Hi, this is Nurie. I thought I’d take a moment to share my heart with you….
Title: “Are We a Counterfeit Christian, or are we the REAL Thing?” I often challenge myself with the question, “Am I a real Christian?” In other words, do I appear to others as a godly person, but God sees me as someone who is dirty and unrighteous inside. I thank Jesus that His blood covers my sin. Yet, I never want to willingly LIVE in sin.
Sometimes it can be easy to fall into a rut of just acting out the
Christian life. So many times people will act like a godly person in
front of other Christians, but then behind closed doors, or in a worldly
atmosphere, they act a totally different way.
Why is this?
How can people change so quickly? I believe when this happens, it is
because it is not in the depths of their heart to want to please God
with their life.
Proverbs 21:2 “Every way of man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”
In the human life, we tend to focus more on the outward man more than
the inward man. I have often found myself thinking too much about what
others think of me. When I put my self confidence in man, I begin to
struggle with thoughts of worry and my insides feels like they are tied
up in a big knot.
Satan LOVES to find ways to distract the
Christian and when Satan can get us to be more focused on what others
think of us, rather than what GOD thinks, he has gotten a big foothold
in our hearts.
I have found that when I am struggling in this
area, it is harder for me to read my Bible, pray and listen to preaching
because my mind is filled with distracting thoughts. I have come to
the conclusion that one of the reasons Christians are falling so quickly
to the standard of this world, is because they devote themselves to the
image they set before men rather than God.
If it is truly in
the DEPTHS of our hearts to want to please God, then we will not care
what others think. If we are looked upon as the odd-ball, or hated for
taking a righteous stand; may we remind ourselves that it is an honor to
be hated for the LORD’s sake.
Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Luke 6:22 “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they
shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast
out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.”
I want to say
that I am not an expert at this. I have only been around for 20 years.
I still have a lot to learn, for it is only by God’s grace that I do
not stumble and fall.
But, I have some amazing examples to look up to. It would be an honor to point out who a few of those people are.
First, I would like to say, that my parents have been such an
encouragement to me in this area. They never drop their standards and
beliefs so that they can “fit in” with what everyone else is doing
around them. Also, my parents are not hypocrites. They live out what
they teach us and they are true Christians to the core of their souls.
When I look at all the sacrifices they have made to give us children a
godly upbringing, my heart is filled with gratitude to them. I realize
how blessed I am. I know there are many others who wish they had
parents like this.
It saddens me to see how rare it is to find
parents that are passionate about raising up their children for the
honor and glory of Jesus Christ. It also saddens me to see so many
people that were raised in a godly, Christian home take for granted what
they were given. They just throw away the great gift they have, and
decide to live a life that is not pleasing to our precious Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.
“Thank you”, Daddy and Mama, for all you have given me!”
Secondly, I would like to point out my wonderful Grandpa and Grandma
Noyes. They have set the perfect example of faithfulness. It is such a
blessing to have grandparents I can look up to and see that all they
have tried to do with their whole lives is to please God. I am thankful
to have a godly heritage.
Thirdly, I would like to say what an
inspiration my Aunt Amy has been to me in my life. She is truly
someone who cares only what God thinks of her. In the midst of her
suffering, and not having the use of her hands or legs, she continues to
press onward for the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of allowing herself to
wallow in discouragement, self-pity, or depression, she rises up and
determines to choose joy. So many people in our world today, use their
physical or spiritual attacks as an excuse to give up living a godly,
passionate life. I want to thank Aunt Amy, Uncle Kevin, and all the
Foster children for continuing to live righteously even in the midst of
tragedy and hardship. You are such a good example to me and many
others.
Lastly (but certainly NOT least) I want to thank my
Heavenly Father who sets the perfect example in every area of life.
When humans fail and disappoint me, I am thankful for a God who will
never fail or forsake me. I often wonder why so many people blame God
for so many bad things that happen when God is the One Who has given us
hope and joy in this sinful world. If it was not for the salvation of
our Lord Jesus Christ, we would be hopeless, homeless, lost and dying a
spiritual death.
If there is anyone reading this that is not saved, I BEG of you to accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour today!
II Corinthians 6:2 “For he sayeth, I have heard thee in a time
accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now
is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
“I
thank you, Lord Jesus, for saving me from my sins when I was only 4
years old on November 7, 2003.” What a GLORIOUS day that was!
May we all be encouraged to strive to be REAL Christians. I do not want
the Lord looking down at me and seeing a warm, and mediocre Christian.
God is not pleased with that.
Revelation 3: 15 & 16 “I
know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert
cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
May I and all of us, come
before God with humble hearts and ask Him to help us be the kind of
Christian that He would be pleased with.
“Oh, precious Lord and
Saviour, I ask that you would help me and all the other Christians in
this world to stand up and have courage to do what is right. May we not
give in to the fleshly things of this world or the temptations that
Satan will bring our way. Help those who are being persecuted for Your
name’s sake to and give them strength to keep pressing onward. Oh, Lord, please put your loving hand around people who are struggling with physical and spiritual sickness.
May we never use hard times as an excuse to stop serving you as we
should. I beg of you, Lord, to help me never let pride get in the way
of my worship to you.” Give us a spiritual awakening and revival
throughout the world. Open our eyes and help us realize how worthless
we would be without the blood of Jesus Christ. Give us boldness that we
may spread the Gospel to every creature. Raise up more generations of
Christians who are truly passionate about serving you and are passionate
about living a godly life. Thank you, Lord, for loving me when I am not lovable. Thank you for giving me the best family a person could ever ask for. Thank you for allowing me to live in a country where I can freely worship you. Thank you for all the godly examples you have given me in the Bible and on earth who are heroes of the faith. Thank you for your Word. Thank you for providing me with all my needs. Thank you for giving me legs, arms and hands that work. Thank you that I can talk, see, hear, touch, feel, taste and smell. Thank you for giving me good health. I could go on and on with all that you have blessed me with, but there is just not enough time.
Lastly, thank you for my salvation…the greatest blessing of all.
Lord, may I always remember that I only have one short life; so help me
to live it for you! In Jesus Name, Amen.”
She looked at me and said, “Jill, I WISH I was living YOUR life!” 😐
Now, I truly take that as a compliment. 💛
But, can I be real here? I strive VERY hard to focus on the positives
in my life. To post on social media the good, the joyful, the happy. 😁
I even had a lady (with disdain and hate) tell me once that I smile too
much and just seem to think that life is one big ball of happiness and
fun! 🤔 (Not her exact words…but you get the point).
It hurt. Yes, it hurt to the core of my soul, because I FEEL hurt. I
FEEL pain. I FEEL sorrow. I FEEL trials. I FEEL stress. I FEEL
weary. I FEEL persecution. I FEEL frustration . 😔
YET…my JOY in the Lord and His goodness to me is greater than all that! ❤
I have highlighted in my Bible in SO many places about how the children
of Israel (in the Old Testament) complained their way through hard
circumstances. I have tried to PURPOSE in my life to try NOT to be like
that! 🙏
Lest any of you think my life is perfect, let me be honest. 😂😃
😢
Hardship: I have suffered through 5 devastating and hard
miscarriages…one I almost bled to death and had to have several units
of blood transfusions.
😁 Choosing Joy: I have 13 beautiful, healthy children that God allowed me to keep.
😢 Hardship: My husband and I had a rough marriage that took a LOT of work in our early years. It is still not perfect.
😁 Choosing Joy: We renewed our vows on our 20th anniversary and we continue to fall more and more in love.
😢
Hardship: We travel and sing in an RV motorhome. It wears on my
patience. I am a homebody and one that thrives on home life…NOT being a
“sardine” for Jesus. LOL.
😁
Choosing Joy: I LOVE serving my Saviour full time! Any sacrifice
made for Him…HE IS WORTHY OF! I LOVE ministering to God’s people and
meeting new friends along the way. I LOVE the sites we get to see and
enjoy.
😢 Hardship: I homeschool my children and never get a “break” from the noise, busyness, chaos, and demands of motherhood.
😁
Choosing Joy: I live in a FREE country where I have the HONOR and joy
of being with my children, teaching them, molding them, loving them and
protecting them from the counsel of the ungodly. What an honor.
😢
Hardship: My husband gave up 2 nearly full-time jobs to go into full
time ministry. It stretches both of our faith to the limit several
times.
😁
Choosing Joy: It is a JOY watching God provide and we honestly have
more now than we did back then. Figure that one out!….that’s our God
for you!
😢
Hardship: We have “hateful” people that follow our family and say all
manner of evil against us….falsely! It hurts…it’s NOT true! They
don’t even KNOW us!
😁 Choosing Joy: It is an HONOR to suffer this small form of persecution for the name of our blessed Saviour- Jesus Christ!
😢
Hardship: The world views the role “stay at home mom” as hard and
this would be their description of it… “I lose my ‘identity’ by being
known as diaper changer, cook, wife, cleaner, laundry washer, etc. I
have LESS money and have to live frugally. ”
😁
Choosing Joy: I LOVE having the HONOR of being a stay at home mom. I
embrace the challenges as an honor to raise up warriors for Jesus! I
don’t mind living frugally and LOVE thrift stores and Dollar Tree! LOL.
