Category: Friendship

Belief, Current Events, Faith, Friendship, Love, Mindset

Who Is Pulling Your Strings?

Angela Ireland

Who benefits from your anger and hatred? Is it you? And in what way?

Does your life expand positively because you hate your neighbor or your co-worker? If it does, how?

Do you get a warm and cozy feeling, when your government tells you to a pick a side? If it does, would you please share with all of us?

Would you have visited your friend in the hospital, if you hadn’t heard on the news that because of the color of their skin you can’t be friends?

Or I know, this side or the other is better because they agree with everything you believe and say?

What if I told you that your real enemy is the one that you can’t see pulling the strings, would you believe me? Or would you just say I can’t believe you because they didn’t say that on the news? Or in the school?

Have you ever stepped back to consider, who may benefit from your hatred and your blues? Is it really your co-worker or neighbor or the random person in the store?

Or is there more?

The Bible says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” I Peter 5:8

Friends, your enemy is not the person that you work with or doesn’t look like you. It is the one that allows the devil to rule in their lives. That includes your favorite celebrities and authorities.

It is also the people who benefit from pain and suffering. Those hidden from sight.

The next time the media or the government tells you to believe something, ask yourself, who benefits from division and strife? I can almost guarantee you, it isn’t who you think it is.

In Christian love,

Angela

Upside down
Belief, Faith, Family, Friendship, Mindset

Who Is My Family?

Angela Ireland
At the end of our visit

This is an overdue post. I should have written it in the midst of the visit, but I was enjoying the fellowship too much to pen it all down until now.

Last week, I had the opportunity to put my money where my mouth is. When I decided to purchase our home here in Alabama, I asked the Lord to let it be a place for hospitality and for Bible study, much in the way my family home was when I was growing up. However, my home is not fully furnished yet ( we donated most of our furniture before we moved) and that was my excuse, but that didn’t deter my friends Amy and Alan from coming here for a visit. In fact, the morning of their arrival, I still wasn’t ready, but we got it together before they rang our doorbell that Saturday evening.

Their visit, challenged me to let go of my preconceived ideas that everything has to be perfect before you can host someone. Since the kitchen is the hub of the home it’s where we spent all of our time when weren’t out and about or sleeping. Alan landscaped my front yard as a housewarming gift. They even purchased a few much needed items for us, just because they wanted too. We worshiped together, we ate together, cooked meals, shopped ( founds some amazing items in my local thrift stores) and had the opportunity to fellowship with another couple from my local congregation. But I believe the most impactful part of the visit was on my daughter. She got to have a father figure in her life for several days and to see a godly couple in our home. She witnessed the template! That was by far the best part of the visit to me.

Though, Amy and Alan are off on their next adventure, and I may not see them again for a couple of months, I’m so grateful that through the blood of Jesus Christ, they are my family. And I am secretly praying that they will settle here in northern Alabama after they have seen the whole of the United States.

I could go on and on about how much their visit meant to me, but I’d never stop writing. I guess what I really want to convey is that oftentimes the people who love on you the most may not be your physical family and in my case that has absolutely been true. The people who have walked with me through my grief journey have been my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ and for them I forever grateful.

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:29.

After living here in northern Alabama for ten months, I can definitively say that is a true statement for us.

In Christian love,

AngelaChristine

Belief, Faith, Family, Friendship

Tiny Little Miracles

Angela Ireland

It’s hard to believe that we have been here for three weeks. So much has happened in such a short time that it’s impossible to not see God’s hand in this move. We have visited three churches of Christ, since we have been here and have already made good friends. Through these friendships, we have been able to connect with the homeschooling community. Emily is enrolled in piano, will start tennis lessons after Labor Day and will also get to participate in Fall planting at my sister in Christ’s home next month. Needless the say, as I sit here typing out this post, tears are streaming down my face as I reflect on how good God is and has been since we made this move. Though it was extremely hard in the preparation, I am appreciative that Huntsville, is woven into our journey to heaven.

Today has been busy, following worship this morning, we were invited to the home of a family from church for lunch. Not only was the meal delicious, but everything on our plates came from their backyard. Even the kombucha that was served with our meal was homemade. The meal was followed by a tour of their homestead, and if that was not enough, they gifted us with more wonderful vegetables to take home. The one surprise at lunch was the rabbit. I’ve always been hesitant about eating rabbit, but decided today that I would expand my horizons. So, I ate it with gratitude and to my surprise it was quite tasty.

