Andrea O. Freeman

It occurred to me the other day that I don't think I am being real enough in my blog. I like putting my first thoughts into it, what I am experiencing that day and what I am facing in my walk with Christ. I try to include a scripture but I know some days I am not specific enough and I don't always include a reference. I realize some people will wonder why, but I guess it is good enough for me to share what comes to mind. With three kids, a husband, a job, a house and a multitude of things to accomplish in a week I am lucky to get a sane word down on paper or in my blog. The truth is there are days I'd love to scream my head off in frustration, anger at how my life has turned out. It isn't really directed at anyone, it is just to get it out of my system. I claim full responsibility for my part in some really bad decisions that we have made. Oh the times I have thought about how great it would be to go back, re-do, get a do-over for some moments in my life. My gr...

It never fails just when my plans for the week seem to be rolling along, a bump occurs in the road. The respiratory crud has attacked two of my children so I am playing nurse-mom today. This does not go over well with work when I have to call in but unfortunately we have no options without family nearby to help out. So, I'll get a few things done around the house that would have been put on hold til tomorrow had I gone in to work today. Good for that, bad for the bank account. That's okay though, God knew ahead of time how today would go and we will continue to trust Him for provision. I was reading today in my quiet time about when Peter, James and John went up to a mountain with Jesus. They were able to see Him in His glorious form, and conversing with Moses and Elijah--wow! I am amazed every time I have read this account and wonder what it must have been like for them to be there, experiencing something so incredible. Yes, they were afraid, and I am sure they must h...

I love reading about the miracles Jesus performed while here on this earth. Today in my quiet time I read as thousands were fed when he blessed what little food they could gather. I also read about the healing of a deaf man, so amazing the process he went through to touch that man's life and restore his hearing. As he walked and talked with the disciples after these many miracles occurred, I am amazed at their lack of understanding and faith in Jesus. Certainly their human nature was a factor, largely their inner denial of the reality of things to come for the Lord. I know daily I struggle to find some sense of what is happening in the world around us. The hurt, the frustration, the anger we all feel when something goes wrong, a tragedy occurs or we are so incredibly disappointed when someone makes a bad choice. What can we do to find restoration of our hope? It is in Jesus. We have sung about it, read about it, now let's live it! What a testimony for others who may be...

Another Monday, everything starts over again. Nothing gets your day going like kids dragging out of bed, running late from the get go, frantically getting what I can get done before heading to work and a few unexpected things thrown in the mix. I am a ball of stress right now cause some things in my life I feel are still unsettled. For about three years now I have been going through some form of mid life crisis. I love being a wife and mother more than anything, but some of our choices and life's unexpected curves have made that more challenging for me. I am at a point in my life that I must do something more to help us get back on our feet financially. Last year was a year of huge challenge for Ryan and I and so this year not only brings with it new starts, but the even greater challenge of climbing out of the previous year's challenges. We are faced with replacing an engine in one vehicle, then there is the job situation for me, repairing our credit/debt situation whic...

Mid afternoon is typically my favorite time of day because AJ is down for his nap, I can have a cup of tea and have some time to do what I would like whether it be reading, blogging, or catching a favorite show on A&E or Food Network. I am thankful for this time because it keeps me sane, keeps me balanced. In my quiet time this morning I read the familiar passage about the woman with the bleeding disorder who was healed by touching Jesus' robes. This has always been one of my favorite passages because of her faith, just to touch his robe and know she would be healed! She was fearful to reveal herself to him, but she knew who He was and what healing He could provide. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to look into his face and hear his words, "Your faith has healed you". Do you have faith like that? The Bible tells us we only need faith the size of a mustard seed, and mountains will be moved! In my lifetime I can already recall moments when I heard ab...

Leviticus 11:45 I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God. You must therefore be holy because I am holy. I have to admit having read through the Bible before, I am once again struggling to read portions of the Old Testament. It is difficult and tedious, very detailed. God was very specific about the set up of the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the offerings, the way the priests were to dress and carry out their duties in the tabernacle. The procedure for carrying out each type of offering is at times disgusting to read, but also very specific down to what parts of the animals are to be removed, burned and/or consumed. God gives specific instructions as to what is to be consumed and whether or not it is appropriate for His people. It is a lot of information for my mind to absorb, and hard to imagine what it was like to have to do it all. Thank goodness for Jesus or we would still be doing all of that today. I know there is meaning to ...

