The Reason For The Season

🎶"IT'S CHRISTMAS! THE ANGELS ARE SINGING; AND I KNOW THE REASON, THE SAVIOR IS BORN! IT'S CHRISTMAS! THE BELLS ARE RINGING; AND I FEEL LIKE SHOUTING, JOY TO THE WORLD"🎶

The prophecy of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, is foretold in Isaiah 9:6 "For unto a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace!"

God's most prized possession, His beloved Son; was given to us in the form of Christ Jesus(John 3:16 and John 1:14). This miraculous Blessed Gift was not placed under a tree but was designated to reside in the hearts of mankind. His Gift was also designated to be nailed to a tree as redemption for you and me to be free from all sins! Designated to free us from all our pasts hurts, hang-ups, and bad habits! Designated to liberate us from our past so we could live freely in an abundant life of happiness in Christ Jesus!

IT'S CHRISTMAS! and the angels are singing, and we gather to sing Joy to the World! And as we gather with loved ones, enjoying good times and the love and gifts each brings, let's not forget to thank God for His Amazing Gift of Love to all mankind; and bless His dear name, the name above all names, the name of Jesus! Let's celebrate the Hope whereby we were called to redemption through the Christ Child we celebrate today! Let's celebrate the Joy and Peace He brings to us all, And in all we do, whether by word or deed, may Christ be glorified in the Love we share one to another!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY! LET'S CELEBRATE🎉 GOD LOVES YOU AND SO DO I~~~

Enjoying This Season Of Love

'Tis the season to be jolly, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la! By now we've decked our halls with boughs of holly, trimmed our trees, and added those festive decorations throughout our home; and managed to obtain a gift or two for those special someones in our life. Our hearts are full of warmth, of love, and of Christmas excitement as we look forward to spending time with friends and family! Time seems to be quickly passing and soon it will be Christmas Day!
With all the excitement this Season brings, I wonder why there remains those who never seem to catch the excitement? I love to go looking at the lights and I notice some homes not decorated at all; not even a wreath on the door, and I wonder why? I wonder what caused them to lose their joy; Have they lost someone dear to their heart? Have they suffered painful memories from the past, and if so, how long have they swirled around in their whirlpool of despair without anyone noticing their need for hope in Christ Jesus, the very reason for the season!
Christmas is a season of Love, of sharing hope and peace on earth because of our dear Savior's birth! Christ came that all may see the glory of His unconditional Love and be delivered from those ties that bind us and keep us from enjoying an abundant life of hope and joy in Him! God realized our need to be free from unexpected events in life that knock us off our feet and send us spiraling down into deep holes of despair, so He sent Jesus into this world to deliver Hope and Healing for them. That's what Christmas is all about! His unconditional Love shared with those in need; bringing hope and joy to one and all!
So this Christmas, let's look around for those who are less festive and be a friend who shares Hope with them; letting them know they are not alone. Let's share the Hope of His Great Love during this blessed Season of Love and all year long. Let' share in giving the greatest gift of all in Christ Jesus by sharing His gifts of Hope, Joy, and Peace every day to one and all! Then as a phrase from an old childhood story goes, we can proclaim as they go out of sight, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"
Enjoy this wonderfully blessed season, dear friends. God loves you and so do I~~~

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

"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, 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 of a surety that His ways and timings are always perfect so I continue to trust Him. Mostly because I know 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 His will and spend more time in His Word getting to know Him, I am finding this to be 'a good thing'-- a really good thing, because it's bringing me into a closer relationship with Him and the ability to hear Him more clearly. 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." Now that's what I want in my life.
I want to hear my Shepherd's voice clearly, and be able to follow Him through every phase of this life right into eternal life; and just as the Word tells us that His sheep hear the voice of their shepherd, I want to be so close 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~~~

Reaching Out

As I prayed I remembered those of you who need God's healing touch this morning. I asked Him to touch in ways as only He does best, in His time and in His ways. I asked Him to keep you safe and uphold you throughout this new day He has given; to grant you peace of mind, gentleness in spirit, strength of body, safety and protection, and to meet your needs so you can bless others along your way. There is nothing like being God's hands extended as we encourage others for His glory.
God is looking for believers who trust Him wholeheartedly and will reach out to do the work desperately needed in these latter days. In our strength, in our power, and in our thinking we cannot perform what is needed, but through Christ' anointing working through us, we can accomplish ALL things for HIS glory. As the Lord reminded Zechariah in 4:6, it was not by his power, nor by his might, but it was by God's Spirit that things would be accomplished.
There is no greater joy than seeing loved ones receive a much needed touch in their lives, to witness hopeless victims becoming victors, to see those heart-broken gain a renewed joy, and to see souls changed forever for the kingdom of God as they receive God's greatest gift to all mankind, Christ Jesus, as their Lord and Savior.
I pray that as we enjoy this season of Christmas, we will remember to be a blessing as we have been blessed, above and beyond all we can ever bring to mind. He blesses in ways we cannot see and continues to bless over and over again. I pray you will join me in reaching out to be His hand extended to the lost and needy so in all our ways we bring Him glory!
Have a wonderfully safe, blessed, and prosperous day, dear friends, God loves you and so do I~~

