The Courage To Face Life's Trials

You should always approach life's trials through four steps:

Be aware of God's presence.

He promised to be with us wherever we go, and it is out of Himself--out of sheer Truth--that He speaks. Former pastor Dr. Henry Blackaby states in Experiencing God that "God speaks to you through His Holy Spirit, the Bible, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways."

Draw from God's strength.

In 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, the apostle Paul explains how he had learned to be contentin whatever state he encountered because the Lord had told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

Yield to His purpose.

If you believe God is sovereign--and as a Christian you must--then you know that nothing is happenstance. He has a reason for everything.

Meditate on His Word.

If you're seeking answers, open the Bible and let the Lord tell you that you've come to the right place.


No matter what comes against us, trust in the LORD, have courage and he will give us the strength you need to get through the trials and tribulations we all face and help you understand the purpose of the trial.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Kelly's Thrifty Tips

Free learning has been my focus this month, and I am capping it all off with some free college education. Yes! It is totally true. There are some full scholarship schools out there. Check it out!

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City has programs in Art, Architecture, and Engineering. Their merit based scholarships are full scholarships for all their enrolled students.

Webb Institute in Glen Cove, New York was named to the Princeton Review's list of 50 "Best Value" Private Colleges for 2009. Their major is Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Students live and study on the shores of Long Island Sound.

F.W. Olin College of Engineering is located in Needham, Massachusetts. It has been around since 2002, and every student receives a scholarship for four years valued at $80,000! Not to shabby at all. The student to teacher ratio is 9 to 1! Nice!

If music is your child's thing, you might want to check out the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. The Curtis Institute of Music is one of the world's leading music schools and offers merit based full-tuition scholarships to the college. Competition is high as they only accept about 160 students a year apparently even more competitive than Juliard. The education is very individualized.

Berea College in Kentucky is a liberal arts college where students work on campus instead of paying tuition. The work study is mandatory. All students are awarded a four year tuition scholarship.

Deep Springs College is a two-year college whose two-year scholarship is valued at $50,000. It is very prestigious and highly competitive as they only accept about 10 to 15 students a year. This is a male only college located in California on a cattle ranch and alfalfa farm. The students often transfer to very high profile schools upon completion of their two year program.

College of the Ozarks is in Missouri and is another college where tuition is taken care of through work programs. It is a conservative and Christian college. Their focus is also on students with financial need and specifically in the Ozarks area, though they will accept students from outside that area, but priority is given to those students from the area first.

A college with a similar goal for providing a higher education for the students with lower income is Alice Lloyd College in Kentucky. Tuition is guaranteed to full-time students residing in Alice Lloyd College’s 108-county Central Appalachian service area and their mission is to educate mountain people for positions of leadership(from the college website).

Okay...so here in Arizona, your child would not qualify for the two colleges above, but considering how many of us have moved here from elsewhere, you might want to share this information with someone who might qualify.


United States Military Academy in West Point, New York Tuition again is free, but there is a service requirement upon graduation. This is a wonderful school and a fabulous opportunity, but not one to be taken lightly. From the website: A West Point cadetship includes a fully funded four-year college education. Tuition, room, board, medical and dental care are provided by the U.S. Army. As members of the Armed Forces, cadets also receive an annual salary of more than $6,500. This pay covers the cost of uniforms, books, a personal computer, and living incidentals. By law, graduates of West Point are appointed on active duty as commissioned officers and serve in the U.S. Army for a minimum of five years.

Lastly, Harvard has many scholarship opportunities but in particular, they have something pretty cool in that they will waive the parental contribution for families who earn less than $60,000 and home equity will no longer be considered a resource when determining family contribution. Check out the info here: Harvard - Financial Aid Office I am not saying Harvard is free. I am saying, it could be doable.



GROCERY DEALS

There are a lot of really great deals out there. If you haven't checked out your flier be sure to do so. Also don't forget that many stores also have their fliers online for you to go through and even print out a shopping list. I will have those links in the store name.

SAFEWAY
All coupons are worth at least a $1.00 for a limited time.

-- Boneless Pork Sirloin Chops $1.69
-- 3 pound bag of California Clementines $2.47
-- Flier coupon -- Doritos 11.5 to 13 oz for 99 cents (limit 5)

ALBERTSONS

-- Boneless skinless chicken breasts $1.57 a pound
-- Red, green or romaine 10/$10
-- 12 packs of Coke products four for $10

FRY'S

Huge sale for when you buy 10 items you get $5 off. There are a bunch of them so you really want to check the flier, but here are some examples:


BUY 10 SAVE $5
-- Kraft shredded or bar cheese 5.8 to 8 oz 1.49 each
-- Hunt's or Rotel 10-14.5 oz 49 cents each
-- Kraft Deluxe or Velveeta Shells and Cheese 10-14 oz 99 cents each
-- Capri Sun or Kool-Aid Jammers $1.49 each
-- Nabisco Snack Crackers $1.88 each

There are a lot more so check out that flier!

Also fries has yummy fresh blueberries in 6 ounce containers for $1.00 each (limit 4)

That is all I can fit in right now. Got to make some phone calls.

