Priceless Gifts

A SMILE is a gift that seems so small yet speaks so much...
.it tells me that you care for me...that I am valuable in
your sight.

To LISTEN is a gift that one can give at almost anytime....
there are so many lonely hearts who need a listening ear...

SHARING what we have is a gift that God will bless...
as we share with others , our need He will supply

SERVING is the gift of giving of ourselves....
as the Master washed his disciples feet so we can
by some service bless

FORGIVENESS is a gift that must come from our hearts..
as Jesus gave that gift so freely, we by His grace
that gift may give

APPRECIATION is sometimes an unused gift....
Is waiting to be given. It gives much encouragement
to those by whom it is received.

All of these gifts must be wrapped in LOVE and
"Handled with Care" for there are many bruised
and broken hearts who need that special touch

May you be blessed by the priceless gift remembering
that we were bought not by silver or gold but by the
precious blood of Jesus.

WHO ARE THESE?

Who are these, can they be counted?
Passing through the valley of Bacca
On their way to eternal bliss;
Faces uplifted to the Father,
Tear stained,
Showing pain,
Suffering shame for the Father's name
Homeless,
Lonely,
Wounded...just as you were , Lord

I have a warm, cozy bed
with plenty of covers over my head.
They are shivering in prison cells,
no pillows for their heads
with only cement floors for their beds

If I am hungry to my cupboard I go,
a supply of food will be there, I know.
In the refugee camps they lay
many are starving every day.

I go to my closet to decide what to wear,
mix or match, I have such a choice.
Their clothes are tattered rags
with barely enough to cover their backs.

When I suffer bruises or breaks,
a trip to the doctor is all that it takes.
They are bruised from tortures sore
with no medicine on their wounds to pour.

When I am lonely, many friends I can call
On any occasion;
They sit alone in isolation.

These are my brothers, these are my sisters
in Christ. This is my suffering family.
Jesus said, "In as much as you do it unto the
least of these my brethren, you do it unto me".

What gifts have I given to my "brethren" today?

Falling Leaves

Falling Leaves
One by one
From the trees,
Each of these
Have a pattern of their own

Falling Leaves
Speak of Fall,
Bringing brightness,
Splendid color,
Now they fall so silently
to the ground.


Falling Leaves
Are a reminder
Our Creator makes us each
in a design unique,
To shine with His glory
And when His purpose is complete,
One by one they fall asleep
but
Wake up in His beauty

The ONE gift

I could give you clothes, they someday would be worn out
I could give you toys, they someday may be broken
I could give you candy, it soon would be eaten
I could give you money, it soon would be spent
I could give you books, they soon would be read
I could give you pets, they , too will grow old and die
Nothing that I give you in this world will last


There is one gift above all gifts
The gift of having your sins forgiven
The gift of knowing you shall reach heaven
The gift of God's Spirit living within
Enabling you to overcome sin
That gift is God's dear Son,
For He the victory has won

I offer you God's gift today
There is no way that you can pay
The Lord Jesus Christ has paid the price
It does not depend on whether you are naughty or nice
By faith believe Jesus died for you, and rose again
Receive Him into your heart and new life you shall gain
It is my prayer this Christimas day
That you will not turn the Saviour away

The Battle is the Lord's

I need not fight this battle alone;
It is the Lord who fights for me
And He will be my guide;
He is ever at my side

When I am weak, He is my strength;
In Him I find hope.
His Word will never fail;
His justice will prevail.

Fear may overtake me, but then I remember-
I am not in bondage again to fear;
But in Christ Jesus I have peace
In Him all turmoil must cease.

Who Can This Be?

Who can this be, who stilled the waters?
Who can this be, who calmed the sea?
Who can this be, that the winds obey Him?
Who can this be? Who can this be?

Who can this be, who touched the leper?
Who can this be, who raised the dead?
Who can this be, who the demons dread?
Who can this be? who can this be?

Who can this be, who opened blind eyes?
Who can this be, who healed the deaf?
Who can this be, who loosed the mute tongue?
Who can this be, who can this be?

Who can this be, who walked on water?
Who can this be, who fed the multitiude?
Who can this be, who has all authority?
Who can this be? who can this be?

This one is JESUS, the Son of God
Who gave His life upon the cross
To save us from eternal loss
That we might an entrance gain
Before the Father's throne

This one is JESUS, the Prince of Peace
Who came to set us free from toil and stress
To be partakers of His holiness
That we might have deliverance
From every sin that hinders us

This One is JESUS, the LORD of Lords
Who is coming again in victory
To receive His own up to His throne
That He might in His saints be glorified
Beholding Him in all of His beauty

Here I am, Lord

Here I am, Lord
You know all about me
You see me when I'm sleeping
You see when I'm awake
Your care for me is awesome!
My destiny is in your hands

Here I am, Lord
I am not my own
I was created for your pleasure
Bought with the precious blood
Unto you I surrender
My life is in your hands

This old nature would like
to live in ease and pleasure;
But there is a battle to fight,
A crown to be won
That I may lay it a Jesus feet
and hear him say, " well done"

HEAVEN

DESTINATION --- HEAVEN

It's more than just a place
I can hear heaven calling
Come up hither to the Lamb
I can hear the voice of Jesus
He is the great I AM

He is calling all his children
Who are longing to be there
Coming home to glory
To see my heavenly bridegroom
The Lover of my soul

I can hear the heavenly anthems
Singing praise to His dear Name
I can hear the trumpet sounding
All the saved of all the ages shouting
King of Kings and LORD of Lords

RESTING

This morning as I was lying in bed, a Scripture
verse came to mymind. Jesus said, " Come unto me
all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of
me for I am meek and lowly of heart;and you shall
find rest for your souls."
My mind has been so full of plans getting ready
to host a women's retreat. Last night my body did
not rest well because of physical problems.Yet, I
find rest when I leave everything in God's hands.