Seeing Beyond

A new day has arisen and the wonders of God's love dares to unfold! What will you allow Him to do in your life today? He desires to grant each of us a clean slate with fresh mercies each morning and shower us with blessings too wonderful for words; if only we can look beyond our present surroundings and refocus our attention off our self and onto Him, to His will, and His way in our life. So, where is your focus today.... How far is your vision? What can you see unfolding in your life today? Do you dare to see the awesomeness of our God, or are you self-contained in tunnel vision?
Our God is a God of More than Enough! Not just a God of second chances, but as many as needed to rest in His abilities to conquer everything that would try to keep us trapped in tunnel vision. He is Greater than Great, and He has a plan for each of us far greater than anything we can ever imagine! But we must be able to look beyond what we see with our natural vision and dare to see through eyes of faith. It's these eyes of faith that dare to bring God's Word to pass as noted in Jeremiah 29:11, to prosper us and give us hope, proving Him to be Forever Faithful to fulfill His Word! It's by these eyes of faith that we can begin basking in His blessings as we dare to believe and focus our faith to receive. 
Dare to look beyond what you see naturally and see His plans unfolding as you allow your faith to rise.
Stop being defeated by living below your worth. Remember that You are a Child of the Most High God and there is Nothing He won't do to help you be ALL you can be for His kingdom sake. Dare to rise up and shake off those chains of doubt and despair; pull up those boot strings and tighten those laces; God has good plans for your life. Keep your eyes focused on Him, on His Word, and feel His Love flowing through you. Enjoy the freedom of His Amazing Grace as Holy Spirit guides you into all truths while leading you along your way. This is the day the Lord has made; Let's rejoice and be glad in it! Enjoy a wonderfully blessed day, dear friends, God loves you and so do I~~~

Celebrating Who He Is and Who We Are In Him

The more I celebrate the Christmas season, the more I am amazed at how God's love supercedes all my expectations. He loves us with such an unconditional love that fails in comparison to any description we could ever try to define. There is absolutely no measurement that fits the length or height of His love (Ephesians 3:18), and no description that can describe His Love for us (John 3:16). He just simply loves us unconditionally and there is absolutely nothing we can ever do to make Him love us any more, or to love us any less (Ephesians 2:8-10) (Romans 8:39-39). He knows every little thing about us, both good and bad, and He loves us anyway, just they way we are. 
Before we were conceived in our mother's womb, God had already designed a perfect plan for each one of us from beginning to end. We were wonderfully and fearfully made by His own unique design in who we are, how we look, how we think, how we talk, even how we walk, and we are His creation that He adores. Of all His creations, He loves us with a love that doesn't quit. The same God who created this universe created you and me and made us just the way we are.  
Take a look at the world around you; at all the infinite details and creativity displayed before your very eyes. All this amazing beauty surrounds us every day, designed by God's own hands and we are part of that creation; materializing from the same artist that created the sunrise and the sunsets, the rainbows and the stars, the flowers in the fields, the mountains and the streams, the birds that fly in all their splendor and all that exists.  Each creation has its own design and its own purpose; and when I think of all He created, I find it so neat that after each creation, He declared, "It is good!" 
He is well pleased with His creations, so why do we allow others to make us feel less than what He created us to be. We are His creation, not the world's. We were designed by the Master's hands with a master plan as He declared in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." So when people attempt to put you down or to make you feel less self worth, take a moment to remember who your Father is and Who He says You are in Him: You are Child of the Most High God and there is nothing He won't do to protect and comfort you. You are the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8), the head and not the tail, above and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13); and it is His good pleasure to wrap His loving arms around you and let His Spirit flow through you, empowering you as only He does best. 
This is the season of giving love, and because He loves us, so should we love others. So let's give and receive His love today and always. Be comforted and blessed by these words, dear friends, God loves you and so do I~~~

Keeping The Spirit Of Thanksgiving

This morning, I look around at all the wonders God has performed and continues to do for me, for my family, and for those we are praying for in need and I am left in total amazement of how much we take for granted. God is forever faithful to watch over us even when we aren't aware of all that is going on around us and how many times in one single day that He has intervened and protected on our behalf. We see things unfold before us and even without a "thank you Lord" or acknowledging it was He who made it all possible, He continues to act on our behalf. What a loving God we serve!