I appreciate hand-me-down clothes and am not too proud to wear them.
😢
Hardship: I get VERY sick with my pregnancies. I have varicose veins
that throb and leave my legs a little more worn and “ugly” every time I
birth another baby. I get stretch marks. I get uncomfortable and lack
sleep. I lose my “shape” over and over. LOL.
😁
Choosing Joy: I (and my husband) look at those imperfections as
“beauty” marks from bringing another life (to raise for Jesus) into this
world. I realize that favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a
woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
You see, I have CHOSEN a smile. I have CHOSEN a giggle instead of a gripe.
No, my life is not a bed of roses, but it is the ONE that God gave ME to live! ❤
How about you? What life did God give YOU to live? Are you living it
well? Are you content? Or, do you look at others’ lives with envy.
I battle with keeping my attitude always right. However, when you find
yourself complaining, fall to your knees in GRATITUDE for ALL the
blessings He has done for you!
“Count your blessings, name them
one by one. Count your blessings see what God has done. Count Your
blessings, name them one by one…and it will surprise you what the LORD
hath done!” 💛💛💛😁😁😁
We need a generation of women who rise up with JOY and embrace the
God-given Biblical role God put in place for them. I believe it could
bring revival to our land.
Choose JOY in the midst of your hardship. 😁
Love you all and cheering EACH of you on for the GLORY of God! 💛 Jill Rodrigues
Well, another month has fled past us and we continue to be grateful for God’s Goodness in our lives. Please read about the ups and downs of this past month; some thought-provoking “quotes”; progress in our Printing Ministry; all about our travels; and lastly, how Jill’s Plexus business is doing.
We hope this post finds you well as you serve Jesus! With MUCH Care, The Rodrigues Family
Family and Ministry *Updates*
We are THRILLED that God continues to grow our printing ministry. Today, David just shipped out an order of Spanish Yellow Smiley Tracts to a missionary in the Canary Islands. We are excited to see God working in our printing ministry to be able to offer other translations. David worked with 2 fluent Spanish speaking people to get the best quality and accuracy possible.
It was so nice having Timothy home for Christmas! He bought Sadie a late birthday present- a book. Then, she wanted him to read it to her before bed one night. This moment is so precious to me, it nearly makes my heart ache! Blessed Mama…Jill
Once again, every seat in our 15 passenger van was filled! It was off to NEW YORK we went for a meeting at New Life Baptist Church! What a blessing it was to spend 3 days there! We had a kindred spirit with these folks and even enjoyed playing games, etc. We LOVE the new friendship we formed with the Ritz Family and the church family!!
How lovely it was to have David’s Mom (my sweet mother in law) come to the hotel we stayed at and spend a night with us and the entire Sunday of services! We love you, Mom!
What a JOY it was to my heart to have my Uncle Jon and Aunt Brenda Gainer come to visit the church we sang at in New York. I have SO many fond memories growing up around these precious people. I love you, Uncle Jon and Aunt Brenda! How we miss New York and our sweet friends and relatives here!
It was LOVELY having dear, life-long friends of ours come to see us sing in New York! **See pictures below**
To my friend Lisa, it was SUCH a treat to sing with you! I am thankful for our friendship! Also, it is so neat that our girls can share a friendship. Love you! ~Jill
When I was a senior in high school (of my parents’ homeschool), all the parents (of my fellow homeschoolers) took their soon-to-be graduates out to eat at the Inn at Letchworth State Park in New York overlooking these beautiful waterfalls.
When the church we went to (recently to sing at) was right near the park, I couldn’t resist bringing my family there to reminisce. Little did I know as a young 18 year old girl, with an engagement ring on my finger from David, that I would revisit this spot nearly 22 years later with 13 children in tow!
Time has a way of flying by. Cherish every moment. Drink it in. Feel it. Sniff it. Hear it. Taste it. See it. *Remember that life is truly like a vapor! Don’t focus on the negatives, but rather the positives. Live in the moment, for you never know when it may be your last. Living this way changes your perspective and brings joy to you and those around you.
It was HEAVENLY being WHOLE as a family again when Timothy was home for 2 weeks for Christmas! I cherished every moment knowing that these “together” moments would become more and more rare the older our children get. However, I did raise them to FLY, not to stay selfishly in our nest. However, when they do find their way “home” for a short time, I hug them, praise them, and cherish EVERY moment with them!
Timothy asked me to do a 2019 challenge with him this year! Together, we need to run/walk a total of 2,019 miles together. It has been FUN to do this with him!! ~Jill
**Note from Timothy… “This is Timothy Rodrigues. My mom and I have already done 100 miles, for run the year 2019. I am glad we are able to do this as a team.”
It was SO hard saying goodbye to Timothy. 😥
We are PLEASED to announce that he got his grades back from his first
semester and he successfully passed every class….while working almost a
full time job…paying through his first semester totally debt free! 😊
Bud, we are going to miss you! Love ya and GREAT job in college!
Just think, this summer you will be in the air FLYING as the pilot! 🚅✈🛫🛬 WE LOVE YOU SOOOO MUCH!
Our family was excited to be asked to teach and sing at a Family Conference in Kentucky. We LOVED teaching on something so dear to our hearts!!
Below are some pictures from when we were there.
I can’t believe this little angel, miracle girl of ours is already 9 months old! Janessa is growing too fast and I truly cherish each moment with her! 😊💖💛
**All about Jill’s growing Plexus business!!***
Plexus Super Saturday Training was this past month! I was SO excited! This is my favorite Plexus event each year! Plus, this year I had 2 of my ambassadors come! It was SUPER exciting!
An enjoyable evening out with our DEAR friends!
I was also THRILLED to travel to Pennsylvania this month to support Marcy in her Plexus Opportunity Event! She had it at a beautiful Bed and Breakfast and it was a GORGEOUS location and day! Marcy, I am SO proud of you growing your own Plexus team so that people can be more healthy!! Love, Jill
**SUPER Sad News!!
I feel a RIGHTEOUS ANGER right now. I’m a New Yorker. I’ve always been kind of proud to say that. Since living in West Virginia… Always clarifying. Proud to be a Yankee. My roots are in New York. We are still avid Mets fans. 😂😂😂
But…New York has now legalized abortions right up to birth. 😡. Full term. Beautiful babies…ripped from the womb…slaughtered! I am crying right now. My heart is so heavy I wish I could DO something to protect these precious babies.
In West Virginia there is only ONE (early term) abortion clinic open in the entire state! I am starting to re-think this thing of being proud to be a “New Yorker”.
A people that would murder babies is demented, twisted, evil and a people that WILL suffer the wrath of God! Lord help us! 😢🙁
Those words,”I’m a New Yorker”, carry a different connotation today. Sad and dark. God have mercy on New York. 😭😭😭
**Thought provoking quotes below…**
Ps 116:1 ¶ I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. 2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
With Love and Serving Jesus with Joy, The Rodrigues Family
It has been a CRAZY busy last 2 1/2 months! Let us fill you in with what has been going on with us via posts and pictures. Love to you ALL and we hope you all had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and that your new year is prosperous. **Remember, the ONLY thing that matters concerning what we do with our lives, is what we do for Christ. When we bow before Him someday, we will wish we had given Him more! With Care, The Rodrigues Family
Our travels began the middle of October with about 3 weeks of traveling. Our first meeting was in PA near our old stomping grounds of where we used to live in New York right before we moved to WV.
LOVED meeting one of my most loyal FB followers here. – Ruth Carpenter.
While there, what a TOTAL joy it was to have my WONDERFUL and generous Aunt Val come and visit us in Pennsylvania- which was fairly near where she lived. 😊 She took us out to eat and spent the whole day Saturday with us! She is a gem and I am honored to call such a SPECIAL lady my aunt! 💖💖💖 Jill
What a GREAT last week it was at Elkdale Baptist Church! We LOVE you guys and are honored to have met such great, new friends!
Thank you for everything and for your hospitality and delicious food you served us day after day!
Until Next Time, The Rodrigues Family
The Pastor of the church.We LOVE serving Jesus together and besides God and my husband, my girls are my BEST friends!!
While in the area…
Sometimes I just need to reminisce. Although the memories bring an ache
to my heart…of childhood memories gone by at dear old Grandpa and
Grandma’s house…it is well worth re-visiting those nearly perfect
memories.
On Monday night, these wonderful friends of ours (in New York) had us over for dinner. How can I describe such great friends that we go back with nearly 20 years. They have ALWAYS stood behind our family and our decisions and we have gone through adult life together…whether near or far apart. Anderson Family, thank you! We love you and your precious children. The food was delicious! Our love and appreciation, The Rodrigues Family
Pressing on to the next church we sang at in VERMONT! This is a note from the Pastor posted on FB….
“Our missions revival begins in just less than one hour! The Rodrigues family are here! So excited!” -Pastor Daniel Anderson
We SERIOUSLY LOVE these folks! We consider them some of our DEAREST and TRUEST friends!!With some children at the church.