There are many beautiful illustrations in the Bible
about "rest".As a good shepherd, David led his
sheep to lie down in a place of green pastures.
Jesus even took time to sit by the well when he was
weary; At one point, he took his disciples away to
a quiet place ..

There are more kinds of rest than physical rest. We
need rest for our body, for our soul and for our
spirit. Our Heavenly Father has provided rest for our
whole being. When our minds are resting from all worry
and planning, our eyes close more easily in physical
rest. The rest for our spirit is found at the cross
where Jesus poured out his life blood for our sins.
When we trust him for complete cleansing and
forgiveness for our sins, we can rest from all our
self effort or good deeds for salvation.

I invite you to find rest in Jesus today. "For thus
says the Lord God , the Holy One of Israel; in
returning and rest shall you be saved; in quietness
and confidence shall be your strength" Isaiah 30:15
"And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation,
and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
Isaiah 32:18

MY DESIRE

Jesus I desire You,
I really desire You.
I desire to worship You,
I desire to honor You
To love You with all of my heart.

I desire to walk and talk with you,
to tell you all about my day;
I want you to show me the way.

I desire to tell you all about
my joys and success,
my failures and heartaches, too

But there is more .....

I desire to listen to your voice,
To know what makes you sad,
To know what makes you glad.

I desire to follow you,
To know the fellowship of your pain
To seek no earthly gain.


Do I desire healing more than the Healer?
Do I desire salvation more than the Saviour?
Do I desire deliverance more than the Deliverer?
Do I desire the provision more than the Provider?

Am I like the children of Israel who desired the
miracles but forgot the Miracle Maker?

Or

The five thousand who were fed who wanted the
loaves and fishes but didn't really want Jesus.

Psalm 25:4 " One thing have I desired of the Lord,
that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life, to
behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire
in his temple".

A Prayer, a Poem, a Song for Today

Dear Father,
I want to grasp - lay hold of your truth
and all that you have for me. Oh,
Holy Spirit, please take the Word and
apply it to my soul. I want to understand
the Word, not only in my mind but in my
heart. I want to know what You are
saying to me.

TODAY
Today, Jesus, I want to walk with you,
I want You to be my song,
all day long.
I want to praise You with my whole heart,
Thank You, that You will never depart.
I want on You to rely
In sweet fellowship, I'll walk
and talk with You
And You will show me what to do.

The following song we used to sing
in church years ago.

All day long I've been with Jesus
It has been a wonderful day,
I have climbed up one step higher
In that good old fashioned way.
I have spoken words of kindness,
Lord, You know if I've done wrong;
Then I'll go and make it right
And I'll testify tonight -
I've been with Jesus all day long.

WAITING

Waitng for school to start
Waiting for the school bus,
Waiting for college,
Waiting for graduation,
Waiting for the stoplight to change,
Waiting for the washing machine to finish the load,
Waiting for the elevator to reach the next floor,
Waiting for dinner to finish cooking,
Waiting for the baby to go to sleep,
Waitng for the mail; waiting for the phone call,
Waiting for the weather to change,
Waiting for the job to be finished,,
Waiting for the garden to grow,
Waiting for that special guest,
Waiting for that special vacation,
Waiting for the fish to bite the bait,
Waiting to be married,
Wating to be parents,
Waitng to be grand-parents,
Waiting to go home.

We spend most of our life waiting, waiting can be
difficult,challanging and even joyful; however,
all of the waiting mentioned above is temporary.
There is a waiting that is eternal which is
really worth waiting for...

Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious
apearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ. Titus 2:13

May we all be WAITING FOR JESUS RETURN

LEARNING

Learning to abide in your presence,
Putting all else aside
Learning to abide in your love,
That comes from above.

Learning to abide in your peace
Until all striving cease,
Learning to abide in your Word
Until your voice is heard.

Learning to abide with patience,
Learning to abide with joy,
Learning to abide with hope,
That the enemy cannot deny.

Psalm 43:5" Hope in God , for I
shall yet praise Him , who is the
health of my countenance and
my God".

Romans 5:5 And hope makes not
ashamed because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts by the
Holy Spirit which is given unto us."

I'll Carry You Through

I'll carry you through when the path is rocky,
I'll carry you through the turbulent water
All across the desert, I will not leave you
Fear not, My child, I'll carry you through

Though the way seems long
Though your heart grows weary
I hear your cry, I am near thee
Just trust in Me to carry you through

You don't need to carry the burden,
The responsibility is not yours,
Leave all the details in My hand
I'll carry you through to the end.

NEVERTHELESS

This morning I read about the Gentile woman
who kept coming to Jesus to ask Him to
cast out the demon from her daughter. When
Jesus response was that He was sent first to
the children of Israel, the woman said, yet
the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from
under the children's table.

The little word yet brings hope. Webster
relates the word yet with nevertheless.
Nevertheless is sometimes used in the
Scripture to give the idea of something
greater to happen in the face of adverse
conditions.

Jesus told Simon to let down his his net
after he had toiled all night and caught
nothing. When Simon responded, saying
"nevertheless I will let down the net"
the result was so many fish that the
net could not hold them.

When Jesus was warned that Herod might
kill Him, He said,I must walk today and
tomorrow". He knew He would be crucified
but He also knew He would be resurrected.

Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ,
nevertheless I live, and the life which
I now live, I live by the faith of the
Son of God who loved me and gave
Himself for me."