So before I go any further today I want to give a heartfelt depth of gratitude as my soul sings forth, "Thank you for the cross, Lord; Thank you for the price you paid; Bearing all my sin and shame, in love you came and gave Amazing Grace.
Thank you for this love, Lord. Thank you for the nail-pierced hands. Wash me in Your cleansing flow, now all I know; Your forgiveness and embrace. Worthy is the Lamb, seated on the throne, we crown You now with many crowns, You reign victorious! High and lifted up, Jesus, Son of God;The darling of Heaven, crucified; Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the Lamb"

"I thank You, Precious Lord, for All your goodness and mercy unto me and those around me;"❤️ "I thank You for blessings untold and all those fresh mercies you bestow upon us each and every morning;"🙌. "I thank you, Lord, for the many healings within my family, myself, and for all those needs we have brought before your Holy throne; and even now you continue to bring to pass healings and freedom from those chains that attempt to bind us. I am eternally grateful that you are my Lord and my Savior, my Redeemer and my Guide; my Healer and Deliverer, my Comfort and Peace, and So Much More; All I will ever need; You Are; and I thank You whole- heartedly for your Love Divine and Amazing Grace!."🙌

I pray the Spirit of thankfulness continues in all of us every day throughout the year and not just the holiday season; so that each day brings Glory and Honor to the Lord in all we do and all we say. May you enjoy a wonderfully blessed season all year through because God loves you and so do I~~~❤️

Being Thankful

Meditating on the goodness of God with thanks giving and I find myself abundantly blessed by His presence in my life. He brings a warm feeling of being loved unconditionally and leaves me with His sweet anointing saturating within. I love to find a hiding place where I can just sit back and enjoy the awesomeness of His sweet anointing; doesn't matter if I'm gathered together with others in worship or in my alone time with Him; God always brings peace of mind as Holy Spirit saturates my inner being with that Sweet Anointing only He delivers.

God continues to do new things in the lives of all those who choose to seek His face; who listen attentively to His voice; and who without reservation, choose to submit to His calling upon their life. Lives forever changed; looking not to the left nor to the right to see what others think; but who through freedom through the power of Christ Jesus, choose to lay aside all weights that once hindered, throwing off all chains that once bound, step into their brand new life recreated in Christ Jesus. Lives now filled with undeniable Power from on High, hearts now filled with His love, and minds now recreated by God unto good works. Lives Forever changed, Forever delivered, Forever grateful, Forever determined to be all they can be for the glory of God and His kingdom sake!

His sweet Anointing brings about utmost praise as we realize where we once were in life is not where we are today; and it's all by the Grace of God. It is not about you or me, but it's ALL about JESUS! It's about the Amazing Grace of God through Christ Jesus and His Unconditional Love that cleanses us and brings us into this newness in Him. It's about realizing the power of God dwelling within us as we are reborn in Him. It's about realizing the third person of the Godhead, Holy Spirit (John 14:17), enabling us to do what we could not do on our own, but now through HIM we can do ALL things (Philippians 4:13). It's about coming to know the person of Holy Spirit and His desire to build us into that full stature of man God predestined us to be before we were even born (Ephesians 4:13).

Knowing the love of Christ Jesus and the power His Spirit instills within brings about the empowering force needed to be victorious over struggles of life; day by day and moment by moment. We should not let the worries of life defeat us when God is living within us. We just have to Know who we are in Him and Whose we are; as we call upon that mighty name of Jesus, that empowers us to become more than conquerors in all things (Romans 8:37. Jesus knew we needed Holy Spirit to live within us; not to lie dormant within, but to empower and guide us in all our ways. So on this day of Thanksgiving, let's be thankful for who we are in Him and allow His sweet anointing to flow within as our strength, our provider, our comforter, our peace; all that we ever need; He is!

