Don't Be Afraid - You Have Favor With God!

And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:28-33 NKJV)

I've often wondered what was going through Mary's mind after Gabriel left her that day. Was she bombarded with thoughts of "what are they going to think of me?" Or "What is Joseph going to say."  I can't even imagine how nervous she was when she went to tell Joseph that she was expecting a child that wasn't his. 

Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:19-21 NLT)

Joseph had every right to leave Mary.  In their culture an engagement could only be broken by a divorce, it was legally binding.  What we don't realize is that not only could Joseph have divorced Mary but adultery, and such was punishable with the penalty of death by stoning. Joseph must have loved Mary dearly and completely trusted her to even consider breaking their engagement quietly.

Ultimately God had an amazing plan. He sent Gabriel to prepare Mary for what was to come. When he said “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God", I think he was telling her to not be afraid of what was to come.  Mary, don't be afraid of being pregnant. Don't be afraid to tell Joseph. Don't be afraid of what people will think. Don't be afraid of what they will say or do. Mary, don't be afraid because you have favor with God!

Favor is defined as approval, support, or popularity. Favor is also a special privilege or right.

God doesn't care what the world thinks of you, neither should you! His opinion of you is the only one that matters. 

Like Mary, you are highly favored! 

YOU have been fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalms 139:14)

YOU are a child of God. 

YOU are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. (2 Cor. 5:21)

YOU are chosen, holy, and blameless and you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. (Eph 1:3,4) 

YOU are His treasured possession. (Deut. 7:6)

Mary didn't concern herself with what could have been.  She did as Gabriel told her to do, Mary Rejoiced!  See Mary's Song: Luke 1:46

Mary realized that God's plan for her life was for much more that just herself. She knew that she had a part in bringing salvation to the world. 

We need to remind ourselves who we are daily. We can't dwell on the "what if's" or what people might think about us. Or what the enemy is saying about us. Our part might not be birthing a precious little baby, who is King Jesus, but God has things that he wants to do through us too.  Each and everyone of us has a part, we each have a role to play in this life and it is significant! 

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus let’s rejoice in who He is!  The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Prince of Peace.

⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,

    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:9-14)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

~Calla Cuff

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Outrunning The Bees

Many years ago I must have used some type of hair product that attracted bees. One day I was walking down a street and I am not sure how many bees dove into my hair but, it seemed like a lot. I started running, but the funny thing was, I couldn't outrun the bees because they were all in my hair and I have thick hair.The buzzing was so loud near my ears I thought there must have been at least 10 bees. So I stopped and started shaking my head and eventually they all left. I am not normally afraid of bees but when so many come at you at once and get tangled in your hair, it is not fun. I could not out run the bees they were in my hair- so I had to stop and do something about it.  

Thoughts are sometimes like these bees - you have to do something about them- they are in your head. In Phil. 4:8, God's word tells us to think on what is "pure, holy, honest, just, of good report; if there be any praise, if there be any virtue, think on these things."  

Sometimes when things are going well this seems easier to do than when your facing challenges on every side or are hard pressed . Romans 8:6 says, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."  

Death in the Bible refers to separation from God, carnal minded thinking can actually separate us from God's best, His thoughts for our life.  But being spiritually minded or thinking how He thinks will bring life and peace. 

We cannot outrun thoughts they come to everyone, but you can decide what you will think about- and what you will have.  Sometimes thoughts are like those bees buzzing that you need to shake off by speaking what you know to be true in His word.  Thank God that that if you are in Christ you can renew your mind with His word, everyday choosing to bring down any thought that would try to exalt itself against the knowledge of His word, and in doing so live what Jesus came to give us, life and peace.  

One of the greatest areas that we can present ourselves a living sacrifice is in the area of our thoughts, choosing continually to not conform your thoughts to think like the world, with no faith or grace involved, but to be transformed to think His thoughts and walk out His will everyday. 

~Alexandra Fleege

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Shake Off The Buzz

The word of God tells us in 1 John 5:13-15  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.  This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.…

Is He hearing you? Actually hearing your voice?

There are so many things in this life that fight for our attention.  As a Mom, I hear my name called no less than 30 times a day. I have work demands and deadlines, social media keeping me aware of every unimportant detail of everyones life, news headlines, and the list goes on. This constant buzz can lull us into a spiritual slumber. 

White noise or a buzz will make me sleepy. When I get sleepy, I get quiet. My husband would say this never happens...getting quiet that is. But I do.  I’ll even stop paying attention to what’s going on around me. He almost never wants to let me drive on long trips, for good reason.

