When We Call on Him --Psalm 91

This morning during my reading, I was reminded of who God is and all that He promises He will do for us, if we but call on Him. It is so easy to get caught up with the curve balls life throws us and start a downward spiral of despair, simply because we have forgotten that God is always near. He will deliver, protect, satisfy, honor, answer and rescue us. He will be with us through it all. Why worry?

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions,

    and under His wings you will find refuge;

    His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day, 

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

    ten thousand at your right hand,

    but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes

    and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—

    the Most High, who is my refuge—

10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,

    no plague come near your tent.

11 For He will command his angels concerning you

    to guard you in all your ways.

12 On their hands they will bear you up,

    lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;

    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;

I will protect him, because he knows my name.

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

 I will rescue him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him

and show him My salvation.”

All text © 2013 From the Ashes| All Images © 2013  From the Ashes

Books and Everything That Comes With Them!

One of my favorite down times has definitely got to be reading. Every now and then I will begin a book that I absolutely cannot put down. With every paragraph I feel myself falling further and further into the pages as though I am one of the characters; as the novel comes to a close, I feel as though I'm leaving my good friends within the pages, but look forward to when I will pick up the story again. :)

When I read, it's as though I have been taken to another world, and I believe that is perhaps why I love it so much. Because of my love for reading and the fact that my sister is doing it herself, I decided to take up a book challenge. From now until the New Year I will be reading a history book every week. At the end of each week I will be posting a brief overview of the novel along with my favorite moments or quotes from my readings. By tomorrow I will be posting the titles of the book I will be reading over the course of the next couple months. I encourage you to join me by picking out some of your favorite history writings or perhaps a topic you long to learn more about! 

On a side note, but still a long the lines of reading, I came across a website titled: "22 Things That Belong In Every Bookworm’s Dream Home." It's definitely worth checking out! Below are a few of my favorite and would certainly be in my dream house!

Which ones are your favorite?

All text © 2013 From the Ashes| All Images © 2013  buzzfeed.com

Book Challenge!

Fall time is here and what better way to spend free time than snuggled up in a blanket with a hot cup of tea and good book! Although I will still be working full-time and juggling a couple classes, I have decided to take up a book challenge with my sister (charityklicka@blogspot.com).

Below is her post about the twelve books she will be reading between now and the end of this year; one each week. I will be doing a post later on the books I will be reading for my challenge. A few of them will be the same as my sister's list, but I will also be adding a few of my own. :)

Check out Charity's awesome book challenge! Will you join us in reading twelve exciting history books before the New Year?

 Book Challenge and Giveaway - Week 1

These are 11 of the 12 books I am going to read (just include 1776 in there, and it will be 12). I am starting with the top book, but the rest of the books will be read in no particular order (And I may even add and take out a few books).

Well y'all, I've taken on a challenge. I'm going to read ONE BOOK A WEEK (12 books total) until the the New Year. Now it may not sound like anything super spectacular, but wait till you hear all the rules.

Coupled with school and work, reading a book a week is a hefty responsibility. And not just any old book, I am going to read a historical book (no fiction whatsoever) of 200+ pages every week. On top of that, I am going to be working part-time and being a student full-time. It's a jolly challenge I am excited to take on! And furthermore, I'd love to have you JOIN ME!

But that's not all, along with a blog post at the end of the week (each Monday morning) highlighting my favorite quotes in the respective book of that week as well as a summary of what I thought about the book, I will also be HOSTING A GIVEAWAY at the beginning of each week. 

The GIVEAWAY will take place at the beginning of each week, and will last for two weeks (giving you all enough time to enter). The giveaway will be a book of my choosing (one of my favorite books), plus some little goodies such as hot chocolate or tea (what with the autumn and winter months approaching), handmade book marks, and other bookish oddities.Now here is the catch! In order for the giveaway to work (and for someone to win it), at least 8 people have to take part in it (meaning: Tell ALL your friends and family about it). 

Well gosh, are you excited? Because I sure know I am! 

