I am starting a new small group for women on Wednesday nights at New Hope Church beginning May 11th .  God woke me up in the middle of the night a couple of months ago calling me to do this.  My heart is so burdened for women today.  There are many women who have not ever experienced the love of the Father and I long to be an example that draws them to Him.  What also burdens me deeply are those who have accepted God's love, but have no idea what they have inherited by choosing Him.  They have no idea of their value as a child of the King!  They have lived their lives so long "on their own," that they don't understand the freedom and the power they now have to have their own Creator guiding them through every step of their day.  They continue to take things into their own hands, struggling and fighting through life's daily issues that they face.
I want to encourage, help and teach women that by choosing Jesus, they are now a Princess!  They have far more worth than that of a life that depends on addictions and abuse.
As I am learning myself, I would love to help other women know how to face issues of work, motherhood, relationships, etc, with a confidence in who they are in Christ.
Not only have they been given the inheritance of the Kingdom of God, but they have also been given a responsibility as a Daughter of Christ.  They are called to live a life of holiness.  Not a word that seems very familiar these days. My heart's desire is to make this a very familiar word in  our community.  Can you imagine the impact we, as women, can have on those around us if we learn to face life head on with an attitude of Christ.  If those around us see holy characteristics oozing from every fiber of our being in the midst of life's temptations and trials!  Wow! 
I challenge you to pray about taking part in this group!  We will enjoy each other's company, have a time of praise & worship and dig in to what it means to live up to our value as a Princess! 
Please sign up in the worship center at New Hope or email me at marcikshirley@yahoo.com if you are interested in joining us!
I Corinthians 6:20 "You were bought with a price; therefore honor God with your life!"

What A Glorious Day!

As a mother, I always pray
for the salvation of my children and their growth in Jesus' way
As Derrick and I led them in the glorious prayer
we all held hands and wept having no other care!
My eyes filled with tears knowing it was the best decision they will make
Now I pray, Lord, that they will follow You with every step they take!
It was amazing to see them as they testified today
Their sweet little lives being on display
This walk of obedience that You've called us to
To let all men know that our old lives are made new!
They were baptized today, it's a day they'll never forget
And now I pray they'll never forget whom they represent!
My heart just wants to explode with joy
My babies, they've found You, and even they know You're better than any toy!

Many people who are dealing with infertility have been referred to my site in hopes to recieve comfort in some sort of way...if anything just to know that they are not alone.  I haven't written on adoption in a while, but I would love to tonight.
For those who are grieving and have a hole in your heart for the child that you so desperately desire to have, please have an open heart as you read this. 
I can't tell you how it breaks my heart to hear so many of my friends say, "But we just want to have a child of our own." Meanwhile, they continue to throw thousands of dollars away into failed invetros and their arms still remain empty, their hearts still continue to ache an undying pain, their bank account is empty causing a strain on their marriage and they just don't know if they can take it anymore.  It breaks my heart because I KNOW the blessing that they are missing out on!  When you adopt, those children ARE your own!  Having both adopted and biological children now, I can honestly say wtihout one ounce of hesitation that there is absolutely no difference in the love I share between the two!!!  As I struggled for 6 years with infertility I just couldn't understand why God was denying me the privilege to be the mother that I had always dreamed of being.  His plans were not going along with mine and I honestly had many wrestling matches with the Lord in trying to get Him to understand that!  Finally the Lord gently said to me, "Marci, I am not denying you the opportunity to be a mother, you are denying a child the opportunity to have a loving family!"  Wow!  I knew at that moment that God's plans were going to far exceed any of my small minded plans!  My eyes well up with tears as I think about my life without my boys that were given to me through a Faithful Father and through two loving birth mothers. 
Adoption is a risk in the way of never knowing if a birth mother will change her mind.  We have faced that gut wrentching experience, but I promise you that when God places the child in your arms that He intends for you, your life will never be the same and any pain that you have gone through in the past will be gone...just like giving birth!
My heart's desire is to walk beside anyone that is experiencing infertility.  It's indescribable the pain that you feel and unless you've been there, you can't understand it.  I will walk with you , my friend, no matter what your decisions or choices may be.  I just want you to pray about not denying a child who needs love to come be a part of your family!  It's incredible!