I was SO excited! My son Phillip (15 yrs.) who has a DEEP love for God and a PASSION for righteousness, had an opportunity to preach in Vermont for the 1st time!
What a JOY it was on our way home from this trip, we got to visit my sister and family. ❤ I got to meet my new nephew Chapman for the first time!
“Angie, I love it when we get to nurse together, go to church together,
laugh together, embrace, agree in God’s Word together, clean together,
train our children together, and just simply share life together as
sisters. 😘😁💖
You are refreshing to me and thank you for your hospitality towards
our large family. Of course, you have 8, so God is blessing you with a
big family also!” 😉 Love Forever, Jillie (your sis)
P.S. I simply LOVE your new home! It is GORGEOUS! 😁💜
At the tail end of our trip to Pennsylvania and Vermont, I turned 40!! Yikes! New hairdo for my 40th birthday – pictured below. Do you like? Hmmm, I am not sure I like the sound of 40! However, I LOVE this phase of life…with grown children, teens, and babies. I LOVE my family! My family spoiled me rotten and I feel like the MOST blessed lady on the face of the earth! 😁🤗😊💖 Sometimes you just have to stop everything…the busyness of life, work, etc. And just PLAY with your children. Soak in the moments, for they grow far too quickly! 😭 I love my children more than life itself and I am SO blessed God gave them to me! 💖💛
Speaking of children… Below is the Plexus X-Factor Children’s Chewable Multi-Vitamin! You should SERIOUSLY order some today and help your children be the HEALTHIEST they can be!!
Benefits and Facts….
*Gluten Free *Non GMO *Vegetarian *No artificial ANYTHING! *4 BILLION active cultures for gut and immune health *Effective and AMAZING ingredients! *Support healthy immune and digestive system *Support growing bone, teeth, and muscles *Supports healthy brain function
You can order some from my Plexus website at- www.plexusworldwide.com/jillrodrigues
What a JOY it is having Kevin & Amy & their 6 children & the Foster Family live here in West Virginia now. It is a BLAST when we all get together.
BTW, Amy and Betsy are my “uplines” in Plexus and they absolutely LOVE Plexus and are faithful in taking it EVERY day! *Notice my NEW Plexus sweatshirt that my wonderful daughter Nurie bought me for my birthday!
I LOVE spending time with these godly ladies! Amy (as always) is my hero! Betsy is due for her 4th baby any day now . Amber just had a precious baby boy- Moses (Nurie is holding him in the photo below) this past September. Ladies, I LOVE you all!
We voted in November! As a Christian, it is our responsibility to make SURE we get out and vote!
Absolutely LOVE having God’s people over for fellowship. These dear folks (LePage Family) are missionaries to Guernsey.
Hope you all had a thankful Thanksgiving! It’s pumpkin cookie decorating time! 💖 Yum! Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! 😁😊
More pictures of Thanksgiving Season Foods. Ymmm! Pumpkin goodies made from scratch. Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Seeds. Ymm!
Finished product of the Pumpkin Soup.
Finished Product of the Pumpkin Pie.Finished Product of the Pumpkin Seeds.
Cute BOY moment showing off to Mama their muscles to impress me and have me express to them whose were the BIGGEST! LOL.
Olivia. All she wanted for Christmas was her 4 front teeth. LOL. 😂 (Just kidding. She got a realistic baby doll and accessories.) 💖
Two cousins (Olivia and Callista Foster) in the SAME “tooth” situation. LOL.
*BEFORE and *AFTER pictures of our back patio. We got it done JUST in the nick of time for Thanksgiving. We had a small crowd this year for Thanksgiving…only 34 people were here. LOL. (For us, that really is small.)
Thank you, Babe, for all your hard work to get this done. I LOVE you! -Jilly
I
am so proud of my Phillip. On his VERY first day of hunting EVER, he
got a deer! It was small, because earlier he (by mistake) scared off a 6
point buck. 😫 So, he was determined to get the next deer that came. It was this little one. 💙 He was SO excited! It dropped dead in its tracks. “Good shot, Phillip!” 💙
I am a tender heart when it comes to animals. That is why David
doesn’t ever take me. LOL. He is afraid I would shout a warning to the
deer. LOL. 😂 However, we love deer meat and are thankful! 💙
Total, we have 3 deer in the freezer. (David got one also and we had a friend give us one.) 😁
Thanksgiving Day ARRIVED! Yeah!
Memories from when everyone was here for Thanksgiving! 😁 It was a JOYOUS time! 💛
*Check out these ADORABLE dresses Angie made for her two little girls – Azalea and Amity. 😊 Aren’t they beautiful?!
Also, the guys LOVE to play card games.💖
Last pic….the “ladies” went out for coffee on Saturday. Blessings, Jill 💖
Angie (MY SISTER) made these!
Can’t believe our little Sadie is already 5 years old! 😢 We had fun putting on this “Cinderella” birthday party for her. Happy 5th birthday, Sadie girl. Daddy and Mama love you more than you will ever know! 💛💖💛💖
We got a REAL Christmas tree. SUCH a cozy family night! Do YOU have any Christmas traditions that you do each year?
Finished Result. We had a joyous Christmas!
I hosted an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. I had a lovely group of neighbors and friends come. These were some of the ladies present. 😁 We had a great time! ❤ Check out these cute sweaters.
Merry Christmas!! God blessed us with a very Merry Christmas!! Below are Tessie and Hannah’s gifts – realistic Baby Dolls!
Twins have been added to our home! ** Esther Joy (proud mother is Tessie) **Sylvia Jubilee (proud mother is Hannah) Merry Christmas, girls! Hope you like your realistic baby dolls! Love, Daddy and Mama
I just love living near my precious sister- Amy Foster and her DEAR family! We all went and saw “Bethlehem” LIVE nativity.
It was a bit rainy, but it made it much less crowded.
It was a lovely night…topped off with hot chocolate and cookies and then we went over to their house for fellowship afterwards. I LOVE my family and it inspires me to “hang” around my hero- Amy.
All About Janessa…
7 months old…
8 months old…
Can’t believe this little cutie is already 8 months old! She is doing AMAZING and creeping all over the floor!
We ADORE her and are abundantly blessed to have her in our lives! 😃
We had another appointment today with Janessa’s Neurologist Pediatric Specialist Doctor. He carefully examined her and continues to see NO areas of concern.
He said his only concern is the MRI results (from right after she was born) in how her brain is malformed and some of it is damaged (due to in utero stroke…they think). Also, she is missing her corpus callosum…the part of the brain that connects the left and right sides of the brain. These issues often cause seizures, developmental challenges with motor skills and also speech/academic learning skills, etc.
However the doctor said that in SOME cases you don’t notice anything wrong! Well, guess what? That describes our MIRACLE Janessa! She is doing AMAZING!
The doctor does not need to see her for a whole YEAR now and he told us
the next “hurdles” for Janessa to overcome, are walking and talking. 😉
She already babbles a lot and copies our word sounds. To he honest,
she seems further ahead than some of our other children did at her age.
When SO many people are suffering, what do you do when you receive such INCREDIBLE NEWS?! You lift your hands to Heaven to glorify our WORTHY Saviour! A God that is STILL in the miracle working business! A God that answers prayer! A God that is SO deserving of our praise…through the good and the bad.
Thank you, Jesus! I am BEYOND grateful to your goodness to us in SO many ways…but especially in the case with our precious, little Janessa!
***Marriage Counseling Begins!!***
For years in New York, my husband taught a Young Married Couples Class. We LOVED helping to strengthen marriages and love on people.
Recently, God has opened a door for me to do some marriage counseling. It has turned into a “once a month” event…where we will gather, pray, and study about the Biblical role of wife and mother.
We are looking for some fairly local ladies, that feel they need this encouragement, to join us!
If this is something you are interested in, please let me know and I will send you the details!
– Jill
Although we are VERY thankful for the TOOL of social media to promote our ministries, this below poem is a GOOD reminder NOT to let it control our lives and distract us from serving Jesus and to win souls for Christ!
Poem written by our good friend and “brother in law” (of sorts) – Steven Foster. What a blessing and powerful reminder!
Look Up!!
We look at our phone, and stare at a screen, but is it known, what this could mean?
While Facebook has your eyes, and you’re focused on the one who texted
you, you might not realize, you’re missing the one who’s next to you.
It’s time to admit, we’ve lost control, or we can just sit, watching it take it’s toll.
Staring into a screen, as life passes you by, oh what a sad scene, it’s happening you can’t deny.
It’s time to look up, and put down the phone, before we have to drink the cup, of all the seeds we’ve sown.
Look at the one, beside you, and never let your phone, hide you.
Life is so precious, and goes by so fast, please don’t forget this, for it soon will be past.
Look up today, and see who’s around you, and soon you will say, I’m glad I looked up and found you.
We need to look up at the faces walking by, and show them love before we die.
We need to look all the way up to the One who can save, for He made a way to live beyond the grave.
Look up, look up, and call on Jesus, for only He, can truly save us.
By Steven Foster
LOOK UP!!
All About Timothy…..
