Conquerors Conference 2014 Preaching!!!!

I wanted to take a moment and do a separate blog post from the post I will be doing about Conqueror's Conference!!! The preaching this year was ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING!!! Its amazing to me to think that God would take a WHOLE conference and tailor fit it to EXACTLEY what I was needing to hear at that moment!!! Isn't God just sooooooooo GOOD to spoil us like that??? Without the minister's talking about it amongst themselves, each and every message followed the preceding message before it. It started out really simple and basic and got deeper and deeper with each message but still in the SAME theme. It was truly AWESOME!!!

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The first message was Defining Moments by Bro. Abbott, talking about going through just drifting through life to those defining moments that change you so that God can use you. During alter call they had Bro. Garrett sing, "When God unfolds The Rose" which was a perfect alter call song for that message annnnnnd I LOOOOOOVE that song!!!

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The next morning Bro. Starr preached a message called, Hidden Amongst The Stuff. This message was about how King Saul was found amongst the stuff and how he was a nobody but God found him and anointed him. But because he NEVER let go of THE STUFF in his life, despite the anointing he died away from God. There is "STUFF" that we've get to let go of and clear OUT of our lives so that we can be used of God the way he wants us to be!!!

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That night Bro. Connor preached a message called, "We Need A 21st Century Esther And Samuel" I want to be what he talks about in this message. I want to be, "A good, Godly woman of conviction and prayer!" I want to be bound by righteousness! I want a heart that's desire is to be pleasing to the king! A Heart that says, "Here Am I Lord!"

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Friday morning Bro. Starr preached a message called, "A Sundae is NOT a Sundae without a Cherry on top!" this message in of itself was definitely the one that spoke to me the most. Not that the other's didn't speak to me, its just that this message was RIGHT where I'm at and also it answered my prayer's to LITERALLY the things that I was asking God to confirm to me that morning in pre-service prayer...I really don't even have to words to summarize this message...soooo JUST LISTEN TO IT!!! Buuuuuuut really, how did he get ALL THAT, from a CHERRY??? Its sooooo AWESOME!!!!!

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Friday night Bro. Garrett preached a message called, "From Promise To Insignificance." It was obvious from the very beginning that he came with a very heavy burden on his heart. He talked about about how our fellowship impacts our lives and how God uses us. It was pretty amazing how this message all came from one scripture,^"The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar." (Genesis: 19:23)  I had ABSOLUTELY noooo clue where he was going with that scripture...He talked about how Lot had the promise an blessings on his life but because of the fellowship he chose, his life ended in insignificance. And altho we don't that he turned his heart away from God, his life never amounted to anything, it was insignificant, ALL because of the FELLOWSHIP he chose to have!!!

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I would say that there was a definite theme of, Answering the Call of God, being used of God, the anointing of God!!! Take the time to listen to each of these messages! All you got to do is click on the message titles below!!! TRUST ME, listening to them live is WAAAAAAAY better than my LAAAAAAAAAAAAAME lil summaries!!! LOL

Defining Moments (Bro. Abbott)
Hidden Amongst The Stuff (Bro. Starr)
We need A 21st century Esther and Samuel Part 1,
 Part  2 HERE!!! (Bro. Connor)
A Sundae is NOT a Sundae without the cherry on top (Bro. Starr)
From Promise To Insignificance (Bro. Garrett)
♥Mary Frances :)

When I grow up....

Sooooooooo I made a new lil buddy this year at Conqueror's Conference!!!I've been telling him EVERY time I see him that his mommy and I used to play together when we were both his age...He just looks at me like, WHATeverrrr!!! Then the next time ill see him and be like, Levi, do you remember me? and he's just like, NO! Buuuuuuuut THIS TIME I asked him if he remembered me and he said YES! And I was like, OH WOW!!! What's my name then? And he says, Mary!!!! I'm like, AWWWW!!!  Sooooo yeah, we are officially BUDS now!!! Finally!!!

WEEEEEEELLLLL.... Wednesdeay night we went with the Roswell Youth to Applebees. I'm talking to Levi and I'm like, Levi, when you grow up are you going to be a preacher??? He's like, Noooooooo, when I grow up I'm going to be and ASTRONOUT!!!! I'm like, buuuuuuuuut Levi, is your daddy a preacher? He's like, Yes he is! I'm like, weeeeeeelllll... Don't you want to be like your daddy??? He's like, NOOOOOO!!! I want to be an ASTRONOUT!!!! I'm like, Oh OK then!!!! I'm like, well do you want to get married then? He's like, NO! I want have time for a wife!!! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

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A few minutes later he calls me!!! Mary! Mary! MARY!!!! I'm like, what? He's like, I changed my mind! He looks up and points to the TV hanging up and is like, When I grow up I want to be a FOOTBALL PLAYER!!!! Just like those guys up there!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I'm like OH NOOOOOO, Levi, you know those guys up there, they DON'T LIVE FOR GOD!!!! I lower my voice to really emphasize my point to them, I'm like, LEVI, they don't even have THE HOLY GHOST!!! He just looks at me, kinda shrugs his shoulders and VERY MATTER OF FACTLEY tells me...

"Weeeeeellllll,

I don't have the Holy Ghost EITHER!!!"

It was soooooooo FUNNNNNY the way he said it too!!! Like, they don't have it, I don't have it, IT MUST BE MEANT TO BE!!!! Kids are sooooo HILARIOUS!!!! They say the funniest things!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Proud Auntie Moment!!!

Last night, for the FIRST TIME EVERRR, 

Juliana purred back at me!!! You hav NO IDEA, how AWESOME that made me feel!!! Then she was trying to grab my tongue!!!! Lol imagine THE FIRST TIME my own little baby purrrrs at me!!!! You have NO IDEA, just how loud I will scream!!!!