Press On

Those two little words came to my mind today.
I think about Zacchaeus who pressed through
the crowd and climbed a tree so that he might
see Jesus... The woman who pressed through
the crowd to touch the hem of His garment...
The four men who didn't give up when there
was no other way but took their sick friend
down through the roof to reach Jesus......
Blind Bartimaeus who kept on calling upon
the name of Jesus even though when many told
him to be quiet....Paul said, "I press toward
the mark of the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus"'

God is calling each of us to press on in our
walk with Him. He knows all about your
circumstances..your broken heart, your fears,
your loved ones, your weakness, your health ....
May you press on in faith until you know
beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have
touched Jesus and that He has touched you.

THE QUESTION

Do I want to glorify the Name of Jesus?
Will God be glorified in my life?
In life or in death,
In sickness or in health,
In abundance or abasement,
In strength or in in weakness,
In joy or in sorrow,
In times of peace or in turmoil,
In gain or in in loss,
In all these things, it is my prayer
that God will be glorified in my life

A RESTFUL AND RELAXING DAY

After traveling six days in a row it was so good to be
settled for a time...not having to drive somewhere
to be at a certain place at a certain time....
feeling right at home...to be able to unpack
our suitcases and even a closet to hang up
our clothes.
We were staying with my husband's brother
and sister-in-law. It was a beautiful day in
Minnesota with the temperature of 83 degrees
and a slight breeze blowing. The sky was
deep blue with small fluffy clouds

I walked down the driveway to the mail box
and back. As I came back into the yard I
noticed several large trees in the yard. One
maple tree was especially tall ..about 60 feet and
spread its branches in a magnificant way for
about 40 feet wide. It was like a huge umbrella
of shade. While standing by the trunk I could
barely see the sky through the massive
network of smaller branches and leaves.

I am reminded of how my heavenly Father
invites me to find shelter "under His Wings".
What a restful and relaxing place that is...
When traveling through this life we find
many times a refreshing place in His
presence. Jesus invites us to rest in Him
and not to fret because of all that is evll
in this world.

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the Lord and wait
patiently for him: fret not thyself....
because of the man who brings wicked
devices to pass.

Psalm 91:1,4
He that dwells in the secret place of
the most High shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty..He shall
cover you with his feathers, and under
His wings shall you trust.

Which Way Will You Chose?

On our way home from Wisconsin, my husband and
I decided to drive on some state highways
instead of the busy Interstate highways.As we
headed westward across southern Minnesota,
then southwest across a corner of Iowa into
Nebraska our goal was to take Highway 75 all
the way south through Nebraska, through
Kansas and reach Bartlesville, Oklahoma by
the next evening .

Just south of Sioux City, Iowa, highways 75 and 77
merged together for a short time and then
separated. My husband was driving and I was
navigating with the atlas.We were thoroughly
enjoying the scenery. I would tell which way
to go- right or left. We stayed all night
at Fremont, Nebraska. It wasn't until the next
morning when I looked at the atlas, I realized
we had taken highway 77 instead of 75 when
they forked off.

We were a long ways farther west then we intended
to be and as a result we were unable to reach
Bartlesville early enough to visit the Voice of
the Martyrs office which I had looked forward to
doing. Because my friend would not be in the office
in the morning we drove farther into Oklahoma to
stay overnight. Then we would not have so far to
get home the next evening.

The wrong turn cost us more time, more gas and not
being able to have a time of felllowship which we
had looked forward to with our friend who we had
not seen for a long time. Taking the wrong turn in
life is much more costly. Jesus talks about two
ways-the narrow road which leads to life and the
broad road which leads to destruction. The Bible
is our "atlas". The Holy Spirit is our guide.
Jesus made the Way - HE IS THE WAY. Trust Him
today and He will keep you on the right way.

The words of a little chorus sum it all up:

I met Jesus at the crossroads,
where the two ways meet.
Satan, too, was standing there
and he said , "Come this way
lots and lots of pleasures I have for you today".

But I said, "No, there's Jesus here,
See what He offers you - down here my sins
forgiven, Up there a home in heaven".
Praise God, that's the way for me.

WEAVING

When I was visiting in the home of a friend in
Wisconsin, she was showing me the little rugs
that she had woven. The strands were tightly
woven together making the rug strong and
beautiful to look upon.

I was reading recently about the tabernacle
which God directed Moses to build. The veil
and the curtains were woven together of blue
purple and scarlet threads along with strands
of beaten gold. The blue reminds us of heaven,
the purple speaks of Jesus as our King, the
scarlet reminds of us the blood which Jesus
shed for our sins. The beaten gold reminds us
of the trials we go through.

God is wanting to bind His people together-
some from every nation, tribe and tongue-
He knows which people and which experiences
to put into our lives to bring about something
beautiful for His glory.

Walking Along the Creek

It is a beautiful, still morning with temperature about
62 degrees. I am walking this morning along the valley
road enjoying a slight breeze on my face. There is a
creek which winds back and forth through the valley
and is crossed over by several bridges.I come to the
first bridge. I stand for sometime looking intently
at the water which is quietly flowing and I notice
multiple sparkles as the sunlight beams upon the
water. I walk a little farther and come to the second bridge...at this point the water is flowing
more rapidly around large rocks. It gives a feeling
of hurriedness. I walk around the corner and just
at the bottom of the hill is another bridge. Here
there are two different scenes. As I look from one
side of the bridge the water is very still, so still
I can see the reflection of the bushes along side of
the creek. From the other side of the bridge the
water is bubbling nosily over the rocks.