We left him in Washington State for College back in August. He has been gone from us now for over 4 months. These are the SPECIAL things that happened while he was away. (P.S. He JUST got back for Christmas! Yeah!)
When your son is at work and sends you this picture (this is an “I LOVE YOU” sign in American sign language)…well, it makes me cry. I am SO blessed!
When you get a card in the mail (like the one below), well, you weep with JOY and THANKSGIVING! We are blessed parents! 😊💖 We LOVE and miss you, Timothy! 💙💛 -Mama
Yesterday, I cried and cried and cried…because this beautiful delivery came to me from my wonderful son Timothy. (See below)
He is paying his own way through Bible college and has to be VERY careful with his money to be able to pay all his bills. YET, he saved and scraped together enough money to do this for me. It just blessed me SO much that the tears flowed! 😭
Timothy, God is going to DEEPLY bless your life, because you have greatly honored us- your parents. We love you and are SO pleased with your godly choices! My Love and DEEPEST Gratitude, Mamma xoxoxo
Timothy was not able to be with us this Thanksgiving, but we look forward to him coming for Christmas! God provided (through Timothy’s prayer partner-who had flight points) for him to fly home for Christmas. Hallelujah!
Later…..I am SO proud of Timothy. He finished his final week of college for this semester and he has had to study SO hard for all of his final exams! 😯 He has worked SO hard to pay his way through this first semester totally debt free! He is literally one of the most hard working modern day people I know!
**Check out this clock that Timothy painted and made from scratch for an assignment at college. The teacher said to make something that points us upward. Timothy thought of making a clock…reminding us that time is fleeting and to use our time wisely for God. He painted mountains that point towards Heaven. ***Also, can you tell our family likes to bake? LOL. Look at the holiday goodies Timothy also made all the way in Washington?
Bud, you did a beautiful job and I am SO honored by your godly choices! Love, Mama
**Finally, Christmas Eve Arrived and our Timothy (whom we have missed SO much) came home from college for a couple of weeks!
**On Timothy’s flight home he posted…
This is Timothy Rodrigues. I am so excited to be coming home for Christmas! I get to be with my family for two weeks. I wish it could be longer, but I don’t want to miss too much work.
Timothy got back Christmas Eve and it has been heavenly having all 13 of my children back under one roof (for 2 weeks anyway).
Janessa was a little scared of Timothy at first, but she warmed up quickly to him.
We went on a double date while Timothy was back for the holidays from College. While Timothy and Nurie wait for godly, chaste mates; they enjoy each others grown, adult company. Check out these awesome photos!
As you embark upon the New Year of 2019, don’t forget to seek God’s blessing upon ALL you do. In Christian Love, The Rodrigues Family
P.S. What taking a righteous stand (in the Name of Jesus) results in… (posted below). YET, what an HONOR it is!
Luke 6:22 “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.”
Mark 13:13 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
Matthew 24:9 “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”
This is what we should do with it though…
Matthew 5:43 & 44 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
Sometimes we feel we stand alone, but then God reminds and comforts us with His remnant. It is an HONOR serving Jesus!
-The Rodrigues Family
***Food for thought…
SO true and hence the reason some HATE the Word of God- the Bible. It convicts of sin.
I have ideas, yet often choose submission to others.
I am a wicked sinner, yet a child of the most High God through the precious blood of Jesus!
I feel victory, yet defeat.
Some love my joy, others envy and hate it.
It amazes me the contrast of statuses you can face in one short day.
Yet, God’s still small voice reminds me through it all – “Be STILL and know that I am God”.
To chase down every false accusation, weird emotion, injustice, tear that rolls down my cheek, misunderstanding, hateful treatment, etc. would consume my time and rob my joy and derail me from the TRUE purpose of my existence- to glorify my Saviour by choosing to live a righteous life and win souls for Eternity in Heaven!
Instead, I MUST choose to “keep my eye on the prize” and “set my face like a flint” for the values I KNOW a HOLY God yearns for from His children.
Is it easy? NO! Yet I am reminded that if choosing to do right was “easy”, everyone would be doing it.
I thought I’d take a moment to be “real”. The right path is much less travelled. We live in a culture that snaps at others with petty frustrations and boldly and brashly speaks their minds. They are liberal in dishing out correction, yet can’t seem to receive it. ? It is a generation of the aftermath of parents raising spoiled children who have now grown into adults. They feel like the world “owes” them and they proclaim it from the rooftops. ?
It is beyond sad to watch the decline of our world today. It embraces sin and calls evil good and good evil. They are either confused or completely deceived by the devil and his ways.
I am then reminded that the Bible says, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” God is keeping track of it all. Turn over the hurts of this life to Him. ? He’s got it covered.
We MUST rise up (as Christians) and pave the way to go AGAINST the trend of this world and remember to look UP, for our redemption draweth nigh! ?
?Respond in love, when you may feel hurt.
?Choose joy when you may feel sorrow.
?Choose righteousness when you’re tempted to sin.
?Choose Holiness, for GOD IS HOLY!
And once again, choose rest. When you feel turmoil… REST – for our great God has got YOU in the palm of His hand. ?
?Jill Rodrigues
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
King James Version (KJV)
With a family our size, life is ALWAYS hopping busy! Check out the post below to see what is NEW with our family and the things that have been keeping us busy. Thanks for reading and God bless you all! In Christian Love, The Rodrigues Family
It was a blessing to have the Larimore Family stop in for a visit on their vacation. What a sweet, Christian, fellow homeschooling family they are!
Boy were these children glad to see their grandparents after our trip out West.
We are SO excited for our oldest 2 girls- Nurie and Kaylee! They have wanted to study the Bible in more depth. In September, they started a Bible Institute Program at Ripley Baptist Temple. Girls, we love you and are SO excited to see your desire to be students of the Bible. Hugs, Daddy and Mama
What do you do when these are the type pics and messages your son sends you via text ALL the way from Washington State…
“Hope you have a good night I love you deeply.”???????
“I love you, Mama. You are my super hero.” ???❤???
I look toward Heaven and thank a merciful God for blessing me with such an incredible son! My heart rejoices at literally tasting the TRUTH of the verse…I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth!
“Timothy, I LOVE you and I am SO honored by you!” Forever Your Greatest Cheerleader, Mama xo ?❤??
**Just so you all know, the below picture is of Timothy signing “I LOVE YOU” in sign language.**
Daddy SURE does love his 9th girl- Janessa Ruth.
We just took her for a pediatric Optometrist Doctor appointment to make sure the area of injury (stroke) in her brain did not affect her eyes in a negative way.
It did NOT! Hallelujah! The doctor said her eyes look great!
Janessa continues to be our living miracle of God’s grace and it shows God is STILL in the miracle working business! We praise His HOLY Name and thank Him for His goodness to us!!
Our beautiful girl holding a beautiful butterfly.
Honestly, our daughter Nurie brings us nothing but joy! She is such a submissive young woman who has a VERY close walk with God. She strives to please Him in ALL she does! She is a great example to me. “I love you, honey.”
“Although we are excited to see what God does with your future, we are thrilled you have chosen to still live with us…traveling, singing, helping teach your younger siblings, sewing, putting yourself through Bible Institute and embracing ALL that your full life holds for you right now in this springtime season.”
“I LOVE you more than words could ever express.” Forever, Mama xoxoxo
It was an honor to be at one of our supporting churches- Open Door Baptist Church in Canton, Ohio in September to sing and minister to these DEAR people for their 17th anniversary!
Outside of God and my husband…these young ladies are my BEST FRIENDS! ? We laugh together, pray and seek God’s face together, cry together, watch girly movies together, shop together, do crafts together, sing together and dream of their futures together. ? God has blessed me beyond measure with all 9 of my precious daughters. ??? -Jill
I am thankful for our church. Last month, we had a really fun ladies meeting where we heard from God’s Word, learned how to decorate cupcakes and how to make pretty bows. Love ya, Maranatha ladies! Jill and Rodrigues Girls
Posted on Facebook on September 11th…
Did you know that when my husband and I first got married, we lived in NYC. We helped start 2 different churches there. I thought today was a good day to snap some pics from my old photo albums of us visiting the Twin Towers with my parents, sisters, and friend. 9-11, We will never forget!
My gardens…my happy place.
Our little angel is growing SO fast! She is SUCH a joy in our home!
I love working out with my girls. I LOVE that the weight is coming off so easily. I love the company I work for. I love being healthy. I LOVE the supplements I take. I LOVE Plexus!
Enjoyed singing here in September for their Revival Services.
I am SO pleased with Nurie’s diligence. I have a sewing machine and sew some things…curtains, some simple dresses for my girls, blankets, etc. However, Nurie’s skill in sewing was limited to mending, sewing on a button, etc.
Well, last winter in a meeting we were in, Brother John O’Malley asked my girls if they knew how to sew. That inspired Nurie to learn. So, she went out and bought her own sewing machine. She watched and watched instructional youtube videos on how to use her machine. She went out and bought a pattern. She stayed up late…sewing and sewing and she….
MADE from scratch this BEAUTIFUL dress for Hannah.
