Fifteenth Anniversary for the Heart to Heart Newsletter / Blogs / Missing Newsletters / Subscriber Comments

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2014

When I think of all the years the Lord has helped me send this newsletter to so many special ladies all over the world, the words to a song always come to my mind - "To God Be the Glory!  Great Things He Hath Done!" 

In the very beginning (February 1999) I sent out three short e-mails each week.  That changed to a longer newsletter sent once a week for a good while.  Later it was sent twice a week for quite a few more years, before going to once a month, as it is currently being sent.  Since my husband's full retirement last June, we've been able to spend more time visiting our children and do other traveling while we are still able.  Some months it has been difficult to get a newsletter ready in time.   I feel like I am winding down in my strength and energy, in keeping up with all that I should, but keep trudging alone.  By God's grace and with His much-needed help, I will continue as long as He gives me the strength. 

Your prayers and words of encouragement every now and then are very much appreciated along the way!  And now on to the 16th year for "Heart to Heart!"    

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE TWO BLOGS FOR HEART TO HEART?

I'm learning of ladies all the time who say they know nothing about the two blogs, so here's the information:

Links are shown at the top of every newsletter.

Main Blog:  http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com  

All topics are organized in a categorized list and there is a search bar as well.

Lots of my photography is shown there - a renewed passion in recent years.

From the Main blog, you can easily transfer to the Recipes blog.

Recipe Blog:http://heartfilledhomerecipes.blogspot.com/ 

Ten different categories of recipes are shown in tabs at the top of the home page.

If you forget the blog links, you can simply do a search for "Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart" and the link will be given.

You Can Help!
If you find any misspelled words or incorrect grammar, please notify me.  I'm not perfect, and you'll be doing me a big favor.  Thanks so much!

IF YOU EVER STOP RECEIVING "HEART TO HEART" AND DON'T KNOW WHY . . . Please keep this in mind.

If you still want to have "Heart to Heart" coming to your inbox, please send me your old and new e-mail address when you make a change.  If you've been dropped, most likely your e-mail address was changed but you forgot to let me know.  This happens all the time!  In order to be added back to the Master E-mailing List, you can do one of two things:

1.  You can simply reply to any newsletter giving your name, as well as your old and new e-mail addresses, asking to be added back to the list, and your message will come to my inbox.   

2. Or you can do a search for "Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart" and (http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com), the link to the blog  will appear.  Go to the "Contact" tab at the top to get my e-mail address, and send me your current e-mail address, asking to be added back. 

COMMENTS FROM "HEART TO HEART" SUBSCRIBERS
Comments used by permission

I so much appreciate all the kind words, love, and prayers from each one of you who write! ~ Lois

Thanks! Your newsletters are always inspiring and encouraging! Go with God! ~ Charlotte Steiner in Nicaragua.

Thanks for your newsletter.  It's always uplifting and full of great information. ~ Sue Huey in Georgia (Sue also sent a great kid's quote for Heart to Heart!) 

How I love your newsletters!  You are such an encouragement and definitely the hands and feet of Jesus to me (in newsletter format)! ~ Beth Breon in Pennsylvania  

Thanks so much for these great newsletters! They are so wonderful!!!  I have printed off my newsletters in the past, and I have them from years ago. Take care! ~ Ellen Ericson Wiegman

I wanted to thank you for the love, time, and obvious prayer that goes into each edition of Heart to Heart. What a blessing you are. I love reading the articles, stories, kids quotes, recipes, and yes -- even the info about coupons I cannot get or use. :) heehee  The Lord always uses something in each issue to touch my heart, challenge me in my daily walk with Him, encourage me in a discouraging moment, or just to remind me how much I am loved. Thank you for ministering ... to me, and to so many others. ~ Tracy Coupe in Ecuador

Great newsletter Lois.  I just stopped everything, took a break, and read all the way through.  Thank you so much for your love and dedication to reach out to all of us.   I have been blessed. ~ Joyce Cronin in Virginia 
 

I love reading your newsletters. They mean so much to me. Would you send me a copy of "A Gracious Woman Retains her Honor"? I would love to have a copy to keep in my Bible.  Thank you so much. Keep up  the good work. ~ Shirley Jones in Alabama

Lois, you have outdone yourself!  Loved this newsletter.  I had never noticed your recipe blog before.  Awesome. I bookmarked it and will check it daily.  Thanks for your service and love. ~ Prudence Kinley-Ruth in Pennsylvania

A friend forwarded your Heart to Heart newsletter to me so I could check it out.  She is apparently on your mailing list now.  I told her who you were (my former college roommate) and that I was very familiar with your newsletter.  She said she was trying to introduce you to as many of her friends as she could as she thought your newsletter was wonderful and she wanted her friends to know about it.  Just thought I'd let you know. ~ Bernadine Teague in Missouri

An Overview of the "Heart to Heart" Blog

The following features are included in this blog:
http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com

Categories Are Listed in the Side Bar - easy to locate various topics from past newsletters

Search Bar - (at top left) - Find specific topics of interest

Music - You can let the music play while you go back to e-mail, or work on other computer programs.  You can choose which song you want to hear at any time or simply turn off the music.