As I ponder upon these scenes I remember the words,
"He leads me beside the still waters".
Sometimes we have to step from the still water into
rocky places. As we let the Son of God shine upon
our lives, the sparkle of His presence will be seen
whether we are in a place of quietness or going
through the rocky trials of life.

Note: This story actually was from my travels last month

Not by might, nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord

God works in unusual ways sometimes to answer
our prayers. About a week ago I was enjoying a
women's fellowship at Cracker Barrel Restaurant.
All of a sudden one dear lady spoke up and said,
" We haven't heard from you, Jean, What do you
have to say?" All I could say was...." I can't
think of anything to say". I thought to myself
what if the time comes that I am tested to deny
Jesus? Would I be able to open my mouth and
speak for Him?
The next day my husband and I were eating lunch at
Whataburger. I went to the restroom to comb my
hair and as I looked in the mirror I noticed a
scowl on my face. I prayed, "Oh, Lord Jesus,
I don't want others to see a sullen expession
on my face. I wantthem to see the love of Jesus
through me. I want to see others through your
compassionate eyes."

Then I sat down with my husband to wait for our
order. I noticed a certain waitress...her face
looked so weary and sad. It was like I felt her
sadness. All of a sudden she walked over to our
table and said to me, "Do you ever talk?" I
responded, " I don't always talk alot but I like
to talk about Jesus". I went on to tell her what
Jesus means to me and found out that she also
knew Him.

Leaving the restaurant that day, I felt a new joy
knowing that when I truly depend upon the Holy
Spirit He not only gives me words to say but He
puts compassion in my heart.

TOUCHING JESUS

I want to be in touch with you, Lord Jesus,
I want to hear your voice;
I want to hear what you are saying to me,
That I might make the right choice.

Jesus like the woman who touched the hem
of your garment, and healing virture flowed out;
I want to feel the touch of your presence,
to know your grace in abundance.

Touch me, Oh Lord, and I shall be whole,
Touch me, Oh Lord, in the depths of my soul;
Make me to be what you want me to be,
Cleansed from all sin to glorify thee.

Touch me, Oh Lord,
That my life may touch others;
That those who are lose, may become saved,
That those who are sick may receive healing,
That those who are grieiving may receive comfort,
That those who are burdened may receive peace,
That those who are bound may be set free.

Touch me, today and transform me into your likeness

ALL THAT JESUS IS TO ME

You are my King, of you I sing,
I praise your name, from day to day.
To you all glory I will bring.

You are my Lord, the One adored
All your works I applaud
I bow before you in gratitude

You are my Saviour, the Lover of my soul
The one who makes me whole
I pledge myself to you, to be faithful and true

You are my Shepherd, my Guide, my Friend
The way I take, you know
I'll follow you to the end.

You are my present Joy, my everlasting Peace
Your goodness will never cease
I open my heart to your fellowship

Words cannot express all that Jesus is to me, all that
he wants to be to you. He waits to hear from you
and me; May our response be - Come Lord Jesus,
Come and live in me, come and walk with me,
Come and fulfil all your desire in me.

TRUSTWORTHY

Lord Jesus, I know that you are faithful and true,
I know that I can depend upon you
I can trust you, Lord,
You will bring me through

As sure as the sunlight of the morning ,
follows the darkness of the night.
As sure as your Word will not return unto you void,
but will accomplish that for which it was sent.
As sure as the Father has raised you, Lord, from the dead
That is how surely I can trust your steadfast love.

Now Is The Time

Now is the time to forgive
Now is the time to repent
Now is the time to obey
Now is the time to trust
Now is the time to love
Now is the time to comfort
Now is the time to do good

BECAUSE

JESUS is coming soon and when He comes there will
be no more opportunity to forgive, repent, obey,
trust, love, comfort or do good.

What God Is Able To Do

God is able to save them to the uttermost those
who come unto Him through Christ Jesus. Hebrews 7:24

God is able to run to your help whenever you
cry out to Him in times of trial and testing.
Hebrews 2:18 Amplified version

God is able to do exceeding, abundantly above
all that you ask or think according to His power
which works in you. Ephesians 3:20

God is able to make all grace abound toward
you that you may always have all sufficiency
in all things that you may abound in every good
work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

God is able to keep that which you have
committed unto Him until the day of His appearing.
2 Timothy 1:12

God is able to keep you from falling and to present
you faultless before His glorious presence with
exceeding joy! Jude 24

Three Small Words

Three small words so important...make such a
difference...open up channels of communication.
Those three words..."I have sinned" spoken to God
..spoken out of a truly broken heart...broken
because I have sinned against God who is Holy.
Why are those words hard to say? Pride needs to bend.

In Psalm 51, David says, "Against you and you only
have I sinned and done this evil in your sight."
The prodigal son acknowledged "I have sinned against
heaven and in your sight." It is not enough to
recognize and admit "I am wrong" but I must realize
that all sin is against God. Only then wilI I be
ready to let Him change me.

Like the father the prodigal son who was waiting
with open arms for his son to return; God is looking
waiting with open arms to forgive and receive all
who truly, humbly acknowledge to Him "I have sinned
against you".

God revealed His heart to forgive when He allowed His
only begotten Son's arms to be opened upon
the cross where He bore our sins.

From Mom's Perspective

Mom was busy in the kitchen for several days. One could smell the
aroma of baked beans, fresh cookies, and stew simmering on the stove.
Dad came into the room just as mom had finished peeling, potatoes
and carrots. Piles of sliced onions and diced celery were on the
cutting board. Dad remarked," Isn't it discouraging to spend so much
time making a meal?" Mom replied, "No, but it would be very
discouraging to put all that time and work into making a meal
if no one would eat that meal".

