Toni was born and raised in a small town in Oklahoma.She graduated from East Central University with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Economics.After college, she returned to her hometown to marry her best friend, Charles.Toni is a stay at home mom to their three teens, two boys and a girl, whom God led them to homeschool.Her goal is to raise her children to love and serve the Lord.They live on a farm where they grow produce to sell at several farmers markets.She also plays the piano at church and teaches piano.
Do you ever hear songs on the radio but you do not actually listen to them? I do it all the time. I hear the music but I do not pay much attention to the words. Recently, I was listening to the radio while driving and “Start a Fire” by Unspoken came on. As I began singing along, the words just hit me.
Start a fire in my soul,
Fan the flame and make it grow.
So there’s no doubt or denying.
Let it burn so brightly
That everyone around can see,
That it’s You, that it’s You that we need.
Start a fire in me.
When did we lose our fire?
As children, we learned “This Little Light of Mine.”
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Is Your Light Shining?
These songs have the same basic message, so we have learned this from an early age. Is our light shining? Do we share the love of God with people who come across our path? What does this look like? Shining your light can look like kind words or actions to people we know or people we do not know. Encourage those who are having difficulties. Mow a neighbor’s lawn. Babysit for a friend. Of course, these do not have to be overtly “Christian” acts. We shine our light by words and deeds. We should be asking God to put in us a fire burns so brightly that our light shines for all to see.
I am an Oklahoman by birth, a Texan by current living situation, but claim the world as my playground.I love to travel and hope to someday soon take our family on adventures to far off lands, where we can share God with others and experience all the wonders He has created.
I am a mother of 5 crazy, homeschooling children ages 10 & under, wife to an amazing man, and daughter of the King of the Universe!I enjoy reading, making my kids laugh, cooking, all things natural, learning to play guitar and dusting off my piano skills.One day I hope to run again, but until then I’m learning patience.
Every time we turn on the news, there is another tragedy being reported. It can become overwhelming and disheartening, but we have to keep pushing back the dark. It is completely important to not allow the negativity and evilness to consume our lives and our thoughts because when we do, fear takes root and fear and trusting God cannot coexist.
One way to combat this fear from taking root is by admitting we live in a fallen world and with this fallen world comes tragedy. Even though these dark tragedies lurk all around us, we are called to be the shinning lights. We are called to not become disheartened.
Jesus, in John 16:33, spoke this truth to his disciples and he means it for us too:
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Here Jesus is referring to the fact that He is about to be crucified and raised from the dead. He will conquer and overcome the hold this sinful world has on us. Because of God’s miraculous powers, this resurrection is possible for us and even for those who intend evil to happen.
Yes, indeed, even those who hold ill will against others, who will carry a gun with ill intentions lurking in all corners of their heart need the light we carry. We should not be afraid to be this light for them.
Mark Gunger relays an amazing story in his seminar Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriageof hitman who had his life changed by our Lord and Savior as he was waiting to pull the trigger on his intended target. The hitman was hired by a local porn shop owner, because his sales were down since a revival came to town. He figured if he killed the pastor, then sales would go back up, so he hired the hitman to take out the pastor. As the hitman sat there waiting for the right moment to kill the pastor, the message being presented sunk into his heart. When he finally stood up and came towards the pastor, he ended up giving his life to Christ instead of murdering the man giving the message.
Yes, in every moment we need to be the shinning light and let Christ’s light pierce the souls around us.
Even in tragedy, we are called to shine brightly no matter who the victim(s) OR the perpetrator(s) are. We are called to love, comfort and be shinning lights to everyone!
As I pondered these thing, Josh Wilson’s song Pushing Back the Dark came to mind. The lyrics are so powerful and the song will ignite you to keep pushing the back the dark and shining Christ’s love on everyone.
Whatever you do, just don’t lose heart Keep on pushing back the dark Keep on pushing back the dark
The city on a hill, it should be shining still Every sinner saved by grace, has a purpose, has a place Inside the bigger plan, we might not understand But if we just keep walking on, we will see the Kingdom come, yeah lyrics from Push Back the Dark by Josh Wilson
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