Fasting!!!

Shes fasting!!!

She only ate, ONE COOKIE tonight instead of two!!!! Lololol

Phone Update!!!!

My phone is FIXED!!! I just picked it up from my AWESOME sis-in-law Jewel!!! Its the PERFECT week since its the week of prayer and fasting!!! I can't eat BUUUUUUUUT at least I can talk to like, EVERYONE!!!! Woooooohooooo!!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Defining Moments in my life!!!

This past week at Conqueror's Conference the first night Bishop Abbott preached a message called "Defining Moments!" (Listen HERE!)He talked about the moments in life that define who you become in your life. He talked about how when he was a young man in Bible college he was drifting through life having fun but not really focused on the things of God. He talked about how he wasn't living a sinful life, but he just wasn't really focused on the things of God. Then he talked about a moment around a campfire with the elder in his life when he consecrated his life to God. 

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Hearing Bishop talk about this time in his life caused me to think about the "Defining Moments" in MY LIFE!!! There are two defining moments imparticular that I can remember. The first one took place in my late teens. 

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Defining Moment #1

 I learned LATE in life, for an Apostolic girl that grew up in church since she was two, about prayer. I'll never forget, when I was around 19-20 years-old, yes I know, I am LATE BLOOMER... I've ALWAYS been sloooooooow to mature... So I got admonished by elder Sis. Abbott during prayer before church one Sunday evening. It was PRAYER TIME and I was just SITTING there waiting for church to start!!! I wasn't goofing off, I wasn't causing trouble, I wasn't talking with my friends, I was just sitting there, BORED!!!!!!!!! (Mediocrity and Complacency!!!)

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Ooooo Sis. Abbott GOT DOWN ON ME!!! I'll never forget I was just SITTING there in my chair and she was like, "Mary, I need to talk to you!"  She called me out to the foyer of the church and said she needed to have a word with me and OOOOO MAN I knew I was BUSTED!!! I'll never forget her beautiful crystal blue eyes peircining into mine as she said to me, "MARY! You need to learn how to pray!" She kept emphasizing it as she admonished me, she said it over and over again! You need to pray! You need to pray! you need to pray! Mary, You HAVE to learn how to pray!!!

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I remember I was soooo EMBARASSED!!! ANd I'm sure cheeks were red as I just nodded my head and said ok. AND you know, I really do NOT know WHY she picked me to talk to, because there were PLENTY of other people...ADULTS, that could have used a good talking to also, (Just sayin' LOL) buuuuuuuuut I am soooooooo THANKFUL that she did that day.  That talk is FOREVER branded in my mind!!! I was BLESSED to be admonished by her!!!

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Now, I can't tell you all that from that moment on I became a prayer warrior. It was kinda more like, me at least KNEELING DOWN and ACTING like I was praying during pre-service prayer! BUUUUUUUT what she said STUCK with me!!! There was SUCH a desperation in her to get across to me HOW important it was to pray. It was like she couldn't just let me slip by in my complacency, she HAD to get through to me!!! And SHE DID!!!! I may not have taken up to praying at that exact time, BUT she did get through to me! That admonishment was for sure a "DEFINING MOMENT" in MY LIFE!!!

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Defining Moment #2
I would say that the FIRST defining moment in my life was completed through the second one! As an Apostolic young person, there was something in my life that I really struggled with for several years. The thing that I struggled with was watching television. You may be thinking; what’s the big deal about watching a little television? That’s no great sin. For me it was a big deal. I had grown up my whole life without a television in our home. I was taught my whole life not to watch it and I understood why I shouldn’t. I knew that television was full of corruption, violence, cussing and imoralitey. Out of my devotion to God I had chosen to keep television out of my life. Now, as a young person, I struggled with this commitment to God.
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It’s EASY,  to NOT watch T.V., when you are never around one. Now it was different. I worked in an environment that allowed me to watch television whenever I wanted. Now the temptation was right there in front of me and it was a lot harder to turn my head, close my eyes. Instead of turning to God, I gave in and began watching shows.
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The whole time I hated what I was doing. Over and over, I would promise God I wouldn’t watch T.V. anymore. Then slowly it would creep back, and once again I would find myself breaking my promise. I wanted to do right, but no matter how hard I tried I kept doing wrong. Because of one thing I lacked in my life I did not have the power to overcome this temptation.
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Its not like I was a horrible person. I was still living for God, just not to my full potential. Although at times I am known be a little crazy and hyper, most people would consider me to be a pretty good girl. I got the Holy Ghost when I was six and have always loved God. However, the one thing I lacked was a prayer life. Without prayer I didn't have God’s strength. I lacked the power to live an overcoming life.
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So I continued on with my life, trying to live for God, still struggling with television. One year at a Conqueror’s Conference youth convention in Tucson Arizona, I got the revelation I needed to overcome my struggle. During one of the evening services the power of God came very strongly into the church. As I was praying, I felt the spirit of God fall on me. I remember feeling awestruck by His power. Never in my life had I felt the spirit of God so strong. I was praying and crying and weeping before God. ‘This is it I thought. This is my victory. I am going to go home from this youth conference and not ever watch T.V. again.’
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Then, smack dab, right in the middle of this awesome experience with God, I felt a rumbling in my stomach. I couldn’t believe it, my stomach was growling. How could I be hungry at such a spiritual moment? (I was like really God??? Am I that fat that my stomach would growl in a MOMENT LIKE THIS???) However, it was through the growling of my stomach that God really began to speak to me. HOW can my stomach be growling in a moment like this????
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BECAUSE, your still human. You are still weak. It doesn’t matter what you get from me right now. What matters is what you do when you get back home. If you want to change, you’re going to have to make a change in your own life. I knew right then and there, if I wanted things to be different, I was going to have to get a prayer life.
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It was after that conference that I went home and got a prayer life. I worked that job for another WHOLE YEAR without watching TV. When the job ended it felt so good knowing that I wasn't just going to NOT be watching TV because I had been taken out of the situation, but I had OVERCOME my struggle!!! I GOT the victory!!! Now, anytime a television is in front of me, my automatic reaction is to turn it off!
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 The defining moment in my life was NOT in what I was feeling at the alter that day. The defining moment was when I realized, I'm STILL HUMAN!!! The defining moment was when I realized that I could NOT overcome my struggles in my own flesh. The defining moment was when I KNEW I HAD TO GET A PRAYER LIFE!!!!