Our Heavenly Father has provided His Word to "feed our souls".
How do you think He feels when we neglect to come and partake
of this spiritual food?

HANDS ...what meaning they have!

Etched in my memory is the way that my baby's fingers grasped
tightly around my little finger.. a sense of belonging. When
my toddler reached out his hand to hold in mine while we crossed
a busy street....a sense of trust. When my kindergarten child
waved good-bye as she stepped into the school bus...a sense of
letting her go. When the first little signs of a plant break
through the ground from the seeds that my children planted....a
sense of the awesomeness of God's creation......When my son
would not lift the cover to take a cookie out of the cookie jar
without first asking me....a sense of honesty. When the football
came crashing through the kitchen window where I was washing
dishes...a sense of forgiveness. When I tasted a piece of the
delicious cake which my daughter baked without using a recipe
...a sense of creativenss. When my oldest daughter's hands took
hold of the steering wheel of our Toyota for the first time....a
sense of responsibility. When hand written letters came in the mail
from daughters who were at college far away....a sense of lonliness.
When I watched the wedding ring being tenderly slipped unto her and
his fingers...a sense of giving them to one another.When my hands
held my precious grandchild for the first time....a sense of great
joy.

I think now about the hands of my Creator from whom all these
blessings flow,I think of the hands of my Savior:
Who beckoned for men to leave their fishing nets and follow Him,
Who held the little child,
Who put forth his hand and touched a leper, making him clean,
Who spoke to the man with the withered hand and his hand was made whole,
Who took the little maid by the hand and she was alive from the dead,
Who laid his hands on the woman who was bent over and she was made straight,
Who stretched out his hands on the cross that we might have eternal life.

Blessings in Christ Jesus

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour from sin all
of the blessings that are found in the following Scripture are
yours!

1. You are blessed
2. You are chosen
3. You are predestinated
4. You are adopted
5. You are accepted
6. You are redeemed
7. You are forgiven

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according
as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we
should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated
us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according
to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his
grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we
have redemption through his blood , even the forgiveness of sins
according to the riches of his grace." Ephesians 1:3-7

Rejoice today, in all of your blessings.

Questions to ponder

1. If God be for us, who can be against us?
2. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us
all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
3. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?
4. Who is he that condemns?
5. Who shall separate us from the love of God?
6. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or
nakedness, or peril , or sword separate us from the love of
God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord?

ANSWER; "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that
neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord". Romans 8:37-39

Do you know Him? Is He your LORD?

God is good

Heavenly Father, thank you that you are completely,
perfectly, wholly good! There is not one iota of
you that is evil. You abhor evil. You cannot be
tempted with evil. Your character is to bless and
not to curse. Therefore, I can bless those who
curse me; pray for those who despitefully use me
and forgive those who hurt me.

Lamentations 3:22 says, "It is of the LORD's mercies that we
are not consumed, because his compassions fail not."
Psalm 145:8-9 " The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion;
slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all:
and his tender mercies are over all his works." '

In this world full of evil, we have an oasis of hope...Hope
in the mercies of a God whose character is to do good.

It is the goodness of God which leads us to repentance.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son that who ever believes in Him (Jesus)shall not perish but
have everlasting life."

Treasures of Darkness

I want to hear your voice, Oh Lord
To hear you whisper in my ear,
The secrets of your love.
My heart cries out for you
My soul longs for you,
Just to love you for who you are
Oh to see your glory
Oh to see your power
Oh to see the beauty of your holiness

Isaiah 45:3 says, "I will give thee the treasures
of darkness and hidden riches of secret places;
That secret place is not necessarily a physical
area but a place of communion with my Lord where
all other voices are shut out. It is not because
of my worthiness but because, you,Lord, desire to
speak with me, you are the lover of my soul.

What are the treasures of darkness? Do my brothers
and sisters who are in prison for their faith
experience the treasures of darkness? II Corinthians
4:6 says that "God who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to
give the light of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ." I believe that this is the treasure
of darkenss..Stephen saw that glory, his face was
transformed. Acts 6:15In my darkest hour God is able
to open my eyes to see the glory of God.

TRUSTWORTHY

Lord Jesus, I know that you are faithful and true,
I know that I can depend upon you
I can trust you, Lord,
You will bring me through

As sure as the sunlight of the morning ,
follows the darkness of the night.
As sure as your Word will not return unto you void,
but will accomplish that for which it was sent.
As sure as the Father has raised you, Lord, from the dead
That is how surely I can trust your steadfast love.

OUR GOD REIGNS

Our God reigns
He reigns in majesty
He reigns in victory
He reigns in purity
He reigns in wisdom
He reigns in justice

Our God reigns
He reigns over all the earth
He reigns over all the heaven
He reigns over all the universe
He reigns above all evil powers
He reigns above all wickedness

His Name is King of Kings
His Name is Lord of Lords
He is the Great I AM
He is the MIghty Counsellor
He is the Prince of Peace

HIS NAME IS JESUS

In a Moment

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye
He will come, He will appear
Are you ready for that meeting in the sky?
For His coming does your heart sigh?
Oh glorious day

I'm looking up, looking up for the Saviour
Looking up, looking up for my King
Looking for the Lover of my soul
And to gaze on HIs face everyday
That will be glory for me

Could Be Any Day Now

Could be any day now
The Lord will come to receive His own
Could be any day now
The clouds will part and the trumpet will sound
Could be any day now
We will leave this world behind

Oh glory, hallelujah
What a meeting in the sky
Do you know it is drawing nigh?
Is your heart prepared?'
With others
Jesus have you shared?'

