Giveaway Winner!

Hey girls!
The winner of the oh so fabulous book Start Here, and $10 to her store of choice is....

Samarah!

Yay! :)

We will be getting in touch with you as soon as we can. :) Be thinking about where you want that $10 from...

Thank you for all you guys who entered!

---

“When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

~Psalm 118:5-6

Giveaway ends- tomorrow!

Hey girls! (:
Don't forget that our giveaway ends tomorrow, 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). Spread the word! (: The winner will be anounced on Tuesday.
Have a wonderful evening!

Happy 2011!!!

Happy New Year!! How do you like new template?
In honor of the new year, and the new changes here at iheart, we are having a giveaway!
I'm sure most of you have heard of the Harris boys, Alex and Brett, and probably even read their book, Do Hard Things.
We are giving away the sequel to Do Hard Things, Start Here. If you haven't read it already, it is an inspiring book that leaves you motivated to get out and do something great for Christ.
In addition to this awesome book, we are also giving away $10 to a store of your choice!
To enter, leave a comment below telling us something random about yourself! :) Don't forget to leave your email so we have a way to contact you when your name is chosen.

Additional entries:

• Post about this giveaway along with a link back to iheart!
  Comment below with a link to your post.

Winner will be chosen on January 10th using random.org.

Good luck!! :)

Check back soon!

Hey girls,
I know you've probably read a lot about a new template and such and we have some good news! On 12:01am (Central Standard Time) New Year's Day we will be releasing a new template including different pages along with a giveaway! :) Becky, Madi, and I are very excited to start off the New Year with some great changes, and we hope and pray that this will help us reach many more people. Have a wonderful day enjoying salvation in our Savior!

In His Love,
Jessica

Resource Suggestions!

Hey girls, :)
We are looking for some suggestions! Hopefully, on New Year's Eve 2010 we will be releasing whole new template along with some other exciting things. One of our pages is going to be a resources page where we will collect a whole slew of Christian resources: books, music, magazines, blogs, modest fashion, etc.
If you have any suggestions leave a comment or email us letting us know.

Have a wonderful day!

~Becky, Madison, & Jessica

Check out our new blog button!

<center><a href="http://iheartministry.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="iheart Ministry" src="http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee463/iheartministry/button-2-1-1.jpg" /></a></center>

What do you think?

The low down, the what's-what, the dealio.

At lot has been going on here at iheart. We are all in the midst of praying and seeking God's will and His next steps for our ministry.
There will be a new template up shortly, however this will not be the finished product. We are hard at work on a custom template to give the blog a fresh new look and better suit our needs.
Above all, we need YOUR thoughts!

If you have just a few minutes, please shoot us an email (iheartministry@yahoo.com) and answer a few quick questions.

How can we better serve you? How could you get more out of iheart?

What could we do better in terms connecting more with our readers, leaving comments, etc?

What topics would you like us to post about?

Please add any other thoughts! We would love to hear them!

~Becky, on behalf of iheartministry

Hey girls!
We just wanted to give you a heads up that we will be gone for the next week!
We will be back on Monday, June 21. (:
Have a fabulous week!

iheartministry

Happy Birthday Madison!!

Today is Madison's birthday!! :)

As I'm sure you all can tell, Madison is a wonderful young women who radiates God's light in everything she does. She is a such a special friend who always has something kind and encouraging to say and is full of happiness and smiles! She would be thrilled if you all left her a birthday note letting her know how appreciated she is.
I love you Madi, hope you have a wonderful day!

Your Sister in Christ,
Jessica

Mother/Daughter Quiz

Girls, print out this page and ask your mom to answer the questions on another piece of paper.

1. If you could choose any historical period for our family to live in, what would you choose and why?

2. What’s the toughest thing about being a mom?

3. If you could write a book about our family, what would you title it?

4. How can I make your life easier?

5. What people skills do you see in me?

6. What will make me a great wife someday?

7. What do you most admire about me?

8. What’s one of your favorite teen memories?

9. What’s your favorite gift received from me?

10. If you were my age right now—and we weren’t related—would you select me to be your friend? Why or why not?

11. One more question (Girls, this is your choice; ask what you want.):

Girls, answer the following questions and share them with your mom.