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What about YOU??? What is a defining moment in YOUR life???

 I would loooooove to hear it from you sometime!!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Heeeeeeey everyone!!!

I'm about to do a post about Conqueror's Conference!!!! It was sooooooooo AWESOME!!! The preaching was AMAZING!!! Anywayz, I didn't have a camera this year since my phone was broken...NOW in the process of being fixed... so I just took pics on people's phones, most of which have been sent to me...buuuuuuuut If you have any pics puleeeeeeze email them to me!!! Also, had a total blast hanging out with JEN LORD...who ALSO needs to update her blog!!!! (You can leave her comments on her blog telling her to update HERE!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

THE ONE THING...

Soooooooo at the New Years Eve party at my brother's I was telling my sis-in-law that I would help her with the dishes tonight! She's like, Oh its ok, its my house  you don't need to do them. I'm like, no really, I don't mind washing the dishes for you! I'm like, REALLY, its like THE ONE THING i'm really good at doing!!! My sis is like, really, the ONE THING your good at???

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I'm like, weeeeeeeeeeellllll...that annnnnnnd cooking and blogging annnnnnnd making people laugh, and having fun annnnnnnd writing annnnnnnnd taking care of kids annnnnnnd talking annnnnnnnnnd of course lets NOT forget...

 LOOKING GOOD!!!!

Buuuuuuuuuut really, aside from all that,

 washing dishes,

 its THE ONE THING, i'm good at!!! :))))

♥Mary Frances :)

Actually, NOW i'm getting sleepy!!!

Goodnight WORLD!!!
♥Mary Frances :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Happy New Year EVERYONE!!!  I just had a total blast with my family and friends tonight!!!! We had a party at my brother's house!!! Lotsa food!!! All breakfast items...Pancakes, breakfast burritos, bacon, eggs, fried ham annnnnnnd...biscuits and gravy... Hanna and Anali, YES, I said my biscuits and gravy...BE JEALOUS HANNALI!!!! LOLOL

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Then we played Balderdash... The first word was tattogy... I said, Tattogy: The study of tattoing! I thought I was soooooo brilliant to come up with that buuuuut someone else did too...THEN...My brother's ruined all my AWESOME defintitions by KNOWING which ones were me....Soss: A fluffy flower found in the aftermath of a volcano...Awesomess right??? my brother's were like, that's MARY!!! I'm like HOW did you know...they're like, YOU used the word FLUFFY...that's sooooooooo MARY!!! Annnnnnnd the word squonk...I think that one made us laugh THE HARDEST!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaah I LOVE that game!!!

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Then we went outside and basically had a countdown with everyone on my brother's block till the New Year!!! Then we lit off a TON of fire works!!! We had THE GOOD STUFF...annnnnnnd when I say, THE GOOD stuff, I mean, THE ILLEGAL STUFF!!! Woooooooot! WOOOOOOT!!!! Theeeeeeen my brother's DRUNK neighbor came over and introduced herself...LOL annnnnnnnnd yeah we all had a BLAST!!!

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Then I went to my mom's house annnnnnnnnnd when I left I was soooooooo HYPERRR I honked the horn for like a minute straight...I'm suuuuuuuuuure her neighbors all just LOOOOOVE me!!! HAHAHAHA!!! Nooooooooooow its 2 am annnnnnnnnnnnd I should be going to be bed cuz we gotta get JEN LORD from the airport...buuuuuuuuuuut I had coffee at four this afternoon annnnnnnnnnnnd I"M LIKE SOOOOOOOO NOT EVEN TIRED!!!!!
 

♥Mary Frances :)

ALL I"M SAYIN...

All i'm saying IS THAT...

IF your gonna leave your purse on the roof of your car, 40th street is a GOOD STREET to turn onto!!! Cuuuuuuuuuuuuz its NOT very busy.....annnnnnnnnd theres NOT a lot of traffic...YA KNOW, in case it happens to fall OFF OF THE ROOF annnnnnnd into the street...sooooo THEN you don't have to worry about getting run over when you have to turn around, find your purse, stop the car, run into the middle of the intersection, grab your purse and run back into your car... Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut THATS ALL I'm saying!!!! :))))))))))

♥Mary Frances :)

P.S. Don't worry, I'm FIIIIIIIIIIIINE!!! ;)))))

Addition to belows post!!!

I'm laughing soooooo HARD!!! One of my friends just emailed me and said, "GIRL I'm soooooooooo with you on your post!!!! Now I'm all like, I wanna be carried over the threshold with my future husband praying!!!!" <----------- that's JUST AWESOMENESS!!! AHAHAHAHA!!!

#WEARESOOOSPIRITUAL!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

ADD it to YOUR LIST!!!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey SINGLE LADIES!!!!!

(Don't worry, you can still read this even IF your NOT single annnnnnd EVEN if your NOT a lady!!! [HEEEEEEEEY MEN!!! HAHA!!! JK!!! JK!!!]  REALLY you ALL  CAN read it!!! LOLOLOL) Soooooo ANYWAYZ LADIES, I have ONE MORE thing to add to YOUR LIST!!! Your saying, WHAT LIST??? You KNOW, THE LIST of things you want in your FUTURE HUBBY!!! ;)))) Ooooooo NOW you KNOW what list i'm talking about!!! Uh, huh, uh huh!!!