THE FATHER'S HEART OF LOVE

If we think the cost of obedience is too much or too
hard,we must turn our eyes on Jesus and He will
give us grace to obey. Just a glimpse of His glory
will be far greater worth than the cost.
When we can see beyond the cross to identify with
the Father's heart of love, then we will be
submissive out of love (the Father's love)so the
reproach of man cannot touch us nor the glory of
man. Began to see submission out of love.

Our cross is that old "I" (pride which is looking
for the glory of man "my kingdom" instead of
the Father's kingdom. Jesus saw the cross from
the Father's heart of love. He was so one with the
Father that He could identify the suffering only
as in unity with the Father who so loved the world
that He gave His Son. Because of this unity with
the Father's purpose, He was submissive to the
cross. We will only be submissive to die to "our
kingdom..the I kingdom", our cross as we come
into unity with Jesus and the Father.

Obedience is a Heart Matter

How many times have you tried to obey in your own
strength and failed? I have good news for you. You
can stop trying.
God, in the Old Testament gave HIs poeple many
commandments and they were never able to
keep them. Does God ask us to do the impossible?
No, He doesn't leave it up to us

In Deuteronomy 30:14 it says, "the word is very
near unto you, in your mouth and in your heart,
that you may do it.:". In the New Testament in
Romans 10:8 the same words are used and
then it goes on to say, "that is the word of
faith which we preach." The next verses refer
to the Lord Jesus Christ.

""If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord
Jesus and shall believe in your heart that God
has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.
For with the heart man believes unto righteousness
and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation." Romans 10:9-10

When you believe in your heart the Lord Jesus Christ,
God's Son died for your sins and rose again from
the dead and ask Him to save you , you have
God's laws written in your heart.. Jesus is the
liviing Word of God and He came to fulfill the
law. When you ask the Lord Jesus to save you,
He comes int to do what you cannot do in your
own strength.

Wil you stop trying to obey and please God in your
own strength? Let the Lord Jesus save you from
your old disobedient nature and give you a new heart
where His obedience reigns.

The Storms of Life

You have taken all my sins away
You are the truth, the life, the way
When the devil comes with his doubts and lies
I will flee to your nail pierced side
There is proof that in your love I abide

Lord grant that in the storms of life
Above the noise of clamor and strife
That I may hear your voice,
I long to feel the nearness of your presence
Giving me that quiet assurance

When I would falter grasp my hand
I know that you will never let me go
You pick me up from sinking sand
And place me firm on heaven's land

I hear you say,
"It is I be not afraid'
Come walk with me
Be of good cheer
Peace be still "

The Storms of Life

You have taken all my sins away
You are the truth, the life, the way
When the devil comes with his doubts and lies
I will flee to your nail pierced side
There is proof that in your love I abide

Lord grant that in the storms of life
Above the noise of clamor and strife
That I may hear your voice,
I long to feel the nearness of your presence
Giving me that quiet assurance

When I would falter grasp my hand
I know that you will never let me go
You pick me up from sinking sand
And place me firm on heaven's land

I hear you say,
"It is I be not afraid'
Come walk with me
Be of good cheer
Peace be still "

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

There is a song in which part of the words are ..."He
made something beautiful out of my life.
Can God turn our darkness into light?
Can He give beauty for ashes?
Can He bring gladness through times of sadness?
Can He turn sorrow into joy?
Can He give hope to the helpless?
Can He give peace to the perishing?
Can He give rest for the weary, strength for the weak?

"In all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37 The Spirit
of the Lord anointed Jesus to "bind up the broken
hearted, ..to comfort all that mourn, ...to give
unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified."
Isaiah 61:1-3

A Time to Weep

It seems there is a burden on my heart today
A great burden and I cannot make it go away.
My heart is burdened for the things
that are coming upon this world

Hearts aching, arms longing
To embrace the weary soul
Teardrops streaming down the cheeks
Hopeless groping for the light

Then I see Jesus......
Weeping at Lazrarus tomb
Weeping over Jerusalem
Weeping in Gethsemene

Am I able to weep with HIm
Over the things which break the heart of God?
The lost soul...the wayward one, those suffering
for His Name.


Then I see Mary Magdalene weeping at Jesus feet
What wonderous words her ears did hear,
"He is risen, never fear,"
He is alive forevermore.

Be Refreshed

This morning as I stepped outside I felt
the most refreshing breeze blowing on
my face. It seemed as though there was
a mist falling from the clouds; yet no
rain. The word refreshing came to my
mind. Ones whole body, soul and spirit
often times needs refreshing.

How refreshing is a drink of cold water
when one is thirsty! How refreshing
is a brisk walk on a cool day! How
refreshing are the words of encouragement
to the weary soul. Refreshment may come
through a phone call, through a letter,
through a visit.

There is yet another kind of refreshment
for one's spirit. Isaiah 28:11-12 says,
"For with stammering lips and another
tongue will he speak to his people. ..
This is the rest wherewith you may
cause the weary to rest: and this is the
refreshing".

May you be refreshed this day in body,
soul and spirit.

Jesus is Victor

Let us never forget that we are in a battle.
It is a battle between light and darkness;
between good and evil ;
between truth and deception,
between righteousness and unrighteousnes;
nevertheless, the victory has been won,
" Greater is He that is in you, than he that
is in the world." It is not time to lie down
in defeat but to put on the whole armour of
God that we may overcome the wiles of the devil.

