Wornoutwoman

I saw this today and had to share it. As we start a new year, we look back to where we have come from. And, we all have our story. For some it's an addiction - for others it's depression. Your neighbor might be fighting a battle with a physical affliction. You may have too many skeletons in your closet to feel that God could love a sinner, like you. I've been there! And He does love us!! We can go through life saying 'why me' - or we can choose to embrace our life exactly the way it is knowing we're going to be used for good - His good. Your journey may help save someone else's life - physically or spiritually. Don't let circumstances get you stuck on a path of self-loathing or pity when you can mentally champion them through Christ and shine His light.

Do you ever wonder about Heaven? If so, I highly encourage you to watch this testimony from Mike Mitchener. To give you an overview of what this video will share ... Mike's heart stopped four times one Sept 11, 2014 - and his widowmaker heart attack had complications that were mind-blowing. What's more, spell-binding is how God's perfecting timing and will wound around him, giving him the opportunity for healing, survival, and one heck of an experience in heaven before bringing him back to life. This is about 30 minutes but is a MUST WATCH!

I have a few different Bibles at home, of which I read when I can.  I admit I'm trying to be better and starting a daily reading plan is a high priority.  So, I have one at home on my nightstand, and another on my desk at work. The one I have at work is my student Bible, from when I was in college, and inside are a few different bookmarks (random pieces of paper). Today, I took time after my devotions to read these scraps of paper. The one that hit home was a receipt from Walmart, dated May 5th, 1995. It included random items, like shelf paper, sponges, gourmet pans for the kitchen, and laundry baskets. Immediat ely, I was taken back in time to where I was stocking up on my new pad, as a fresh college grad, with the grand ideas we all hold that the future is full of potential for our own paths in life. As my heart swelled with memories that swirled in my mind of who I was in this time in life, I took a deep breath in feeling like I'm nowhe...

They say the eyes are the window to the soul.  If Sammy's eyes were any indication of his soul then the whole world could see through to who he was.  His blue eyes literally danced with light, as he exuded peace.  And, the joy in his heart generously spilled over to those around him. Today, after leaving his funeral - I just want to publicly say thank you to a man, who made a big difference in my family's life.  He'll never know how much he did for us ... well, maybe now he does. His motto 'whatever it takes' wasn't just a saying but a way of life. He did whatever he could for anyone, whether he knew them or not.  If it was within his power to help, he made it happen... and if it wasn't within his power - he'd find out how to creatively make it happen anyway. You were an angel for the short time we had you here ... and now God has promoted you to be on his team of angels in heaven. Much love and respect to you, Sammy.

The first time I saw the angry face was when my child was only four days old. He was quietly sleeping in his hospital bassinet when we had some visitors stop by to see my new precious bundle of joy. I lifted him, laid him on his back, and rubbed his belly with my fingers.  And out came the face ... You know the one!  That scrunched up - attitude throwing - mouth-puckering - frowny face that says 'leave me alone.' Awww.  Did I think it was adorable back then? Absolutely! Now here it is ... almost ten years later and I have the honor of raising such an amazing kid.  He's giving and smart, and still shows me that same frowny face - except this time he's got the pre-teen attitude to go with it.  Ah yes ... the pre-teen years are among us in our household, and boy it is like a smack in the face. Who was once my happy-go-lucky child - is now smarting back and showing his independence in spades. But, through it all - he's the same giving, smart kid... who's l...

I've not been posting a lot - as a lot has been going on that has kept me from the computer. And to be quite honest, my computer isn't really up to date, so I use my phone a lot more than my keyboard. With iPhones auto-type issues ... let's just say I'm not completely comfortable letting my fingers type a blog from my phone. Since I had a few minutes today, I wanted to share something that I hope will evoke something meaningful for you. Recently, a few doors have been closed on me ... doors I've been knocking on for a while and a few new ones. But to top it all off, a large project I've been working on is just taking a lot longer than I'd hoped for. Every time I think we're moving forward, we've taken two steps back. And, it's left me feeling like ... well, Ummm - like that live-in girlfriend, who wants to get married, but is told 'why marry when you get the milk for free?' I'm choosing to review the times when I was at ...

