Sara's Pen

Making Laundry Soap

2011-03-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to begin making my own laundry detergents and also bath soap. I have been researching recipes and different techniques. My family and I went to a local amish market and purchased some ingredients that I needed to try my first batch of all natural laundry detergent. It makes 10 gallons,which equals about 640 loads of washing. We are so excited because it actually smells wonderful and works wonders!! We have done 2 loads of laundry already this morning. My next experiment is to make our own peppermint bath soap. I will update soon on how this turns out. Proverbs 31:27 says,"She looketh well to the ways of her household,and eateth not the bread of idleness." It might be easier to go to the store and buy a bottle of Tide or Purex,but this saves our family money and it is rewarding just knowing that we have made this ourselves. We will only have to make this every few months,since it makes such a large quantity.

Until next time,

Sara

Safe Haven

2011-03-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hope all is well! We have had a busy past couple of weeks at the Cranford household. My husband got back from a week long preach at Mardi Gras. The kids started getting sick while he was gone and then Brian came home and was also sick. Praise the Lord that I didn't come down with it! The Lord knew that someone had to keep everything in line around here and take care of everyone! This week we have had a complete remodel of our house. We got new carpet,furniture,fireplace and some major spring cleaning to top it all off! Boy,I am tired but God is good and we are ready to start another week of homeschooling,work,ministry,and whatever else the Lord has in store for us.

I wanted to share something that has been on my heart and anyone that has come to my house can see that I take this issue very serious. What does the word haven mean to you? The definition of haven is a place of refuge or rest and also means your sanctuary. This world is so full of sin,wickedness,turmoil,temptations,etc. We need to be able to have a place of refuge or rest from all of this. Of course,we can find this rest and security in our Lord,Jesus Christ. In Psalms 46:1,it says that God is our refuge and strength,a very present help in trouble. I also believe that our homes should be a safe haven for us. As you all know,our family is very active in street ministry. If you have been out in this cruel world and tried to tell others about Jesus,as we are all commanded to do, you have probably faced some persecutions. Christians have been punched,spit upon,cussed out,arrested, and even killed. We should all be able to come back to a home at the end of a day that has love,joy,peace,patience,kindness,goodness,gentleness,faithfulness,and self-control in it. First and foremost,this can only take place if your household is being run like it ought to be. Colossians 3:18-21 tells how the family is supposed to work together. Wives,submit yourselves unto your own husbands,as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands,love your wives,and be not bitter against them. Children,obey your parents in all things:for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers,provoke not your children to anger,lest they be discouraged. I love being a wife and a mother. I love being a keeper of the home as it says in the Bible that that is what a woman should be. I enjoy cleaning my home,having it smell good,candles lit,food on the table,floors with stripes in it from the vacuum cleaner,etc. because this is our one place that our little family of seven can rest and have peace. After Brian has been out on the streets,he is always ready to come back to our little home that he can rest in. I take pleasure in being home all day,taking care of kids and being the submissive wife that God has called me to be to a God-fearing husband that loves me and his children.

A lot of women believe that being submissive is not for them because they want control. Instead,let's look at it like we are in charge of meeting all of the practical needs for our husbands and children. Proverbs 31 would be great for everyone to look at and really study! In verse 22,it says that the godly woman is well-dressed. In verse 15,the woman rises early to make sure her family is fed. In verses 21 and 25,it tells how the woman is stable and not afraid about the future. In verses 11,28-29,and 31 it shows how the husband and children are crazy about the woman and how they praise her. What woman would not want this in her home? We need to choose this path of being a submissive wife and taking care of our families. Our homes need to be clean,our huabands clothes need to be washed on time for him to go to work the next day,meals need to be prepared for your families,our children need to be taught respect and discipline,women need to dress modestly and presentable instead of like slobs. In Titus 2:5,it says to be discreet,chaste,keepers at home,good,obedient to their own husbands,that the word of God be not blasphemed.

We need to all make our home be a safe haven that your husbands and children can come to and rest and take refuge in. Take pride in what the Lord has blessed you with! Run your house like the Lord has commanded us to do. If it is not running smoothly,you need to repent of what you are doing wrong and talk with your spouse and children and ask God to help you in the areas that need work.

Here is an excerpt from a song called "This is my Father's World":
We're building temples for Jesus to live in,rooms warm and welcome where he'll reside. These children are our own,but some day when they're grown we pray they'll be the temples where Jesus will abide. Lord,help us build a foundation of trust knowing that we love them so, with walls of pure faith that will stand against the winds of doubt that blow. Let your love be the roof that covers their lives and protects them from rains of defeat. Help me mold in their hearts open windows where the light of your salvation will stream.

Until next time,
Sara

A New Year,A New Season

2011-02-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Sorry it has been a while,once again. I am going to get better at keeping up with the blogs and to keep them coming for you readers. The Lord has already been changing and improving some things at our house in this year of 2011. We are growing in some ways that I cannot wait to share in blogs to come!