Psalm 37:16 It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and possess much. What is your definition of wealth? Happiness? Contentment? No matter the circumstances I have endured in my life this far, I have always counted myself wealthy in terms of the blessings God has given me. From as early as I can remember, I was never really interested in making a lot of money, having a huge house or fancy cars, being able to spend money on anything and everything I wanted. Material possessions never mattered much to me. I was raised to value hard work, taking care of myself in a way that is both pleasing and honorable to Christ, and always being mindful of how much I have to be thankful for. My parents instilled those values in me and it has carried to my children as I pass it along to them. I think the day we begin to get excited and gradually turn our values toward what we have accomplished or gained in this life is the day we have lost focus on what truly matters. There is...

Psalm 36:5-7 Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. I find it so amazing how simple but powerful God's love is for us. We make our troubles and circumstances seem so big and overwhelming, that it would seem God is not big enough to handle it. Here's truth: My struggles are big, but my God is bigger! I think sometimes in our lives when something terrible occurs, our mind somehow tricks us into thinking God must put us on hold because He has something bigger to deal with than what we are going through. Just because it is so difficult for us to deal with does not mean it is that way for God. I think in some way we make God less of who He is by doing that and somehow we think we can...

Today after my workout, I was thinking about some of the yummy stuff I enjoyed for Valentine's Day. Okay, let's be realistic--how do you get through Valentine's without something sweet to eat? It is not possible. I make sugar cookies and we decorate them every year, get the kids into it and it has become a family fun tradition. So of course, I indulged. I am finding as I get older, sugar is harder to resist and can even be addicitive. I have read more than one book that describes the way our bodies process sugars, and it is very interesting how our body is triggered into craving it. Today I am grouchy and want to eat something sweet and I know it is because of the sweet I enjoyed yesterday. I have quit carbonated drinks too, so I am sure my body is going to experience some form of withdrawal while I get on track from this point forward. On the other hand, I am thankful I am not in a situation where I have become morbidly obese and the work ahead of me would be so m...

Throughout the Bible there is a common theme I read over and over again. When we love the Lord and obey Him, we will be blessed abundantly. It seems like such a simple thing, but we tend to complicate it. Whether it is our worldly priorities or "spiritual" priorities, we are the ones who complicate it. Once again, our humanity gets in the way of God's true purpose for our lives. Live life fully, holy and pure, set apart, a vessel to be used for His purposes. We complicate it by developing unhealthy habits, addicitions, excuses of every kind. At some point our guilt and deep conviction snap us abruptly back to reality. As the Lent season has begun, I am considering deeply what I need to release from my life to be more pure, more of a clean and empty vessel truly ready for His purpose. My greatest struggle has always been with control. I like being in control, feeling like I know exactly what is going on, what to expect, plan everything out to the last detail and ...

So much to do today, so little time to blog. I read in my quiet time this morning the familiar passages leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. I am horrified every time I have read these passages as to how the Lord was treated by the very people He came to save. He had so much to teach them, really remind them of from Scriptures He literally, physically was fulfilling. Even the wisest, most knowledgeable teachers and priests refused to believe He was the Son of God. Was it too easy? Yes, I think they expected Him to come down in a huge show of ceremonial glory, robed in some fancy robes and a glittering crown upon His head. I think they were surprised because He came in such a natural, down to earth manner that everyone could relate to. Why? I don't know all the answers, but to me it seems our expectations of how something should be get in the way of simply being open to anything happening. We set ourselves up to be disappointed when we impose our own ideas upon something ...

I was thinking today I would love so much to get away, go on vacation to a place warm and relaxing. It is terribly cold, and we are getting a bit more snow. I have always loved the changing seasons, but winter can be particularly hard on me. I am like many people who suffer from some form of seasonal depression. Too many days without sunshine and my energy level and mood tend to take a dive. Thankfully I can find peace and revival in my quiet time each day. Today I read in the Old Testament about the offerings, the detailed preparation that went into each ceremony. God gave such specific instruction, what would please Him in what was given to Him. It was enough to leave my head spinning. I am so thankful we are not required to do all of that; Jesus' life has covered us and a commitment to Him brings us to eternal life. I am in awe every day because He has chosen me. He knew me before I was even a thought in my mother's mind. He knew me before time began. He knew w...