It was early in the morning, around 5AM and the sun was just starting to rise. The sky was a soft shade of persimmon and rose. It was my shift on the long drive home from Oklahoma to Ohio. My friend had drifted off to sleep in the passenger seat and I was listening to the buzz of the tires turning on the road beneath.  We had just graduated from bible school and lots of changes where taking place in my life. I felt as though I was walking closer to the Lord than ever before. As I worshipped quietly along with the music playing on my stereo, I began to fall asleep. Never would I have thought or planned on falling asleep, but I did because I didn’t take into account the buzz that was playing like a lullaby in me ear. I was lulled to sleep. As the car began to head off the road down a steep hill, I heard the name “Jesus” and I woke up. I had just enough time to jerk the steering wheel hard, sending the car into a tailspin across the four lane highway towards the cement median. I yelled out “Jesus!” and the car stopped. As I looked around I saw that all four lanes of traffic had stopped far back as if at a stop light. Jesus woke me up and saved my life.

There are events, lives and even plans of God waiting,  maybe even headed over a deadly cliff, needing someone to wake up and speak the word of God over them. 

I encourage you and myself. Let’s not let the buzz of life lull us to sleep. 

Ephesians 5:13-15 …But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “ Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”  Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,…

James 5:16 tells us, The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in it's working]. 

Listen to the leading of the Spirit of God inside. He is speaking.  Lift up your voice with confidence and be active in bringing the will and plans of heaven to the earth. God is listening. Let’s shake off the buzz and wake up! There is much to be done.

Hugs,Tamera Ford

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REMAIN

Just a few days ago I found myself singing that old cute little song that has only these words, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." Why? I desperately needed His joy and encouragement at that moment! Prior to that, I began to become impatient, and not be the joyful mother of children we all strive to be. Can anyone else relate? It was still morning and already I had attempted to be referee between my boys several times. We have 5 boys and I homeschool all of them. Then, I found myself having to clean ground-in mud from our light colored carpets which was dragged in by the 5 year old from his morning of delightful mud-playing in the rain soaked back yard. I had made breakfast for everyone but me and I still hadn't had my morning cup of tea. Not my ideal way to start the day! I had no idea what was about to transpire, that I would completely lose my joy and yell at the treasures who were entrusted to my care. Definitely not joyful mother material!

So here is how it went down: I had told everyone to clean the house, from the oldest to the youngest. They range in age from 18 down to 5. They are familiar with the drill. We have had to keep the house picked up and spotless due to our house being for sale. I would not wish this awful torture on anyone! The two youngest, ages 9 and 5, share a bedroom. They were to put their folded clean clothes away and the dirty ones which were strewn about the room were to be properly stored in the dirty clothes basket. Adding to my stress, at this point it was 11:00 am and I had not yet started homeschooling the 9 year old for the day. Upon entering the room a little while later, I horrifically discovered that the 5 year old had taken EVERY piece of clothing and deposited them all in the dirty clothes basket. YES, even the mile high mounds of folded and clean clothes! They were all undone and mixed in with the dirty clothes in the hamper. I mean, really?! I thought that by setting a timer, it would encourage them to not dawdle and get the job done properly, however my best laid plans had backfired. You can probably guess what happened next. Yep, I lost my joy. My patience and cool demeanor was out the window, and I spewed all over them! Yes, me, the pastor's wife, the mature Christian woman who is supposed to exemplify patience and gentleness in all circumstances. I did something I am not proud of, I yelled at my precious children. The look on their little faces spoke volumes; they were shocked and taken aback. It was like I was watching myself do this, and in slow motion! It was awful, I felt awful, and so did they. After I calmed down and apologized, I called in all of the troops to help and together we sorted and refolded the clothes.

As I reflected on my actions later that day, I confessed to the Lord how I had miserably failed Him and my boys. And I came to the conclusion as to why. I hadn't let His joy be my strength or manifested the fruit of patience, one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). And that can only come from spending time in His presence. That is what was lacking. When I fail as a mother, wife, daughter or friend, I can almost always trace it back to the failure of spending time with Him. I had let the busyness and cares of this life distract me from what is truly important.

John 15:4-5 says, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." NLT

Only by continually remaining in Him,will I bear fruit. The word "remain" is the Greek word "meno." It means to stay, as in one place. We have to stay in one place-with Him. We cannot expect to bear any kind of fruit apart from Him. And in order to do that we must spend time with Him, in His Word and prayer, continually letting Him fill us anew every day. It is the only way to succeed in this life. When I have been freshly filled by being in His presence, then the fruit of patience will be produced in my life.