We all have a favorite time of the year,I am sure. The winter is normally my least favorite season. Yet,this winter the Lord has really showed Himself in our lives and is doing a work in our family of 7. My husband and I have been married almost 9 years and we have 5 beautiful children,under the age of 8. We also have 2 children that have gone to be with the Lord. We have grown so much in the Lord over the years. We homeschool our children here at Arrows for Jesus Training Center. We go out into the streets as often as we can to share the gospel and minister. My husband open-air preaches and does street ministry wherever the Lord may call him. He has had the opportunity to preach at Mardi Gras,Southern Decadence,Voodoo Fest,Las Vegas on New Years Eve,abortion clinics,muslim events,and many more..... But,the Lord laid it upon my husband's heart a few weeks ago that he needed to take our son and go out on the street corners here in our home town every afternoon to preach and see what might take place. We live in a small country town that isn't very populated. There are no strip clubs or bars or any major events taking place,but there are still lost people!! My husband started about 15 days ago and him and my son went to the street corners to share the gospel. "And he said unto them,Go ye into all the world,and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15 Do you want to know what happened.....God showed up!! People stopped at stoplights and rolled down windows to thank them for being there. Cops would come by and give them the thumbs up,cars would honk their horns,they had people walking down sidewalks and getting into one-on-one conversations about the Lord. My husband and son went every afternoon for 11 days straight. Out of nowhere on one of the evenings,a man brought my husband a pair of brand new gloves to wear that he had just prayed for 5 minutes before. Instead of us sitting here in our house this winter,complaining of the cold weather and long nights or talking about what we would do when the weather got warmer or plan the upcoming preaching events....we used this time that God has given us now to go and share the gospel. In 2 Timothy 4:2,it says"Preach the word,be instant in season,out of season;reprove,rebuke,exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." I believe that God wants us to be ready at all times to reprove and rebuke those sinners that are lost and going to hell. Don't just wait until nice weather or wait until a big event where there will be thousands to preach to,now is the time! In 2 Corinthians 6:2,it says "For he saith,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 hope that this encourages all of you to use your time wisely this winter."Redeeming the time because the days are evil",Ephesians 5:16. Spring is coming soon,don't worry! I love getting out in my yard,planting a garden,playing with my chickens,pulling weeds just as much as you do. But,take these longer colder days to study in your Bible,enjoy your spouse and children,bundling up and going onto your street corners to share the good news to others that need to hear it!! Hope everyone has a wonderful year!

Until next time,
Sara

Are You Growing Up or just Growing Older?

2010-10-09T20:14:00.000-07:00

Goodness,it has been a while since my last post. A lot has happened around the Cranford's house. We now have 5 small children,under the age of 8. We are serving the Lord in street ministry,homeschooling,training up the kids,working,house duties,cooking,raising chickens,etc. God is good and working in our lives daily. He has shown Brian and I so many things.I would like to share some things that God has placed on my heart.

Have you ever stopped and thought if you are "growing up in the Lord" or only getting older? God wants us to grow up! We are supposed to mature in the Lord. "Rooted and built up in Him,and stablished in the faith,as ye have been taught,abounding therein with thanksgiving."Colossians 2:7.Most Christians grow older each year,but never actually grow up. I have seen that with certain people and have even been guilty of it in my own walk with the Lord. I sometimes have felt as if I were at a stand still and not learning or growing like I should. Do you know that to grow in the Lord has to be a decision that you make? You have to want to grow,make that commitment,and continue with your walk to keep on growing. Ephesians 4:23 says,"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;".

"Brethen,be not children in understanding:howbeit in malice be ye children,but in understanding be men." 1 Corinthians 14:20. We need to start changing the way that we think. We are supposed to be Christ like. First,there must be a true "repentance". We need to stop thinking and acting the way that we once did and take on the image of Christ. Think and act like Christ would! In 1 Corinthians 13:11 it says,"When I was a child,I spake as a child,I understood as a child,I thought as a child:but when I became a man,I put away childish things." How many of you are still holding onto your "childish things"? Have you repented,which means to "change your mind" in Greek? Have you changed the way that you used to think and started thinking like Christ? I have heard that instead of saying that you are going on a diet,you are just changing your lifestyle and eating habits. Christianity should be a lifestyle that you live and not just a word that you never grow up to become.

It is frustrating to see people that claim to be a Christian,but have never even changed their way of thinking and acting. They don't pray or read their Bible,they never share their faith with others. They have anger,bitterness,envy,and the love of worldy pleasures in their lives,instead of the joy and strength that God has promised us. Going to church on Sunday and Wednesday doesn't save you from a burning hell,praying one prayer doesn't save you from that eternal flame,cooking a meal for someone doesn't mean that have done enough good deeds to get you into heaven. Ephesians 5:8 says," For ye were sometimes darkness,but now are ye light in the Lord:walk as children of light:" If you are claiming to walk with the Lord,then others will be able to see the light in you. You will have a true repented heart and a change of mind.