I read in my quiet time today a familiar passage about the woman who brought a jar of precious perfume to pour over Jesus' head. As he was present for a supper in the home of a leprous man named Simon, she enters and pours the bottle of perfume on Christ's head, annointing him with it. Jesus knew her intentions and did not stop her or berate her, yet the disciples questioned her and then Christ. He pointed out that she was doing so as if to prepare him for his burial, knowing His time was about to come. She had no shame, no hesitation and what an act of love she performed for the Lord. What will we give to Him as a sign of our obedience, our love for His precious gift of eternal life? Every year at the time of Passover I sacrifice something in my life, give up something I really enjoy to pause for true reflection upon what Christ did for me on the cross. For you it may be time to truly break a habit, an addiction you have carried for a long time or it may be a luxury tha...

I wonder sometimes if a person can fully appreciate, completely realize how blessed they are. We are all likely to face something tough in our lives, but how we endure those hard times shapes us into a better person. How we deal with those trials speaks truly of our faith, endurance, integrity and character. I have had some moments in my life that did not speak well of me. Some of it was due to a desire to rebel, my spirit was tired of the pressure, the expectations placed upon me. Other times, I think I handled better, and some of the people who witnessed my ability to endure hardship or a difficult situation were able to tell me how it effected them. I was given the opportunity to hear what impression I made on their lives which was a direct result of how my behavior spoke for me. In my quiet time today I read how much God desires for us to be wise and faithful with what we have been given. We have a choice, to hide it and selfishly keep it to ourselves or we can be selfless ...

How early does your day begin? A typical day for me starts with the alarm going off between 6:30 and 6:45. Today was no ordinary day. I had to work early, so my alarm went off at 5 am and my work day started at 6 am. After eight hours at work, I made a stop on the way home, then arrived home to find a bit of time to unwind before starting dinner and getting in my workout. I also made time for God, had my quiet time and thanked Him for his promises in His word to me today. No matter how my day goes, I can always count on God's word meeting my needs. There are things I enjoy doing in my life to find relaxation, balance and rejuvenation but first and foremost is my time with God. Some of my favorite things include reading a great book, enjoying a hot cup of tea and listening to a favorite cd. All those things are enjoyable, but nothing compares to time with my Lord.

I admit I am an impatient person. It doesn't show, in fact, most people say I come across as a very patient person. That's God--He provides that for me cause without Him I am certain I would be a very grouchy, short tempered person that most people would not enjoy being around. Yesterday in my quiet time I read about God's desire for us to love Him and love others, and today I read about how much He desires for us to be obedient and to honor Him in all we do. He laid out the rules for His people, requiring us to honor Him in everything we do and say. It must have been awesome and frightening to hear the voice of God and experience the things they did as He spoke. I wonder what the voice of God sounds like? For me, it has never been an audible voice, I would say it is more of a whisper in my spirit and movement within my heart in the form of deep conviction. I think it is different for every person. Yesterday was a hard day for me. I felt I was in a terrible battle...

I read in my quiet time this morning in Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus' words to the Pharisees: Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. Are we honoring those commandments in our lives everyday? How many times do we find ourselves in the line at the grocery store, waiting in a doctor's office, or stuck in traffic demonstrating these things? Most of us would answer not often. It is all too easy to get caught up in our own agendas, stuck in a bad mood cause things aren't going as we'd hoped that day and the grouch in us comes out. What would Jesus think of us then? Although it may take some effort on our part and not doing what comes naturally for our human nature, we most likely will feel some sense of relief to know we behaved in a manner that would please the Lord rather than disappoint him. I know it is som...

There is nothing like waking up to the earth covered in a blanket of snow. It makes me feel cozy, and it is nice to have a little more time to sleep in. The kids were thrilled that there is no school today. I wonder what the Israelites would have thought if they woke to snow one day? I am sure they would have been very surprised, wondering what on earth was going on. Not that much different from how they felt when Moses began leading them through the wilderness as God had told him. They actually told him they'd rather go back to Egypt and live as slaves than go any further into the unknown territory that lay before them. It is scary not knowing what lies ahead. To be in unfamiliar territory rather than our idea of comfort is enough to give us all second thoughts. But what about faith? That was Moses' question to the people, what about the God who had already performed such incredible miracles? The majority of us would admit we will believe more confidently in somethi...