If I had to put a cap on my day, it was that I was able to leave my daughter at the church building this evening after Bible study for her first youth event. She had a great time and made some new friends. She was the primary driver for this move, because I wanted to have her surrounded by other children her age, growing in Christ. God has taken us from isolated to invited and welcomed.

With all of this wonderful happening to us, my heart still aches because Ethan is not here with us to experience this too. In fact, I feel guilty that we are able to live this life without him. It seems so unfair. In fact, I still can’t comprehend that my life is so radically different now. That God would have me go on without my heartbeat, my precious boy. It still hurts so deeply.

Though, I don’t understand, I will cling to my Lord and Savior, trusting that one day I will see Ethan again as he should have always been, whole and well.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15&16

In Christine love,

AngelaChristine

Belief, Faith, Friendship, Mindset

I Get Paid To Do What I Love

Angela Ireland

Most people spend a lifetime working and building someone else’s dream. Planning one’s life around two weeks of vacation and that three percent raise. Oh and then there is the retirement, annual meetings to make sure you have enough to last through your golden years. That was me until I got divorced.

I mean I was comfortable climbing the corporate ladder. It was okay to have a company car, travel and vacation once or twice a year; but when I was faced with two life altering experiences, autism and epilepsy followed by divorce. I had to rethink what I thought made sense because in my new life, it no longer made sense.

So I made a decision to walk away from my comfort zone. To push myself out on the edge, because now that I am 50, sitting in the easy chair, isn’t easy. It’s hard, it’s lonely and it’s meaningless. Serving others gives meaning. Six years ago, I moved to Georgia for the sake of my son. I asked my daughter to make a sacrifice and my husband at the time to do the same. The transition was harder than I imagined, painful actually. The struggle was real. We endured and we still endure. My children and I endure, my ex-husband decided he was done, so he moved on.

But there is light, fortunately there is always light, if you’re willing to walk into it. So I did. I decided that time and financial freedom were worth every bit of pain and sorrow I’ve experienced these past six years. What I have to look forward is only going to get better. Not because I have a crystal ball, but because I finally get to do the one thing that really matters, and that is to love and to serve.

Today, I received a comment on a post from one of the individuals, I have been fortunate to serve through Plexus. She reminded me as to why I love this job so much. It is to give hope through health, gut health specifically. I don’t have to create the products, I just have to share how everyone can benefit, if taken properly and consistently. That was just the boost that I needed to push myself these final weeks of 2021. So I will. Will you join me?

“But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” Deuteronomy 30:14

It is and I will do it!

In Christian love,

AngelaChristine

Testimony
Current Events, Freedom, Friendship, Lifestyle, Love

A Real Friend

Angela Ireland
Friends

When you say you love me, but then tell me to go and get the jab when you already know my concerns, because you got it, I have to wonder do you really love me?

A real friend considers my uniqueness and physical differences that may play a role in how, I may respond to the jab.

A real friend understands that what may not cause them harm might cause me harm.

A real friend understands that I am fearfully and wonderfully made and I take my personal relationship with Christ, seriously.

A real friend sees me exercising and eating a nutrient dense diet that builds my body and my immune system.

A real friend recognizes that I do my own research and won’t blindly follow the government, media or doctors.

A real friend would warn me, if the road was out up ahead.

A real friend would know me well enough to know that I have made my decision after careful consideration.

A real friend would love me anyway and respect my decision, just as I have respected theirs.

A real friend would understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to medicine.

A real friend would never support any, mandate or rule that discriminates against anyone.

A real friend understands the importance of choice.

But, if my decision to abstain offends her and she determines that we can no longer be friends, I’ll let her know that I still love her as I love myself, which means I’d never knowingly ask her to harm herself to make me feel safe.

I am not scared, and I do not fear being sick as I know illness happens. “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:13.

While, I could spend my days worrying about what is happening in the world as many do, my time is better spent doing what Jesus has called me to do, which is sharing the gospel and living a faithful life, while there is still time, because as the Hebrew writer states, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27.

Remember this, we have no control over life or death, no one can extend his or her life by one second longer than has been determined by God. “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” Matthew 6:27

In Christian love,

AngelaChristine