If you have been able to look at your life and see that there has been no growing up since accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and you are only getting older,then you need to pray and truly ask Him to save you. You need to repent of your sins that are still in your daily lives and get serious about becoming more like Christ. " That we henceforth be no more children,tossed to and fro,and carried about with every wind of doctrine,by the sleight of men,and cunning craftiness,whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love,may grow up into Him in all things,which is the head,even Christ:",Ephesians 4:14-15.

Until next time,
Sara

Want a Challenge?

2008-12-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

I hope all is well,it has been a while since I have written. We are staying busy at the Cranford house,ministering in the streets,homeschooling the kids,studying God's word. God is good!

I have something to discuss today that a lot of us,if we are honest,are guilty of everyday and don't even realize it. How many of us are guilty of telling lies every single day and yet still go out and teach others to obey the commandments? Now most people think if you tell a "little white lie" or stretch the truth to make a story sound better,that you are not telling a lie. I want to say that a lie is a lie! I am struggling with this issue now at this time of the year with all these parents lying to their children that a man named Santa Clause is coming in a couple weeks to give them presents. I have had people say to me that it is just for pretend,but it is lying to your kids. Another thing,the year is about over and people start doing their taxes and did you know that if you falsify your tax returns,then that is a lie!! What about have you ever called in sick to work and felt perfectly fine? That is a lie! You cannot selectively obey God's laws,people! I have been exposed this week to gossip in the church,a minister lying to his family,parents lying to their children about Christmas,etc. We have got to wake up!! This has been on my heart and I wanted to express my concerns because how can God use us if our lives are full of sin?

Want a challenge? Start modeling the truth....the whole truth and nothing but the truth,so help you God. Think truth. Confess truth. Face truth. Love truth. Pursue truth. Walk truth. Talk truth. We need to deliberately speak the truth!!

In Christ,
Sara

1 Kings 2:3 "And keep the charge of the Lord your God:to walk in His ways,to keep His statutes,His commandments,His judgements,and His testimonies,as it is written in the Law of Moses,that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn;

Revenge isn't Sweet

2008-08-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry that I haven't written in a while,we've been busy out in the streets as much as possible! I am writing about something that I have been dealing with personally and God's answer to the problem. There are times as Christians that we get hurt by someone,maybe not physical but emotional. It may be by our own family or friends or someone we don't even know. As a human,we always seem to want to get even and have REVENGE. But,let me tell you tonight that Revenge isn't sweet!!

Revenge,instead of being sweet it can make us sour. When we have a build up of negative emotions such as anger and revenge,we can have destructive physical symptoms such as:headaches,ulcers,backaches,nausea,high blood pressure,and even heart attacks. Paybacks have a way of paying us back. Revenge is an outward manifestation of an underlying problem:anger. Anger will turn into deeper roots of resentment and jealousy. These attitudes are actually unbiblical!! Getting revenge against someone goes against what we are taught in Matthew 7:12 "Do to others what you would have them do to you." Instead of taking matters into our own hands,we need to be encouraged to let things go and let God deal with our enemies. God is a just God and those that are wicked will eventually get what they deserve.

Getting revenge may get us even with our enemies,but forgiveness places us above them. When we turn our other cheek,we are never more trying to be like God wants us to be. We have been forgiven by God and we need to in turn forgive our enemies and pray for them daily!!

Proverbs20:22 "Do not say,"I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord,and He will deliver you."

Fear

2008-06-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

I believe everyone has fear at certain times in their lives. In my Bible reading schedule that my husband and I are on,we have been studying 1 Chronicles. We are in the last two chapters now and David is giving the instructions to Solomon on how to be king over all of Israel. Don't you know that Solomon was probably afraid. But,one thing that David told him was to obey all the commands of the Lord your God so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance. In 1 Chronicles 28:9,it says we need to Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek Him,you will find Him. But if you forsake Him,he will reject you forever. If we have fear overtaking and consuming our inner thoughts,then how can we truly do what God needs us to do. David advised Solomon not to be frightened about the size of his task as king and builder of the Temple. Fear can often immobilize us and keep us from doing our job here as a disciple of Christ or as a spouse or as a parent,whatever our role is at the time. Don't focus on fear,but instead get to work and have it be pleasing to God. We need to serve Him with our whole heart and mind and not allow Satan and fears to enter in our every thought. It is very important to maintain a relationship with Christ and trust in Him during our times of trouble and fear.In 2 Timothy 1:7,it says"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,but a spirit of power,of love and of self-discipline. " I am sure that Solomon had to trust in God's power and love and to have self-discipline instead of focusing on the size of his job,the risks,or the pressure of the situation as being the king over all of Israel,just like we need to do in our daily lives here on Earth. If anyone reading this has any fears or doubts about anything,please cast them upon the Lord and obey His commands.
Until next time,
Sara