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Sooooooo theres this lil boy that I take care of...I LOOOOOOOVERRRS him soooo much...buuuuuuuuuuut he started doing something with me that I was like OKAAAAAAY, that IS something that I want my future husband to do!!!

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Okaaaaaaaaaay sooooo this is what happened!!! Soooooo since I started taking my niece to school in the mornings at GCA, I started just praying the church before school starts and then staying for prayer and devotions when the kids come in. Well, one particular day my niece was staying home and so I wasn't able to do this at the school that morning.

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So when I got home with the kids they're playing together. So I just go into the living room to pray. Weeeeeeeelllll AS SOON as I start praying, HERE COMES MY LIL MAN!!!! He starts walking back and forth in the living room praying with me, "Oh God! Oh God!" I was like... AWWWWWWWW!!!! Buuuuuuuuuut I didn't really think anything of it, cuz he ALWAYS starts praying AS SOON as he hears anyone praying!!! *He's soooooo SPIRITUAL!!! ;)

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Weeeeeeeeeeeeeellllll...THE NEXT day that I am watching him, my niece isn't with us and I had already done my praying at the school that morning, Okaaaaaaaaay so I'm not as spiritual as the lil man...bahaha... buuuuuuuuuuut AS SOON as we get into the house, he takes me by the hand, walks me into the living room and starts praying!!!! I was like, AWWWWWW HE WANTS US TO PRAY TOGETHER AGAIN!!!!

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I thought he would forget about it, but FIRST THING he did the next day, we walk through the front door, he takes me by the hand, leads me to the living room, annnnnnnd we start praying together!!! Now that's OUR THING!!! He does it EVERY TIME!!! Its ONLY five minutes MAX, buuuuuuuuuut STILL, how many people are blessed to have their job lead them in prayer?!?!? Like WOMAN, if your gonna be with ME, YOU ARE GOING TO PRAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!

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BUUUUUUUUUUUUUT LADIES!!!! Think about it, don't you want a man, that will take you by the hand and lead you in prayer??? Okaaaaaaaaay maybe NOT EVERY SINGLE TIME you walk through the front door, buuuuuuuuuuut you know what I mean!!! Isn't it a tradition that a man will pick up his wife and carry her over the threshold the FIRST TIME they walk into their house together??? (Okaaaaaaaaay yeah, I've already excepted that my hubby probabley won't be picking me up...AHAHAHA)

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Wouldn't that be AWESOME tho to start a NEW TRADITION???? A tradition where the first time you walk into your home together as husband and wife, he takes you by the hand and leads you in prayer???? I would soooooooooo SWOON if he did that....*Like soooooo ROMANTIC!!!! (If my hubby looks like he's gonna even TRY to pick me up and carry me the first time we get to our home, I'll just look at him and be liiiiiiiiiiiiike....JUUUUUUUUST TAKE ME BY THE HAND BABY!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!)

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A MAN THAT LEADS YOU IN PRAYER!!! That is soooooooooo what I want!!!! Like I said HERE, its really one of the most important things to look for in your future spouse... A MAN OF PRAYER!!!! Don't forget....ADD it to THE LIST ladies!!!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

How Rumors Get Started!!!

Sooooooooooo a couple of days ago, MJ and I were listening to a radio drama together. The story was about a little girl who's dad is in jail. Well this little girl in the radio drama has the same last name as one of MJ's friends at school...

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So we're sitting there listening and MJ is like, OH MARY!!! That girl has THE SAME last name as my friend!!! THEN as she is listening some MORE and they are saying that the girls dad is in jail, MJ, she pauses, her eyes get really big and she says, referring to her friend's dad, SOOOOO BRO. SO-SO-AND-SO IS IN JAIL????

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I was like, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOm MJ... this is ADVENTERUES IN ODYSSEY!!! Not REAL LIFE!!!! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Buuuuuuuut YEAH, that's sooooooooo HOW RUMORS GET STARTED!!!! That Mr. Whitikar, I tell ya...he's BEHIND IT ALL!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

My HUNK!!!

Just got a car!!! Wooooooohooooo!!!! $1750 for a 1998 Toyota Avalon!!! 154 thousand miles....He ain't pretty buuuuuuuuuuut I just hope he is reliable!!! Puleeeeeeeze pray for him!!! I named him HUNK!!! He may be a hunk of junk buuuuuuuuuuuut he's MY HUNK!!!! Annnnnnd that's the ONLY hunk I've got!!! LOLOL!!!

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 Weeeeeeellllll... i'm off to get him registered, an oil change and gas!!! Then over to Paradise Shadows to see whats up with my people then itll probabley be close to church time!! I would post a pic buuuuuuuuuuut the screen on my phone is still broken...that's the NEXT thing I need to get fixed...then my lap top!!!

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Sha-nay-nay IS for sale btw... I REALLY wanted to just get Sha-nay-nay another engine...buuuuuuuut I was advised by several people not to...I feel saddened that her and I will be departing...I grow attached really quickly to my car... IF anyone is interested in her she is $1,500 OR MAKE AN OFFER!!! She IS drive able!!! :)))

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 Weeeeeeeeellll clear the streets...

I'm OUT AGAIN!!! :))))

♥Mary Frances :)

WHY the water wouldn't warm up!!!

Soooooo yesterday, ON Christmas, in the middle of making homemade pasta, my brothers decided that I also NEEDED to make Zeppoli dough! Now, Zeppolis are basically an Italian doughnut...Soooooo I pull out the recipe annnnnnnd I'm making up the dough, it calls for a package of yeast, IN WARM WATER!!! My brother's are like, AND MAKE SURE, you use WARM water!!! NOT cold and NOT hot!!!

