The Desert Pastor’s Wife from Standing For Truth has honored me with the I Love Your Blog Award.  I’m really clueless about awards but she even explained to me what to do, which was helpful.   One of my favorite quotes from her site is in the post Legalism versus Spiritual Discipline.

“Legalism says, “I have to do these things today otherwise God will be angry at me.”

Spiritual discipline says, “I love God so much that I don’t want to do anything that displeases Him. I want to change and become more like the Lord Jesus Christ!”” 

She and her husband both have websites.  His are The Desert Pastor and Defending. Contending. I have especially liked his Biblical Worship in Marriage! series and his Music – The Golden Calf.

When I checked out the blog from where she received the award, lightinearthenvessels, I was surprised that it was from a mom here in Alabama and within a couple of hours from here.  It is interesting how things like that work out, meet a pastor’s wife in the desert and then through her meet someone relatively nearby.

Deciding how to pass it along is challenging:

It has a definite feminine look to it so I could probably rule out all the blogs done by males and / or predominantly males.

The order that these are in is the order in which I “met” each of them.  All but Gina at Chats With “an old lady” have first commented on my website before I got to know them and their sites so we are all relatively new to each other.  We may not see eye to eye on everything but for the most part we do and I have also been challenged to serve the Lord by living a more holy and thoughtful life.

~ Gina at Chats With “an old lady” – She has a ministry particularly to young teens and college age women on a college campus.  She often shares about the perspective from younger eyes as she is a Titus 2 woman to many that are far away from home and often far from the Lord.  I’ve been reading her site off and on for a year.  Often she will challenge me to more holy living.

~ Sandra (Blackberry Cottage) is in New Zealand at WatercolourDreams was my first commenter on my new website.  Turns out she has several children and homeschools also.  I have enjoyed reading her posts and quotes, especially those from a bygone era when preachers would still preach.

~ Perla in Mexico at Las 5 Solas I met through Isaiah’s Word And Verse.  I have enjoyed getting to know her and emailing with her, her English and spelling is better than mine is.  Now I know where to send Spanish-speaking friends to get the true gospel and not have to worry about Catholicism.  Please pray for her and her family.  Mexico is suffering from some seriously heinous crimes and kidnappings that keeps everyone on edge.

~ Ij at Channel of Healing gives me a glimpse into life in Nigeria and she often points out areas of Christian persecution throughout the world while we in the US worry about finding parking places and the temperature of the church.  She is so full of enthusiasm for serving the Lord and is always a personal source of encouragement.

~ Amy (Mother of Many) at Blessed Motherhood has several foster and adoptive children with seven of them being permanent children.  I cannot imagine parenting so many with the number of children changing and with children in and out of the household.  Nevertheless, she strives to love each one with the Father’s love no matter the amount of time she has them.

~ Bren from Pieces From Me is another adoptive momma and you really must read about how the Lord blessed her with her two youngest children, even when having no plans to adopt.  She makes the most beautiful quilts that fill her home with cozy warmth and she shares her home management binder ideas to help with organization.

~ Kelli at The Land of Boys is not too far away from me.  She is very recent but I love her OPEN LETTER TO MOTHERS OF DAUGHTERS and you gotta love someone who as a mom in Alabama would send an email to Joel Osteen’s church asking about his stance on sin.  Sounds like something I would think about doing.

This was way too hard and challenging.  Did you know how painful an award could be?  I had to work harder on this than some Bible studies!  I didn’t want to leave hurt any feelings nor misrepresent anyone.  Hope you enjoyed “meeting” each of these ladies.