The BOOK I am reading this week is: 

The End of Barbary Terror: America's 1815 War Against the Pirates of North Africa | By Frederick C. Leiner

It's filled with awesome maps, pictures and paintings, graphs, and more. Plus it is an exciting read full of history (which I love), suspense, and the fight for freedom and justice. Follow my progress on Goodreads!

Although belated, the book I am giving away this week is: 
Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

It is one of my all-time favorite books, and I am happy to be sharing it with you all! Check out some of my favorite quotes from Wind in the Willows. Heads up, you might get a sudden urge to go on an adventure upon the reading of these quotes.

PLUS (I'm also giving away):

-2 Handmade bookmarks
-1 Pack of one of my favorite Teas

ENTER down below for a chance to win! The GIVEAWAY ends October 27 at midnight.

All text © 2013 Footprints in the Sand | All Images © 2013 Hislight Photography

All text © 2013 From the Ashes| All Images © 2013  From the Ashes

Oarfish: Fantasy Serpent of the Sea

So, my secret passion or not so secret, is science. I love everything to do with science as you will soon notice based on future posts :) 

While reading through today's news, I came across and article and the title (18-FOOT-LONG SEA CREATURE FOUND OFF CALIF. COAST) instantly the piqued my interest. 

"LOS ANGELES (AP) — A marine science instructor snorkeling off the Southern California coast spotted something out of a fantasy novel: the silvery carcass of an 18-foot-long, serpent-like oarfish. 

Jasmine Santana of the Catalina Island Marine Institute needed more than 15 helpers to drag the giant sea creature with eyes the size of half dollars to shore Sunday.Staffers at the institute are calling it the discovery of a lifetime. 

"We've never seen a fish this big," said Mark Waddington, senior captain of the Tole Mour, CIMI's sail training ship. "The last oarfish we saw was three feet long."Because oarfish dive more than 3,000 feet deep, sightings of the creatures are rare and they are largely unstudied, according to CIMI. 

The obscure fish apparently died of natural causes. Tissue samples and video footage were sent to be studied by biologists at the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

Santana spotted something shimmering about 30 feet deep while snorkeling during a staff trip in Toyon Bay at Santa Catalina Island, about two dozen miles from the mainland.

"She said, 'I have to drag this thing out of here or nobody will believe me,'" Waddington said. 

After she dragged the carcass by the tail for more than 75 feet, staffers waded in and helped her bring it to shore.The carcass was on display Tuesday for 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students studying at CIMI. It will be buried in the sand until it decomposes and then its skeleton will be reconstituted for display, Waddington said. 

The oarfish, which can grow to more than 50 feet, is a deep-water pelagic fish — the longest bony fish in the world, according to CIMI. 

They are likely responsible for sea serpent legends throughout history."

How neat is that? God's creation absolutely fascinates me! I am in awe of God's beautiful design and the many creatures He has created, each one special in their own way;  yet of all He has made we are His most treasured creation! 

What is one of your favorite creatures God has created and why?

All text © 2013 From the Ashes| All Images © 2013  From the Ashes

We were Created for so Much More!

"I was created to live for God -- His kingdom and His glory. I was designed to get my identity , meaning and purpose, and my inner sense of well-being vertically. I was made to my reason for doing what I am doing and my rest in the middle of doing from God."
 -Dr. Paul David Tripp

"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who for their sake died and was raised."
-(2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

All text © 2013 From the Ashes| All Images © 2013  From the Ashes

Why Worry?

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" (Matthew 6:25-27)

"Jesus warns us to be careful of what we assign value to because what we name as our treasure will control our hearts, and what controls our hearts will control our behavior. Worry and rest always reveal the true treasures of your heart. You will rest the most when what you treasure the most is secure, and you will worry the most when what you treasure the most is at risk." -Paul David Tripp

What does your world of worry reveal about the true treasures of your heart?

All text © 2013 From the Ashes| All Images © 2013 Stickyegg.com