Power can be dangerous

2008-04-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

Hello to all,
I have recently been studying in Judges about Gideon and his son Abimelech. I was studying how Gideon being positionend as a warrior and judge had placed his son,Abimelech, into an environment of power. Sometimes having power can be dangerous and have results that lead to disaster. I believe that some people long to have power and his or her thirst for power is not satisfied once they get the power,it only makes them thirsty for more and more power. Abimelech's life was consumed by that thirst for more power.

There are people today that have this same problem,whether it is in our homes,jobs,in the church,our marriage,etc. There seems to be more people that desire power rather than those that use power wisely once they have it. Perhaps this is because power has a way of taking over and controlling the person using it. Abimelech's life shows us what happens when his hunger for power turned dangerous.

His lust for power led him to wipe out not only his brothers but cities that refused to submit to him. He no longer had power-power had him. Nothing but death could stop him and his drive to conquer and have more and more power.

Our goals control our actions!! People with selfish desires often try to fulfill them the wrong way. Examine your goals and ambitions to see if they are self-centerd or God-centered. Let God have power and control over your life,in your marriage,in your homes,jobs,in your church and if He chooses to give you power then use it wisely and don't let power take control of your every thought and action.

2 Corinthians 4:7 We now have this light shining in our hearts,but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.This makes it clear that our great power is from God,not from ourselves.

Until next time,
Sara

God is Near

2008-04-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

I want to start by saying God is good! I might not be able to write daily in here,but to tell you a little about myself. Brian and I have been married 6 years and we have 4 children,under the age of 5. We have 2 children that have already gone to be with the Lord. I work from home for a home-health agency. I have been a nurse for 8 years. I homeschool my children and are a fulltime stay at home Mom,which is a job in itself.

I was talking to Brian,my husband,tonight and told him at times I get stressed with just my daily tasks of taking care of 4 children. I am their mother,teacher,housekeeper,cook,a wife,a nurse fulltime every night from 5pm-8am the next day. I started complaining and just felt overwhelmed,but then I looked around and saw my blessed life that God has given to me. He has trusted me to take care and mentor these 4 wonderful gifts of life and a wonderful man of God as a husband. I have a job that I can work from home and be with my children too. I realize that some people aren't as blessed and that I have no right to complain about anything. It is a hard task to do what I do,but some women are infertile or some women have lost a husband in a car accident,some people are dying with cancer in a hospital bed and cannot walk around to do their own house chores,etc. Have you ever stopped and just started counting up your blessings and thanking God one-by-one outloud? Have you given Him all the credit where credit is due? Let me tell God is near and is there for you.

Psalm 75:1 We give thanks to you,O God,we give thanks,for your Name is near;men tell of your wonderful deeds.

As humans,we get frustrated with our lives. We get discouraged during trouble times or tribulations. We want things to take place when we are ready for them,we aren't thinking about God's timing. We want a new job now,a bigger bank account now,more patience now,an understanding of why we're being called away from our home church right now,but God will act when He is ready. Children have difficulty grasping the concept of time and we as humans can't understand God's prospective about time. We want everything now,unaware that God's timing is better. We may be as impatient as children,but we must not doubt the wisdom of God's timing and knowing that His presence is always near.

I just want to encourage everyone to trust in God,thank Him daily for your blessings,and know that He is near.

Until next time,
Sara

Letter from an Atheist

2008-02-26T08:48:00.001-08:00

"You are really convinced that you've got all the answers. You've really got yourself tricked into believing that you're 100% right. Well, let me tell you just one thing. Do you consider yourself to be compassionate of other humans? If you're right, as you say you are, and you believe that, then how can you sleep at night? When you speak with me, you are speaking with someone who you believe is walking directly into eternal damnation, into an endless onslaught of horrendous pain which your 'loving' god created, yet you stand by and do nothing.

If you believed one bit that thousands every day were falling into an eternal and unchangeable fate, you should be running the streets mad with rage at their blindness. That's equivalent to standing on a street corner and watching every person that passes you walk blindly directly into the path of a bus and die, yet you stand idly by and do nothing. You're just twiddling your thumbs, happy in the knowledge that one day that 'walk' signal will shine your way across the road.

Think about it. Imagine the horrors Hell must have in store if the Bible is true. You're just going to allow that to happen and not care about saving anyone but yourself? If you're right then you're an uncaring, unemotional and purely selfish (expletive) that has no right to talk about subjects such as love and caring."

This is an excerpt from an e-mail sent to Evangelist Ray Comfort of Living Waters.