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Sooooooooo I got to the sink to get some WARM water and its just COLD!!! Soooooo I'm like okaaaaay it will probabley warm up after a few moments! I wait and wait and its STILL cold!!! I wait LONGER annnnnnnnnnnd its STILL cold!!! I keep WAITING annnnnd its STILL COLD!!! After like five minutes of WAITING for the water to warm up i'm just like, OH GREAT!!!! Don't tell me the hot water heater is broken like at our church!!! There is NOTHING NASTIER than washing dishes in COLD WATER!!!

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Everyones like, MARY your STILL waiting for the water to warm up???? I'm like, YEAH, I don't know what's wrong with it, it WON'T GET WARM!!! Then even as I'm saying that, I SEE WHY the water won't get warm!!! I'm like, OOOOOOOOOOO waaaaaaaaaaaaait I KNOW why it won't get warm...its on the COLD SIDE!!!! Everyones like, WOW MARY!!! WOW!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Annnnnnnd that my friends is...

 WHY the water wouldn't get warm!!!! 

Ooooooooooooops!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

His presence for Christmas...

Several weeks ago, I walked into the church before the morning devotions for GCA and when I walked I could hear the voices of people praying. I don't know why, I hear it all the time, buuuuut at that moment, I thought, how comforting it felt to HEAR PRAYING!!! For a few moments...Instead of praying myself, I just sat there and listened to people praying...Just something soooooo wonderful about feeling the presence of God!!!

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This past Sunday, Denae and Sheree sang a song called, "I want His Presence for Christmas!!!!!" Presence/Presents...yes it was a play on words...Buuuuuuuuuut think about it, HIS PRESENCE IS the greatest PRESENT we could ever get!!! We have it you guys!!! He came for us...As I quote from AIO...His presence, GIVES us a REASON to LIVE...that's worth DYING for!!!

Thank you JESUS for YOUR PRESENCE!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

My Christmas Card!!!

Soooooooooo I'm really NOT one to send out Christmas Cards!!! Honestly, I don't really see the point!!! Everyone just throws them away anyways!!! RIIIIIGHT??? Don't LIE!!! You know you do!!!! Plus, Christmas cards are to let people that you really don't know, know what is going on in your life...FOR ME...that's called A BLOG!!! LOL Annnnnd the blog is FREE!!! Plus like, stamps COST MONEY!!! Remember last years Christmas Card??? HAHAHA!!! Weeeeeellll I decided to go all out this year...JK... Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut IF I did have a Christmas Card, this is what it would look like...

GET MERRY annnnnnd STAY MERRY!!!

Jesus Isn't JUST the reason for the season, buuuuut the reason for LIVING!!!
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IF anyone DOES ACTUALLY want a copy of this pic, feel free to send me a self-addressed-stamped envelope!!! :)))) Annnnnnnnnnd here is all the highlights of 2013 for me...

It started with an AWESOME Conqueror's Conference!!! Then my dad turned 60!!! Then I had some FUNERAL THOUGHTS!!! Then I discovered THE MIND OF A MAN!!! Theeeeeen I haD Some insurance blessings!!! Annnnnd one of my lovely friends, Jen Connell, made this for me...

Then one day, Something cool happened, I'm pretty sure my niece and her friend saw an angel...the thing is, is that recently, this same thing happened to me when I was all by myself!!! I wrote the devotion, Fixed!!! I got a White Man! I wrote the devotional, High-heeled-Determination!!! My friend Daisy came and stayed with me for a lil bit...Annnnnnnnnnd the month of January ended with a youth rally and really FUNNNN...loooooong riiiiiide...buuuuuuuut really fun snow trip!!!

MORE 2013 Highlights to come!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Happy Christmas Eve!!!!

We just had THE FUNNNNNEST Christmas Eve everrrr with my fam!!! Sooooooooo its an Italian tradition, every Christmas Eve, we have a HUUUUUUGE fish dinner!!!! YUCK...buuuut still a blast!!! AHHAHAHAHA!!!

 

My mom likes to do all the holiday dinners at our  house...cuz at their house Dad is ALWAYS trying to lure the kids in the living room to watch Christmas movies with him!!!! LOL

Me and my mommy!!!

 I just thought I looked ADORKABLE in my apron!!! LOL

 

 After dinner we all opened our stockings full of goodies...the kids were ESTATIC about this!!! I had put a SPECIAL gift for my sis-in-law Gracie in her stocking...BAHAHHAHAHA!! IF your on my mass email list you'll KNOW what i'm talking about!!! We were like HYSTERICAL!!!!

 

 Oh look at me in my apron again...LOL...

Me and T!!!

 Waaaaaaaaaaait did you all see how CUUUUUTE I look??? ;))))

Then my brother REALLY wanted this picture with me...he said he has always wanted a picture with such a world famous and Biblically historical person...

 

Then after dessert and all the cleaning, dishwashing...I ummmmm broke something and glass shattered EVERYWHERE...buuuuuuut at least this year it wasn't the tray of egg plant parmesian... I mean last Christmas eve I think I was gonna get hung for ruining that!!! LOL

 annnnnnnnnnywayz, after all that we played Wits and Wagers!!! If you've neverrrr played this game its definatly worth purchasing!!!

John was in CHARGE, which he is VERY GOOD at doing!!!

 We were all like whooping annnnd hollering and carrying on...okaaaaaaaaaaay soooooooo ihave like NO CLUE of world or american history, buuuuuuuut somehow I KNEW when the first bikini came out!!! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

One of the questions was, How many men signed the Declaration of Independence??? I was like, 12!!! Ooooooo WAAAAAAAIIIIIT!!! I that's the disciples!!!

The first game Liz won!!!!

