I Shall Know Him - the Ball Brothers

Thought I'd share this a-Capella song with you all!!!


The harmony is absolutely beautiful :)  Enjoy ...

What type of music do you like to listen to?

Comment and tell me ;)

A Purpose for Random Questions

Who loves random questions?

I sure do!  If you were to ask my family + friends, they would without a doubt agree with you.  I'm constantly asking random questions ... or discussing random thoughts with myself (to this I get the "Oh Alisha" eyeroll LOL).

What if random questions suddenly had a "purpose"?

Oooooh what a day that would be .... to finally ask (or answer) random questions, and there actually be a "purpose".

Well ... what if I told you that random questions well have a "purpose" in April?????

I would like to announce .....

So here's what you have to do in order to make this video happen ;)

You can either email me
If you email me, please include the following information ...

-Your name
Specify in your email if you'd like to remain anonymous or if you wouldn't mind your name being mentioned with your question.

-Your questions
you are more than welcome to send as many questions as you'd like.  Enter whatever questions enter your mind ;)

You can fill out the submission form
If you fill out the form, you'll be limited to only five questions.  You'll still need to specify whether or not you would like your name mentioned or not.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Submissions for this video end MARCH 31st, 2016
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So there you have it lovelies - who's excited???????

Comment and express your excitement ;)

XOXO

We Don't Live Forever

Five years ago today, my best friend took his last breath. 

This post is in honor of Papa Dan.

All of us think that we are invincible.  That we will live forever.  Or possibly that our close ones will live forever.

For the longest time, I thought that my best friend would live forever.  To me he was 72 going on forever.  He would never pass away.  He would be here for my high school graduation, my wedding, and golly - in my mind he was going to meet everyone of my children.

However, God has a different plan than we do.  When He says our time is up, it's up.  I learned this five years ago, after my best friend passed away.

For a long time my grandpa had Kennedy's Disease, a neuro-muscular disease. He had trouble swallowing his food and when he would swallow his food he would choke. In October of 2008 we went to Iowa to visit family and friends. While we were there my grandpa looked fine, but he would choke on his food and he was very weak. When he would breath we could here a gurgling sound in his throat. Around Christmas time the doctors told him he had aspirating pneumonia.

February 18, 2009 my mom, sister, and I went back up North to help my grandma and grandpa, since my grandpa was being admitted into the hospital for the pneumonia in his lungs. My dad, against his free will, stayed behind to work. While visiting we made many trips to and from the hospital. He was on the ventilator for thirteen days when my grandpa finally made a decision. He wrote several notes to the nurses, but his last said something like this:

"I wish to resign. I enjoyed the opportunity. I have made lots of friends, my wife will agree with me. I refuse to continue intubations. I have been invited to a bigger organization."

Papa Dan, you are missed very much, but your spirit lives on in our hearts and always will be! I love you and can't wait to see you in Glory :)

I Dare You Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Victoria!

Being that I already have your address, I will go ahead and contact the Isabella Morganthal.  You should have "I Dare You" soon :)

To my readers:

Keep your eyes out for the following posts:

When We Ice Skate

A room with a view

Dear Little Me

Engagement : depicting Christ and the church

I want to apologize for the delay in getting this portion the mini-series up.  Being that life seems to have slowed down (a tad), I should be finishing up the series next week (Lord-willing).

Okay, we've talked about following:

Guy/girl friendships  – how we should strive to keep them closely casual.  We also talked about needing to find the middle ground, and the importance of giving the friendship to God.

Courtship  – how it's a form of “commitment” and shouldn't be taken lightly.  How it should be set apart from the dating scene, and treated with the attitude of seriousness + responsibility.

Prayer & Purity - how it's important to keep our hearts pure, not just in our friendships with young men, but also in our courtship.  How we shouldn't treat courtship like dating.  Instead we are to treat courtship like the set apart, Christ-honoring relationship it should be.  How we should allow our courtship to reflect the love we and the gentleman have for Christ.

So let's talk about the next step – engagement.

Engagement.
It has finally happened!!  You're engaged.  You said “yes”, have a beautiful ring to show off, and now have a wedding to plan.  After watching my dear friend get married the 30th of last month, I began asking myself a few questions, that I just recently had answered (another reason the posts have been delayed).  

What is engagement?

Do you call off an engagement?

How can you depict Christ loving His Bride (the church)?

How do you make engagement set apart?

What is engagement?
Depending on who you ask, most people will tell you that engagement is a life-long commitment between a couple (or at least that what someone told me).  When I was told this, it really made me ponder.

Is engagement really a life-long commitment?

The reason I really began to question it being a commitment, is because I know of at least two couples (possibly more) who have called off an engagement.  If it is a commitment, then shouldn't they have followed through?

Being the type of gal who needs her questions answered … because she has to know everything, I looked up engagement.  Here is the definition I found:

A formal agreement to get married

Reader, engagement isn't a commitment!  To be committed is to be wholeheartedly dedicated to something.  We are committed to Christ.  We are committed to living as peculiar people (set apart).  If engagement were a commitment, then why call it off??  

Would you dare call off your commitment to Christ??