Nurie, your diligence and willingness to learn and better yourself is SUCH a blessing to me! You are SUCH a hard worker in our home. I LOVE you! -Mama
21 years ago on (October 4, 1997) we said “I DO” to each other…for better or for worse. We meant those vows and have stayed true to them, even when the going was tough.
Now, we are more in love than EVER before and have learned how quickly the years fly by. We have learned to embrace a bit longer, gaze into each others eyes a bit longer, and put petty nothings where they belong.
NO one but each of us understand the LOVE we share between each other for our 13 precious children. They mean so much to us! ?????????????
To have 13 children and be in full time ministry, has meant sacrifices; but, the more we follow God and His ways…the more we see His hand of blessing upon our lives.
It is a rich life…filled with love, joy, peace, laughter, contentment, surrender, and more blessings than we can list!
It is a GOOD life!
Renewal of our vows last year on our 20th anniversary…
Hello everyone, this is Nurie.
I just wanted to get on here and thank my parents for being the most amazing parents in the world. They are celebrating their 21st Anniversary and they have truly been my role models. They have taught me soooooooo many wonderful things in my life, but I want to specifically thank them for teaching me what a TRUE GODLY marriage should be like.
When they said their vows on OCTOBER 4, 1997 they truly meant for better or worse. Through the ups and downs of life they NEVER give up but rather press toward the mark of the high calling. Thank you, Mama and Daddy, for being so faithful in everything you do and for showing me what real love is like. You are my heroes. I love the both of you soooooo much. With Much Love, Nurie
Their VERY first kiss on October 4, 1997.
We just finished our 21st anniversary trip / Kaylee’s home school senior trip! It was SO fun! We went to Amish country. ?Hannah tagged along and nursing Janessa. Kaylee LOVES farms and hopes to marry a farmer someday! ??? So, for a special treat to Kaylee, we brought her to an Amish farm with LOTS of different animals. ? Kaylee was in her GLORY! “It was fun, Kaylee, and we LOVE you! It has been a JOY homeschooling you!” Hugs, Daddy & Momma ?
They had a LOT of different animals at this farm that you were allowed to feed. SO neat!
This bull gave David a piece of its mind! LOL.
“Some more please!” and if not….”I’ll just stick my head in your window and help myself!” LOL.
Poor David. This Ostrich pecked his hand and finger VERY hard twice! LOL. ??
This was SO neat to feed all these animals on a LOVELY Amish Farm! It was a drive through safari (of sorts) right in Ohio!
Our anniversary trip was indeed lovely!! It brought me to tears when it was coming to a close. 3 nights is the longest we have ever been able to afford and break away from our precious children and extremely busy lives. However, it is a CHERISHED 3 days! What a LOVELY room and gorgeous hotel my amazing husband booked for us. Again, it was nice to have Kaylee along in celebration of her upcoming graduation from high school. Hannah and baby Janessa also were with us. What a wonderful time we had! 21 years….and going strong! (We went to an Amish musical play named- “Stolen”. Hence the pics with the Amish actors.)
Well, our family just finished ANOTHER order of 100,000 Smiley Gospel Tracts. ?
What is neat, is that ALL the way in Spokane, Washington, Timothy volunteered at the fair at an Amazing Grace Mission booth.
The man there, told Timothy that he LOVES the Smiley Tracts and they are (BY FAR) the most quality he has ever seen. ?
Timothy responded, my Dad printed those! ? The man said (as of right now) our printing ministry is the only place they know where to order “Smilies” from.
It was a GREAT blessing to Timothy to see his Dad’s work and ministry having far reaching effects…all the way there in Washington State. ?
That particular booth at that fair passed out over 12,000 Smiley Gospel Tracts AND about 204 souls were saved! ??????
How it blessed our hearts to hear that! Also, we recently got a message through our website from a person that found one of our smiley tracts in a bathroom stall…in a far away state. ? Our website is on the back and they messaged us to let us know what a blessing that was to them.
We give God the glory! We won’t know until eternity how God is using our printing ministry to spread His glorious Gospel. ❤
We thought we’d share our blessing with you. God is good and faithful and to serve Him full time is our EXTREME honor! ?❤
I was BEYOND thrilled to meet at the mall the wonderful ladies and their families from the pregnancy center that I volunteer at. Lauren Bare and Kristen Miller are the sweetest ever and I cried when I met Kristen’s 2 adopted children for the FIRST time. They are precious!
We cannot believe that our little Janessa Ruth is already a HALF a year old! 6 months SURE did fly by and she brings our home IMMENSE joy!
~ Ps 57:5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. ~Ps 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. ~Ps 63:1 “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary” ~Ps 63:7 “Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” ~Psalms 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”
~Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” ~Ps 66:4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. -What a GREAT God we serve! ~Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. ~Ps 68:1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. ~Ps 73:26 “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” ~Ps 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
I love these verses. He is the ONLY One that satisfieth the thirsting in my soul Jill
This is how ladies used to dress to swim in the “olden” days. Can I share a sad, true story with you?
On our way back East, my husband found a KOA to park at. ? My heart was so heavy…due to having left Timothy behind. It was a campground that was serene and in the middle of wilderness, it seemed. My husband booked 2 nights so we could cherish some family time. We got stocked up on “cook out” food and settled in for some peace and quiet…well, as much as possible with 12 children.
Our children were THRILLED that the KOA had a playground, jumping pillow, and pool. I also LOVE to swim with the children for exercise.
The first day we all walked to the camp store to shop and the children wanted to buy some goodies with their spending money. ? When we finished our shopping, the children (with Nurie watching) played in the game room while I walked Janessa back to the RV with David. I laid her down for a nap and David stayed back to watch her for me so I could go swim with the children.
When I got back to the game room, ? the children told me that the lady working in the store, sternly told the children they could NOT play in the game room and MUST leave! Our children responded with a respectful, “Yes Ma’am”, and prepared to leave. However, this was a child friendly campground and our children inwardly felt the injustice coming from a lady that had a CLEAR dislike for children.
(Can I add something here? I stand behind the adult when my children are in the wrong and I recognize that children of this day and age are increasingly disrespectful and disobedient to authorities. However, I have ALSO noticed that we increasingly live in a culture that has a HEAVY dislike for children. They are viewed as a bother, rather than blessing. The impatient spirit and lack of love and natural affection towards them increases from adults. There seems to be more love and value placed on puppies?….rather than children…..food for thought).
We proceeded to the playground, played, picked raspberries, ?and then went to swim. We had a grand ole time together in the water….swimming, racing, coin gathering, etc. Little did we know that someone had meandered to the pool during our swim time and with disgust, ? noticed our modest swimwear. The next morning they also noticed our swimwear hanging and draped all over our picnic table.
So, they marched to the office with a stern complaint of the campers that were swimming in their “street clothes”! ?
We knew not of what had just transpired and that camper left that day. We cheerfully woke up, ate, and planned our day. We all headed to the gift shop again to specifically look for swim goggles. As we were looking, Nurie and I were standing near each other. We both heard a loud THUD! WHAT WAS THAT?!! ??
Nurie looked at me and said “Oww! What was that?!” We looked all over the floor and saw nothing. Nurie then looked under the icecream cooler we were standing next to and noticed the mousetrap that had violently come down on her toe! ? Dear me!
I kindly proceeded over to the cashier (who had kicked our children out of the game room the day before) ?♀️and explained what had happened with the mouse trap. I simply wanted her to know so she would understand why it was flipped and hoped it would encourage her (or whoever was in charge) to put it MUCH further under the cooler….out of harms way.
She just stared at me with a look of…”What do you want ME to do about it?!!” ?♀️ Not even a simple “sorry” proceeded from her mouth.
I politely questioned her on her indifference and she looked at me with disdain. “I’m sorry”….she methodically and with disgust retorted to me.
With inward sagging spirits, ?♀️?♀️ we quietly left and headed to the pool. On our way over, I prayed ? out loud with the children.
You see, the Bible tells us that if we are living according to God’s plan, we will be a peculiar people….
Deuteronomy 14:2 “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
People of this world (and perhaps sadly many Christians even) see a peculiar thing in our family! LOTS of kids. Girls with long skirts and feminine touches of jewelry and makeup. Boys with pants and short hair. Homeschooling. Traveling, singing, preaching, and printing for Jesus. WEIRD! PECULIAR! LOL. ??? However, God’s ways have NEVER been popular in this world. We could choose to “fit in”, but instead what drives us is this…..
Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
3 John 1:11 “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
People think the way we live is STRANGE! LOL. ?? Honestly, I probably would too if I did not have the Holy Spirit in me guiding me/us towards the heart of God in these matters.
Pressing on, we CHOSE joy and began to cheerfully swim… ?in spite of this world’s common injustices. After only about 20 minutes, a KOA worker sternly came into the pool area.
He looked around and then came up to me. “ARE YOU IN CHARGE OF THIS GROUP?” ?
I was in the middle of talking to a lady that was swimming with her daughter. I was looking for the right moment to be a witness to her for Jesus. ?
“Yes”, I responded.
“YOU CANNOT be in here swimming in your street clothes!”
“Oh”, I cheerfully responded with a smile. “We are Christians and these are not street clothes, but modest swim apparel. We….”