My husband, Derrick, and I were watching "Extreme Home Makeover" tonight and I told him that Ty Pennington had one of the best jobs in the world.  They take a family in need and build them a brand new home with all the bells and whistles! Truly more than they could ever imagine.  It's such a wonderful thing to do and it has to feel absolutely incredible to be able to help in such a huge way! I am a basket case every time I watch that show!  If ever I had the privilege to have money growing on trees, I would love to do this! 
As soon as I said those words to Derrick though, I thought...."No! I, as a Christ follower, have the best job in the world!"  What they do is wonderful and needed, but what they leave these families with are treasures that one day will be destroyed by moths and rust, or space for theives to break in and steal all their cool stuff.  I have something so much more amazing to offer!  And to top it off, it's the deal of the day....it's free!  Not provided by Sears or any other product producers, it's been paid for by your very own Creator!  He is offering a more abundant life!  A life that will always have the support of a King!  One that will NEVER leave you or forsake you...no matter what!  He offers a love that surpasses all understanding that's totally unconditional.  He offers healing, emotionally, physically and spiritually.  He offers strength to the weak, joy to the brokenhearted, peace to the stressed!  He is offering to be everything that you could ever need!  HOPE!
The great thing is, all that you have to do to recieve all these amazing gifts is choose to recieve them!  Just trust that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life!  It's that simple and as a Christ follower, I get to share this amazingly incredible news to everyone I come in contact with!  In my line of work, as a Christ follower, I get to see lives changed, marriages restored, addicts freed from bondage, baby's lives saved, families reunited, teens realize their value, men become head of their households and the spiritual leaders of their home, the selfish become selfless, the nay-sayers beome a positive role model, the homeless fed and clothed, the wealthy become givers instead of consumers...need I say more? 
What an exciting job we, as Christ followers, have!  Let's keep this in mind as we go into the world tomorrow!  We can put a smile on some faces as we share the love of Christ!  Let's keep in mind that our life goal is to say, "Welcome home, all you who are weary and heavy burdened."  And then let Jesus hand them the keys to His kingdom!

I humbly fall to my knees
As I think about all this season brings
Not just a beautiful tree or the presents beneath
Nor all the family that we get to see
Yes, these things are very nice
But nothing can compare to the ultimate sacrifice.
I can't even fathom giving my only child away.
Sending Him to earth where He would be born in the hay.
From heaven to a stable, how could this be?
Really?  God did this just for me?
The King, the Christ Child, the Messiah has arrived!
Jesus, my Creator, in flesh...he's alive!
He was not here to live the glorious life of a king
Instead you would see Him washing feet of sinners like me
He lived thirty-three years on this earth
Giving His life away
Until that one dreadful, yet glorious day
He was tortured and nailed to an old rugged cross
Feeling forsaken by His Father, His own will he had lost
He even screamed in agony as He hung on that tree.
Really?  God did this just for me?
Yes, God had the ultimate plan.
The plan to give His Son to man.
He knew that we would need a sacrifice to be free
Free from the bondage of sin, the only way to have peace.
He would have sent His Son if I were the only one this story to tell, 
but my friend, His son died for you as well!
I hope and pray this Christmas season
that You will find Jesus...for He is the reason!
The reason we celebrate His love and grace
It is for Him we sing of His unending love in this place!
Be free from your burdens, your bondages and your pain
Receive Christ today and proclaim Jesus' name!
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
For with the peace of Jesus....you may all sleep tight! 

