When I was around 3 or 4 years old, my mom says that there was a time when my sister was very sick, even near to death. She was in the hospital and she for some reason either my mom and dad both went in to see Julie or my dad was not there  and they would not let mom take me into the hospital room. So, she told me to sit alone in the lobby while she checked quickly on Baby Julie.

 When she had left me no one was there at all. I vaguely remember that when she came back I was standing on the coffee table in the middle of the lobby singing “Jesus Loves Me” at the top of my voice! My mom told me later that there was a group of people gathered around to listen.

 I have thought that it would be fun to write a fictional story based on this scene... about the people who heard me sing that day and what they were going through and how God may have used that in their lives!

One thing I love about my upbringing is that i have such a strong desire to share hope and truth with people that I come in contact with.  I am really struggling right now to figure out how exactly that should look for me personally.  How can I be a blessing to someone today?  How can I encourage and exhort both unbelievers and believers on a daily basis? How can I strenghten my children's faith and understaning of Christ.

I deeply value the true Proverb about iron sharpening iron and I have some very faithful friends whose  honesty and faithful direction are a blessing to me.  I won't attempt to list all of the names only because I fear I would leave someone out and that would be a severe injustice, but I do want to mention FOUR of them: 

Tanya Fruth. I met Tanya one week before my third child (now age 12)  was born.  I had known her husband as my hubby's co-worker from before they were married.  Our hubbies were excited to introduce us to each other.  She was a busy college student and I was hugely pregnant and living in a hotel room while our house was being built and had neither of us had any desire to meet a new friend! I soon learned that Tanya has a gift of encouraging people!  She is very organized and highly motivated.  She is very dear to my heart and is such a wise friend that she and her husbands are named in our legal wills as godparents of our children.  She loves to teach people about God and health.  I often go to her with prayer requests or questions about natural remedies! She has also blessed me with five beautiful godchildren: Sierra (8), Savannah (6), Logan (3), Madison (18 mos.), and Baby (due in October)! Tanya is a sincere woman who is very observant and is able to bless in creative and endearing ways! I love you, my friend!

Jenny Crichton. I met Jenny at a Bible Study about 8+ years ago, right after I lost my daughter, Sarah Hope.  The first thing that struck me about her was her gentle voice paired with her firm words. One main thing I have learned from her is not just to tell people that Jesus loves them and came to save them, but to help them see their responsibility in this equation.  I love that Jenny NEVER gossips.  She has helped me check my words on occasion.  She, like Tanya, is fervent and passionate in sharing with others about salvation and redemption in Christ, training her  four children wisely and sharing with people about nutrition and health.  I can never hear the verse about Iron sharpening Iron without Jenny's dear face coming to my mind! Thank-you, Jenny!

Debra Leanderson. I met Debbie Leanderson at church probably around the same time I met Jenny.  Deb is an amazing fountain of homeschooling knowledge.  Everytime I talk to her she gives me the names of awesome curriculums and tells me about upcoming events in our area.  She is very strong in her faith and shares boldly and has a real heart to be a blessing.  She has loaned and given me many books, magazines and catalogs.  she has come to my house with her arms loaded with treasures to share.  She has babysat my children many time when they were younger and even kept my girls for five days when Russ and I went to Oklahoma for his Vasectomy Reversal.  She has kept my dog when we have gone on vacations.  She has had my children make dinner for me on my birthday (or was it our anniversary?) She helped paint many of the rooms in our house and she has shared with me in our reversal journey and has reminded me of the goal of obedience to God. She is a talented knitter and quilter (among many other things).  She is a gardener and is literally a wealth of information! Her two children are amazing and Godly.  They are well-trained and responsible!  Today is her birthday!  Happy B-day, Deb!!!

Jacque Dixon. Of the four that I wish to mention today, Jacque Dixon is the newest.  I met Jacque two years ago when she and her family started up their blogs.  I think I actually met her daughter, Jocelyn, first and so impressed with this godly young woman! Then, I met Amanda and was again astounded at the maturity of this talented young lady.  Can you believe it did not stop there?  If that was not praise-worthy enough, Jacque has EIGHT amazing children.  Rachel's sweet writings are very dear to my heart.  And I enjoy the occasional posts of Hannie and Eric, as well as the blog they maintain for sweet LucyLillie! I can't wait until Isaac and Caleb are old enough to be bloggers too! I could write for days about this sweet family, but let me tell you a tiny bit about Jacque.  Jacque is forthright, deeply insightful, knowledgable, gracious, loving, intensely passionate about speaking the truth (a quality which I treasure in a friend), and giving.  She has helped me many, many times with my blogs, with nutritional suggestions, book ideas, discipline tips, etc.  Most of all she has listened and listened and listened to all of my ramblings and has found something encouraging in every situation. Thank-you, Jacque!

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