~Ending 2009~

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

We have so much to be thankful for in 2009. God has been our strength, our strong tower, our hiding place, our peace, our calm in the midst of the storm. He has showered us with so many blessings along the way. He did not leave us alone. In fact, he has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us, but he will be with us always. What more do we need? With God all things are possible.

If you haven't given yourself completely to Jesus, there is no time like the present. We are going into a new year. A year with endless possibilities. A new year with fresh beginnings. Jesus is the only way to get heaven. He is the only way to really live while we are here on this earth. I hope that 2010 is your starting point of following Jesus, this journey of loving Jesus. He will keep you amazed. He will give you peace, strength, happiness and a love that you never thought possible. John 15:13 tells us, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." No greater love has ever been known. Jesus is your friend, the best one you will ever have and he willingly lay down his life just for you.

Good bye 2009 and hello 2010! I hope you all have a wonderful New Year!

Numbers 6:24-26

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

~Merry Christmas~

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I can't believe it is here already. I love this time of year. We even have snow on the ground! We actually had about 2 feet of snow, so that means snow for Christmas! We made a giant snowman. My hubby was the master mind behind the snow giant. It is the biggest snowman I have ever seen, so I had to include a picture. I love the snow. A fresh fallen snow represents purity to me. It covers everything. Just like the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all of our sins.

I want to share a very well know verse with you. Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas. It may not be the exact day he was born, but it is the day we set aside to remember that God loved us so much he sent us Jesus, his only begotten son. "For unto us a child is born..." Don't forget to celebrate Jesus!

~~~~~~~

JOHN 3:16

For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

~~~~~~~

I also have to include some of the conversation Thomas and I had tonight. He had a bad dream a few nights back. So, the night after the bad dream when we said our bedtime prayers we prayed that Jesus would not let him have bad dreams. When I tucked him in tonight he told me he didn't want me to have bad dreams. I told him I wouldn't and I asked him if he had anymore bad dreams since we asked Jesus to take them away. He said so sweetly, "I not have bad dreams. Now Jesus has bad dreams." My first thought was he is only 3, he just doesn't understand and I was getting ready to try to explain, but then it hit me like a ton of bricks and I almost cried. Of course, Jesus isn't 'having' bad dreams, but he does have them. He took it, so therefore, he has it. I hope this makes sense. You see he bore all of our infirmities, all of our sins, our sickness, our weakness, our mind battles, our bad dreams. He took it all as his own. You name it, he paid the ultimate price for it. So when we ask him to take it, he does.

~'Mine Eyes Have Seen Thy Salvation'~

Just wanted to post some verses I posted yesterday. They just keep echoing in my soul and I wanted to share them again.

~

Luke 2:25-32 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

~I KNOW WHO I AM~

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 B )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col: 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph : 1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know

Who you are!?

~

I found this on another blog. I hope you enjoy it too! :)

~Remembering CHRISTmas~

Luke 2:1-40
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
(As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Ephesians 4

1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 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;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

~JESUS~

I've got to have Jesus. I have got to have Jesus. More than anything in this world I have to have my Jesus. He is the only one that can satisfy this longing deep down in my soul. He is the only one who truly fulfills my life and makes it worth living. He is the only one who satisfies loneliness. You could be in a room full of people and the center of every one's attention and still be the loneliest person, but with Jesus you could be in a room with no one and not feel a bit of loneliness. To the outside world it may appear that you have no one to depend on or lean, but Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother He is the only one that brings true fulfillment. No person or no thing in this life can give you what Jesus does. He is my reason for living. He is the song that I sing. I've just got to have Jesus.

I have got to have Jesus. I want him to control every movement I make and every word that comes out of my mouth. I want this old Adam nature gone and only Jesus to be seen and lifted up. I want to draw out of my well those living waters, so that those I come in contact with will the strengthened, healed and set free. Take this whole world, but give me Jesus. I have got to have Jesus more than the air I breathe. I've just got to have him.

For there is no other fountain where I can be more satisfied, than in the arms of Christ my Savior. No blessing I will be denied. I will draw my strength from Jesus as I lay upon his breast. I will take my comfort from Him. I will find in Him sweet rest. For there is no other fountain where I can be more satisfied, than in the arms of Christ my Savior. No blessing I will be denied.

~God Will Give Us What We Need~

I was just reading in 1 Kings about the widow woman and Elijah. We have all heard this passage many times, but I wanted God to speak to me through his word. I read verses 10-16 a couple times and what dropped in my spirit was that God will give us what we need until we get to the next blessing. This little woman had already accepted that after this last piece of meal she and her son would have to lay down and die. She had no hope. It hadn't rained and there was no hope of rain in sight. In this passage rain is the blessing. Elijah told her to make a little cake for him and then for her and her son and that she would have meal and oil to last until the rain came. We have different seasons in our lives and some seem to last forever, but if we put God first and hold on to his promises we will have EVERYTHING that we need to make it until the rain comes. I am not talking about material things and I know he will take care of that too. I am talking about our spirit man. We will make it to the next blessing!

~

1Kings 17:10-16

So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

~From Glory to Glory He is Changing Me~

If you hold on to God, you will come out of this season a better and stronger you. Your sorrow will be turned to joy. Your suffering will be turned into peace. You will not be much afraid because you are in His grace and glory.

-ladies retreet 2009

I'm Taking Back My Mind!