Photography - More than 400 photos can be found on the main blog, plus others on the recipe blog, and yes, I snapped them all, except for the beautiful bleeding hearts banner.  That very appropriate photograph was offered to me by Nina Graff in Wisconsin, who was the person who got me started with this blog in the first place, back in the fall of 2010.  We've become kindred spirits, both having the Lord, family, sewing and photography in common.  Take a look at Nina's website!  www.back40fotos.com

Pages or Tabs at the Top of this Blog Include:
    1. Home
    2. Subscribe
    3. Welcome
    4. Favorites
           175 Things to Do with Your Family
           Unique Photography Ideas
           Picture Book of Proverbs
           Squeezing the Most out of Your Dollar
           Organizational Tips
    5. Christmas
    6. Archives
    7. About Me
    8. Recipes
    9. Monthly Newsletter
   10.Contact

Recipes - From the main blog, by clicking on the photo of the fruits and vegetables, you can be instantly transported to a whole separate blog of only recipes with 10 tabs from which to choose:

1.  Appetizers/Snacks
2.  Babies/Children
3.  Breads
4.  Breakfasts
5.  Desserts/Holidays
6.  Fruits/Vegetables
7.  Main Dishes
8.  Meats/Poultry/Fish
9.  Mixes/Miscellaneous/Freezer
10.Soups/Salads

Please let me know if you have suggestions and/or comments.  Just send me an e-mail. My e-mail address is on the "Contact" page, but you can always reply to any newsletter as well.

Twelve Years Since "Heart to Heart" Began

And now the "Heart to Heart" blog is ready for you: http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com 

By now you may have had a chance to take a peek at the new Heart to Heart blog - actually two blogs, since the recipes are on a separate blog for your convenience.

Several Additional Topics about the Blogs:

There will be no subscriptions to the blogs, however, with e-mail notifications sent each time something is posted.  Since I am planning to post as often as possible (after a short break), you would not want to be bothered that often.  Some days in the last month or two I posted as many as sixty articles or segments. That would be way too many e-mails for you to receive!

Since I am posting from back newsletters, some links may no longer be active.  Please do me a favor and let me know if you come across any of those inactive links.

Please excuse the problems with spacing when copying and pasting to the blog.  It can be quite frustrating and time consuming at times.

Ladies, if you see anything posted that you had given me permission earlier to share in the newsletter, but would rather it not be included on the blog, please feel free to e-mail me to let me know, and I will be glad to remove it.  In the Precious Gems, as I said a few days ago, the last names have been removed.

Usually on a Heart to Heart anniversary I share subscriber comments, but since you can go to the blog and scroll down the Categories list to "Subscriber's Comments," I am going to skip that segment this time. 

This year I will include a dialog I was privileged to have with a gal who happen to find the blog before it was announced as many others did.  

DIALOG WITH A BRAND NEW SUBSCRIBER BEFORE THE BLOG WAS ANNOUNCED
Used by permission from Wendy in North Carolina:

Wendy:  Not sure how I stumbled upon your blog today but it must have been the Lord's work.  I find great encouragement in it and really appreciate it at this time in my life. Please keep me in your prayers that I stay focused on the Lord and have strength to fight off the devil!!   Thanks so much!

After a brief reply from me, Wendy wrote this:

Thank you so much for your reply!  It really made my day better!  You have no idea what an impact you make on people that struggle daily like myself.  I am a wife of 22 years, mother of 2 BEAUTIFUL children (4 and 12 yrs old) and struggle daily with depression and self doubt.  My family and I do attend church and I assist teaching the 4-5 year old class, however,  I have made mistakes in my past and struggle with guilt every day.  You are a ray of sunshine already to me and I appreciate your stories, recipes, and especially craft ideas! I love crafting, scrapbooking, baking, etc.  Thanks again for taking time to respond to my email. ~ Wendy

Lois:  Well, now you are blessing and encouraging me by your reply!  I so appreciate your response as well, being very honest about your daily struggles.  Regarding the guilt you said you struggle with every day, have you memorized I John 1:9?  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness."  So you are forgiven - it's a done deal, as far as Jesus is concerned!  He took your sin and your guilt when He died for you, so you can be free.  "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!"  Reading the book of I John may encourage you even more. 
        Try checking out www.bbnradio.org, a Christian radio station which is in your state.  But online, they have a Live Chat Line and free Bible courses, which others have found to be so helpful in answering their questions.  That's not to say you should quit writing to me though, but their specialty is focusing on answering questions about life and the Bible for many people all over the world.
        Focus on the Family is also such a huge encouragement to me as I listen to their radio broadcast almost every day.  The link at www.focusonthefamily.com will give you the times and stations in your area.
        I wrote your name on my prayer list by the computer, and will pray that you will know the Lord's peace and His presence!  Listen to the song, "In the Presence of Jehovah" on the Heart to Heart blog - I love it, and it ministered to me so much during a very difficult time - so much so that it felt like the Lord put His loving arms around me when I just thought of the first line of the song.  It made me weep each time the words and tune came to my mind, as I was comforted by His love for me in that desperate situation!  Thankfully in the end, although the waiting was difficult, the Lord worked everything out in that very trying ordeal.