More to come!!!!!

ONE ON ONE TALKING POINTS - JAN 27

ONE ON ONE TALKING POINTS

Taken from john 14:27

While the world is busy with its "peace talks" and "peace conferences," hearts of individuals are confused and frustrated as they seek what they desperately hope will bring peace. Both men and nations are looking in the wrong place and for the wrong thing.

What is peace? If you were asked to define it, what would be your definition? Perhaps you would say, "Peace is what one has when everything is running smoothly, when things seem to be going my way and there are no trials or problems to give me a moment's concern." We think we have peace when the family finances are stable and when we are in good health.

Even though we may be peaceful when everything is ideal, this is not real peace. We recognize all too well that we are not able to maintain these conditions by our own power. Circumstances are often beyond our control, and there is uncertainty because our whole situation may be shaken overnight. Then what happens to our "peace"?

This surface "peace" depends upon circumstances. God has promised us something much better. He offers us an inner rest that remains unshaken regardless of circumstances— completely opposite to what the world calls peace. We see this in John 14:27 where Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Did you notice the contrast? His peace is not the same peace that the world offers. He says, the kind of peace that I give keeps your heart from being troubled and keeps your heart from being afraid. He didn't say it would be a matter of having no problems, because we see in many places in the Scriptures, that trials will come our way. Those who have trusted Christ as Saviour still have problems, but we have One to whom we may bring them. This is how God's peace contrasts with what the world has to offer— the world gives tranquilizers, God gives us grace.

And God's peace (be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace) which transcends all understanding, shall garrison and mount guards over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.— Phil. 4:7 (Amplified)

This peace that comes from God is the kind that the world cannot understand. They look on the situations in our lives and wonder why we haven't come unglued. They, and even we, can't understand, because this is not a natural kind of peace. This is a peace from God. It is supernatural.

Peace is not just the absence of problems, but it is knowing what to do with whatever may come into one's life. It is knowing that every situation and every area of our lives are in God's competent hands. It is a matter of believing that the One to whom I have committed them has the answer, and that He has the power to bring it about. Peace comes from utter trust in Him, and His ability to bring me through. It is not my ability to close my eyes to this problem and pretend that it will go away, or to weather it with gritted teeth and with a stoical attitude. Peace, is knowing that God cannot fail. Here are some of the reasons why.

God Knows / But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.— Job 23:10

The Lord knows all about what's going on inside us. Sometimes just a deep depression. Sometimes you're not even able to put your finger on it and diagnose it yourself, but He says I know all about that. Because He knows everything there is to know about us. He knows our every thought. He knows everything that we do, our mistakes and sins. He knows us much better than we know ourselves. The amazing thing is that He loves us in spite of what we are.

God Cares / Casting the whole of our care— all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all— on Him: for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully.— I Peter 5:7 (Amplified) What an invitation! Can you ask for more? Bring your problems to Him, because He cares. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Are you heavy laden? Have you ever been? Where do you go? Jesus says come to me— I'll give you rest.

GOD IS ABLE / Not only does He know and care, but He is able. We may have many friends who know our problems and they care, but this is where they fall short— they are not able. They haven't the power no matter how much they would like to bring us through. They just do not have the ability. The Lord is the one with the power and the ability to deliver us. How able is He? Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.— Ephesians 3:20

This is the Peace everyone is looking for and this Truth comes with a Promise. Our Lord Jesus is our Shepherd through thick and thin, joy and sorrow, health and sickness, success and failure, life and death. Call on His Name now and receive His unspeakable Peace. Please e-mail me with your questions or comments at steve@radioshine.org

Kelly's Thrifty Tips

Man oh man! I have to say that this week is not really a great week at the grocery stores. There were a few good deals. Hopefully, you are stocking up on the best deals when they are out there. This is a week that reminds me of why I shop the bargains when I see them and stock them up for leaner shopping weeks. Still, there are a few pretty good deals to share. Today I am starting with my grocery top picks.

Safeway - Remember all coupons are still worth a dollar. I do not know how long that is going to last so be sure to cash in on it while you can.

-- Honey Suckle White Whole Turkey Breast - 99 cents a pound (I am learning to work with all dark meat in my poultry, but back in the day, I would have jumped for this)
-- Broccoli Crowns - 99 cents a pound
-- Yellow Onions 3 pounds for 99 cents

Fry's

-- Quaker Instant or Simple Harvest Oatmeal $1.88 (A dollar printable coupon found here - Thanks to For the Mommas)
-- Boneless Half Pork Loin $1.77 pound
-- Cook's Spiral Half Ham 99 cents a pound

Albertsons

-- Pork Sirloin Chops $1.99 a pound
-- Zucchini 69 cents a pound
-- If you need to stock up on cereal, syrup, granola bars and pancake mix, you will want to check out the deal at Albertsons for several Quaker and Aunt Jemima products.

Buy 7 and each will be $1.88
Aunt Jemima Syrup
Aunt Jemima Complete
Aunt Jemima Buttermilk
Quaker Oatmeal Squares
Quaker Quick Oats
Quaker Instant Oatmeal
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars
Quaker Life Cereal

(Look about online, because you might find more printables)

Don't forget to load up your Cell Fire and Shortcuts.com!

