. We start with the prayer of Abraham's servant who had been sent to find a virtuous wife for his master's son, Isaac.

And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master. And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. (Genesis 24:12-21)

We look up to Rebekah as an example of how to cheerfully serve others, without grudging or complaining. We all have moments when we are given a task to do, we may not enjoy the task, but we should do it cheerfully and with a smile anyways. Rebekah obviously didn't learn this overnight. It takes time to develop a character trait like this. It was all the little decisions she made to cheerfully serve her family when she was 6, 12, 15 and 19 that crafted her into a cheerful servant of others. We should strive to do the same.

Abigail also had a humble servant's attitude. When her wicked husband Nabal, decided to turn away David and his mighty men, giving them nothing when they were hungry, Abigail went into action. If you would like to read a wonderful chapter of the bible for your devotions in the near future, I highly suggest that you read 1 Samuel chapter 25. It tells the whole story of Abigail, "who was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance". I am very honored that my father chose this name for me. It gives me a lot to strive after. Hopefully, someday I will be as the Abigail in the bible. Here is a small excerpt from this lovely chapter of the bible. And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. (1 Samuel 25:40-41)

The stories of Rebekah and Abigail are inspiring examples to any girl that desires to be a cheerful servant and a godly young woman. Though this kind of gracious character is attainable, it is indeed very rare. Even Abraham's servant stood there "wondering" at Rebekah while she cheerfully watered his 10 camels. Just to put this into perspective, a single camel drinks up to 20 gallons of water, and she had to water ten! That's 160 pounds of water to carry per camel!! And she did this happily and without a single grumble in her heart. This is something we all should admire. Attitudes like this are just as rare in today's world.

I will leave you with these thoughts for now. Lord willing, my next post will be about modern day good examples that we can learn from. May God bless you and keep you and give you all cheerful servant hearts, in Jesus name, Amen.

God Bless,

Abigail Prudence

Moving away...

Hello everyone, I have some bad/good news, depends on how you look at it. We are currently renting our house, and the owner has decided today that she will be selling our house. We will be moving out in 30 to 60 days, depends if we are going to show the house or just move out. Our family has a few options; please pray that God will lead us in this crucial turn in the road. There are a lot of things to consider so we need all the prayers we can get. I am at peace with the idea of moving, but I am just praying that God will lead us. I would really appreciate your prayers, and I will still be able to post on this blog, but I will just be in a different location. I will let you all know what happens, and thank you! And may God give you grace and charity today in Jesus name, amen.

God Bless,

Abigail Prudence

Learning Self Defense

Hello everyone! Sorry it took me so long to make another post, I have been a little busy recently. A few weeks ago, a friend suggested that I go to a self defense class in my area, the center is called Krav Maga, they specialize in self defense and fitness training. The class was today and I went with her. We were partnered with a friend and did all kinds of moves together, I would be the defender and then we would switch and I would be the attacker. We never did any of the moves at full speed as to not hurt our partner, but we used curved kick pads for punching, kicking, jabbing and kneeing. I learned a whole lot in three hours, I am really glad I went. I'm also glad that exercising made it into Proverbs 31 list! Proverbs 31:17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. If you are a young woman living in a big city, like myself, I highly recommend going to a self defense class in your area. It's very empowering and it is a very good skill to have on the shelf, God forbid you will ever need it someday, but it's good to know that you could defend yourself in a dangerous situation. My class had about 250 women and about 25 instructors; it was a very different environment, but really fun at the same time. What do you think about self defense? Is it important for ladies to know how to defend themselves, or should that be left to the men of the house, let me know your thoughts!

God bless you and keep you safe,

Abigail Prudence

Lessons From The Gym

Hello everyone! I know I have kind of left you hanging for about a week now. About my tennis tournament, last time I mentioned it, I told you that I had won the first two rounds. This last Sunday I played the Semi finals and won that match 7-5, 6-0. Then came the finals, I was playing the #1 seed, it was by far the hardest match, but some how I pulled it out of the bag, I won! On Monday I was very, very sore from the sunburn (which is fine now) and all the muscles I haven't been using lately! But I feel much worse now, I was at the gym for 2 hours yesterday, which brings me to my little article...