1. What’s your favorite thing to eat that your mom cooks?

2. What do you wish your mom cooked more often?

3. What’s your favorite room in your house and why?

4. How can your mom make your life better?

5. What’s your favorite memory of your family?

6. What do you love most about your relationship with mom?

7. What frustrates you regarding your relationship with mom?

8. What are three characteristics you want in your future husband?

9. What qualities from your mom’s marriage do you want in your future marriage?

10. If you could take your family on an all-expenses-paid vacation, where would you go and why?

11. One more question (Girls, let your mom write this last question for you to answer.)

Love in Christ,
Katherine

Prayer Request

Hi there! I was wondering if you could pray for me. It seems that every day my life just seems to become more complicated and theres just so much pressure on me right now!! O and I'm sick! ugh. lol. But currently I'm trying to just give it all to God. Anyways your prayers are greatly appreciated!

Thanks.
Katherine :)

The Luminous Box

I was listening to this sermon the other day and the pastor used this story as an illustration. I found it interesting and thought I’d share:

A couple went to France on vacation one year and bought a box from a shop. The storekeeper told them that when placed in the dark the box lit up. That night the couple put the box in the dark and nothing happened. They returned to their native country and had a friend, who could read French, read the instructions to them. It said that as long as you put the box in the sun in the daylight the box would light up at night. The couple did as the instructions said and that night the box shone beautifully.

Now you may ask me, “What does that have to do with anything?”
Well, metaphorically, we’re the box and God’s the sun and we need to bask in God’s light, in his wisdom. We need to absorb what he has to teach us through his Word in order to shine in the darkness. And I know, for a fact, that I have a lot to learn.

"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” –Joshua 1:7; 8

Your Sister in Christ,
~Katherine~

The Chocolate/Pecan Pretzel Turtles/Sandwiches

What You'll Need:
1 Bag of Pecans (optional)
1 Bag of Pretzels (the traditional twist kind)
1 Bag of Rolo Chocolate & Caramel Candy
Paper Plates (OR any kind of microwavable plate)
Microwave
Refrigerator/Freezer

Instructions:
First, place 10 pretzels on a paper plate. Then, remove the aluminum wrapper off of 10 Rolos place one on top of each pretzel. Next, put the plate in the microwave for 27 seconds (or until the Rolos are melted, but the caramel is still inside). Now, place the pecans on top of all of the Rolos OR if you are allergic to Pecans (like I am) place another pretzel on top of each Rolo. Finally, place plates in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or until hard). If you'd like for them to be done quicker, they can be put in the freezer.

Makes: About 5 servings (10 turtles/sandwiches per person)

Enjoy, and let me know if you liked them!

-Courtney S.-

Rejoice!

Good morning, girlies!
I pray that you are all well. As I sit here on my computer and look out at the gorgeous sun that's streaming through my window, I can't help but think of Psalm 118:24 which says, This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

So, as you go through your day, may you rejoice in the Lord and remember that HE made today. Even when things don't go your way!

-Courtney

An Answer to Prayer!!

Last week I ran into my old Sunday school teacher, Vicki. It had been months since I had last seen her and she greeted me with a warm hug. I asked her how she was doing and what had been happening in her life lately and she told me about her 2 month old son, Cannon.

"Why was this such a shock?" You ask.

Well late last year and early this year I posted a few prayer requests on iHeart about this lovely woman and how she had, had surgery. There was a small chance that the surgery would go terribly wrong and, sadly, Vicki was apart of the meager percentage. She spent an entire night in, by far, the worst pain she’s ever been in. She quoted scripture all night. One of her favorite at the time being “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Anyways after that night she lost feeling in her left side. It had been a hope of hers to adopt a child but wouldn’t have been able to until her left side healed. I’ve been praying for her for months and just when I started to loose hope God pulls another one of his amazing miracles!

Your Sister in Christ,
Katherine

The Light in the Darkness

Over the passed couple days, I’ve been completely immersed in a new release from one of my favorite Christian authors. Here is my favorite quote from the book so far:

“You know, I think the best thing I learned this year was when I helped to put the strings of lights around the palm tress on upper campus… What I learned was that light transforms darkness. The first time we hit that On switch, I couldn’t believe how much difference a little touch of light made in the middle of all that darkness. We’re all a bunch of small light bulbs, you know? We just hang there, and when God’s power comes on, it’s amazing. The darkness is transformed. Especially when we stay connected to each other.” –Eli Lorenzo, “Coming Attractions”

When Eli finishes his declaration, the antagonist, Katie, begins to ponder, “Could it be that simple? We just stay connected, and God is that one who flips On switch with all the power?”

You know, I do believe that it can be that simple. In Psalms 119:105 it says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” All we have to do is stay connected to God and he’ll show us the way. And I hope and pray that iHeart accomplishes what was written in those last two sentences: “The darkness is transformed. Especially when we stay connected to each other.”