(Try singing to the tune of the
Battle Hymn of the Republic)
When we lay down our carnal weapons
and take up the Word of God
When we lay down our carnal weapons
and take up the Word of God
When we lay down our carnal weapons
and take up the Word of God
We'll shout the victory
Glory, glory hallelujah
Glory, glory hallelujah
we'll shout the victory

To Accept Jesus

To Accept JESUS means.....
To accept His love which is everlasting,
To accept His mercy when I am undeserving,
To accept His forgiveness that
I might forgive others,
To accept HIs wisdom which is
beyond human comprehension,
To accept His leadership
when I would go the opposite way,
To accept His cross
knowing there is a resurrection,
To accept misunderstanding knowing
He understands the cry of my heart,
To accept lonliness, knowing
He will never leave me nor forsake me,
To accept hardship for His sake knowing
there is nothing too hard for Him,
To accept discipline, knowing
that it is for my good,
To accept tribulation knowing
that His peace passes understanding,
To accept all that encompasses life
rejecting all that leads to death

WAITING

In quietness,
The stillness of the night,
Only the tick of a clock,
Children snuggling safe beneath the quilts,
The light of the lantern shines down the path,
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps...
His hand upon the doorknob...
FATHER'S HOME

Hopefully, with anticipation,
Expectancy is felt in the air,
New responsibility,
The time is near
Suddenly, a cry is heard...
NEW LIFE is brought forth

Watching,
Working,
Walking by faith,
Willing to suffer,
Willing to weep,
Then Suddenly, the trumpet sounds,
THE LORD APPEARS

CHOSEN AND CHOICES

How special it is to be chosen. I think back to
when I was last to be chosen on our grade school
softball team...softball wasn't my favorite or
accomplished sport! But how did I feel when no
one wanted me on their team? rejected? lonely?
sad? unloved? unneeded? Perhaps that is how
you feel today....now think about another
scenerio?

The day I opened the letter from my husband and
read the words, " I want you to marry me...I want
you to be my wife"..I was chosen to be his
bride, chosen to be loved and cared for....How did
I feel?... accepted, wanted, loved, joyful, needed ..

The Bible says that we have been chosen by God in
Christ Jesus to be adopted as His dear children.
Christ didn't choose us because of our great abilitiy
or outstanding beauty..He chose us when we were lost
in sin and at enmity with Him. He chose us to make
something beautiful out of our lives for His glory.

Now the choice is yours. Do you choose Christ today?
Do you choose to obey Him?
Do you choose to let Him make something
beautiful out of your life for His glory?

His Presence in Darkness

One morning when I went out for a walk the fog
was extremely thick..It was like a huge wall
coming down from the sky to the ground....it
surrounded me on all sides,I could not see the
gate. I could not see even the headlights of the
cars that I heard going by on the road beyond
the gate, yet in the place where I was walking
I could clearly see the path. God led the
children of Israel by a pillar of cloud. That
pillar of cloud stood like a wall between them
and the Egyptians. It was a cloud and darkness
to the enemy but gave light by night to the
Israelites so one could not come near the other.
God could see through the pillar of cloud and
troubled the Egyptians.

In times of darkness God will lead me in ways that
I cannot see now. His hand upon me in the darkness
is protection from the enemy. Isaiah 42:16 says,
"I wil make the darkness light before you." And in
Isaiah 45:3 "And I will give you the treasures of
darkness and the hidden riches of the secret places"
Is that "treasure" trusting Him when I can not see for
darkness round about me?
Is it peace in time of turmoil?
Am I finding out the "riches" of His secret places?

The Significance of Two

This morning I walked with my son on a path that he
had made in the woods. He took a walking stick and
went just ahead of me to clear the way of any
branches or other obstacles that might be in the way.
We sang praises to the Lord as we walked together
along this path through the woods.

I began to think about the significance of two.
In the begining God made the woman for man; God
called Aaron to be a mouthpiece for Moses;
Joshua and Caleb were two spies who went together
into the promised land; Jesus sent forth his
disciples two by two; It was to two men walking
together on the road to Emmaus that Jesus was revealed
after his resurrection; Paul was sent on his
missionary journey with Barnabas and then Silas.

Every individual is important to the Lord; however,
God didn't make us to be hermits. We need one
another.If you are alone today, reach out to someone
and then there will be two.

Prayer of Dedication

Dear Heavenly Father,
I give myself to you today,
I present my mind to you..my reasonings,
my imaginations, my memory ( that I would
remember your Words..your rhema words)

I present my eyes that I might see You
clearly as you are, that I might see
myself as you see me, that I might
see others through your eyes.

I present my ears to you that I might
hear your voice; my mouth that I might
speak the words you give me to speak,
that I would speak words of kindness

I present my heart to you, that I might
love you more and more; I present my
hopes and desires unto you that I might
fulfill your desires; I present my will
to you that I might be obedient to you,
that the intent of my heart would be
unselfish and to your glory and honor.

I present my hands to you that I might
serve others; I present my feet unto
you that I might go into the places
you send me to share the gospel with
those who have never heard.

I thank you Father for so loving me that
you gave yourself to me through your Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ.

What a Day

As I sat watching the Presidental Inaguration I was impressed
with several aspects....the tremendous amount of people in
attendance,the seriousness of this event, the trumpets blowing
to announce the entrance of each important person, the finality
taking place as a result of a decision made a few months ago.

I couldn't help but think of that great event which will take
place when King Jesus is crowned Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
Every individual on the whole earth will be present...every knee
shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord...
Everyone will have to give account to the finality of a decision
that they have made ......to accept Him as Saviour and Lord or
to reject the eternal life He has to offer.....When the trumpet
blows to announce His coming what a glorious day that will be!