FREEBIES!!!!

Cream of Wheat - If you like a quick instant hot breakfast, Cream of Wheat is your answer. Well...at least the freebie is. Pick the flavor you would like to try.

LINK: Cream of Wheat

FREE MUSIC

Free CCM has downloads currently for Building 429 "Not Gonna Let You Down" and Disciple's "Southern Hospitality."

iTickets.com has a free download of Above the Golden State's song "The Golden Rule."


FREE COUPONS!!!!

I love Betty Crocker's newsletters, I love Betty Crocker's products, and I love their coupon books. There is a new $10 coupon book making the rounds. All you have to do is click on the link and sign up for one of their newsletter deals. Too easy!

Link: Betty Crocker $10 Coupon Book

Thanks to fabulous blogger STL Mommy for this heads up!

FREE EDUCATION

And on to FREE EDUCATION or what I like to refer to as 2010 Self Improvement. It has been one of my goals. You aren't going to get a degree with these education freebies, but you definitely will learn something.

Check out some of the free online education you can get from University of Washington. The website does state that these are courses provided for personal enrichment. Here are a few free courses they offer:

The American Civil War
Energy, Diet & Weight
Hamlet
HTML Basics

This one site had me busy for a while. You can learn some American Sign Language with help from Michigan State University and their American Sign Language browser. They have some awesome free resources! Simply click on Take Me To the ASL Browser. When there, click on the words and watch the recording to learn the signs for those words. It gave me a download option, but rather than dowloading anything, I simply clicked on the link that said "view larger sign language videos on Signing Savvy."

Lastly, you can check out the free Christian based education at Christiancourses.com from RBC Ministries. They have free courses like Old and New Testament Survey, Know Why You Believe, and Christian Apologetics.


Even if you aren't getting college credit, it is so good to always keep learning. Have a wonderful week!

What does the Bible say about asking?

What does the Bible say about asking?

I recently did a bible study to find out what the Bible says about asking. I was very encouraged when I saw all of the verses about asking next to each other. God really does want us to ask Him for things! There are a few pre-requisites mentioned, but for the most part we have not because we ask not! Let’s make sure we keep all in context.


How to Ask God For Help In Times of Need

Asking God for help isn't always easy. It all depends on your faith, how much you rely on God, and how much you believe in him. During times of need, we sometimes lose faith in ourselves, others, and God himself. It's important to remember that God loves us and wants only good for us in order to believe he can and will help us. Here are some tips for asking God for help when times are tough and you need support to help you get through.

1. Step 1

Believe in God and have faith that he's with you. The first step in asking God to help in hard times is to have faith in him and his abilities. You must believe that God is there for you and has the ability to help you through this tough time in your life. If you do not believe, you will not receive his guidance. No matter how hard things are right now, you must find some optimism and belief in order to succeed past this hardship. God will help if you truly believe and let him in.

2. Step 2

Speak to God and talk to him of your trouble. God is always listening and wants to help us make our lives better. When times are hard, he is there guiding us through to an happier way. Pray to God and ask him for his guidance. Tell him that you need help because you are no longer able to do this alone. God will listen and help you. He may not do exactly as you wish because God has his own plan for us, but he will ease your troubles if you allow him to do so by asking his help.

3. Step 3

Attend church and become closer to God. God helps those who help themselves first by finding their way to him. People who go to church admit to having a closer relationship with God. They find that their faith is stronger, their prayers are answered quicker, and they feel support from everywhere. Many people I know who attend church, never feel alone. They always have a close bond with God and with others who believe in God. Going to church can help you learn of God's amazing ways and how to talk to God to receive his help in your life.

4. Step 4

Read the Bible to find God's wisdom. God's words are powerful words and can help us through the darkest days. Reading the Bible can help you to find peace in your troubles by relating events in your life to events in the days of the Bible. God tells us how to handle our lives through scriptures in the Bible and can help us to get past tough times with his wisdom. If you don't understand what you read in the Bible, look online for explanation of scriptures to help.

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Matthew 7:7-11 (NKJV)
7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 For what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV)
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

John 14:13-14 (NKJV)
13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Ephesians 1:17

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.


New International Version

James 1:5 (NKJV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Kelly's Thrifty Tips

I will be back with more to post, but I thought I would give you a link to one of the items I will talk about today. I am really focusing on learning this month, and I was stoked when I found that Amazon has lessons on their videos on demand section. You can watch them online from the comfort of your computer. They also have a special converter to watch on your television, but that isn't what this is about. I found a series for learning how to play the guitar. Totally free. Well...season one and season two are free. I do not know how long this will remain free. The cool thing is you can get it now and it will save to your Video on Demand Library. That is what I did last week.


LINKS: Beginning Guitar 101: Season 1 (First Chords)

Beginning Guitar 101: Season 2 (Strumming)

Beware of Credit Card Traps in 2010

Within weeks the final provisions of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act will be in effect. Click here to find out 6 credit card traps to avoid falling into.