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”-Galatians 3:28

God bless!
~Katherine~

"Touching" the Stars

“It’s your turn.” I said as I passed, my best friend, Bethany, the crooked stick. “You touch a star.”
“Okay.” Bethany said as she grasped the stick out of my hand. “I’ll touch that one.”
“That one?” I said pointing to a particularly bright star.
“Yes, that one.”
As we laid upside down on that slanted hill that evening “touching” stars, I was only reminded once again how much beauty God filled this world with for us to enjoy. And simply, how privileged I was.
You know, sometimes we get so caught up with what we have to do in our daily lives that we forget about simple things like “touching” stars. Today I challenge you to just take a deep breath and just enjoy the beauty that God has bestowed upon us.


~Katherine

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
What is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
-Psalms 8:3; 4

Why?

Here’s My Question: Why is God allowing this to happen to me?
Has this question ever passed your mind? It’s passed mine. I’ve often wondered why God “allowed” bad things to happen to such nice people. Hopefully the quote bellow will explain it better than I can.

My daughter “could fall down and hurt herself, even if I'm walking right there beside her. That doesn't mean that I allowed it to happen. She knows, as far as unconditional love, I'll pick her up and I'll carry her. I'll try to heal her. I'll cry when she cries. And I'll rejoice when she is well. In all the moments of my life, God has been right there beside me. The truth of God's love is not that he allows bad things to happen. It's His promise that he'll be there with us when they do.” –Clark Davis, Love Comes Softly

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” –Romans 5:8

Your Sister in Christ,
Katherine

Sorry!

Hi girls. Please, forgive us for failing to do one very important thing- introduce ourselves! We are three girls (Madison, Becky, and Jessica) striving to honor God not only with this blog but in everything we do. We all enjoy music, hanging out with friends, and growing in God's word. We hope that through upcoming posts you will be able to get to know us a little better and build relationships with us. If you would like to talk to us or get to know someone a little better, please feel free to contact us by email: iheartministry@yahoo.com. We would love to talk with you! Hope you have a great summer!

A Dailybide devo I'd like to share

Hey Girls,
I got this devotional sent to my email from Dailybide/3Story (you can check them out by clicking here


19 Jun, 2009
"Mommy! Daddy Called Me Princess!"

This week our daughter, Hannah, turned 10. One of the big birthdays - double-digits now. As I look back on the last ten years, there is one special night that God used to remind me of the power of our words toward others. Allow me to share my personal journal entry from that night, when our little girl was barely two-years-old, with you today ...

"Mommy! Daddy called me Princess!"
I will never forget those words for as long as I live. Tonight, as we were reading to our kids, we changed our normal routine. Hannah didn't like the change at all. She wouldn't let me even touch her at first, as we snuggled up for story-time. Finally, she let me rub her cheek a little. After a few books we headed to brush her teeth. I had to carry her, kicking and screaming into the bathroom. The tears were really flowing by now. When we finally finished the battle of brushing teeth, she grabbed my hands to jump down from the stool, as she always does. Only this time, as she hopped down, I simply said, "Let's go, Princess!" By the time she took three steps to the door, she sprang into a gallop and said, with a sparkle in her eye, "Mommy! Daddy called me Princess!"
It was a simple affirmation, but it changed the world of a two-year-old little girl. As we climbed into bed for one last Bible story, the sparkle was still in Hannah's eyes as she smiled and said it one more time, "Daddy called me Princess!"

-->Galatians 4:4-7 (The Message)
But when the time arrived that was set
by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the
conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been
kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful
heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own
children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out,
"Papa! Father!" Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it
plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also
an heir, with complete access to the inheritance. -->

What does today's God's Story Scripture teach us about encouraging others?

Isn't it amazing to know that the Creator of the universe has adopted us as his own and calls us his heirs, his children. He is the King of the Kingdom, we are his, therefore, we are as princes and princesses in his eyes! In our deepest, darkest moments, we can hold on to that truth and be encouraged.
We can also reach out to other followers of Christ in their times of discouragement and remind them of their place in the Kingdom.
Finally, we can share this amazing encouragement with those who aren't following Jesus, letting them know what a privilege it is to be an heir of God!

-->How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?

Take some time alone today and soak in the truth that you have been adopted into God's family as one of his own.

Thank God that you are a child of the King of kings.

Call up a friend who follows Jesus, get together with them and talk about what it means to be a prince or princess in the Kingdom.

-->How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture and our story to others?

Find someone today who follows Jesus, but seems a little discouraged. Share some encouraging words with them and remind them that they are a prince or princess in God's eyes.

Find someone today who isn't following Jesus. Ask their permission to share your story and what it means to you that you are a prince or princess.

Do something special for that same person to encourage them with your actions, and not just your words.


I hope you guys enjoyed this!

~Courtney S.~