James 4:6-8 gives me, gives all of us, wonderful encouragement, "But God gives us even more grace, as the Scripture says, 'God is against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.' 7 So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. 8 Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your lives. You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure." NCV

He gives us even more grace!! Praise God!!!! I need a whole lot of grace, and thank God that His grace is unending, if we will just stay there in it! If we will stay humble, and not puffed up in pride, thinking we can do it all by ourselves, then He promises to give us grace and more grace! I don't know about you, but I am in need of His grace every minute of every day.

Verse 8, Come near to God and God will come near to you. God promises to come near to those who will come near to Him, and call upon His name, in true repentance. As we humbly submit to God, we will find that He gives abundant grace, forgiveness, blessings, love, mercy and help in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 says that we can boldly and confidently approach His throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. That goes for any and all circumstance of our lives. My friends, REMAIN in Him and we will find that our lives produce more and more fruit. Not only will our own lives be blessed, but the also the lives of all those around us, especially our husbands and children, will be blessed as well, and they will find encouragement and nourishment.

Choosing to remain in Him,
Kim Dillingham

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You Are Awesome!!

My youngest daughter Elizabeth LOVES her four sisters. She calls them "the guys", and they are pretty much the center of her world.  A couple of months ago my doorbell rang, and Elizabeth and her sister Cia came running to see who was there. When the gentleman said hello to Elizabeth, she grabbed Cia around the neck in a hug and said, "These are the guys - they're awesome!!"

It made me laugh, but it also made me think about how God wants us to relate to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. It made my heart so happy to see that simple, public show of love and affection toward her sisters. I can only imagine how God desires the same from us. The Word is full of admonitions to love one another fervently and genuinely - even through our pitfalls and failures. Some of my favorites are John 13:35, 1 Peter 1:22, Romans 12:9a, and the book of 1 John.

We must be on guard not to conform to a culture that seems to have lost all sense of loyalty and so easily abandons relationships. As with all sibling groups, believers will have their differences, and at times even hurt each other with our words and actions, just as my children sometimes do. It is in these moments we must not only have the faith of a little child, but also the love of a little child. They forgive so quickly. They will look past the offense and focus on the importance of the relationship in their lives.Even in extreme circumstances, when relationships have to be redefined to protect them, they will never stop loving you.

If there has ever been a time to stand as one in the Body of Christ, it is now. No matter our differences, we must look past offenses and love each other like never before. What an incredible light it is to the world, as well as an powerful source of strength to each other, when we choose to love each other like God loves us - with unconditional, reckless abandon!

What do I think about you? I think it's important to God that I treat you with the honor and respect due a child of the King. I believe that even if you are struggling, you want to do the right thing, and that God will help you overcome every obstacle to be who He has called you to be. I think you need to know God's not mad at you, and that you are the apple of His eye and the beating of His heart. I will stand with you, and if I have to, I will hold you up until you can stand on your own again. And when I'm talking to others about you I won't put you down, but I'll be like my little Elizabeth and say something like, "Oh yeah, that person over there - that's my family, and they're awesome!!"

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Your Children Need YOU!

Children, they are the light of the future and the ones who will carry us into the next generation.  Psalm 127 calls them arrows in a warrior’s hand.  Psalm 128 says they will be like olive shoots around our table.  Oh, how I love those scriptures!  They beautifully display the power of family.

Sadly, all we have to do is watch the news for a moment in today’s world to see how desperately our children need something.

Never, especially in America, have we seen such devastation in the news wrought by children.  Why?  What are they missing? 

We know that often when our children act out of line they are simply responding out of their own hurt, or the lack of something satisfying their soul.

We try to fill their void and occupy their time with material items.   We mistake their negative behavior and label them a troubled child. Truly, what they really need can’t be bought; it requires something of us that goes beyond money.  They need US!  

“And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  Eph 6:4 Children want nothing more than to be with their parents.  80% of prison inmates were once in foster care, or parentless.  Wow!  That is shocking, yet shows us that the lack of being with a parent provokes children to wrath.

Will that require sacrifice?  Absolutely.  You are hearing from someone who has laid down quite a bit to be present in her children’s life.  I determined a long time ago that I wasn’t going to be one of those mamas who wasn’t present or who didn’t have good quality time her family. Has is been worth it?  I stand in awe of who my boys are becoming every day!

Did I have to lay my dreams down?  After 10 years of traveling and then stopping to have my children, I can say,  “No!  God’s plans are always so much higher than mine.” I’ve learned that there are times & seasons in God.  “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven.” Ecc 3:1   What I learned is that this season will make the next season more wonderful than I could have dreamed!

We’ve all heard that we become like the 5 people we are around the most.  If the top 5 people our children spend their time with are caretakers, baby sisters, school administration, neighbors & friends, what do we expect them to become.  Certainly, not us! 

I want their number one presence on two feet to be me!

My Evan, age 9, always has to walk me to the car and open the door for me whenever I leave the house.  He then will stand and watch me drive all the way down the driveway, which is quite long.   I know his little heart sinks to see me go, even just for groceries.  Sadly, there are hearts of children that live in a sunken spot.  It’s no wonder there is such lack in their souls and unwanted actions.

Time goes by so quickly, the short time we have with our children will never be replaced.  Down the road there waits more “alone time” than we probably will ever need.

So, what do we do?  We reprioritize.  We evaluate how much of our time they really have.  We turn off the TV and we have them turn off the electronics.  We say no to some invitations and to too many nightly activities.  We make meal times full of easy conversation, not correction time.  We say yes to a chat on the porch or a walk around the neighborhood after dinner.

Proverbs 1 teaches us that what they learn from us will crown them with grace and clothe them with honor.

It’s really quite simple; we choose to go against the status quo and to give our time to our greatest investment in life… our children.

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Carrying the White Flag of Surrender

Carrying the 

White Flag of

Surrender!

Two and a half years ago, my family and I received the call - the call from our Lord to relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma.  This was a big step for us as we had only lived in Illinois and had been in LeRoy for 25 years.  It was a bittersweet event in our lives.  Although we were excited about the move and what the Lord had for us in Tulsa, we were saddened to leave the family and friends that we had in Illinois. Nonetheless, we forged ahead and made the move in July, 2011.

As we prepared for the move, I was praying one day and the Lord took me to Mark 10:29-30. I had no idea what was in this scripture, but was very blessed by what it contained:

"'Truly I tell you,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the Gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - along with persecutions - and in the age to come eternal life.'"

What a promise!!!  I cannot tell you how excited I was to have been directed to this scripture. We were cashing in 100-fold - Wooohoooo!  The moving truck couldn't arrive soon enough!

We packed up and made our way to Tulsa - arriving to unpack in 118 degree temperatures. Yes, that was the temperature here the day we arrived and for many days following. And that was just the beginning! 

You see, when I got that promise in Mark 10:29-30, I expected that when we arrived in Tulsa, the 100-fold would be waiting. (I'm sure God is on His throne chuckling at me sometimes!  :o)) But rather, it has been two years of testing and persecution on every level - physically, relationally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Don't get me wrong, there have been many blessings as well, but most of the time we were fighting and barely standing. We would seem to overcome one battle and another one would come almost immediately. But, that was part of the promise, I just chose to ignore it.  I focused on the 100-fold reward and overlooked the persecution that was sure to come. The enemy doesn't like it when we take a step for the Kingdom of God and literally wages war against us.  

As a family, we strive to live a life surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. In thinking about the act of surrendering in a battle, it doesn't have much appeal. It really means admitting that you cannot win, that you recognize that fact and are not willing to pour anymore time, effort, bloodshed, and heartache into a battle you cannot win. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant in the American Civil War because he believed that the act of surrender would be of greater benefit than continuing the battle. Despite the greater good to come, that act of surrender could not have been easy for him.

And so it is with us a Christians. As we surrender our lives to Christ, it is not always easy, but we do so because we know there is a greater plan. We trust that our loving God has our back and will not lead us astray. I must admit, there were days that I wondered if God really had my back.  Paul said in 1 Cor. 16:9 - before me is a great & effectual door, but there are many adversaries.  Oh did we meet the adversary, on many occasions and many levels. I wish I could say that I always stood strong and never doubted or became discouraged, but that simply is not the case. There were many times that I wondered where God was - from my viewpoint, He didn't seem to be noticing the hits we were taking.

But God was at work. I believe the great and effectual door has been cracked open for us. It seems as though things turned suddenly, but as I look back, I can see that God was orchestrating specific events even a year ago. Those events were stepping stones to where we are today.

God's timing is divine and we don't always know when we will see the manifestation of His promises.  Joseph waited 15+ years before the dream he had became a reality.  Then suddenly one day, a cupbearer remembered that Joseph could interpret dreams, and everything changed.  Sarah waited over 20 years to have a child, then one day, against all odds, she became pregnant.  

Friends, I don't know what you are facing today, but I do know that if you hold on, you will see your promise. In Gal. 6:9 it says, "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  Did you catch that - 'at the proper time'? God knows the proper time and can I just tell you, in my experience, His timing and my timing are usually not in sync!  But, don't give up.  You will see the harvest if you keep your heart surrendered and do not give up!

And when you cash in the promise, you'll be ever thankful you did not give up!

Stand Strong,

Dawn

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GOT PEACE?

GOT PEACE?

My Peace I give you, not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

John 14:27

     A good friend once said to me, "You live such a frantic life.  How do you ever keep up?"  I must have had that wild, crazy frazzled look in my eyes that day.  I do lead a very busy life; we all do in one way or the other.  I am sure that like me you lose your peace and joy along the way too. Feelings of anxiety, insecurity, hopelessness, anger, fear, and exhaustion set in.  For me, I know  when I have hit that low place I have missed the mark somewhere.  That somewhere, I have found through experience, always leads back to time not spent cultivating my relationship with my heavenly Father.  Jesus said in John 14:27 that only He can give you the peace you need.  The world can only give a cheap imitation.  It is so easy to replace my time with God by choosing to do something else that I think will be relaxing.  No spa, shopping day, workout or pumpkin spice latte can give me the peace I need to sustain me through life's ups and downs. Oh, those things are fun and will bring momentary happiness but they will not produce lasting peace that will restore my soul. 

     

     Isaiah tells us in chapter 26 verse 3, "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You,  because he commits himself to You, leans on You and hopes confidently in You."  Right there is the answer to living in peace and joy no matter what the circumstances of my life may be.  I have to saturate myself in His presence to live in perfect and constant peace.  Not only will this change my perspective but it will also affect my relationship with others.  Because I choose to fix my mind on Him, trusting in His ability I can be a giver and not a taker.  My children will not have to duck for cover and my husband will not have to walk on eggshells.  

     

     In Psalms 91:1 it says, "He who dwells (abides) in the secret place of the most high shall remain stable and fixed in the shadow of the almighty."  Yes, yes, yes my friends this is where we will gain the power to overcome any stress, anxiety, or lack of any good thing.  Just ABIDE in Him and you shall remain stable and fixed.  Don't let yourself feel defeated.  Get in the Word and in His presence and He will restore and calm your soul.  It really is just that simple.

Prayer:  Jesus, Thank You for Your unfailing peace which only You can give.  Please forgive me when I have run to other things instead of running to You to find peace.  Help me to seek You daily to keep my heart fixed on You.  Amen. 

Brooke Glass

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Being Grateful in a Thankless World

     Is it just me, or does anyone else out there struggle with procrastinating when it comes to sending out Thank You’s?  I’ve had a stack of ThankYou cards that I walk by every day with every intention of getting them sent out.  The sad thing is some have already been written and just need a stamp and taken out to the mailbox.  I’m not sure how it is in other families, but I didn’t grow up sending thank you cards.  I was taught to be thankful for what I was given and verbally being thankful isn’t an issue, but the act of formerly sending a card in the mail was not established.   

     In this day and age sending Thank You cards is almost a lost art.  When was the last time you hand wrote a letter and sent it in the mail?  We say thank you on FaceBook, in text messages, and in person but is it really the same as going out of your way to send a card?  Does it hold as much value?  This art of card giving is a (shall I say?) tradition that I would like to establish with my boys as they grow up.  

     Now sending something in the mail is important, but ultimately the gratefulness of the heart is what matters!  We are encouraged to “give thanks” forty-four times in the NKJV bible.  Forty-four times!  I would say that thankfulness is important to God.

     1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

     It is the Father’s will that we are thankful! In every circumstance, situation, in all times we are to give thanks.  How many times did an unthankful heart hinder the Israelites from getting to the promise? 

(Numbers 14)  “And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to your word…Because all those men which have seen My glory, and My miracles…have not hearkened to My voice; surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it…

They were right there, their promise was right in front of their faces, but because they decided to grumble and complain and were not thankful for everything that God had walk them through and had done for them, they forfeited their promise.  You would think that the next generation of Israelites would have learned from their fathers and grandfathers, but over and over again they took for granted all the Father had done for them and became ungrateful.

Psalm 106:1 

Praise the Lord! 

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.

     It seems like generations past were a little better at sending ThankYOUs, somewhere along the line to my generation we’ve dropped the ball.  We are to honor the generations before us and build upon what they have learned.  We can’t throw thankfulness out the window!  By doing so we are setting ourselves up for unfulfilled promises.  I want my boys to inherit EVERY promise that the LORD has for them!  A thankful heart is the key!  

And now I will leave you with a song from Veggie Tales: Madame Blueberry:  

I thank God for this day,
For the sun in the sky,
For my mom and my dad,
For my piece of apple pie!

For our home on the ground,
For His love that's all around,
That's why I say thanks every day!

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!
I'm glad for what I have,
Thats an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares,
'Cause He listens to my prayers,
That's why I say thanks every day!

You’re welcome, and I hope this song stays in your head all day! 

And yes, I'm still finishing my baby shower Thank You's!  Now if I can just remember to buy stamps! 

~ Calla Cuff

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Shoes... the currency of heaven!

Shoes.... the currency of heaven!

Before you get too excited, especially if you’re a shoe lover like me, please hear my thoughts.  The same way that one pair of shoes cannot possibly meet all of your needs, is the same way that one friend cannot possibly meet all of your relational needs.  It’s easy to put pressure on that one friend and believe that one friend can meet all of your needs.  Then when our one friend disappoints us we get hurt, mad or sad.  Relationships are at the very heartbeat of heaven.  Jesus came to earth so we can have an authentic relationship with Him, so in turn we can have amazing relationships with each other.  Eccl 4:9-10 says, ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!’   Friendships are worth fighting for and worth working out.  Pity the woman who falls and has no one friend to help her up.  We need each other.  We need to be there for one another, cheer each other on and celebrate who God has designed us as individuals to be.

 

There are different styles of friends that will have different functions in your life.  So in this little blog, shoes = friends:) 

 

Platform Shoes – These friends will lift you up to new places.  She will encourage you.  You will go to new heights with her.

 

Boots – These friends will get ‘er done.  She will get on her boots and kick some devil booty.  If there’s work, she’s there.  She’s not afraid to climb, get dirty and doesn’t need the glory.

 

Flip Flops – These are your comfortable friends.  You can go to her; she is an easy, go to friend.  She is a slip on, go anywhere, casual friend. 

 

Running Shoes – These friends are in the race with you.  She is on your team, running the race with you.  You can pass the baton to her; she’s in it to win.

 

We get frustrated when our platform friend won’t get her running shoes on and run right alongside with us.  Or what about our boots friend, she doesn’t want to go to new heights.  The flip flop chick doesn’t understand what all the running is about.  Different friends will meet different needs.  Let’s give each other the grace and space to be our unique self.  One size doesn’t fit all and no one friend can meet all your needs.  Friends are the currency of heaven!

 

Prov 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one woman sharpens another.

 

xoxo.... Amy

 

How can you be a better friend?

How many authentic friendships do you have?

 

 

 

 

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Face to Face

What has been stopping you from spending time, face to face, with God? Face to face, nothing standing in between you.

“We do God more honor in believing what He has said about Himself and coming boldly to His throne or grace than by hiding in a self-conscious humility.” A.W. Tozer

When I was younger I made decisions that took me in the opposite direction from God.  I chose to do things against the leading of the Holy Spirit that in turn left me feeling empty and far from Him.  I felt as if I had turned my back on the Lord.  

These decisions kept me from spending time with God even after I had asked for forgiveness and returned to Him. I was hiding in a self-conscious humility.  I loved the Lord and yet I kept my distance.  Things were not the same.  See, as a child I spend many hours talking to God.  It was as if I could walk right up to Him and sit at His feet.  I found comfort, strength and love there.  Never once did I question if I was allowed to be that close.  Now, I hid in the back corner of His throne room. 

It wasn’t until one day in a time of prayer that I saw something that would change my life forever.  As I took my 

self-appointed position in the back corner of His throne room, I looked up to see a beautiful woman clothed in the most amazing, radiant, jewel encrusted gown. She stood right before the throne of God.   

Then, the Lord motion to me.  Come.  Come up to the throne.  He lovingly continued to call me... come.   As I slowly walked up to His throne and stood beside the woman, He spoke this to me. “Do you not see what I see? When I see you, I do not see your mistakes and your short comings. THIS is how I see you because of my son.” At that moment, I looked over and I saw that the radiant woman was me. 

From that day forward I have realized that regardless of my good deeds or short comings, the Father God does not see me as unworthy. He sees me through Jesus.  I am His very own child and He wants me to come to Him.  He wants me to stand face to face, unhindered, not self-conscious but only looking upon Him.  In His presence we find all we need and one word from Him can change everything. 

What has been keeping you from standing before Him? Maybe sin has kept you bound and afraid or the memory of past sins has caused you to hide in the shadows of unworthiness. Maybe  you’ve positioned yourself in the corner because you are so self-conscious of your weaknesses.

I encourage you today, honor God by taking Him at His Word.

Ephesians 3:12

In him (Jesus) and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Let me leave you with this thought, because of Jesus you are clothed in righteousness. You have been made right before God.  Do not hid in the shadows.  See yourself the way He sees you. Seek to meet with Him face to face and He will be found by you.

Isaiah 61:10

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Hugs,

Tamera Ford

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The Promise of the Spirit

Is there a shortage of God's Spirit? I think not. Although there are some who act as if there is. At one time, people couldn't fathom such an outpouring such as we have today. Moses once said to Joshua, "Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them" (Numbers 11:29)!

If he only knew...

However, I find it a shame that there are still many who do not know God's Spirit has been poured out on all flesh. In my travels, I meet people from a diversity of backgrounds. There are some religions in which the Bible is never read by their members; it is only translated from the pulpit. Others insist on the letter of the Law, but refuse to believe in the gifts of the Spirit, therefore quenching what God could do among them.

Hearts cry out for God to reveal Himself, yet how can He if there is a lack of faith and understanding? 

Did God not promise? Does He not make good on His promises? "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38). Jesus said this concerning the Holy Spirit, whom His believers would receive. 

Ezekiel prophesied of the Spirit's indwelling when he said, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God" (Ezekiel 36:26-28).

A heart of stone represents something dead. A heart of flesh represents life. What could possibly turn a dead stone into a living stone? This can only be done by the Spirit of the living God poured into the heart of man. 

Paul encouraged us to rely on, and perceive as truth, the ability of Christ's indwelling: "If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:10-11).

Do not underestimate the power of the Spirit within you -- or the mere fact that you, as a believer in Jesus Christ, are filled with His Spirit. Jesus was once dead, but is now alive because of God's indwelling Spirit. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, BEING PUT TO DEATH IN THE FLESH but made alive by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18). 

Jesus died an actual physical death. You and I have not suffered the consequences of death as of yet. Therefore, Jesus is our example of God's ability to take the dead and raise them to new life by His Spirit. He has promised to give strength and quickening to our mortality. How? By His Spirit which has a fixed position of co-habitation within us.

This news of God's Spirit within us is true and not a lie. We must believe in and walk in this truth. "You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. [This] anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is TRUE, and IS NOT A LIE, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him" (1 John 2:20, 27-28). 

Jesus gave gifts to mankind in the form of pastors, evangelists, teachers, apostles, and prophets for the purpose of building up His body. Yet, none of us have the privilege of walking 100% of the time with those anointed by God for this task. So God saw the imperitiveness of providing One who would walk with you daily, teaching you all things. This not unlike a mother or father explaining this or that to an inquisitive child, in response to their wonderings of things unknown to them.

Paul was an apostle. His letters to the churches were for the purpose of encouragement and teaching. In one such letter, he said, "Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This 'letter' is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:3, NLT). 

The same is true for you and I today. 

God's law was once carved on stone and put in the hands of His servant. Now His Spirit has been branded on the door of every heart that will believe on Him for salvation. This indwelling of the Spirit of the Living God replaced the tablets of stone which proved to be heavy and burdensome for the carrier.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17).  

We have discovered God's Spirit was poured into every believing heart. Therefore, "...where the Spirit of the Lord is..." -- our heart -- "there is freedom!"  Liberty and freedom are the complete opposite of bondage. Before Christ, our hearts could be likened to waste places forsaken and overgrown with briars. After Christ, the terrain changed. "The Spirit poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness became a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest. Justice will therefore dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field. The work of [this] righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever" (Isaiah 32:15-17).

The Spirit's indwelling in our heart became both fact and feeling. Assurance depicts a refuge. Refuge is in fact a place of security, and a sense of trust. "Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them" (Numbers 11:29)! Moses experienced God's assurance through His Spirit and greatly desired others to know Him this way also. He had a desire for God's people to know peace that passes natural understanding. He had the same desire God had.

The prophet Joel spoke on behalf of God's heart when he declared, "It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh" (Acts 2:17). God accomplished His desire. 

Gone are the days of wishing God would put His Spirit within all men. The work has been accomplished. No wonder Jesus said, "It is finished."

Daphne Delay

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Great Back to School Idea

For all you moms who love great first day school pictures here is a link to some great free "back to school signs" for each grade level.

http://www.moneysavingqueen.com/July-2013/Free-First-Day-of-School-Printables/

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Chicken Tortellini Soup

Chicken Tortellini Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound carrots, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 quarts chicken broth
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1(9 ounce)package cheese tortellini
6 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
1 (12 ounce package) frozen green peas

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add carrots, onions, celery and garlic and cook for 8 to 10 minutes,stirring frequently.  Add chicken broth, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring broth to a boil.   Add tortellini; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in chicken and peas; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until chicken is heated through.

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Friend or Unfriend?

During this summer with all four of my children at home, I did not know that I would have 4 more guests that would come and live in our home on a daily basis.  These four "new friends" were there at the brake of dawn sounding off their alarms until the evening singing lullabies rocking my children to sleep.  Our "four friends"  engaged my children in so many fun games I was even mesmorized by the creativity of our guests.  These friends connected them with old friends, some of whom they had not seen for years.  These friends were so smart they could answer any question and had the dictionary memorized.  I tried to be hospitable and treat them with respect, BUT THEN THEY WORE OUT THEIR WELCOME.  It was as if my children wanted to spend more time with their "new friends" then with their brothers and sisters or their parents.  I began to realize that our new friends didn't have many manners because they rudely interrupted a conversation between me and my children after breakfast by "tweeting."  I also realized that these "new friends" wanted to spend alot of time sitting on the couch, snacking on some chips and refusing to go outside and play.  My children started becoming very angry when I insisted that they go do their chores which meant they would be separated from their "new friend."  Their new friends started to affect their attitudes by making them distracted, irritable, impatient and easily offended.  And that is when I decided it was time for a family POW WOW and we were going to talk to our "four new friends"- the IPhone, the IPad, the IPod and the NintendoDS.

In Psalms 46:10, it says "Be still, and know that I am God."  In the midst of an age of technology we must have our guard up and not let devices become a "device" in our childrens' lives.  We must put
time limits on electronics so that they don't become their "new god."  We have a rule in our home that you can't get on electronics until after 1:00pm so that we can have some control.  We believe that electronics can be a blessing, but we want to make sure that our children are not being so entertained that they forget how to be quiet in his presence.  They must learn to quiet themselves from all distractions so that they know that God is God.  Help us Lord in this daily to control our "new friends" so that our children know God's voice better than Siri's.
Tricia Yanney

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Laughter Matters in Marriage

“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.” ― Audrey Hepburn

I love people who make me laugh.  I honestly think it’s the thing that I like most, when my husband makes me laugh.  A happy heart is good medicine in a marriage.  Sometimes, I just take myself too seriously!  God knew just what I needed – my husband to be born with a silly bone and to have a great sense of humor built right into the fabric of who he is. 

Throughout our years of marriage, my husband has always been at the center of humorous, practical jokes in our family, goofing around with the kids, doing something silly and an unforgettable laugh that definitely has been passed on!  Laughter has been one of the contagious elements in our nearly 26 years,  ‘Happy Marriage Formula.’   Matter of fact, as I type this blog, I can hear each one of my children’s unique laugh.  I can hear my daughter Debbie’s laugh now!  Debbie has such an exclusive laugh, it was the only way we could find her in a grocery store ~ follow the laugh (true story!) 

Laughter Matters in Marriage!

Laughter is a strong medicine!  Proverbs 17:22 (Knox) clearly states, a cheerful heart makes a quick recovery.   It’s a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict.  God so fearfully and wonderfully made us that He approached even the smallest details with excellence; knowing laughter would trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.  Did you know that a good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes later?  Plus, here’s a bonus ladies, a good belly laugh decreases stress hormones – now that’s the wonder and awe of our God!  

He knew that humor would lighten the burden, enhance our relationship and keep us focused and alert, a necessary element in a happy marriage!    Take note the next time you laugh; nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into a balance than a good laugh.

Here are a few reflections I’d like to share:

Couples heading for an argument or disagreement, here’s a secret:  Humor and laughter can scatter tension and diffuse anger.

Couples who have been married for many golden years have learned that a special touch, a squeeze of the hand, a smile and a fun, playful laugh can diffuse possible tension.

I have fond memories of experiences of laughter in our family and marriage.  We’ve learned some lessons along the way.  One of them is to not become so obsessed with work and ministry that we forget to laugh in our home and with our family! 

So, lighten up on yourself and your family!  Relax, smile quickly and learn to laugh a lot.  A joy-filled heart is curative balm!       

Mary McIver

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