“I don’t CARE!” He interrupted. “Those ARE street clothes…..now GET OUT!” He then left.
“Okay, I respectfully responded. “Children”, I called. “We need to get out”.
Nurie had JUST left to take Sadie to the bathroom and I did not want to leave without her. So, I worked my way out of the pool and walked over to the edge to finish my conversation with the lady swimming. She made a comment that showed me she was sorry for how we had just been treated. I assured her it was okay and proceeded to wrap up my conversation with her. Nurie still wasn’t back yet.
After only a short time, he came back. ???? Oh No! “Children”, I promptly called, “We need to go.”
He walked over to me STEAMING that we had not yet left! I explained that I did not want to leave my 2 daughters behind and that we would now leave. (Nurie had just walked back in with Sadie).
It didn’t matter what my excuse was. He looked me in the eye and spewed out threats! I smiled and assured him we were leaving and wished him a goodnight.
I was smiling on the outside, but inside, I felt like I was shaking! ?
As we left, the children were looking at me with saucer eyes! What had just happened?
I briefly explained and said we would talk about it more once we got back to the RV. ?
You know, this old world is going to wax worse and worse….especially when Christians continue to lower their standard to match that of the worlds. More and more there will be an intolerance for righteous choices.
I have heard the common argument, be LIKE the world, so that you can reach them with the Gospel. That is grossly inaccurate and un-biblical. However, YES….we should LOVE the world, but come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.
When the chips are down in the lives of the lost, they go to the people they KNOW are Christians. If our light is SO dim for Jesus, how will they know?
Anyway, I reminded my children, that in a way, this was a form of persecution and that it was an HONOR! I reminded them that at least we got to swim and said that there are people sitting in jail cells for their belief in Jesus Christ and for following His principles!
I want to add a foot note that we do NOT force our older children to dress this way….they CHOOSE to! I am blessed to have girls that at the very THOUGHT of putting on “colored underwear” ? (all under the name of swimming) brings a blush to them! WHERE HAS THE “BLUSH” in our culture gone?
I Timothy 2:9 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;”
Titus 2:5 “To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
This message is NOT popular. But if we think of a holy and righteous God….what do you think HE would choose for us….LESS clothing or MORE?
We strive to not have a condescending, legalistic approach in our demeanor. We strive to LOVE others that do not choose to live exactly like us. That is the spirit of Christ. However, sometimes simply living out those principles brings conviction to those around us.
My husband was defensive of his family and went to the office to defend us and to try to get our $ back for that night. The damage was already done though and we felt completely unwelcome. They refused to reimburse us. So, we ended up leaving that night….losing the money we had paid for that night.
More and more these are the kind of common attacks our family suffers. CONSTANT, false accusations towards our family run rampant all over social media. A literal seething hatred permeates towards us. Our loving, but firm stand on the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ is deemed as “hatred” on our part. We do NOT hate others that don’t choose to believe truth, but rather deeply CARE for their souls and where they will spend Eternity someday.
These instances are only naming a few. However, it is truly and honor. We are nothing….but Jesus is everything and HE is worth suffering reproach for His Name. Come to think of it, our “suffering” is NOTHING compared to His when they screamed “Crucify Him” and He hung upon that Old Rugged Cross!
I LOVE the words to that old hymn of the faith. ??……”and the old, rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a WONDROUS attraction for me. For the dear Lamb of God, left His glory above, to pardon and sanctify me. So, I’ll cherish the Old Rugged Cross!….” ???
2 Timothy 1:12 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
I encourage you today to stay in the saddle for Jesus! Stay your course. Soldier On, Christian! ?♂️?✈️
Sinners saved by Grace…now Striving to Please Christ in all we do, The Rodrigues Family
As most of you know already, we headed WEST in the months of July and August 2018 for the purpose of safely delivering our oldest son Timothy (second oldest child) to Bible College to learn Missionary Aviation which he had been burdened to do since he was 4 years old. It was an unexpected trip because Timothy had planned to do his first year of college ONLINE (from home) to save money for the next 4 years when he would need to live ON campus. However, policies changed and we discovered that he was required to live there his first year also.
SO, we rushed, rallied, and gathered our thoughts and plans to plan a trip WEST!! God proved Himself SO faithful and we made phone calls and within a half hour, we had our trip planned, and meetings scheduled at various churches we called along the way. Praise the Lord!! We decided to make this trip VERY memorable and special as we traveled West because it would be our LAST trip together as a family (all together). sniff, sniff
It was SO hard saying goodbye to Timothy (to read more about that, look on our previous post – about saying goodbye to Timothy and new baby). Although it was hard to say our goodbyes, it was a SPECIAL trip that we will not soon forget!
We hope you enjoy the posts below that we posted on our FB page as we traveled across this GREAT nation!! It starts in Kentucky (where our first meeting was) all the way to the Oregon Coast to see the Pacific Ocean. Then, we do a little bit of pics, etc. of our trip BACK East. ENJOY!!
Traveling WEST……..
Stop One:
Meeting in Kentucky.
Still in Kentucky…..
I sure do love this little angel! Check out those Mama kiss marks on her chubby little cheeks. You are Mama’s miracle baby, Janessa!
Post about our week in Kentucky…….
This week at Palomar Baptist Church for their Camp Meeting -in Lexington, Kentucky- has been a GREAT week! Souls have been saved and lives changed! Pastor and Kathy Moore, we LOVE you guys! Thank you for your kind, sweet spirits. Church Family, thank you for your kindness and generosity bestowed upon our family! Joseph and Sarah Moore, thank you for all your hard work in setting this up. We are HONORED to have friends like you all! May God richly bless you as you continue to so faithfully serve Jesus! With Care, The Rodrigues Family
On our way to our next stop!!…….
Gateway to the West Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. Here we come Washington State!
In our travels, it was a blessing to meet up with some friends (Lisa Hermann and her sweet 3 children) at a lovely park. We love you, Hermann Family!
Kansas City.
Little note about Janessa in our travels….
Okay, what 3 month old do you know can do this (check out the random typing below)? However, after she intensely watched me type on my phone, THIS is what Janessa typed out…with her own little hand. It was adorable! I know this is going to sound weird, but she seems one of our SMARTEST children so far. Your prayers are working and what some doctors may have considered an “abortion worthy” baby, ? has defied the odds and continued to develop at record breaking levels.
People, this tells me GOD knows what He is doing! Trust Him. Rest in His creation as EXACTLY how HE formed and fashioned it…… even if the results had been (or will be) different in the future. Abortion should NEVER be an option! God will provide.
Jesus, we praise YOUR holy Name! You have shown and given us mercy! You have always been MORE than good to us! We TRUST Your design and plan for our little Janessa. God Almighty, you are WORTHY of praise! We lift our arms in worship to You and You alone!
Janessa’s attempt to “copy Mama” in typing. LOL ….
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Stopped at a Culver’s for dinner in South Dakota. Phillip visiting with Janessa while we waited for our food. Also, the landscaping is starting to change.
Wall Drug, South Dakota and Badlands National Park. I LOVE the Indian heritage here. Check out the handmade items made by an authentic Native American Indian lady. What a GREAT land we live in….filled with amazing history!
-Traveling West, The Rodrigues Family
This (below) happened in our travels….
I am a TRULY blessed Mama. The other night, when I ran into Walmart to pick up some groceries, Gabriel (along with 2 of his siblings) went in with me. I walked into another aisle and Gabriel was not with us. So, I told his siblings to go get him. They came back and told me he was gazing at the flowers. I thought, “Oh, he must think they are pretty and wants to look at them.” Pretty soon he meandered into the aisle with this beautiful bouquet. He said, “Here, Mama, I am going to buy these for you!” WOW! He went up to the register and paid for them. What a thoughtful 12 year old boy I have! I am SOOO blessed, my heart could burst!
Next Church Stop….
This is the church we visited and sang at Wednesday night in South Dakota. What SWEET people. Come to find out, I had already basically met the Pastor’s wife back when I was a teen in NY. I especially knew her family VERY well!
You know as the saying goes…”we live in a small world”. However, we don’t! LOL. ? So, I would like to re-phrase it to say…”We serve a BIG God!”
About my husband…..
Can’t say enough good about this man! He drives and drives and drives…and does it well! He bears the load and responsibility and financial burden of providing for 15 people PLUS our dog! He empties our sewer on our RV and is constantly fixing things that break. He does it all OVER and OVER and OVER and never gives up. He serves Jesus full time! He loves me and is faithful to me! He preaches truth and righteousness and old fashioned values…a message rarely preached now a days. He dearly loves all 13 of our children and is willing to have more if God chooses to give them to us. He is a GEM! I am one blessed lady! Love ya, Babe. -Your Jillybean
Next Attraction We Visited…..
Right near the church we sang at Wednesday night, they had this museum. So, Timothy, Kaylee and I took a bit of time to go explore. SPECIAL…especially to Timothy- whose heart is aviation.