  Waaaaaaaaaaaait you guys look at my apron!!!

 Annnnnnnnd the second game we TOTALLY thought Jewel was gonna win buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut as you can see...

John won the last game!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! All in all it was a super funnnnn night!!! We all plan on playing this again tomorrow night!!! By the time everyone was leaving I was EXTREMELY hyperrrrr Annnnnnnnnd the night basically ended with me outside YELLING!!! SANTA IS COMING!!! YOU GUYS SANTA IS COMING TONIGHT!!!!! EVERYONE SANTA IS COMING!!!! WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Heeeeeey ladies!!!!

Heeeeeey ladies!!! I have the FUNNIEST story everrrr!!! If your not on my ladies mass email list annnnnd would like to be, email me your email annnnnd let me know!!! :))) Maryfranceswriting@gmail.com
♥Mary Frances :)

Little Debbie???

Soooooooooo this past Sunday, our youth had a bake sale, one last push and fundraiser before Conqueror's Conference!!! I donated several of my Cake rolls annnnnnnnnnd then I stayed up till 2 in the morning on Saturday night making something that I have been DYING to make!!!! Whoopie pies from my Amish baking cook book!!! A treasured Christmas gift that my mom gave me four years ago...I'm telling you all, THIS COOK BOOK, has THE BEST recipies...Everytime I make something from this cook book people RAVE over it!!! I tell ya, THE AMISH may NOT know how to dress...buuuuuut they SHO do know how to cook!!!!

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Sooooo I found this recipe that I have been dying to make for YEARS for these whoopee pies...Which are basically just, Oatmeal cream pies, you know, like the lil Debbie ones??? I mean WHO doesn't loooooooooove those??? Buuuuuuuuut I RENAMED mine...wrapped them in saran wrap and printed off the most adorabelist name tags for them!!!! This is what they said...

Little Debbie

Fluffy Mary's

Oatmeal Cream Pies

I basically made these, PURPOSELY to make everyone laugh!!! Mission accomplished!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I showed them to my pastor and he was all like, FLUFFY Mary???? He's like, I don't get the FLUFFY part!!! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

It could happen to YOU!!!

(Repost from November 4th 2012)

In recent conversation, I was reminded of this blog post and thought to repost it. However, there is something i'm adding in at the end...
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I remember when my younger brother John was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 16...I'll NEVER forget how i felt...fear and more than anything else, COMPLETE SHOCK!!! I had heard about people getting cancer all my life, buuuuuut I NEVER thought cancer would hit MY FAMILY!!! I NEVER thought that I would have to worry about about my own little brother's survival against this deadly disease...it always happens to OTHER people, buuuuut NOT YOU!!! Buuuuut I learned cancer can happen to anyone!!! It could happen to ME!!! It could happen to YOU!!!

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Recently, I have been seeing and noticing, a lot of people falling away from God. But I'm NOT just talking even about backsliding, buuuut just people IN GENERAL, changing! People of God, falling into deep sin...people that you NEVER thought it would happen to...Changing their standards, losing their convictions! It disturbs me, buuuut more than anything else, it SCARES me. I know that falling away and compromising is NOTHING new, buuuuut for some reason lately, i've just REALLY been noticing it...it just feels like its starting to hit close to my heart...annnnd it SCARES ME!!!

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I've been talking lately to several of my close friends and I said that when I see all these people, CHANGING, turning away from their FIRST teachings and convictions, the thought of marriage to someone honestly JUST SCARES ME!!! And I know I talk about it A LOT, joke around about it, and I know that I WANT to get married, buuuuut HONESTLY, the actual thought of MARRIAGE, at times,  puts some FEAR in my heart!!! Its NOT a flighty decision...no matter the person...How do you know that the person you marry will never compromise? How do you KNOW that they will never backslide? You may think you know, buuuuut i've seen people that I NEVER thought would change, CHANGE! It doesn't matter WHO they are or WHERE they come from...you just don't know what will happen!!! 

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As woman, we know that we are to submit, to follow, our husbands, I don't want to marry someone that will lead me away from God!!! I don't want that! I LOVE GOD!!!  I LOVE this truth!!! I LOVE this gospel message!!! I LOVE holiness!!! I would rather be single for life than to marry a compromiser! You can't say that because a person is this or from here or their last name is this that they will NEVER fall...because i've seen it!!! But as I was talking to my friends, telling them some of my fears, they were advising me and as we were discussing, HOW does it happen??? What allows a person to compromise? WHY would a person turn away from God?

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I came to the conclusion that the TRUTH of the matter is that there is NO guarantee!!! We have to be careful and watchful, buuuuut there is NEVER a guarantee that a person WILL NEVER compromise or fall away from God!!! It could happen to ME! It could happen to YOU!!! It could happen to ANY OF US!!! None of us are PERFECt!!! We are ALL human!!! It is in our very nature to sin!!! It could happen to YOUR FAMILY! TO YOUR LOVED ONES!!!! 

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None of us are sooooo spiritual and sooooo far above everyone else, that we become incapable of SIN!!! It happens when PEOPLE stop praying!!! It happens when STOP relying on God for their strength!!! It happens when people think that their knowlege and education is STRONGER than getting on their knees and seeking the face of God. It happens when people think that there is MORE annointing in their talent and ability then in their tears and a spirit of BROKENESS!!! It happens when PRIDE replaces HUMILITY!!! It happens when we start taking the Glory, instead of giving GOD THE GLORY!!!

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I was crying the other day just thinking about it! I told God I don't ever, ever, EVER want this to happen to me! And as I was thinking about it, and as I was praying,  this song started going through my mind. Near, the Cross, near the cross...may we NEVER stray so far...keep me near the cross!!! i just felt like a gentle and clear way...God was telling me, just STAY NEAR THE CROSS!!!  

