Each year in Shelby, North Carolina the fall season always kicks off with The Cleveland County Fair. It is the largest county fair in the state and people come from all over to enjoy the fun. Since the fair began in 1924 the theme has always been to celebrate city and farm life coming together through such popular attractions as agricultural exhibits, livestock, carnival rides, stage shows, stock car racing, tractor pulls, and demolition derbies. Starting from the time I was a little girl to now it has always been tradition to go the fair at least once in October. The fair provides fun for all ages, and for kids the best part about the fair might be the rides. However, as an adult I now go for the food. The fair experience is not complete without the sweet goodness of a funnel cake, or the famous Alston Bridges Barbecue. So if you live in the area I highly recommend that you spend an evening at the fair. It is happening until October 7th and you can find more information by visiting their website here.
31 Days of Fall Favorites
Hey friends. I have joined with The Nester in doing a 31 day blog challenge this year. I am so excited to be a part of this, and each day for the month of October I will be writing about my Fall favorites. I live in Western North Carolina and Fall is my favorite time of year here. So join me for the next month as I share with you my favorite things about this beautiful season. Be sure to read my post tomorrow about the Cleveland County Fair that occurs here every year. Let the fun begin!
31 Days
I have decided to join in on “31 Days” this year which was started by The Nester. I have chosen a specific topic and will write about something relating to that for each day in October starting on Monday. There is still time for you to join in on the fun so be sure to check it out. For more details visit here! Stay tuned!
5 Questions With Kerri Pomarolli
Below is a Q&A that I recently did for Our Single Purpose, and I thought I would share it here. Hope you enjoy it. Happy Monday, my friends!
Kerri Pomarolli is one of the top Christian powerhouse and spiritual warriors in Hollywood. Her clean comedy has people rolling in laughter worldwide and her heart keeps her in front of charitable causes with a passion! I am so thankful to have worked with Kerri in the past, and to call her my friend. Kerri resides in Los Angeles with her husband Ron (who is also a comedian), and their two children. However, before marriage, Kerri’s topics for her comedy routines came from her singleness. She has also written two books on the topic, and her ministry has been a great encouragement to me over the years. I think we single ladies can learn a lot from her wisdom, and I am blessed to have her as a guest for my post today.
– What is one piece of advice that no one gave you as a single person that in retrospect would have really helped you?
Marriage is much harder than being single. You will be happy when you’re married but you will never ever get this amount of free time back. It may seem silly, but try to appreciate this time rather than view it as loneliness. Appreciate this time in your life to be selfish, travel, watch what you want on tv, take long showers, have friends over all the time, stay up late, and eat the last piece of cake. It will change quickly. You will have the rest of your life to have people pulling at you every minute and you will miss this time!
– How did you stay focused on God and his standards for relationships as a single person living in LA surrounded by many temptations?
It’s no different in LA than anywhere else. We have the same raging hormones and emotions. If you’re 28 and you think you’re too big a girl not to play by the rules and go over to your boyfriend’s house late at night..you’ll see why the rules are there..for your own good. It’s not about where you live it’s about how you live. I did have a task force of women who were my accountability and that was huge help.
– You have written two books on singleness and dating. Tell us more about them and how you want them to encourage readers?
I was sick of reading books by authors who “were” single then got married at 18 . I read “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” but wasn’t buying it. I wanted to kiss dating HELLOOO. I didn’t want all dating books to make me feel bad about being single. I wrote my books “Guys Like Girls Named Jennie” and “How to Ruin Your Dating Life” to teach singles some things, and also for them to laugh at my crazy mixed up REAL journey. I did it all wrong and still got it right in the end. God forgives and doesn’t keep score. By the way, I need some love on Amazon. if you like my books please go review them!
– How did you serve Christ and the church as a single lady, and what are some ways you would encourage those who are currently single to serve?
I did some mission trips, the camp counselor thing, and spent a lot of time with the older ladies at prayer group. I invested a lot of time with older ladies because they are wise. My good friend Betty is now 98, and she and I traveled together on a mission trip. I think when you’re single you have time on your side. Spend it wisely.