Jesus Alone is Worthy

Praise Him, praise Him
Praise Him in the morning,
Praise Him in the noon time,
Praise Him when the sun goes down.

Love Him, love Him
Love Him in the morning,
Love Him in the noon time,
Love Him when the sun goes down

Thank Him, thank Him
Thank Him in the morning,
Thank Him in the noon time,
Thank Him when the sun does down.

Worship Him, worship Him
Worship Him in the morning,
Worship Him in the noon time,
Worship Him when the sun goes down.

For Jesus is worthy of all praise and honor and glory
At all times, in all circumstances, in all places
From all people, in all languages, in all nations.

Stretching

Yesterday, Lynelle had wrist surgery. It was
minor surger and went very well. I drove
her home afterwards. I felt anxious about
driving in Atlanta area traffic.

I have been reading Victoria Osteen's
book, "Love Your Life" . In one chapter
she talks about stretching yourself. I
quote, "A lot of things in life don't
necessary feel good, but they are necessary
to stretch you...I will keep stretching and
growing and learning and not allow fear to
to hold me back".

As I walked around the apartment complex yesterday
I came to a place where there were stepping stones.
I thought, "I must step out of my comfort zone and
not be fearful to drive in Atlanta traffic. The
Lord has been helping me to do that. I drove
Lynelle to her doctor's appointment today. I
felt less apprehensive. Thank you, Lord

My Husband's Eyes

"What a beautiful day for flying. There is not a
cloud in the sky", stated my husband. I responded,
"But there there is a cloud in your eye" This was
due to the fact that I would be flying to Atlanta
to visit our family for two weeks; perhaps he would
come later.

At the airport my husband let me off with my luggage
at the entrance to the gates while he went to park the
car. I became a little restless being too easily
anxious about getting on the plane on time. When
my husband came he was given a pass to go through
security with me; however, he had to return to
the car to leave a certain item that wouldn't pass
security. I went on ahead and had boarded the plane
just before he arrived at the gate to bid me
good-bye once more.

On the plane I remembered that our pastor had
talked about the importance of our countenance.
Part of our countenance is our eyes. I wrote
the following poem which expresses what I feel
shows in my husband's eyes (countenance) and
sometimes in my eyes (countenance)

MY HUSBAND'S EYES

My Husband's eyes are filled with love,
They reflect that gentle spirit that
comes from above.

He looked into my face so longingly
as I went on ahead,
His eyes were filled with sacrificial love
No words needed to be said

Sometimes his eyes twinkle with delight
When all our grand-babies are in sight.

His eyes are attentive to my needs
But not my needs only, does he see
For those hurting in all the world, he pleas


Do my eyes reflect a deep trust, or resolute
determination to do it on my own?
If I am abiding in God's rest
Then His glory will be shown

When Jesus Passed By

When Jesus passed by
He called men to follow HIm
They put their fishing nets aside
In His work they would abide

When Jesus passed by
He saw Levi sitting at the gate
To follow Jesus he put aside all earthy gain
Eternal life he would obtain

When Jesus passed by
A blind man recieved his sight
His spiritual eyes could also see
That Jesus was the Son of God

When Jesus passed by
He stopped the funeral procession
For the grieving He had compassion
And raised the dead to live again

When Jesus passed by
A woman reached out
Touched the hem of His garment
And was made whole

When Jesus passed by
He saw Zaccheus up in the tree
He saw his repentant heart
And from sin he was set free

Jesus still is passing by today
His heart with compassion filled
Reach and out by faith
Touch Jesus as He passes by

Jesus will outshine them all

Driving home from Hillsboro dad and I saw the
most beautiful sunset. The entire sky was
filled with various clouds, colors and designs.
Looking to the West, were feathery cloud
formations which shone with an orange-golden hue;
to the South were pink-reddish clouds that had a
rippling look. As we drove on we noticed a
feathery cloud which reminded me of a jet stream -
it lay diagonally acrossthe sky for a very long
distance having a pink glow at one end, gradually
turning to white at the smaller end. As I thought
about the beautiful picture that God had painted,
Dad began to sing a song about how magnificant
heaven will be,,,,

The sparkling river a flowing, happy faces aglowing,
land of splendo where never comes night.
The golden glass gives reflectionto the
city's perfection, but Jesus will outshine them all.
Mansions will glisten on the hills of glory,
Happy reunions on streets of gold. Angel hosts singing
glad praises forever, but Jesus will outshine them all.

Accomplishment

Yesterday I finished one of the "small" goals that I
had written on my "to do" list. I put all up to date
pictures on my "baby picture board".....However, they
aren't babies anymore, but all my sweet little
grand-children growing up! I felt a sense of
accomplishment in finishing a task. I almost
finished another small task of putting pictures of
my grand-children on the calendar which I received
for Christmas.

Accomplishment is a God given incentive. I read
something so special this morning in John chapter
19, it says that Jesus knowing that all things were
finished, gave up His life. Jesus had the power to
lay down His life and to take up His life again.If
He had come down from the cross before all was
finished according to God's Word, our salvation
would not have been accomplished. Lord, help me
and everyone who reads this to remember that You
who went all the way to the finish line are able
to give us strength to finish all those tasks great
or small which you give us to do

New Year's Thoughts

So many things on my mind
So many things to do
So many things to remember
So many plans to carry out

But above all this is ....

Getting to know you, Jesus
Getting to know you better;
Getting to love you, Lord
Getting to love you more

Spending time alone in your presence
Getting to know what is on your mind
Willing to fulfill your desire
Will make such a difference in my life

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so
are my ways highter than your ways, and your
thoughts than my thoughts....Isaiah 55:9