Claim your victory today and relax in the Sweet Anointing of His fullness within, and enjoy a wonderfully blessed day, dear friend. God loves you and so do I~~~

A Heart of Thanksgiving

As I continue to prepare for our Thanksgiving gathering tomorrow, I find myself reminiscing good times with family surrounding our table which now seems bare as so many loved ones are now in Heaven and away from our sight. Although warm memories of days gone by bring smiles and warm my heart, it's still so bittersweet and somewhat selfish wishing I could have just one more day of Thanksgiving with them present to enjoy.
But for now, I will have to allow precious memories to fill their spot around my table and share moments that come to mind with those I can still touch and embrace in my arms and be thankful that I have the hope of reuniting with those gone from sight when my life is completed here on earth and never again will we part as we enjoy the blessings Heaven has for all who believe and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior; to which I am eternally grateful and forever thankful.
So during this holiday season, let's be sure and take a good look around our holiday tables as we give thanks for our loved ones present and let them know how very precious they are to us, because we don't know who may take their heavenly flight before our next gathering. I pray you make it a priority to enjoy your family and friends and have a wonderful time of thanksgiving and safe travel with heartfelt praise for all our precious Lord has done and continues to do for each one of us. 
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! God loves you and so do I~~~

Spirit of Thanksgiving

As the Spirit of Thanksgiving fills the air, my thoughts turn to the One who makes me thankful in all things, my Lord Jesus Christ, and my heart sings forth, "Thank you for the cross, Lord; Thank you for the price You paid; Bearing all my sin and shame, In love You came and gave amazing grace; Thank you for this love, Lord; Thank you for the nail pierced hands; Washed me in Your cleansing flow, Now all I know is Your forgiveness and embrace. Worthy is the Lamb, seated on the throne; We crown You now with many crowns, You reign victorious; High and lifted up, Jesus Son of God; Darling of Heaven crucified, Worthy is the Lamb; Worthy is the Lamb!"

As we approach this special season of Thanksgiving and we busy our self making preparations to be around those we hold dear to our hearts; may we show forth a Spirit of Thanksgiving having our eyes opened to spiritual enlightenment and our hearts filled with God's great Love. May we know in Whom we believe and live in His grace as we share Him with all we entertain and feel His arms embrace us as we offer up thanksgiving as David in Psalm 100;

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord; all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord, He is God. It is He that has made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him and praise His name; for the Lord is good! His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations."

May we rejoice as His people with thankful hearts receiving the new mercies He bestows each new morning. May His Love be reflected in our words and deeds and may He receive glory for all we do within our life. May we look around us and see all the many blessings that have come our way and be thankful unto Him and bless His name, for the Lord is good all the time, and all the time God is good! Amen and Amen!
Enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving season every one! God loves you and so do I~~~

Because Of Who He Is

"Because of who You are I give You glory, because of who You are I give You praise, Because of who You are I will lift my voice and sing, Lord I worship You because of who You are, I worship You because of who You are. Jehovah Jireh, my Provider; Jehovah Nissi, You reign in Victory; Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace; And I worship You because of Who You Are, I worship You because of who You are!"
This precious medley of Praise and Worship to the King of Kings, The Great I Am, Holy Creator, my ALL in ALL stirs within my spirit. Can't help but take time to acknowledge Who He is and what I am in Him. Cannot even imagine being without Him and knowing of certainty that I would not want to live a day without Him in it!
"This is the Air I breathe, This is the Air I breathe, Your Holy Presence living in me; This is my Daily Bread, This is my Daily Bread, Your very Word Spoken to me; And I... I'm desperate for You; And I... 
I'm lost without You, This is the Air I breathe!" And it just goes on and on and truly friends, He is the Air I breathe; He is my Daily Bread! Where would I be without His presence living within me? and Where would you be?
He is the Wind beneath my wings, the Strength in my weakness; the Restorer of my soul. He Empowers me, Guides me, Comforts me; and Leads me in the path of righteousness for His name sake. There is no where I will go and nothing I will encounter that He is not already aware of and has already made provisions for. He is my Protector, my Deliverer, my Everything; and He is All I need. His Love envelops me, Holy Spirit completes me; His breath breathes Life into my weary soul and brings Peace that nothing can ever compare.
Such is the Love of God reaching down to every human being; desiring to lift us up in His arms and carry us into a higher form of worship than we could ever imagine. He desires to bless us in ways far above any thing we can imagine as our minds are stayed on Him. It's not who we are, but Who He is that makes all the difference. It's having Him within us that gives us power to become more than conquerors in all things! So why not take a moment and acknowledge Him and Who He Is so you can enjoy a wonderfully blessed life because God loves you and so do I~~~