– You are a light for Christ in Hollywood and I love your boldness for Him. In what ways can we be praying for you as you continue to minister to people through your comedy in LA as well as across the country?
Pray for open doors in Hollywood. Pray for Ron and I to work more in town, on the sets of film and TV shows. Satan doesn’t want us on the sets but we know we can see a difference in people’s lives. I have some projects coming up such as my book becoming a film. I really have a heart to create projects Christians can be a part of and that we’re all proud of. Please keep my whole family in prayer.
To learn more about Kerri and her ministry visit her website here.
Follow her on Twitter here.
“Like” her on Facebook here.
Sunday Social
Happy Sunday my friends! I hope you all are having an awesome weekend. One of my favorite blog friends Ashley started a blog party each week called “Sunday Social,” and I decided it was time to join in on the fun. 🙂
I’m linking up today for Sunday Social with Neely and Ashley. This week it’s all about the internet!
1. What is the first website you log onto each day?
Gmail followed by Facebook and Twitter 🙂
2. Give us some funny websites you visit that we need to know about
I think that Awkward Family Photos is hilarious! You should check it out for a good laugh!
3. Pinterest or Facebook? Why?
I love them both, but I like Facebook the best because it allows me to stay better connected with friends.
4. Twitter or Instagram?
Definitely Twitter! I do not have an Instagram account.
5. Favorite youtube video…post it!
This is a hard one because it changes weekly for me. This week my friend Rebecca shared with me a “Call Me Maybe” cover video done by US Army soldiers in Afghanistan. It is so funny! I love it!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EjLbVmXIqg&w=420&h=315]
6. Biggest Online Pet Peeve
People who tweet every second of their lives. I love Twitter, and tweet frequently but there are just some things we do not need to know.
Top 5 Friday – Favorite Books
Happy Friday all! Today I wanted to share with you the top 5 books that have been on my reading list recently. I have enjoyed reading these books over the past few months, and if you do not have these on your bookshelf you need to add them! 🙂
1. “The Polar Bear” by Will Montgomery
“The Polar Bear” is one of the most refreshing books I have read in a long time. Will does an excellent job in talking about theology and life in a way that all can understand. While being funny and clever, it is also thought-provoking and challenges the reader to live out their faith in Christ boldly. It is a page turner and will keep your attention until the end.This is a must read and one that I would recommend to everyone. You won’t regret it. Will is also releasing his first Christian fiction novel called “Lukewarm” in December so be sure to buy a copy when it comes out. It is amazing! Stay tuned for many great things from this author in the future!
2. “No Other Gods” by Kelly Minter
This is a book that I do not know why I waited so long to read. It was thought-provoking and challenging, and at the end of it I felt closer to the Lord. Through her writing, Minter did an excellent job in helping the reader understand what “idols” in their life was hindering their relationship with the Lord. Minter also has a Bible Study that goes along with the book that I am hoping to do soon. To read more about this check out the review I did for Our Single Purpose.
3. “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp
This is a beautifully written book that reminds the reader to be content right where they are. No matter what you may be going through there are always things to be thankful for. This challenged me to find gratitude even in the mundane and to always be thankful for everything that the Lord has given me.
https://www.aholyexperience.com
4. “The Hiding Place” by Corrie Ten Boom
I love reading Corrie’s writings. She has an amazing story, and her faith amazes me. In this book, she tells about her experience living in a concentration camp and how the Lord sustained her through it. All of her books are well worth the read. They will challenge your faith in great ways and draw you closer to Jesus. Find all of Corrie’s books on Amazon here.
5. “Covenant Child” by Terri Blackstock
I have become a big fan of Terri’s writing over the past few months and I have to say that “Covenant Child” is now one of my favorites. This is a parable about God and his unfailing love and faithfulness to us. This is a beautiful story and one that you must read.
https://www.terriblackstock.com
What books have you been reading lately? Would love to hear about some of your favorites! Happy reading, my friends! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
The Guarded Heart
Happy Thursday!