My FAVORITE site to see on this trip!!!…
To see Mount Rushmore, was TRULY a dream come true for me! I love and respect my forefathers and this monument to them, is truly breathtaking! The Black Hills are quite possibly the MOST beautiful hills/mountains I have EVER seen! The quaint town at the foot of the hills, is a LOVELY spot! God’s creation is beautiful and I am SO grateful to Him for allowing us to travel to see it….on a shoestring budget- nonetheless. LOL. ? However, our God is faithful and is providing as we slowly trek West to drop Timothy off to college for Missionary Aviation! Jill and Rod Family
Every minute, hour, day, week that we travel, I realize just HOW FAR away we are going to be from Timothy! ? This is NOT easy!
We FINALLY made it! God was especially good to us! Going through the Rocky Mountains with 15 TONS of weight, was NO easy task! We had to pull over several times to allow our engine to cool down…but we MADE IT! The views were quite literally awe-striking! If you look close, you can even see snow capped mountains! ? Our hearts have been renewed at the beauty of God’s creation and His faithfulness in getting us here safely! Now, to learn the area and settle Timothy in.
This was our caravan the entire way to Washington State…special. We will be minus Timothy’s car (red caboose at the end) going home.
We spent a lot of time ministering at Timothy’s Church in Washington….singing, helping with the VBS, etc. It was a BLESSING getting to spend that time at the WONDERFUL church Timothy will be attending and getting to know these DEAR folks. It was also nice being able to get Timothy all settled in his new place of residence.
105 degrees in Spokane, Washington today! ? However, we are headed WEST (through Washington’s desert) to the Pacific Ocean and one last “meeting” we have scheduled together as a complete family at another church this Sunday. We officially leave Timothy this coming Tuesday – August 14th. I have to say, I can’t wait to see the Pacific! ??
Another fun post about our cutie – Janessa!
Janessa has been marked by her older sister- Nurie. LOL. She wears a onesie labeled- “Current Family Favorite”. LOL. SO true!
The Pacific Ocean in Oregon! Literally on the OTHER side of our GREAT Nation! What a dream come true this trip has been!
Next Church we ministered at…..
It was a TREMENDOUS honor it was being with this church yesterday! They treated our children extra special (which was such a blessing for them) and Pastor Rose, his dear wife and family and church were precious!
Wow! What INCREDIBLE friends we have met here on the other side of America!
What fun it was for the children to play volleyball at the Pastor’s house after church.
The last photo is me *Jill* with Mike (the Pastor and Pastor’s wife son) who is a quadriplegic due to malpractice at birth. It was a blessing to my heart to meet him and I told him about my dear sister Amy Foster.
A VERY thoughtful post by Kaylee…
This is Kaylee (number 3 in our family) and I just wanted to praise my WONDERFUL Mama. My mama is the most encouraging person I know, to me and so many others around her. She is VERY caring and kind all the time. I love you so much, Mama. Thank you for being such a good mama to me. You are the BEST!!!! Here is the poem that I wrote.
A mama who’s there to hold my hand and listen and always understand. A mama who forgives me time after time and is so caring and kind. A mama who loves the Lord and fights and fights with her sword. A mama who’s there to wipe my tears away and will always be there to pray. A mama who will not loose the fight, but press on with all her might. ( written by Kaylee Rodrigues)
I love you, Mama. You are the BEST!!!!
Enjoying slowly working our way back East in this BEAUTIFUL country we call the United States of America! Although I must admit I missed Timothy SO much the first day after we left, it was hard to pick back up my spirits and go on in joy. I felt like crying and crying! ? However, when I remember that Timothy is happy following God’s call upon his life, I am comforted. I thank God for the memories we form along our journey of life.
More about our little Janessa….
Can’t believe our little sweetie is already 4 months old! I thank God each night for my treasure! You know, my husband and children are my GREATEST earthly treasures I own! I am abundantly blessed!
(Check out the big, red bow my sister Angie made for Janessa.) LOL.
We enjoyed spending time at Basswood Baptist Church in Minnesota for Revival Services. David Preached and we sang. It was a LOVELY week and the church took SUCH good care of us! We also had fun swimming at a couple of folks’ homes on the beautiful lakes there in Minnesota! Then, we FINALLY headed home!!
Our cuties and more odd and end pics we had from the trip….
So thankful for the good, quality, family time we had on the road. West Virginia bound! ????? “Almost Heaven, West Virginia….blue ridge mountains”…..????? HOME.
Let us end with this thought below….
In ALL of our travels, work, play, ministry, etc. – our DRIVING force is to serve Jesus Christ with a passion and to spread the news of the GLORIOUS Gospel! This is a sobering verse below…
Is YOUR name written there? I sure hope so! If not, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, trusting and believing that HE is the One and Only True Way to Heaven! Settle it today! Today is the day of salvation! With Care for Your Soul, The Rodrigues Family …speaking of God’s desire for YOU!
Well, it has TRULY been an exciting summer! We took a trip out West (all the way to Washington State) to drop Timothy off to college. It was a wonderful trip. Be watching for an upcoming post soon with ALL that we did on that trip with LOTS of pictures!! However, this post is to just show and tell you some of the highlights in regard to Timothy and his future.
**Read all about the NEW BABY below!!***
The below posts are in order as they appeared on our FB page….
Every minute, hour, day, week that we travel, I realize just HOW FAR away we are going to be from Timothy! This is NOT easy!
2.This was our caravan the entire way to Washington State…special. We will be minus Timothy’s car (red caboose at the end) going home.
3. Enjoying getting to know Timothy’s church folks & this area. Helping with VBS, and getting Tim settled.
4. It has been wonderful to spend some time here in Washington – helping to get Timothy settled, and to spend time at Moody Aviation and seeing the operation there.
Everyone is SUPER nice and God continues to blanket us with a PEACE! We are seeing God’s provision and stamp of approval that Timothy is in the center of His will!
I am telling you, Timothy is in for some RIGOROUS study and disciplined living for the next 5 years! However, he is our most DRIVEN, determined child. He has NEVER shied away from hard work and study.
Hence, it gives us peace to leave him to follow God’s calling upon his life- with a passion.
There is TRULY NO greater joy than to hear that our children walk in truth! Honored Mama, Jill
5. We are HONESTLY thrilled at the church that Timothy found to go to here in Spokane, Washington! It has been so refreshing being here! This is a church that truly embraces righteous and holy living; conservative values; and godly character attributes.
There are a lot of young families. They also have a college and career class for Timothy and he already enjoyed going to an activity with his sisters.
God has been especially good to us in granting us the desire of our hearts in finding a church for Timothy to attend that is like-minded with our beliefs and the way we try to live as Christians. Thank you, Jesus.
Many people here have already taken Timothy under their wings and Pastor and Mrs. Boyle, plan to really “be there” for Timothy. It comforts this Mama’s heart SO much!
It also blesses my heart that Timothy expressed a DEEP desire himself to find a church just like this one! I am thrilled at his righteous choices and that he is not just riding the “coattails” of his parent’s beliefs, but is embracing them for his OWN life!
Bud, I love you with my WHOLE heart! Stay in the saddle for Jesus, son! Forever With Love, Mama (and Family Too)
6. Our commitments are now over in Washington. So, we leave Timothy today! My heart is literally aching. I thank God for lending him to us for 18 years.
7. Last night, David and I took Timothy out for a nice dinner. He loves Italian. (Sadie went also because it is her “week”.)
We laid our hands on him and prayed over him and blessed him- parental blessings in the name of Jesus.
When we say that last goodbye, it is going to literally rip a piece of my heart out. That piece of my heart will literally stay with Timothy forever- until we are all back together in eternal bliss in Heaven someday. Until then, it brings my heart GREAT JOY to see Timothy “in the saddle” for Jesus…because this is what we raised him for- to run his race well of serving our worthy Saviour Jesus Christ!
P.S. One of the cheesecakes was for Timothy and Sadie to split. The other one, David and I split. The waitress had JUST set them both down in front of us to take our picture. They were not BOTH for us! LOL Ymmm! Good!
8. We are SO honored by this young man! His calling is unique- MISSIONARY PILOT. ✈ (When Timothy was 4 years old, he came to David and me and told us when he grew up he wanted to fly planes to bring Bibles to people that didn’t have them in other countries. He has stayed true to that calling for all these years!)
Moody Aviation trains SO well that in 5 years when Timothy graduates ? from this college, he will have his mechanics license on planes; he will know how to weld;?? he will have Bible training; and he will have his pilots license (among having learned how be a “jack of all trades” mechanically);?? and he will have carefully learned how to fix the plane on his own in primitive locations, and land the plane in primitive locations with tough landing strips.
Thank God for the knowledge he already has in this area thanks to David diligently teaching and working with him.
“Bud, we KNOW you are in for some tough years of college…especially as you are paying your own way. But we are confident that through the power of God, you can run this race well! ? NEVER give up and know that we will be cheering you along every step of the way!”
Our Love Forever, Dad and Mama
9. We literally just left our precious Timothy for good. Tears were shed and every mile we drive East, I feel the finality of it! ????
We are THRILLED that we were able to help get him all comfortably settled in his new house (student housing). The guys there call his bedroom nook, “The Throne”. LOL. I love to decorate and Timothy is sentimental and very neat like me. So, his area is quite cozy – (check out pics of his bedroom below)!