I turned 39 a week ago today and had my first "concerned" doctors appointment this morning.  I went for a breast ultrasound because of some pain that I have been having for almost a year.  Honestly, I have put it off because I have always felt that if there was something wrong, I didn't want to know. I couldn't fathom thinking of my kids growing up without having me in their lives.  I would rather just go on to be with Jesus than to have to deal with knowing the inevitable. 
Over the last year I have had my dad diagnosed with kidney cancer, a dear friend just pass away with breast cancer, another childhood friend...a young mother of 4...diagnosed with colon cancer and several others that I know that are dealing with this terrible disease.  I have seen these friends and loved ones courageously face and fight this battle and it has been a true inspiration to me.  I still don't know if I could handle it with the grace that they have, but I know it encouraged me to go get checked!  I know that my Savior tells me that He will see me through anything, that in my weakness He is strong, that I can do all things with His strength.  I know that there is nothing I can't face with my Savior by my side.
So I went for this ultrasound, trying not to think the worst, but of course my natural human instincts kicked in and I kept having to rebuke my fear of the worst.  I prayed that God would give the radiologist complete wisdom to know if there was a serious issue or not so that I could just move foward one way or the other.  There was some mix up of which ultrasound tech was supposed to do my ultrasound and I just kept praying, "OK Lord, I'm trusting that You're putting me with the one I need to be with."  I think the tech that I ended up with could tell I was nervous, so afterwards she told me she was going to see if the radiologist could talk to me about it before he went to lunch.  When we were done, I waited as she went to talk to him and then she called me in and introduced me to doctor so and so and left the room.  My heart was pounding and I had a lump in my throat.  This is not the way it's supposed to happen.  My doctor is supposed to get the results tomorrow, they call me and tell me, and now this man I don't know is fixing to tell me some news I don't want to hear?  He was very kind and explained that he was not the doctor that was supposed to cover my case but that he would be happy to go over it with me.  So I have a swollen lymphnode under my arm.  He is assuming it is from nursing and thinks I need to have another ultrasound done in 3-6 months to make sure that it is shrinking and not growing.  He didn't seem too concerned for now so hopefully all is well.  But what if it wasn't?  Or what if, when my doctor calls tomorrow, she has a different outlook on it and takes a higher concern?
Bottom line, I am a child of God.  My life is in His hands.  My desire is to be around for many, many more years.  Not just to see my children grow up, but to see God's children grow up.  I want to be used in such a mighty way for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God that I beg Him to allow me this honor and privilege!  I want to be an example to women who have no hope, that with God, ALL things are possible.  I want to teach young women what it means to be a child of God and the value they have on their lives.  I want to be an instrument in leading people to the throne of God. 
For the friends and family that have dealt with and are dealing with cancer, your lives are such a testimony of God's overwhelming grace and strength.  Thank you for the inspiration that you have passed on to thousands of people!  I pray for you daily that God's strength will sustain you and that His healing hands will embrace you.  For those who have received ultimate healing and are present with the Lord....wow!  I can just envision you standing before your Creator for the first time!  As the song says, "I wouldn't ever want you to leave that place" but I pray for your families and those of us that are left behind to miss you terribly.  I pray that we will be encouraged to know that one day, we will see you again.

This has been an interesting year for me.  I took on the role of "Teacher" to my children.  This is something that I never thought that I would do.  Not because I don't enjoy having my children around me 24/7, but more because I am a by the book type of person.  I do things the way that they are normally done.  Get married, have kids, send them to school, get all my errands run, pick kids up, have dinner, bath time, bed time for kiddos then Mama/Daddy time.  This was the way that I was raised, this is the way that I thought it should be.  My sister-in-law has homeschooled her four boys all along and I was always so proud of her.  She has done a great job and I have always admired her, but never thought that it was my calling.  The more I prayed about the calling on my life as the mother of the children that God has blessed me with, I was convinced otherwise.  It is my calling to raise and nurture them in the admonition of Christ.  Deut. 6:5-7 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  Always remember these commands I give you today.  Teach them to your children and talk about them when you sit at home and walk along the road,when you lie down and when you get up."  I realized this year that I want to take advantage of every opportunity that I am given to teach my children about the amazing love of God.  I want to teach them in every aspect of their lives about loving the Lord with all of their heart, soul and strength and now I have an extra seven hours a day to do this! 
Things are going well.  We have our routine down and the kids seem to be doing great!  We have learned the seven continents and are traveling to each.  The picture is our continent cake!  We have "traveled" through North America, learning all the states in the US and some major ones in Canada and Mexico.  We then entered South America and did a large study on Brazil.  Now we are in the continent of Europe and are studying Norway.  The boys have one more lesson in their year curriculum of math so they will move on to the next level after making A's on most of their tests. Carmen is working on all second grade things instead of first.  I am very proud of each of them and I thank God for giving me this opportunity.  I see it as a very high calling and responsibility and am leaning on my Savior to give me the wisdom and strength that I need to fulfill this call.
The other role that is new for me this year is the role of being the lead pastor's wife.  Most of my and Derrick's marriage I have been a worship pastor's wife.  This was a role that was very familiar to me.  I was raised as a worship pastor's daughter, one of my passions is leading in worship and Derrick and I have always been very comfortable in this role.  God is stretching both of us and has blessed us with the opportunity to lead a wonderful group of people that we love so much and with them hope to reach the community which surrounds our church.  In the last six months we have seen God do some amazing things and I am honored to be a part!
So these are my new roles that I will grow in daily and pray that Jesus be glorified.  God has called you to a significant work and He will equip you to do it!  Will you be faithful and do it?