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if you want to stay strong...if you want to stay true, if you don't want to fall, if you don't want to stray...just stay near the cross...near Calvary.. near His suffering....right by the brokeness of what God did for us! How can you comromise or backslide, when your on your knees at the foot of the cross!? You can't! Because, as long as your under Him on the cross...at the death of Jesus, there is blood...GOD'S BLOOD..... at the foot of the cross your bound to get His blood on you!!!! This blood will keep flowing down onto you...washing over you...purifying you! At the foot of the cross you'll be living your life continually with a spirit of repentance...

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"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

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♪♫Keep me near the cross...near the cross...may we never stray soooo far...that I can not see what lies ahead of me♪♫ at the foot of the cross!!!♪♫♫♫

♥Mary Frances :)
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*The day I wrote this blog I was at the gym and I felt this burden sooooo strongly on my heart. I remember I was on the treadmill and I just felt my heart breaking for this...no particular reason...I just felt this so heavy on me. I went into the bathroom at the gym, went into one of the stalls, put the music on my phone up as loud as I could, buried my face in my hands and just cried my eyes out. God I LOVE this message! I LOVE this truth!!! I don't ever want to leave...I don't ever want to change!!! Buuuuuut the burden that I felt wasn't just for ME...it was for others too...The next week at WCC...The WHOLE theme of the conference was, BUY THE TRUTH AND SELL IT NOT!!! I know it was NOT a coincidence!!! That same week I got emails from people, Mary, you have NO idea buuuut...did you know???? OH NO...I said...I had NO IDEA...All I know is that I was in the ladies room of the gym bawling my eyes out!!! It WAS GOD!!!! WCC choir ended the last night with singing NOT FOR SALE!!!  When I heard the choir singing this, I couldn't stop the tears from falling...it summed up EXACTLEY how I was feeling!!!

Not For Sale
Verse 1
What happened to that Preacher, Who used to Preach so strong.
What happened to that singer, Who used to sing our song.
The Preacher's out selling Amway, That singer's now singing country.
They sold out what is right for what is wrong.
Verse 2
What happened to the church, That used to be on fire.
What happened to the voices, That sang in the heavenly chior.
Oh, The Church has now grown dead and cold,
The choir is silent, Cause nobody goes.
They sold out to the world and their own desirers
Chorus
This heart belongs to Jesus, Cause he saved my soul from Hell.
This heart belongs to Jesus, This heart is not for sale.
Not for sale, Not for sale, No way no sir.
Verse 3
Well a man from California, Called a few months ago.
He said boy with your talent , We can make alot of dough.
I said thanks for the offer it all sounds swell.
But I belong to Jesus, And I'm just not for sale.
Not for sale, I'm not for sale, No way no sir.
Verse 4
Well, If you're living for Jesus,Friend, They'll come a day.
That old Devil's gonna try to get you some way.
He'll try you, And temp you, with his lies straight from hell.
Just say I belong to Jesus, And Devil I'm not for sale
Not for sale, Not for sale, No way no sir.
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(You can find this song by Michael Combs on iTunes)

Christmas Trees!!!

(Repost from Dec 2012)

Sooooooo i've been wanting to write a post about Christmas trees for seveRal years now, but NEVER end up having the guts thus faR to write it! Mainly cuz I don't want to be offensive or rude or sound condeming OR holieR tHAN THOU about it...buuuut I was telling a few of my friends a lil testimony God gave me about Christmas trees and they  said I SHOULD share it...soooooo....
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FIRST OF ALL: I want to start off by saying THAT... this post is NOT to condemn anyone that has a Christmas tree!!! I do NOT think having a Christmas tree is a heaven or hell issue! This post is to help give understanding to those that have a pastor that teaches against having a Christmas tree! Its about having respect to others in the convictions they may have and its about preserving the things that we have been taught! Okaaaaaaaaay now, here we go!!! :)))

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Sooooo growing up, my pastor, Bro. ABbotT, now Bishop, has ALWAYS taught us AGAINST having Christmas trees. Now we came from a church in NYC that did allow Christmas trees, so NOT having a Christmas tree was a HUGE deal fOR my parents!!! But, my mom was obedient and we NEVER had a Christmas tree.

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 Weeeeeellll...as the years passed by and my grandpa, my mom's dad, was getting older and he needed more and more help around the holidays so that he could get all his decorating and baking done. So this also meant helping him decorate his Christmas tree! Now the first couple of years it was NO big deal! We just decorated it for him and had fun doing so! I LOVED lookin at all of his ornaments...he had some all the way back from when him and my grandma got married, stuff from the NYC police force, stuff from my mom and uncles when they were kids and so much more!!!

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After decorating my grandpa's tree for several years I really started thinkin, MAN this is FUN! I was thinkin Hmmmm...I sure wouldn't mind having MY OWN tree one day...Maybe...THEN one day I saw it!!! A HOT PINK CHRISTMAS TREE, with feathers, glitter and shiny stuff all over it!!! Is that like soooooo a Mary tree or WHAT?!?!!

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I was like OH thats it, ONE DAY, i'm gonna marry a guy that goes to a church that allows CHRISTMAS TREES!!! Its NOT a big deal!!! Now RIGHT AFTER thinkin this one day, I was in the news room at my college. I was a writer for the college paper and me and this other reporter would always get into these deep theological discussions.

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My friend was a very intelligent guy who was agnostic. He said that UNLESS God himself came down from heaven and told him he was God, he would NOT believe it! Soooo of course this caused me to try and prove to him that God was indeed real and we were ALWAYS debating back and forth about it! I LOVE debate and am pretty good at it...LOL! Buuuuut....