As I journey thru this land

There is but one who understands

All the troubles and the trials I go thru

There is one way up above

Looking down in peace and love

And he tells me that I am born again

We got a phone call yesterday morning with bad news. I almost instantly went into a battle of my mind. It seems like for the last year and a half it has been on thing after the other with my family. This morning I just wanted to hide away from it all. I know things happen and it’s called life, but man can we get a break? I want a decent lengthy break from the emotional roller coaster of sickness, surgeries and death. I looked only at the bad and it overwhelmed me. It all started last June when we got the phone call that my cousin passed away in a car accident. I stood at his grave and literally felt like a part of me was being buried with him. The same Saturday I came home, my second son (who was 5 weeks at the time) was admitted to the hospital and had surgery that Sunday to cut a muscle around the valve connecting the stomach to the intestine. The muscle was too large and stopping the stomach from emptying. He was throwing up everything he ate. Within a few months time, my mom had major surgery and I couldn’t be there because my son and I were both sick. My Grandfather had a stroke and ended up in surgery. One of my Uncles ended up having a total of 3 surgeries with a very long recovery process. My Aunt had a mass removed from her thyroid. My husband’s step Grandmother passed away. My Grandmother got a report of cancer and had to have surgery. The day before yesterday we got a call that another Uncle of mine had been burned badly. So bringing us up to date was the report yesterday morning of my Great Uncle getting a bad report, which we are still praying about. These are some major things that happened within my family. I don’t think I have left anything out. There were even more that involved our church family. So, as you can see an emotional roller coaster. I know I am not the only one. It seems like all around people are having the same type of circumstances.
Every piece of bad news I get, it brings back all the things that have happened and that feeling of helplessness and that feeling of being overwhelmed seems to get greater with each thing and this morning it was almost like I could break under the load. A load that I hadn’t even really noticed being so heavy until I fed into this mind battle. Grant it, it is in the back of my mind and to be completely honest it has gotten to the point that I dread hearing my phone ring at times because I am afraid it will be more bad news and I just don’t know what I am going to do or how I am going to deal.
I got to church and the sermon was on having peace and rest within, even when things seemed to be falling around you. It was reminding me of what I already new, but wasn’t focusing on. With every trial, I can say that inside there was a peace and a sense of calm even when part of me felt like it didn’t know which way to turn.
I came home and the DVDs I ordered of the ladies retreat had come in so I had to watch one and the sermon was about the journey and it related this Christian walk with the climbing Mount Everest. The process that people have to go thru to get to the top and how it isn’t as much about reaching the top as it is about your journey (or the climb). How during this journey you find out who you really are down deep inside. I wish I could load the DVD on here because I know I am not doing it justice.
You see, my focus went straight to the bad and that little voice saying “It’s never going to stop. There will never be an end to the bad news. You aren’t going to be able to take much more.” My biggest battle is with myself. Trying to overcome my own thoughts and taking control of my mind. Where should my focus have gone? Seeing how most of the storms have passed, I should have reminded myself of how my God saw me through each one.
My son is now 19 months and eats like a champ. Even during the battle, the doctor couldn’t explain to me why he had gained 4oz instead of losing since the ultrasound clearly showed nothing getting past his stomach. That night in the ER I felt a strength come to me that was not of myself. A surgery that they said would last 2 hours including recovery, only took 45 minutes (including recovery). We have since had our 3rd son who is a growing healthy boy. My mom, aunt, uncle, granddaddy and grandmother who had surgeries are now doing great. My Grandmother was told after surgery that they got all the cancer, so she is now cancer free. She is still recovering, but that is to be expected because it has only been 3 weeks since surgery. My Granddaddy had a stroke while visiting his sister. He couldn’t speak when it happened. My Granny and his sister went to praying and speaking in tongues and by the time the ambulance got there he was talking again. He came through surgery. He didn’t have to have any type of therapy. His voice was weak for awhile and they weren’t for sure if it would come back, but it did. Of course it did! You see my Granddaddy sings, testifies and prays at church and how could he keep doing that if God didn’t give him his voice back? I have a promise that I did not say my final good bye to the ones I love. I have a promise I will see them again because even though I don’t understand, I trust that the God I serve has it all under control. He knows what He is doing. My uncle that got burned is home now and is in pain, but things could have been a lot worse. The doctor told him he was a lucky man. They call it lucky, we call it blessed. Things with my Great Uncle are still up in the air and we are praying. There is no doubt that God has been with us through it all.
He has been our refuge, strength and our strong tower. One thing is for sure, the trials may not end here, but they will end one day. The devil will not take our faith; each step is bringing us closer to our Creator. Jesus is the only one we can completely depend on. Our trials are giving us testimony after testimony of what God can do and showing others that with God on our side we can make it through anything. Things happen in life to Christian and non Christian. It rains on the just and the unjust. I don’t want to do this journey without my Savior. I’ve tried, it doesn’t work and I don’t want to do it without Him again. I don’t have all my hopes set on this life. I am becoming more and more homesick for a city whose builder and maker is God. A land with no more parting, no heartache, sorrow, pain and no tears! All will be peace forever more at the feet of Jesus! Oh what a day that will be!
~
What a day that will be
When my Jesus I shall see
And I look upon His face
The one who saved me by his Grace
When he takes me by the hand
And leads me thru the Promised Land
What a day, glorious day, that will be!
~

Philippians 1:6 (Whole Chapter) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

~
Jeremiah 6:16 (Whole Chapter) Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

~
Hebrews 11:10 (Whole Chapter) For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.