Releasing His Power From Within

Paul's writings in Ephesians reminds us that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives within you and me and it's never too late to realize the power necessary to live victoriously in life. I wonder how empowered other believers would be today if those who are strong in the faith, would simply remember to pray God's blessings upon other saints as Paul did in Ephesians 1:16-21, "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." 
Can you feel the power in Paul's prayer for his fellow believers? Power prayed down from on High to empower them in their spiritual walk with the Lord! Resurrecting Power that recreates, refreshes, and renews from deep within! Now that's Power; Life-Changing Power; and that's the Power dwelling inside you and me since the day we were reborn into the kingdom of God through Christ Jesus! Power that inspires wisdom and revelation to know Jesus better! Power that sheds spiritual enlightenment in all things pertaining to Righteousness! Power that acknowledges who He is and who we are in Him, Power  that enables us to do above and beyond all we could ever think or imagine because He Lives Within Us! The Same Power that raised Jesus from the dead abides within you and Me; the Power of our precious Holy Spirit! 
What an army of believers would be loosed in this world today if only we prayed one for another on a daily basis. Praying blessings of health, of strength, of spiritual enlightenment, of wisdom and understanding for Christians every where; as well as those in need of a divine touch from Almighty God, would bring such a reflection of God's love that would awaken this world to His wonder working Power and Amazing Grace. With our mind set on Him, Holy Spirit rises within, empowering us to become more than conquerors as we determine to lay down negative thinking and adorn our mind with positive thinking throughout our day. Paul writes in Philippians 4:8, "Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there is anything praise worthy- meditate on these things."  
As you go about your day, be mindful that you house the very presence of God, so allow Him to shine forth from deep within, You can enjoy a wonderfully blessed day while remembering to bless others along your way, replacing all negative thoughts with good thoughts. Enjoy your blessed day, dear friends, because God loves you and so do I~~

There Is Hope

Do you feel hopeless today? Feeling as if 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, I want to tell you there is Hope! Those thoughts in your mind are a lie and from satan himself. I have good news for you! Jesus came to set the captive free! He came to give us liberty and freedom from the bonds of sin, of oppression, and depression. It is never too late to call on Jesus, because 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 will be right 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-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 and that includes you, could be delivered from ALL their sins, ALL their oppression , ALL their depression, and to give us 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 you just as you are right now as He reaches out His loving arms in mercy to you just as you are! 
Won't you allow Him into your life and make your life new. You can't change on your own but He can give you the strength, the peace of mind, and the wisdom needed to become a child of the most High God through Jesus, Savior of all mankind! He is the God of not just second chances, but as many as is needed to maintain you until you're strong enough to walk along side with Him sharing in His love. 
Reach out to Him in your desperation and allow Him to work the impossibles in your life and He will bring you joy beyond measure. Trust God because He is forever faithful. Have a blessed day, dear friends, God loves you and so do I~~

His Name is Holy Spirit

His name is "HOLY SPIRIT" third person of the Trinity Godhead, all three in one! Helper, Comforter, Teacher, and Friend! Knowing the time was nearing for Him to ascend back to His Father, Jesus began preparing his followers about the Holy Spirit He would send back to abide within them in John 14:26,"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name; He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you;" while continuing to teach them in John 15:16-17 "And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you" and again in John 16:7, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you."

Repeatedly Jesus tried to prepare His followers that He was about to ascend back to the Father but would not leave them comfortless. He was sending Holy Spirit to lead and guide them in all truths. Jesus knew Holy Spirit could be inside them bringing all things to mind while empowering them to become more than over comers in all things pertaining to Godliness. He knew they would need someone to walk with, someone to talk with, and someone to guide them in all truth; and Jesus knew Holy Spirit would do all that and so much more; because He was going to the Father where He would be interceding on our behalf.

We all need reassurance that God is with us wherever we go and is in whatever we are doing. Jesus knew that when we are weak, He is our strength; when we are sad, He is our comforter; when we are troubled, He is our peace! He supplies everything we need to maintain abundant lives with Holy Spirit living within us becoming our closest and dearest friend. While Holy Spirit is commonly known as the third party of the Godhead; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit; there is never One without the other! None is the greater nor the lesser of the trinity Godhead, and will never work against the other but will testify and glorify as ONE Almighty God!

We are all spirits in human bodies and It is Holy Spirit that draws us to Jesus. As we repent and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, He takes up residence deep within and becomes the power needed as we walk along the pathway of righteousness. Jesus knew it was vitally important to have Holy Spirit in our lives as our Comforter, our Adviser, our Guide, and our Helper while becoming our dearest Friend, so He ascended back into Heaven and sent Holy Spirit to live within each believer. He did not leave us alone but actually sent a part of Him back to each of His believers; a most precious gift in Holy Spirit to walk and talk with us forevermore.