Do you call off an engagement?
I know of at least a couple engagements that have been called off.  I have seen the heartache that it causes, the lack of trust that enters into the hearts of both parties, etc.

We just talked how engagement isn't a commitment, but merely an agreement to marry a person.  I personally believe that this "mindset" is being abused - especially in the world of young adults.

When a couple faces trials and tribulation, they should strive to work through the hard times together, not immediately call off the engagement.  What you practice now will carry through into marriage.  Engagement today is, in a sense, like dating - practice for divorce.

So here is my point of view on whether you should call off an engagement.

A couple should try their hardest to work through any trials and tribulation they are facing.  Even if that means that they postpone the wedding for a bit.  Once the couple has done everything to the best of their abilities (prayer included), then they need to discuss where to go from there.  Whether that's postpone the wedding or calling off the engagement.

If a couple can't learn how to work through life's problems, then how will they survive the hardships, trials, and tribulations of marriage??  

How can you depict Christ loving the church?
Any couple has this potential.  It doesn't matter if you are a believer or a non-believer.  Every couple and every relationship has the potential of depicting Christ loving the church.  It just takes effort – sure there will be trials, but when you are striving to be like Christ, going through the trials side by side will make you stronger as a couple.

Do you think Paul was simply talking to the believers in Ephesians 5: 22-33?  Absolutely not!!  He was talking to all husbands and all wives.  There isn't a special sect that needs to obey, and doesn't have to.

So what are some ways to depict Christ loving the church?

- diligently seeking the Lord's guidance in every aspect
- making Christ the center focus of your relationship
- praying for other's to see Christ working through your relationship
- being submissive to your special someone in every aspect (practice now ladies)
- discussing major "issues", events, etc., with that special someone
- being respectful (even in your friendship)
- don't nag or complain about your man.  You have been incredibly blessed!!
- realize that he isn't perfect and that he never will be.

Those are just a few that came to my mind at the moment.  Pray and ask God to show you ways that you can depict Christ and His church.


How can you make engagement set apart?
I have been praying and searching for ways that my man and I can do to make our engagement season special and set apart.  I have studied out betrothal - while I like what it stands for, I won't be doing (unless y'all have a money tree to share lol).  So I prayerfully decided to apply some of the things from betrothal (now I just have to hope that my man is open to them haha).

Here are some ways that I have come up with - enjoy :)

** In the sight of both families, say special "vows" or promises to each other.  Binding our hearts together in the sight of God

** Both families choose the time to be elapsed between engagement and wedding

** Discuss with both sets of parents boundaries you two would like to set.

** Have a field day full of games, food, and fellowship.  Plan it so out of town guests can join in on the fun.  Have the games be bride vs. groom, maid of honor vs. best man, or the bride's party vs. the groom's party.  The field day can take place of the typical bachelor and bachelorette parties.

** Appropriately cultivate "romance" in your preparation for the spiritual and emotional unity in marriage.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It all comes down to this:

take the typical stereo-type engagement and make it a commitment.  Seek God in all aspects.  Learn how to work through the hardships, trials, and tribulations together.  But most importantly, work together to make your engagement special and YOUnique.

What are your thoughts on engagement?

Let the iron sharpening continue ;)

Review + giveaway for "I Dare You" by Isabella Morganthal

Today I am so excited to share with you a review on Isabella Morganthal's book "I Dare You" (yes dear readers, there will be a giveaway as well lol).

I was very grateful that she let me review her book!!

I heard about it from my dear friend Chloe and from Rhey. And after I learned that it was on stopping human trafficking, I knew it was something that I wanted to review.

I absolutely love this book!  I'm a big fan of "Do Hard Things" and "Start Here" by Alex and Brett Harris, so when Isabella presented her readers with challenges, I fell in love with the book even more!

Isabella does an amazing job presenting the importance of becoming aware whether something is fair trade or not, doing your part in not supporting companies who aren't, etc.
Her book is overflowing with Scripture and wisdom - I was very impressed.  It's not everyday you read a book written by a young person and have it overflowing with knowledge, Scripture, wisdom, and much more.

Her book is described as this (taken from the back of the book):

Bullying. Homelessness. Abortion. Human trafficking. It doesn't take much searching to discover that there are a lot of things wrong in our world today. What could one person possibly do about all these issues? In I Dare You, Isabella Morganthal dares you to step out and make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. She helps you dig deep and discover your passion, while encouraging you to do something about it. This is a dare to give everything you have to Jesus and watch Him do amazing things with your life. This is a dare to make your life count. This is a dare to change your world.

I encourage everyone to get their hands on this book, and allow God to speak to you through this wonderful book.

Who would like a signed copy of this book?
... well that's awesome ... you can put your hands down now ;)

Here's how to enter:

>> Leave a comment and tell me how you became aware of human trafficking (1 entry)

>> Follow Alisha In Progress publicly on the sidebar (2 entries)

>> Promote this giveaway on all your social media sites + send me the links (3 entries)
>> Visit Isabella's blog, leave a comment, and send me the post you commented on (4 entries)
>> Follow Alisha In Progress on Pinterest and let me know (5 entries)

This giveaway is only open to US residents.  The giveaway will end February 11, 2016.