So those of you who've been asking for a while --- wait no longer! It took me a bit longer than expected,  as I have a full-time job and a family to watch over.  Whew.  It's been a bit of a journey as my former publisher left a very bad taste in my mouth, but I won't get into details here. Let's just say I'm happy to have a new path that will give me what I need. Facing Redemption will release September 15th, and I'll have a book launch party in OKC at Sauced. If you're in OKC, I'd love to have you.  Just email me at kimberlymckayauthor@gmail.com so I can keep an accurate headcount. We'll have a drawing for some door prizes, one being a free book with some other pretty cool items bundled in. So, if you've wondered whatever became of Timothy and Chastity... If you're dying to know if Chastity read John's letter... Or if you're interested in knowing more about the rest of the story... It's all coming soon. Below is...

If we're honest with ourselves ... the most attention we may pay to God is when we need something. We pray ... God, I really need that raise.. . or God...take away the cancer.  And in saying this, I by no means am saying there is anything wrong with that.  God wants to hear our desires and needs! When we're in crisis or desperate for something to be filled for us, it's important to relay our needs to our heavenly father. But what about those times when everything is going smoothly?  How much time do you spend glorifying his name for the blessings we all take for granted?  How many raise up each morning looking to our Bible and spending time with him?  This is the most important part of our relationship with him!!! I have to admit, I don't read the Bible as much as I should. Each day, I have so much going on so quick - that I start my day and off I go. During the day, I do pray continuously. It's like ongoing communication, even when I drive. So here'...

Once in a while, you get one of those feel-good spiritually uplifting moments and you can feel God's arms wrap around you and your heart. It's as if you can almost feel His presence right inside you, reminding you of his love. Well, what I'm getting ready to tell you about is also one of those feel-good, uplifting projects that will give you goosebumps. You all know I'm a fan of Hallmark anything - and it's not just because I've met Brad Moore, the President of Hallmark Films. It's also because of the quality of the films they put out. When I hear of anything new of theirs, I grab my tissue box and get ready for a sweet and clean movie. My husband makes fun of me every time, yet he often stops and watches, interested whether he'd admit or not. Let's face it ... he makes fun of me a lot. I cry at Extreme Home Makeover. I cry at a military USAA commercial, with the scene where the troops finally come home and rush into the arms of their love...

This time of year it's tornado after storm after tornado after ... well, you get the point. It rained all day yesterday non-stop. And in the evening, when driving my son to church I noticed how crazy the clouds looked. They were separating on the lower levels and rolling around. The color of the sky wasn't green, which is an indicator of perfect tornado time, but it was 'off.' Right before I pulled out of our neighborhood, the tornado sirens started blaring and I knew I had to head back home to catch the forecast and wait it out in our closet. My son is really good at playing off his emotions. He's not one to show fear unless it's really bad. I made light of how fun it would be to build a tent in the closet and we tried to have the most fun we could. Unfortunately, I still had to listen to the weatherman to make sure I knew exactly where the twister was and could be touching down, and what kid wouldn't freak with that intense language spouting ...

Last week we did something we've been waiting to do. My son had his fifth birthday party in March and asked each child to bring $1 donations for Feed the Children in addition or in replacement of any gift they brought for him. Most did...some didn't and it was okay either way. Some gave five dollars or more. In total, he raised $16.87. He's been asking for weeks when we could drop off the money to their offices. He's extremely concerned with kids in Africa. He's the reason we sponsored a child through Compassion International . He saw Micheal W. Smith's video of how many kids in Africa were starving and in need, and he asked me that night if we could sponsor a kid. I wholeheartedly agreed to. I thought I'd be the one to mold my son on his path in life, and I will but my son teaches me more than I ever imagined possible. He's got such a big heart and it's full of compassion for those less fortunate. Feed the Children's corporate...

Okay anyone that read my last post knows I was throwing myself a pity party. I don't normally do those. After most of the day was over, I knew I had no right to after the day my husband had. He got laid off. However, all I know is that we watched 'Facing the Giants' and the message of God's love was so overpowering that I know that as long as we give Him our best, He's going to do the same in return. And I'm a testament to that over and over...I just need a reminder from time to time and that movie was just the trick. Facing the Giants isn't a major Hollywood production. It only has one person you might recognize in it if you're a football fan. It starts out a little slow and you may even think some of the acting needs help...but after the first clip, you'll see that the film starts clicking. My husband and I were bawling through the rest of the film because God's love was evident. If you're in a place where you need to hear som...