So often in life we receive gifts; but if we leave them unopened we never know what was given. So let's open up this precious gift from Above of Holy Spirit and come to know Him and all He has to offer us in this world. There is no greater joy, no greater peace, no greater power than feeling Holy Spirit stir within us, reminding us that He is forever with us and we are never alone. Isn't it amazing how God created this world and all therein and has even made every provision necessary for each of us to walk through this life empowered with His strength and wisdom, if only we come to acknowledge Him in all His glory.

Today can be the start of a brand new walk in Him if you acknowledge Him in all your ways. This is the day the Lord has made, so let's rejoice and be glad in it! Have a wonderfully blessed day, dear friend; God loves you and so do I~~~

LEARNING TO SEE THROUGH HIS EYES

I FIND IT AMAZING HOW AS HUMANS, WE SEE PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING OF THE PHASE OF LIFE WE ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH,  AND EVEN THEN,  ARE WE SEEING THE REAL PERSON, OR SIMPLY SEEING THEM AS WE MAKE THEM OUT TO BE? TRY THIS EXPERIMENT..... LOOK AT SOMEONE CLOSE BY AND LOOK AT THEM REAL GOOD!  WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT DID YOU NOTICE FIRST ABOUT THEM? THEIR HAIR - THEIR EYES - THEIR WRINKLES - THEIR TEETH - THEIR SMILE; WHAT DID YOU SEE?  NOW LOOK AT THEM AGAIN AND REALLY MAKE A MENTAL NOTE OF WHAT YOU SAW FIRST AND THEN WHAT YOU NOTICED THE SECOND TIME AROUND.  IT'S AMAZING WHAT WE NOTICE AT FIRST GLANCE VS. WHAT WE SEE WHEN WE PURPOSELY SEE THEM AGAIN. 

EACH MORNING WE STAND BEFORE OUR MIRROR AND ASSESS HOW WE LOOK BEFORE LEAVING HOME! WHEN WE'RE IN A HURRY, WE QUICKLY GLANCE TO ASSURE THAT OUR APPEARANCE IS OKAY, BUT WHEN WE HAVE THE TIME, WE LOOK CLOSER CHECKING OUT WHAT WE DEEM AS FLAWS, AND WHEN TIME PERMITS, WE GIVE THEM EXTRA ATTENTION WHERE NEEDED. BUT DO WE REALLY SEE OURSELVES THE WAY OTHERS SEE US? WHAT WILL THEY SEE AT FIRST GLANCE; AND IF GIVEN TIME WHAT WILL THEY SEE IN OUR OVERALL APPEARANCE? AND A QUICK QUESTION: ARE WE PEOPLE-PLEASERS OR GOD-PLEASERS? ARE WE ONLY LOOKING AT OUR OUTWARD APPEARANCE TO ASSURE WE LOOK SUITABLE BY MAN'S STANDARDS, OR DO WE DRESS OUR SPIRITUAL MAN AS WELL, SO WE ARE INWARDLY PREPARED AS WELL AS OUTWARD FOR WHATEVER THE DAY MAY HOLD?

I WONDER WHAT WE WOULD SEE IF WE COULD SEE OUR SELF THROUGH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S EYES? WOULD WE WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT OUR OUTWARD FLAWS AND HURRY TO FIX UP SOMETHING LACKING; OR WOULD WE SMILE AND APPROVE OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN THIS PHASE OF OUR LIFE AS WE WALK IN HIS LIGHT TO THE VERY BEST OF OUR ABILITY? 

REMEMBER WHEN YOUR FIRST CHILD WAS BORN AND YOU HELD THEM IN YOUR HANDS? OH THE JOY THAT RADIATED THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE BODY! THE PRIDE AND THRILL OF KNOWING THIS CHILD WAS YOURS AND NO ONE ELSE COULD CREATE ANOTHER BEING JUST LIKE HIM. THIS LITTLE MIRACLE FROM GOD WE HELD IN OUR HANDS BLESSED OUR HEART AS WE NOURISHED HIM THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PHASES OF LIFE; WATCHING HIM ADVANCE FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER, UNTIL HE MATURED INTO ADULTHOOD; AND WE CONTINUED TO BE BLESSED WATCHING HIM CONTINUE THE CYCLES OF LIFE.