Farewell, our sweet boy! You have grown into a wonderful young man! We will profusely miss you! ?
You BIGGEST Cheerleaders, Your Family
(Timothy had crying siblings for sure!)
10. We left our Timothy in Washington with enough money to pay his first school bill and his next month of rent and some groceries and a prayer of faith that God would provide him a job. ? He chose (without us even knowing) to fast and pray that God would provide him the best job possible…as he will be paying his own way through college. ? On Thursday he had 2 job interviews and got hired right on the spot for a 5 day a week, night job….which fits in perfectly with his school schedule. ? It is a wholesome work atmosphere and pays VERY well! ???
We are BEYOND thrilled to see how God abundantly blessed Timothy’s prayers and diligence. Everything starts on Monday….job and college. Pray for Timothy to have endurance for the pace he must keep for the next 5 years. ? He is a guy though that requires little sleep and is VERY driven. So, he is up for the challenge!
We love you, Bud, and are thrilled to already see God’s mighty hand of provision upon your life! STAY YOUR COURSE! -Mama and Family ??
***NEW BABY announcement!!****
I am BEYOND excited! My sister – Angie Noyes Hillegass – gave birth to their (Jordan and Angie’s) precious baby boy- Chapman Ira Thomas Hillegass!!
This is their 8th child – 3 girls and 5 boys!
This is my parents’ (Tim and Pat Noyes’) 32nd grandchild! Wow!
He was 8lbs6oz 20 3/8 inches long. Angie had a natural, in home, water birth and Mom and baby are doing great! I am SUPER proud of you, Angie! You did awesome and I LOVE you and my precious new nephew! Can’t wait to meet him! Love, Jill (Aunt Jill)
It has been a week since my beautiful sister Angie birthed her precious new baby boy Chapman (their 8th). ?
Many times when I feel alone in this old, sinful world, I am reminded how BLESSED I am to have like-minded family members.
Family that seeks God with their whole heart.
Family that chooses the old paths of righteousness and truth.
Family that chooses to view children in the light that God does- a blessing and gift from Him.
Family that embraces the roles that God ordained to us- wives being keepers at home and men leading and providing for the home.
Family where the ladies dress like ladies and men like men.
Family that believes in the Old Black Book-the 1611 KJV as the inspired and preserved Word of God.
Family that realizes that the Bible calls us as Christians to live separated lives for His glory and His alone. II Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
My precious family refreshes me and reminds me that there IS still a remnant of people in this world that seek after God and His righteousness. I thank God for them AND for the many Christian friends that God has blessed me with. These are a people that…..
“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14
When I come to think of it, YES…I am a blessed to know MANY people that love God in this very fashion…including my precious family.
That’s all folks! Until Next Time, The Rodrigues Family
Well, it is SAD because with heavy hearts we emptied our house of ALL of Timothy’s stuff. We gazed at his EMPTY bed, his EMPTY space where his dresser sat, all the airplanes hanging around his room – GONE, his desk – GONE. It all seems so final, so empty, so lonely, as we jam pack our car, his car, and our RV with his stuff and begin our trek West to drop him off to college. YET, they are HAPPY because they are days that hold possibilities, dreams, and watching Timothy literally SOAR for Jesus!
Timothy (who is not typically sentimental) walked around the house, just gazing, looking, taking it all in. He then came to me and said, “Mama, it’s sad because I don’t know how LONG it will be before I can come home again and see the house.” It was then I caught a tear forming in each eye. I rushed to him in a warm embrace and we both cried. “Oh, Bud, it seems I JUST gave birth to you in New York City. I remember Daddy (who was not allowed to stay overnight in that NYC hospital) telling YOU (my little man) to watch over me. Now, you really ARE a man – all grown and flying the nest!” More tears. More hugs.
Please pray for our son Timothy. He is determined. He is one of the HARDEST workers I have ever met. He is passionate for Jesus. He has a LOT on his plate for the next 5 years of his missionary aviation college program and we pray for him to run this race well. It will NOT be easy as he strives to work and pay his way through college – trying to avoid student loans and debt. We are honored by him and we will deeply miss him!!
The below posts are things that we did leading up to our trip West. They are days we TRULY cherished as our LAST with our house being “complete” with all of our children surrounding us. This is WHY we have them….to send them out once they are grown to “hit their mark” in serving Jesus in the capacity He calls them to. However, to say goodbye is never easy. sniff, sniff
Enjoy the below posts and pics. With Love, Dave and Jill Rodrigues (and 13 children)
Janessa will most likely never remember Timothy at home, so I cherish seeing these brother/sister moments.
New Assistant Pastor at our church! Pastor Holtsclaw and his DEAR wife Kelly. We love them and have previously had the honor of singing with them in a meeting in Florida.
More WONDERFUL ministry people – the Andersons- that stopped in for dinner at our house one Saturday. It was a JOY having them and they are truly precious people!
What an absolutely FUN evening we had at Pam and Mike Jones Monday evening! Thank you, Pam, for inviting our large family for an amazing cook-out, sweet fellowship, and fun activity! We love you guys! (P.S. I am proud to say that this wonderful lady Pam is on my Plexus team!)
We hope you all had a nice 4th of July. Here is what we posted for that on FB….
Happy 4th, everyone! To turn the tide of wickedness in this great Nation – USA – we need revival on our home fronts. Families that rise up and raise up (with a passion) godly generations that serve God and our great Nation with a deep love!
We hope you all had a happy 4th of July! It was a special day at Kevin and Amy’s house with Noyes and Foster families gathered! It was also the day of my precious Mom’s 69th birthday!
We love you all and are thankful for the sacrifices our forefathers made to give us the freedom we enjoy today.
Also, on this special day (4th of July), I’d like to thank my nephew – Levi Moravek- for his service in the army! We love you, Levi.
David decided to treat our children to Camden Park to reward them for their hard work on a print shop project. We had a BLAST and were thankful the park was virtually empty. We also got a GROUP rate because of the size of our family. LOL. We were SOOO joyful Timothy could get off for a few hours from the Christina CAMP he was volunteering at and meet us there. Praise God for these sweet family days together!
Sofia was too cute! She saw that people were raising their arms, so she copied and did it on this entire ride! ???
My VERY dear friend – Irene Torezan- and her precious son Matt came for a visit ALL the way from Arizona! We LOVED having you here, Irene! I love you both! (P.S. Irene is also on my Plexus team).
It was SO much fun having my mother in law (David’s Mom)- Julie Drake- here all last week for a visit. David went and got her from New York and she was here for a week. Then this past Friday, we met David’s sister- Jaynell Hale- so David’s Mom could go spend time with David’s sisters in Tennessee. It was great seeing Jaynell, her husband – Joshua Hale – and their sweet girls. Love ya, Mom! We miss you and had a GREAT time with you!
Our oldest 5 (including Timothy still at the OTHER camp) are at camp this week. Nurie is serving as a COUNSELOR. How did they grow up SO fast?
WOW, it sure has been an extra busy week for me here on the homefront…yet, I have enjoyed spending extra time with my littles.
Today is a VERY special day! ALL of my oldest 5 children are coming home from camp! It has been WEEKS that we have all been together for an extended period of time due to Timothy (since the beginning of June) and then the other oldest 4 this week being all gone at Christian Camp. I am thrilled they got to go and learn about and serve Jesus! However, I look forward to these last few weeks being ALL together as a family before we drop Timothy off out West for Missionary Aviation College.
I have to say though, this week with the oldest 5 being gone, it gave me LOTS of quality time to spend special time with my smaller children. Here are some of our special memories from this past week.
So sad. I have cut Timothy’s hair his entire life. This could possibly be the last haircut I give him.
Can’t believe our little angel Janessa is already 3 months old! She continues to do GREAT and has even attempted to copy some voice noises- such as “Mama” and rolling her tongue. She is a smartie….defying all the odds.
Outside of God and my husband, these girls are my BEST friends! We talk together, weep together, pray together, dream together, laugh together, and just LOVE each other! God is good to me to bless me (thus far) with 9 girls!!
This reminds me of HOW MUCH we have to be thankful for!!
CD recording is DONE! We made 2. One is in honor of my DEAR sister- Amy Foster- called “These Are The Hands”. I wrote that song to her and wow is it hard to make it through that song without crying! The other one is titled – “Thank You”- sharing my husband’s testimony. We do not have them up on our website yet. However, if you’d like to order one, just go to our website and donate about $12 through PayPal and with that payment- SPECIFY which CD you’d like. My husband then will ship that out to you. Please make sure to send your mailing address. Although not perfect, we hope you receive a blessing from it.
Serving Jesus With Joy, The Rodrigues Family
****FOOD for Thought***** The key to a joyful Christian life is living within God’s righteous boundaries and contentment in all things! ♥️♥️♥️
Some Scripture – straight from the Bible below……….
-Ps 34:13&14 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
–Ps 34:17&18 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
– Ps 34:22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
–Ps 35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
–Ps 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
-Some of my favorite verses below!
Ps 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