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He was sooooo STUBBORn that honestly, it really didn't matter what I said, he was NOT going to believe me!!! So one day, I was sitting in the news room, working on an article and he turns to me and says, You know whats ONE thing that I just DO NOT understand about Christians?! I'm just kinda like, what? cuz I was TRYIN to write and SOOOOO NOT in the mood to have a debate with him at the moment, since thus far he was adamantly refusing all reason!!!

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He was like, One thing, that I just do NOT understand about you Christians is that you all do soooo many things that go AGAINST absolutely EVERYTHING, you as Christians believe in!!! I was like, Ok, like WHAT?!?!?!

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He goes FOR EXAMPLE, take CHRISTMAS TREES!!! In my mind I was like WHAT??? God, are you settin this guy up or WHAT?!?! He goes on, Christians have CHRISTMAS trees!!! Do you EVEN know the history of Christmas trees?! He says, Christmas trees are PAGAN!!! People would worship them and they are like a god! Doesn't your Bible say something about them? (Jeremiah 10) He's just going on and on about WHAT a Christmas tree represents...NONE of which I had EVER bothered to study about...He was like, I thought Christians don't believe in all that?! He goes, A CHRISTMAS TREE goes AGAINST EVERYTHING a Christian believes! He says, now don't get me wrong, I HAVE A CHRISTMAS TREE...BUUUUUT I'm NOT a Christian!!!

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Soooo i was just kinda silent for a moment, really NOT even sure what to say, then I confidently say, yeah, I guess thats why me and MY FAMILY do NOT have a Christmas tree!!!(It WAS A total  AHa mOMENT FoR Me...like Oooo sO THATs WHY hE PREACHES THAT!) He just stopped and stared at me, really surprised and then he says, FOR REALS?! I was like, yeah!!! He didn't say NOTHING, then he just says, WOW!!! YOU are the FIRST CHRISTIAN I have EVER MET, that doesn't have a Christmas tree!!! I could tell, he was just really astounded by it...he wasn't being fake...he REALLY truely was surprised! He said it again, your the ONLY Christian I have ever met...

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Now I had been talking to this guy forEVERRR about the things of God! I would tell him  about church, the Holy Ghost, EVERYTHING, he was NEVERRRR impressed, NEVER blinked an eye about my previous witness, buuuut he found out that I didn't have a Christmas Tree and FINALLY, something stood out to him!!! I WaS tHE only ChRiSTian hE knEW...that didn't have a Christmas tree!!!

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I havn't seen that guy in YEARS, buuuuut I hope that he never forgets my witness...that HE NEVER forgets THE ONLY CHRISTIAN he has ever met, that does NOT have a Christmas tree!!! I told God that day, Okay GOD, I got it!!! I vowed to him that as long as I had control of it, I would NEVERRRR have a Christmas tree in my house!!!

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I know that may seem ridic...buuuuut you can NOT tell me that God didn't use that agnostic guy that day, to give me a CONVICTION!!! It happened RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of my questioning...RIGHT when I was thinking, ya know...Maybe I'll get one...God showed me up!!! 

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I know that sometimes we THINK we know better!!! We THINK its NOT a big deal!!! But really, I had NEVER even bothered to take the time to fine out WHY my pastor was taking a stand for something!!! I didn't realize that he was tryin to PRESERVE something!!! I know i've heard people talk about it before, Oh well you know, we just do it out of respect for our pastor and he is just doing it out of respect for what he was taught...buuuuut...I don't think its a big deal...I think thats how standards get LOST...because it STOPS becoming a CONVICTION for people and instead it just becomes a TRADITION!!! Traditions pass...buuuuut CONVICTIONS LAST!!!

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Someone told me once, well i don't want a Christmas tree to be pagan, I just want one because they are just SOOOO pretty!!! I was like, weeeeellll yeah, buuuut SO IS JEWELERY!!!ya know, "Jus sayin!" 
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I mean, sometimes we look at other Apostolic people that won't do certain things and we think OH they're NO FUN! They're soooo holier than thou! We used to be like, OH we're NEVER gonna marry one of those guys that goes to a church that doesn't believe in Christmas at all!!! AHAHAHA!!! But we don't stop to think or find out WHY someone may refuse to do something!!! Maybe God talked to them about it...I remember hearing someone preach against Nativity Scenes at WCC one year...it was like waaaaaay BACK IN THE DAY...when it was still PSR...we were like...wow...buuuuut idk...sometimes I think about it in my mind...what does GOD really think about it??? What does THE BIBLE say??? I mean, i'm NOT sayin that you should just go and do EVERY single thing that OTHER pastor's preach against...buuuuut if God shows you...
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I have two other close friends and we decided, when it comes to marriage, if the guy is okay with Christmas trees, we're just gonna say, "Look, its ME or THE TREE!" Hee, hee!!! Yes!!! I feel just that strongly about it...cuz GOD showed me...not just outta respect to my elder pastor in my life...BUUUUUUUT.... because GOD HIMSELF opened my eyes and gave me revelation...CONVICTION!!! I mean really, WHAT guy, that is totally smitten and in love with a girl is gonna choose the TREE??? (weirdo!!!)HAHAHA!!!

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 Okaaaaaaay now people that do have Christmas trees, don't be all like worried that your gonna offend ME by posting pics or that you have to take the tree down if I come over to YOUR house...LOL...I could CARE LESS...if YOU have one!!! Its NOT about offending ME...Im NOT offended about your tree...its about GOD!!! I don't want to offend MY GOD!!! Ask HIM if he is offended!!! Cuz he SURE DID let ME KNOW!!! 

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Weeeeeellll Merry Early Christmas everyone...i'm gonna go hang some ornaments from some garland or something...hee, hee!!! ;)

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Hmmmm...I wonder WHAT the history of GARLAND is??? LOL! I'm scared to even look!!!
♥Mary Frances :)