WELL, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEELS THE SAME PRIDE AND JOY IN YOU! HE LOVES YOU AND TAKES PRIDE IN EVERY PHASE OF YOUR LIFE, WATCHING YOU GROW AND ADJUST FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER. WHEN YOU ACCEPTED JESUS AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR, YOU WERE REBORN IN HIS SON JESUS, AND HE SMILED OVER YOU AS YOU BEGAN TAKING IN THE MILK OF HIS WORD AND GROWING IN SPIRIT. THE MORE NOURISHMENT OF HIS WORD YOU TOOK IN, THE MORE YOU BEGAN TO GROW FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER, INCREASING IN WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE AS YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT OF HIS WORD. HE CONTINUES TO WATCH OVER YOU, CHEERING YOU ON, MAKING INTERCESSIONS FOR YOU AS NEEDED.

LEARNING TO SEE OUR SELF AS GOD SEES US, IS WHEN WE LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND SEE THE REFLECTION GOD SEES. WE BEGIN TO SMILE WITH A NEW SOURCE OF SELF ESTEEM; KNOWING WE ARE GOD'S CHILD AND THAT HE LOVES US JUST AS WE ARE! NOT THROUGH MAN'S EYES, BUT THROUGH OUR FATHER'S EYES.THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WORKING WITHIN US, WE BEGIN TO REFLECT CHRIST JESUS FROM DEEP WITHIN AND WE BEGIN TO SEE OUR SELF AS GOD SEES US: HAPPY AND FREE, HEALTHY AND WHOLE, AN OVERCOMER CELEBRATING THE FULLNESS OF LIFE, BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED, THE HEAD AND NOT THE TAIL, WONDERFULLY AND BEAUTIFULLY MADE, THE APPLE OF HIS EYE, DELIGHTING IN HIS PRESENCE; AND WE SMILE AND WE SMILE AGAIN JUST BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS AND WHOSE WE ARE! 

REFLECT ON THIS THROUGH YOUR DAY AND SMILE, DEAR FRIEND. GOD LOVES YOU AND SO DO I~~~

Willing To Be Used

As the Spirit of God hovers over America, searching for willing vessels He can use, I wonder how many people will surrender to God's will and allow Him to touch others through them today; whether by words of inspiration and encouragement spoken, or a gentle touch or a caring hug, or by helping someone in financial need, or by offering a labor of love to accomplish a task needing completion. 
A willing vessel is all God needs to accomplish many needs in our world today, and all we have to do is to purposely listen for His direction. You could be the answer to someone feeling hopeless and in need of an answer today- not tomorrow or next week- but who needs to be shown today that God really cares and is using others to meet their need. Someone's life could be hanging in the balance and you could be that one little act of kindness that can turn their life around.
So I pray that as you go through this day, you will purposely look for ways to extend a helping hand or to offer an act of kindness along your way. We can make a difference in this world just by purposely being kind one to another, tenderhearted forgiving one another, even as God in Christ, has forgiven us; as Paul taught in Ephesians 4:32. Let's go out and have a rewarding day for the kingdom of God and be all we can be for His glory sake! Have a wonderfully blessed day, dear friends, God loves you and so do I~~~

Thinking On His Goodness

I love how David, a "man after God's own heart" knew God's love and faithfulness well enough that no matter what was present in his life, was totally convinced that God would hear as long as he came before Him with a repentant and honest heart such as displayed in Psalm 24:1-5 as he proclaims "The earth is the Lord's and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein; for He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

David shows clear understanding of God, the Creator, and that is only with clean hands and a pure heart that we come before Him with thanksgiving as proclaimed in Psalm 100, " Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD, He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name; For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations."

In reading his Psalms, the Spirit impressed upon me the last verse in chapter 100, "For the Lord is good" [and isn't He tho; so loving, so caring, and so giving], "His mercy is everlasting" [daily continually pouring out fresh mercies upon us], "and His truth endureth to all generations." [His Word is Truth, never changing/never deviating; whatever It says is so; if God said it, He'll perform it just as He said; His Word endures forever and ever, Amen]!

WOW!!! What an Awesome and Mighty God we serve. He knows each of us by name and loves each of us the same. Good or bad, there is no difference in His love for us. He forgives All our sins when we come before Him with a repentant heart, no matter how small or how great; a sin is a sin and each one is measured the same. No matter how much we sin, He loves us none the less; and no matter how great our service is to Him, He loves us none the more. We are His Children, His Creation, and He loves each and every one of us the same, Unconditionally. That is what sets Him apart from all we can ever comprehend. God Loves us just the way we are right now! He is Forevermore merciful, and Forevermore Loving, and Forevermore Faithful- WOW!!!

