It's moving time!

After much consideration, Refreshing Talk is moving to a new home!

The new address is: RefreshingTalk.wordpress.com

Thank you so much for your support here, and it is my hope that you follow me to my new place over there. There is much more good stuff to come!

So please come on over to RefreshingTalk.wordpress.com , click the "follow" tab, and share with a friend...we'll have some great things to talk about,

Excitedly,

Dee

#2: Everything springs out of our relationship with God

Sometimes we like to compartmentalize our lives. We have our work lives, our home lives, our church lives, our relationship with God, and so on. We can tend to think that they are their own separate entities.

The truth of the matter is, however, that the parts of our lives really do matter to each other, and they are really integrated. What we do in one part affects how we flow in the other parts, and hence, #2 thing to remember for 2013:

Everything springs from our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

The Father sent Jesus so that we could be in right relationship with Him. He lived, died, and rose again so to destroy the sin barrier that kept us apart. So, when you ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you are cleansed and you and I enter into a relationship with God that is in breakable and unshakeable! Amazing, isn't it?

Moreover, the relationship now spills over and brings life and blessing into EVERY area of our lives. Our health is blessed, our mind is blessed, our relationships with other people are blessed, our finances are blessed, our families are blessed! His presence positively affects everything else we touch and do.

In relationship with the Lord, we can expect Him and His power to always make the difference in our lives. What is it you are struggling with? Because you are connected to the Father, you can call upon His help to overcome it..ask Him! What is it that you are in need of? Ask Him to intervene and count on His supernatural provision. Jesus wants you to depend on Him...He never expected us to walk this life alone, on our own.

I invite you today to start a relationship with God by asking Jesus in, or deepen that relationship by learning how to spend time with Him. He loves you more than you know, and He wants to fill every area of your life with His life!

May you know Him and the power of His love for you,

Dee

10 things to Remember for 2013: #1 - Your life has purpose

As we go fearlessly into 2013 knowing that God is for us, there are a few foundational things that we need to keep packed for the journey. So in this January series on my blog, we will touch on ten things that God has said in His Word, principles that He works by, that will help keep your focus on Him and the tasks and adventures ahead. I believe that these will impact your relationships with people, as well as help you weed out the things that really should not captivate your attention...less distraction, more focus!

Principle #1 - Your life has purpose

In the Bible in the book of Jeremiah, God says this to His servant :“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NLT)

Wow. Jeremiah was destined to be a prophet, even before he became a "bun in the oven". God didn't wait for Jeremiah to be born before He gave him a heavenly assignment. Instead, He had that purposed for him before Jeremiah arrived, and He has done the same for you!

You are here by His design, and He wants you to know and walk in all that He has for you. The Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord (Psalm 37:23)...He's got you. You are not an accident nor an afterthought with the Father, no matter the circumstances surrounding your arrival on the planet...isn't that good news?

Your life has purpose. Lets get to know Him more personally so that we can get to steppin' and impact the world for His glory!

Be encouraged today,
Dee

New series is coming here!

Happy 2013 everyone!

As we launch forward into 2013, I believe that it is always good to be reminded of some foundational things. We are moving with God on this life adventure, and there are some things He says to us that we have got to keep percolating in our minds and hearts throughout this year.

So, via a sermon that I had the privilege of ministering to our congregation this past Sunday, I will be doing a series here for the month of January. I think I'll call it "Ten Things to Remember for 2013".

Now, this series is by no means an exhaustive list of what God says to us. No, it is simply what I felt He laid on my heart to say, so I'm just going to go with that, and let Him use it as He sees fit ;-)

My hope is that you will be reminded, encouraged, and empowered to move forward in Him in your unique calling and gifts. I also trust God that in the difficult times, His timeless truths will carry you and keep you pressing in. Please feel free to comment or email or tweet me to let me know how this series is impacting your life! I would be my pleasure to hear from you.

Stay tuned and look for the first post in a day or two: "Your life has purpose"

Have a super day...day 8, a day of new beginnings! Jesus loves you infinitely,

Dee

A great manicure at home!

One of my goals in 2013 is to streamline the use of my time. I do a lot of my pampering at home, and my nail care is no exception. Seeing as some of you all might have the same goal, so I want to share my tips for a quick and lasting manicure to keep those hands show-ready!

1. Remove all old polish (and lotions/oils) with a cotton ball and polish remover. This will give you the best chance at having your polish adhere well.

2. Apply a base coat that will grab your nail color. I have found that CND's Stickey does the job well for me.

3. Apply 2 coats of polish, each one thinly. For an enhancing look for your natural nails, use Julep's Grace.

4. Use a top coat that gets it done, like the top coat from Nails, Inc.

Voila! The finished product may look like this: