Looking Back

As this year quickly comes to a close and I look back over all I've accomplished, along with the hopes and dreams yet to be fulfilled; in the midst of it all, I hope that somewhere along the way, I accomplished to bring a smile or warm the heart to those I love and cherish deeply, along with those I've encountered along my way.
Jesus taught His disciples that it's easy to love those who love you, but being able to share love with those who are not lovable is the greatest achievement over all. Jesus led them by example in meeting needs and caring for one and all, including those less desirable, less educated, less prosperous, and less lovable along His way.
He poured out His love to one and all, regardless of creed or color, sex or belief, wealth or fame. Jesus came to share the love of God to one and all, and He taught His followers to do the same. In John 13:34-35 NKJV He taught His followers, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another."
Checking back over my year, I can see ways that I could have shown more love to others I encountered along my way, so I will add that to my goal for this new year; to love others as He loves me!..... and I pray you will do the same!
Have a Happy New Year and may God bless you in all your endeavors for His glory sake! Remember that God loves you and so do I~~~

JESUS CHOSE TO COME

Christmas brings about reminders to the Love of God and the birth of His son Jesus for all mankind. Without Jesus there is no Christmas because He is the reason for the season, but you and I are the reason for His coming. From the time He chose to come to earth from heaven to be born of the virgin Mary, Jesus chose to be the sacrificial lamb for all mankind. He chose to be that precious lamb without spot or wrinkle, pure and unblemished, that was needed to redeem mankind from all their sins. Knowing God's plan of salvation and all He would need to suffer for our wholeness, He still chose to come. Aware that mankind would reject Him, persecute Him, and say all manner of evil against Him, He still chose to come. Aware that mankind would torture Him beyond measure as stripes ripped His back apart, He still chose to come. Knowing He would be mocked with a crown of thorns piercing into His head, He still chose to come. Knowing He would be publicly ridiculed and suffer death on the cross, He still chose to come! 

Jesus Chose to Come! I cannot begin to fathom this kind of love, so unconditional and free, yet Jesus knew that without His ultimate sacrifice, we would be doomed forever...and so He came! His precious blood now atones for our sins through His amazing grace and salvation plan. "He left the splendor of Heaven, knowing His destiny; was the lonely hill of Golgatha, There to lay down His life for me. If that isn't love, the ocean is dry; There's no stars in the sky, and the sparrow can't fly; If that isn't love, then Heaven's a myth; There's no feeling like this, if that isn't love. Even in death He remembered, the thief hanging by His side; He spoke with love and compassion, then He took him to paradise. If that isn't love, the ocean is dry; There's no stars in the sky, and the sparrow can't fly; If that isn't love, then Heaven's a myth; There's no feeling like this, if that isn't love." 

Jesus chose to be the supreme sacrifice needed to free mankind from sickness and disease, depression and oppression, and to pardon us from sins, now and forevermore! He chose to come so we could have Hope through Him and His works, not ours! He chose to come because of His great love for you and me and as we close out another year I pray you will choose God's love through His Son Jesus. I pray you will choose wisely and have a wonderfully blessed day because God loves you and so do I~~

CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT

CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT:  Three little words that carried a lot of meaning in my childhood.  From my earliest memories I can see Momma busying herself preparing breakfast as she anxiously waits to hear the phone ring. All of us knew that if that phone rang, no one was to answer it but Momma!  Sometimes it would ring early, sometimes it would ring when you'd least expect it; but regardless of when it rang, Momma would run to the phone and hurriedly exclaim, "Christmas Eve Gift" and we could hear Grandpa hollering the same and then they'd both laugh and chuckle and try to say how they'd beaten the other to the saying, and then they'd joyfully wish each other a Merry Christmas! The warmth of those calls would keep the conversation going and going around our breakfast tables. 

Precious memories are heart warming like the one of my Daddy going around with one of those long peppermint sticks held sideways of his mouth with a half sided grin and twinkle in his eye that led us to know he was thinking of something mischievous to pull on one of us. Momma would be singing or humming in her kitchen preparing her famous coconut and chocolate pies, her 4 layer homemade fudge cakes, and the smell of Christmas would fill the air letting us know Christmas was here. The freshly cut tree by Daddy and the boys now decorated with extra hand fulls of tinsel tossed here and there added an extra charm to our joy filled home. 

I could go on and on with a treasure of memories warming my heart today of those precious Christmas Eve gifts God has blessed me with! I look forward to gathering with my family this year, so I can hopefully build more warm hearted memories we can cherish each year. Loving family and friends are precious gifts from heaven above meant to bring joy into our life; so as you cherish your gifts be sure to make your own lifelong memories!

May each of you enjoy a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, because God loves you and so do I~~~                 

There Is Hope

Do you feel hopeless today? Feeling all is lost? Feeling as if you've wandered so far down the wrong path that there is no hope of returning?
Well, dear friends, those thoughts are a lie and from satan himself. I have good news for you!!!. There is Hope! Hope in Jesus Christ! Jesus came to set the captive free! To give us liberty and freedom from the bonds of sin, of oppression, and depression. 
It is never too late to call on Jesus! He is your deliverer and will be right there, no matter how far you've wandered down that beaten path of hopelessness and despair. There will never be a time that God doesn't hear His wayward child crying out for help that He won't hear and reach down to His creation crying out to Him in need of help. He is there to wrap you in His arms and cradle you from all harm until you feel His love saturating your spirit making you whole again in Jesus. He will never leave you or forsake you; just as a loving parent, He is right there helping you to gain the strength needed to walk again, but this time it will be in His strength--and you will not be alone. 
Don't believe anyone for a split second, that says you can never return from a beaten path. Jesus came so that EVERYONE, that includes you, could be delivered from ALL sins, ALL oppression , ALL depression, and give you hope and peace that goes beyond all human understanding. He created you and He knows exactly what makes you tick; He knows what makes you think; and He knows what you are going through right now, and is reaching out His loving arms in mercy to you, just as you are!!! Allow Jesus to do the changing you may feel is needed within you and in your lifestyles. You cannot change yourself on your own; but He can give you the strength, the peace of mind, and the wisdom needed to rest in Him as a child of the most High God through Jesus Christ, Savior of all mankind! He is the God of not just second chances, but as many as is needed to maintain you, until you are strong enough to walk along side with Him sharing in His love. Reach out to Him in your desperation, you won't regret it. He'll bring you joy beyond measure with peace and joy like none other. Trust God! He is your Hope and He is Forever Faithful. Have a blessed day, dear friends, God loves you and so do I~~

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

I love how Holy Spirit refreshes our minds with songs of praise and words to constantly remind us of the love of God and His faithfulness. I have this song running through my mind and it is so refreshing that I just have to share it with you today, and you're welcome to sing along as the Spirit leads: 

"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;  As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest; Sun, moon and stars in their courses above; Join with all nature in manifold witness; To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth; Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside. Great is Thy faithfulness; Great is Thy faithfulness; Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me."

Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us,"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." 

Time after time, I have proven God's faithfulness and always found Him to be true!  Always faithful.... Always present.... Always on time.... He changes not! "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."(Heb 13:8). I may not always agree with His answers--or with His timing, but I know His ways and timings are always perfect and I have learned to trust Him; knowing that He has a perfect plan for me and only wants what is best for me as noted in Jeremiah 29:11,"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." 

So as I am learning to be more submissive to God's will and spend more time getting to know Him, I am finding this to be 'a good thing'-- a really good thing; because it's bringing me into a much closer relationship with Him and the ability to hear Him more clearly. It is so reassuring to be able to hear Him as He guides me in all my ways and directs my path. John 10: 27,28 tells us,"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." 

I want to hear my Shepherd's voice clearly, and be able to follow Him in every phase of this life into eternal life; and just as the Word tells us that His sheep hear the voice of their shepherd, I want to be so submissive to Him, and so in touch with Him, that I can even hear Him whisper my name! How about you, dear friend? Think about it..................

God loves you and so do I~~~

Trust The Great I Am

Listening to the rain falling this morning, I'm reminded of this treasured passage that I have come to adhere to on a daily basis: Proverbs 3:5,6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." From early childhood, I've known the Bible to be true, always believed on the Trinity God (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) and tried to abide by the Word of God in my everyday life; but in this last decade of my life, I realize that while reading the Word and even quoting the Word, I had never really ingested the Word into my life; so I began a quest to capture the Word and make it REAL in every aspect of my life. Even tho we say 'we believe on the Word', and we say 'we abide by the commandments in the Word'; I wonder how many of us really do adhere to the Word, ingest the Word, and digest the Word; allowing It to come alive within us.
I have found there is a huge difference in reading the Word, knowing the Word, and allowing the Word to come alive within you. The more Word you take in, the more you will begin to feel the Word come alive within you and hear Holy Spirit's lead within your life; even though you may not understand the path He is taking you on. But when you follow His lead-- WOW! what a difference it will make within! Scripture states "And you will know the truth and the truth will make you free"(John 8:32), bringing about the Freedom to be ALL He predestined you to be! What a fabulous treasure hunt to be on following His lead!
What an impact He is having on me personally! While searching for answers, and desiring to be whole in mind, soul and body; I laid aside my 'routine life'; and dedicated time to really search for Him and seek His face with my whole heart. As I took in Jeremiah 29:13 and Deuteronomy 4:29, I found He was there all the time; waiting for me to allow Him to change the directions of my life and thinking. To each of us He gives the ability to choose and with that ability I chose to submit to His perfect will in my life, not my will, but His perfect will; and He is leading me far above anything I could have ever imagined possible; healing my body, repairing my brokenness, turning sorrow into joy, filling my heart with such happiness, and reviving my soul from deep within. I am a new creation, free from the past and excited about my future. Day by day, I exalt Him and give Him praise for the continued work He is doing within my heart, soul, mind and body; and I pray that you too, will find the joy and peace that only He can instill within. May your day be wonderfully blessed, dear friends, as you realize that God truly loves you and so do I~~~

Safe Covering

"A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, A wonderful Savior to me; He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, Where rivers of pleasure I see. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burden away, He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved, He giveth me strength as my day. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns, And filled with His fullness divine, I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God! For such a Redeemer as mine. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, That shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand, And covers me there with His hand. When clothed with His brightness transported I rise, To meet Him in clouds of the sky, His perfect salvation, His wonderful love, I’ll shout with the millions on high. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, That shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand, And covers me there with His hand."
The reassurance of His love floods my mind early this morning as His Spirit replenishes my soul. No longer am I beaten down with worries of life for He gives fresh mercies and numberless blessings throughout my day. What a wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord! A Wonderful Savior is He! He hides my soul in the cleft of His hands and covers me there with His Love! May the love of God fill your heart today and keep your minds filled with His peace. Have a wonderfully blessed day, dear friends, God loves you and so do I~~

Excitement in the Air

Feeling Christmas excitement in the air and even though it's cold and wet outside, I woke up feeling a sense of warmth: feeling loved and very blessed just to be alive and enjoy the gift of life in another day of sharing with loved ones here on earth. Tomorrow night is our Christmas Banquet and our Annual Night of Remembrance and while we will be enjoying those present and sharing our losses while floating up japanese lanterns in their honor there is no way to bring them back so only precious memories remain.

Feeling the loss of my wonderful Mom and Dad, my sweetheart/husband, and my three precious brothers; brings a very sure reality of not being promised tomorrow or even the next second to spend with precious loved ones, so my question to you is: If you knew you had just one more second, one more day or one last Christmas to spend with your loved one, what would you do differently? Would you be more attentive? Be more loving? Be sure to tell them how much they mean to you? Be sure they know you love them beyond measure? Let them know how blessed you are to have them in your life?

Well, I know of a fact that I can always find something to change within me to express more love to those who are so very dear to my heart as well as those around me. So I am challenging you to take time and think about it this year. It's a reality we all will face sooner or later! Death is a time appointed to all of us unless we are raptured out and there is no coming back to redo or touch up unfinished business. While on earth God blesses us with precious friends and family to share love with and yet we take for granted tomorrows that may never come and hesitate to show how we feel towards them being in our lives until they are no longer walking beside us, and then it's too late.

While there is no way we can turn back time and bring back those precious loved ones, we can change the way we share love with those present today. We can take advantage of every moment given by building precious memories along the way and making the most of what time and opportunities are given to show our love, not to our loved ones only, but to everyone everywhere who are so very dear and very precious to God's heart, His children, and that includes YOU!

So make it a point to share love as you enjoy a wonderfully blessed day today, and enjoy a very Merry Christmas, because Jesus is the reason for the season and God loves you and so do I~~~

Following His Direction

God, you are so wonderful and so caring in all things that pertain to our being! You give us life and strength and soundness of mind. You shower us with your undying faithfulness and new mercies every morning, Lamentations 3:22-23(ESV) "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

We watch in amazement as rain and warm sunshine cause flowers and trees and our planted gardens to burst forth from the ground, and then shutter as the cold and snow move in to settle the earth for a long winter snap; but just as all things gain their nourishment on earth from God's divine timing, even so we need His Spirit working within us to nourish and help us grow in every phase of life.

God has great plans for each of us, Jeremiah 29:11(NIV) tells us "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." He created us in His image, so as we laugh or cry and go through all sorts of emotions from life, we hold the assurance in knowing we were created to be His children and that His plan for our life is to give us good things, if only we follow His directions and trust Him in all things.

Isaiah 55:8,9 tells us "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD."As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts". So as we learn to trust in the Lord He will guide us in the right direction and down the right paths as declared in Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

So today as you continue down your pathway of life, I pray you will acknowledge Him in all you encounter and trust God's ways as you purpose to hear Him and follow Him in all things.

Have a wonderfully blessed day, dear friends. God loves you and so do I~~~

Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Christmas is the season of giving! Christmas is the season of believing! Christmas is the season of Miracles and miracles happen all around us as we believe and receive! Jesus, miraculously born of the virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit, the bright and shining star miraculously guiding wise men to where Jesus lay; the angels miraculously sharing glad tidings with shepherds in the fields; and souls miraculously delivered as they follow the bright and shining Light, Jesus, Who continues to change lives today!
Man may attempt to quieten the Truth founded upon Jesus Christ, but the miracles founded upon God's Divine Love continue to shine forth today. Jesus Christ, Son of God, Redeemer of all mankind, shines forth in hearts that believe and receive Him today, brightening lives of all who see His Glorious Light! Just as the Wise men who believed and followed the star to where He lay, wise men still seek Him and follow His Light today.
Yes, Christmas is the season we celebrate the greatest miracle of Love given to mankind, Jesus, the only reason for the Season! Without Him, there is no Christmas! Without Him there is no Light! Without Him there is no liberty! Without Him where would we be? Jesus Christ, the light that shines in the darkness! The light that delivers and sets man free today! Won't you believe and receive this gift of Love sent to you from God above today?
Christmas is the season of Believing! Christmas is the season of Giving! Christmas is the season of Love! And as the Wise Men long ago followed the star to find Him, wise man still seek Him today! Jesus Is The Reason For The Season!
Have a wonderfully blessed day knowing that God loves you and so do I~~~

God Loves YOU

God loves you with a love we are unable to understand! 
There is no measure that can fit the dimensions of His love, absolutely no descriptions to describe His love, and positively no requirements we must meet to deserve His love. He loves us with an Unconditional Love that is totally free and without reserve! 
Before you were born, God knew you and designed a perfect plan just for your life. No one else has that plan, only you! You are unique in who you are, in how you look, in how you think, in how you talk, in how you walk; and You are His child that He adores just the way you are.The creator of this universe is your Father and You are His child created by His very own hands.
When God began creation, Everything was created in its own design, shape, and color to be just what He meant it to be and after each creation, He declared it is good! You are a very detailed part of His creation; materializing from the same artist who created the heavens and the earth, sunrise and sunset, the rainbows and all that exists so stop thinking you are less than what He designed you to be. Declare His Words over your life and allow His love to engulf you as you snuggle up tightly in His loving arms of protection.
He awaits continually 24/7 with arms open wide to welcome you in. He never slumbers nor sleep but is forever faithful to watch over us in good times and bad. So whatever you may be battling in your mind today, rest assured- and be secure- in the knowledge of God's unconditional love and allow Him to carry you through it all.
Have a wonderfully blessed day, dear friends. God loves you and so do I~~~

Protection on Demand

Certainly the past couple months have brought about many life altering experiences as we witnessed the faithfulness of God against the tides of life. Protection from uncontrollable fires, Protection from raging tornadoes, and protection of precious loved ones. So many lives have been rescued as God showed up on scenes of despair and upheld us in safety through them all.

God told us in Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." What glorious Words from our Heavenly Father as He declares to protect and strengthen us. He is our protector, our provider, supplier of all our needs, and lover of our soul. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean of Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand."

Jesus encouraged us in John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in Me." The more we learn of Him, the more victorious we become by taking hold of every promise He has made, knowing that He is forever faithful to honor His Word. And with that assurance and with spiritual eyes enlightened we look forward to His perfect plan for our life knowing that He already holds today, tomorrow and everyday hereafter in the palm of His hands.

The more we learn of Him and the more we come to Know Him; the more we learn to relax and enjoy the pleasures of life He has predestined for each of us; and just as the birds of the air and the lilies of the field are kept by our Heavenly Father(Mt 6:26-34), of a surety we can sing, "Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me!"

Wonderful to know beyond a doubt that He watches over us and sees our need, and as we listen and heed His guidance, He will supply that need. There are no greater promises than those enclosed in His Word, No greater Love than He gives from His Heart, and No greater place I want to be than in the center of His perfect Will. So be safe, be warm, and Have a blessed day, dear friends. God loves you and so do I~~~