When I was working out at the gym by myself yesterday, I noticed, our gym has two things going all the time, they have a TV & a radio, and I heard a very interesting song over the radio. I think it was by a younger girl singer, the name of the song was, It Comes Naturally, and the lyrics were awful! The name of the song pretty much described the lyrics, the song talked about love, boyfriends and "following your heart". I thought about it, and that is pretty much was the flesh does, you don't have to work very hard to fall into sin. The unsaved person just does what feels good, you don't have to think about it too much, it just Comes Naturally. After listening for about 10 seconds I thought, wow if this doesn't describe the flesh I don't know what does! It reminded me that SIN comes naturally. As Christians, we have to fight what Comes Naturally to our carnal selves. Roman 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Let this be a reminder to all of us, when our conscience tells us we are sinning, just stop, change the channel or stop hanging out with those friends. What ever it is that causes us to fall, we should just stop the activity. If you know you are struggling with a certain sin, pray about how to get out of it. We all want to live in the Spirit, & we can't fully do so until we have defeated all of our sinful patterns. 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. So when we are battling temptation we should hold on to this precious promise. That right in the middle of a temptation we should look for an escape, God put it there so we could find it. And if we take the way of escape we will be overcomers and there are a lot of wonderful promises for the overcomer in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The book of James also tells us we will receive a crown of life. James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. May God bless you all and may He give you grace as your strive to resist temptation and as you strive to do His will, in Jesus Name.

May God give all of you grace and peace, and may you have a wonderful weekend with your families!

Abigail Prudence

Pilgrim's Progress Journey to Heaven ~ Review

Hi Everyone! Yup, another review! This was one of the many items in that Vision Forum box I was telling you about in my last post. This is probably one of the best movies that I have ever seen! Here is how their website describes this great film. (Pilgrim's Progress: Journey to Heaven is a faithful and creative adaptation of a timeless classic. The genius lies in bringing Christian and his fellow travelers into a modern context.) One of the reasons I love this film so much is because the film makers have taken a original book and set it into a more modern theme. Christian is a normal guy, he has a normal job, lives in a suburb house, he's a regular guy, until he finds a book. One of my favorite parts in this movie is when Christian comes to The Place Of Deliverance (i.e. the cross) and his sins roll down the hill and he receives new clothes, shoes and a key he would be needing later. I was very refreshed by this movie because it is one of the few that I have seen where the writers are not afraid to address subjects like hell and the coming destruction. It is a very good reminder that we can't live on this earth forever, and WILL be in either two places, Heaven or Hell. I highly recommend this film to everyone, but maybe not to families with smaller children in the house, there are some frightening images of hell and the devil that might scare children. I am glad that the Christian film industry is getting larger, and I hope that a lot more films like this one come out!

May God Bless You All

Abigail Prudence S.

P.S. About my tennis tournament that I had today. I got past the first two rounds and am in the semi finals, please pray that I won't faint in the heat, as I already have severe sunburn. Yup, we Texans really never get a break from the hot weather, it being 85 degrees and all.

What Our Father Taught Us About Boys ~ Review

Hello everyone, exciting news! This Friday was my 15th birthday! I pray that God will give me grace as I strive to do his will this next year as I grow in Him. I will be learning how to sew, (thanks to my own sewing machine!) along with relearning how to ride horses! I'm very excited about this new year & the things I will learn. Please pray that I will do God's will this year.

~CD Review~

This CD has been wonderful insight to the knowledge that Mr. Botkin has taught his daughters. It covered all the questions that I had about how to interact around young men, Christian or not. The following excerpt is from the back cover of this wonderful CD.

"What Our Father's Taught Us About Boys"

Why is it hard for girls to find the balance between flirting and shunning? How can girls keep their hearts pure? What responsibilities do they have toward young men? Is it Possible to be "Just Friends"? Hear practical advice on navigating the tricky waters of relationships and how these relationships, properly conducted, can be edifying and strengthening.

One of the biggest things I learned from this CD was that the way that I treat my father now will almost certainly be the way I treat my husband when I marry. This was a great exhortation to re-examine the way that I am treating my father now. I could definitely be more respectful and reverent. I also liked the way they said that a girl will learn little examples from the world when she is young. Like when a young girl sees little Barbie going out with Ken, she automatically thinks, "Oh, so that's how that works, that sounds fun." I now have a new appreciation to my parents for not letting me have all the latest toys or movies. When you are little, you don't really understand why, but looking back at it now I am very grateful. Thanks mom and dad! There are a lot of little lessons like this one contained in this CD. I strongly recommend it if you are a young women living at home and wondering how you are supposed to biblically act around young men. This CD was one of the many that I received in a big box from Vision Forum for my birthday. I can't wait to hear all of them! I still have about 10 or 11 left, so you will probably be reading a lot of CD and movie reviews in the next few weeks!

May God Bless all of you,

Abigail Prudence

P.S. Big tennis tournament in Boerne next weekend, I will keep you posted on how I do.