Happy Thursday my friends! I hope this verse brings you some encouragement today. 🙂
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let
the righteous be shaken.” ~Psalm 55:22
No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern-Day Idols by Kelly Minter
Below is a book review of “No Other Gods,” by Kelly Minter that I wrote for Our Single Purpose.
When some people think of idols, they may think of the statue gods that are worshipped in the Old Testament. However, “No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern-Day Idols,” by Kelly Minter gives a fresh perspective to idolatry, and reveals what idols today could be hindering one’s relationship with the Lord. This book is challenging for believers and non-believers alike. For the non-believer, it teaches about the one true God and how how there is no other god but Jesus Christ. For the believer, it helps remind us of what things in our life have been made more important than our relationship with God.
At the beginning of the book, Kelly describes a visit she had to a museum, and how one stone statue caught her eye. She immediately questioned how people could put trust and belief into a stone. That is when the Lord revealed to her that she does it all the time, just with different things. Minter states, “If I could display the images that splashed through my mind, you would have seen that statue turn into familiar faces from my life, career paths, and dreams. Not necessarily bad things, just things that had become detrimental because I had exalted them as gods, things that I believed could bring me life.”
One of my favorite parts in the book was when Kelly told the stories of Leah and Rachel who were two sisters from the Bible. Leah spent her life trying to gain the affections of Jacob because she continually felt unloved and wanted the kind of affection from him that Rachel had. However, Rachel spent her life discontent because she wanted lots of kids like Leah had, and lived her life jealous and unsatisfied because that desire was not fulfilled (To read more of Rachel and Leah’s story go to Genesis 29:31-30:24). The desire to be loved by a husband or a desire for children are not bad desires, and ones that all women can relate to. Although, when such desires are our primary source of satisfaction then they become false gods that never satisfy. Throughout the book, Minter helps readers recognize what these false gods are in their life and then draws them to the ultimate source of satisfaction which is Jesus Christ.
I highly enjoyed reading this book, and was challenged greatly. Kelly wrote in such a way that made me feel I was sitting and having coffee with her discussing God and life. It was hard in parts because it convicted me of things in my life that I had made into idols, but helped grow my relationship with the Lord tremendously. As mentioned earlier, our idols may not be bad in and of themselves, but anything that is elevated and made more important than Christ is considered a false god. Some examples in your life could be relationships, family, financial security, private hopes and dreams, etc; but as John Calvin states, “The evil in our desire typically does not lie in what we want, but that we want it too much.” Take some time today and ask the Lord to show you what things in your life that you are putting before Him and allow your relationship with Him be the most important thing in your life above all else.
For more information on Kelly Minter and to purchase this book, visit her website here.
The Chris Hendricks Band
Last weekend I was able to see “The Chris Hendricks Band” in concert. They are incredibly talented and have become one of my favorite bands. I was reminded recently of a blog post that I had written earlier about them and thought I would share again.
I am a music lover and I am always looking for new artists to listen to. Recently, I was introduced to the Chris Hendricks Band and after listening to their EP, I am a fan for life. The lead singer, Chris Hendricks, has Cerebral Palsy. He was told that he may never walk, but now as his Bio states, “He goes wherever the music will take him.” Hendricks does an excellent job of weaving his story into his music. One of my favorite songs from the album is called “Affliction.” Chris says that this song tells his story, and when I heard it I realized it told part of my story as well. The song is about growing up with a disability and how one is treated because of that. When I heard this song, I was instantly transported back to elementary and middle school where I recalled being treated differently due to my disability, and how I am stronger now due to what I went through.
Chris is an excellent example of not allowing a disability stop him from fulfilling his dreams. Through his lyrics, he allows listeners to step inside his world and experience life from joy to pain. This album is encouraging and fun to listen to while still making you think. Check it out for yourself here. You will not be sorry.
Songs to Listen To: Noise and Affliction.
Watch Chris and his band perform Affliction here.
For more info on the band visit their site — here.