This is the God we serve. Think on these things and Be blessed today, dear friends, God loves you and so do I~~

Learning to Shine Light In Darkness

Ever find your self out at night when it's pitch dark and wonder what it was like in the beginning before God created light? Back when darkness covered the deep and nothing had yet been created; with only the Spirit of God hovering over the deep as noted in Genesis 1:2 NKJV,"The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." I wonder what it was like, no light anywhere, just total darkness as the Spirit was hovering over the darkness.

I wonder if He anticipated what was about to happen? It reminds me that we were once covered in the darkness of our sins as the Spirit of God hovered over us, stirring us within; how He must have been anxiously waiting, lingering so close at hand, anticipating the second we would finally realize His presence and ask Him to shine forth His light in the midst of our darkness! I can only imagine how excited He was when we finally welcomed Jesus into our heart as Lord and Savior and our darkness suddenly became Light. What a celebration began in the heavenly realms as even the angels rejoiced! So amazing to consider the love He has for us!

He loves me so much that I would never want to live life without Him in it; to feel His eyes watching over me, anxiously waiting for the perfect time to bring His plans to pass in my life. He cares about every little thing I do; and even when I mess things up and things look really bad, He has a way of turning it around for my good; performing incredible works needed within my life to make me the best that I can be. What an amazing God we serve that He even sent His Spirit to abide within us. I am forever amazed at how He encourages me, empowers me, teaches me, and comforts me; bringing such peace to my soul with full assurance that I am never alone!

While darkness may attempt to keep us from seeing clearly and temporarily diminish our view, Holy Spirit rises up from deep within and shines His light around us and the darkness is gone. You see there is no darkness in Him at all (1 John 1:5), and when He abides within us we walk no longer in darkness but in the fullness of His Light. Jesus tried to express the importance of Holy Spirit to His followers, but it was difficult for them to understand because The Light was right there talking with them. How could the Spirit do all Jesus said It would do with Him still present in this world? But in reality, from the very beginning when God spoke the Word, the Spirit performed whatsoever Word was Spoken! God the Father, Jesus the Word, and Holy Spirit; The Godhead-All three in One, forever and ever! Such a mystery and yet So True! Jesus is the Light!

I pray you will allow Him to light your pathway so you can enjoy the beauty of all God has created just for you. Holy Spirit is hovering over your darkness and anxiously waits to meet your needs any time of day or night. If you will ask Him in, He can make a way where there seems to be no way! Trust Him to shine His light upon your darkness so you can enjoy a wonderfully blessed life. God loves you and so do I~~~

His Unconditional Love

What an awesome Savior we have in our Lord Jesus Christ! While hanging on the cross in the final seconds of His earthly life; knowing He had completed all things necessary for mankind's eternal salvation, Jesus cried out, "It Is Finished!"(John 19:28-30). He had fulfilled everything required for us to be redeemed through His own sacrifice, lovingly surrendered upon that old rugged cross. When we repent and ask Jesus into our heart to be our Lord and Savior, our sin debt is "Paid In Full" once and forevermore, because of Him, Praise The Lord! There is nothing else for us to do; nothing we need to clean up; no words left to be spoken; we need only to believe upon Him and in His works as we receive the righteousness given by God through the Savior of all mankind, Jesus!

So let's stop trying to make our self and others good enough to be His child and learn to just relax in Him and in His works that brought about His amazing grace. God loves each one of us with an unconditional love that goes far beyond our human comprehension. No matter how far we have fallen, No matter what we have done, No matter where we are in life, young or old, no matter the circumstances that surround us; when we repent of our sins and call upon the name of JESUS, He is right there to wash away EVERY sin and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness. As Paul taught in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast;" that's God's Unconditional Love.

When we become children of the Most High God we have His assurance that He will be with us always and nothing we do or any thing can ever separate us from His love as noted in Romans 8:38-39, "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 created thing, shall be able to separate us form the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  NOTHING will ever be able to separate us from the Love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when He died for us!"

What blessed assurance of His Amazing Grace and Unconditional Love where we can of a surety proclaim, "I am His and He is mine forevermore. " Enjoy a wonderfully blessed day, dear friend. God loves you and so do I~~~

Walking In Newness

In Isaiah 43:19 we are told, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness."....... and surely today, God continues to do new things all around us. Can you not see it? Can you not hear His plea to come up a little closer; to come up a little higher? He cries out for us to move in a little closer; to trust Him more completely; to seek Him in the face of trouble surrounding us; and to lay aside the "norms" as we gather to worship Him while His Spirit hovers in our midst; as we lift up the Holy name of Jesus! It's when our minds are surrendered to Him, that He brings us into higher realms of praise and worship and miracles are performed within us. 

God seeks a personal relationship with each and every one of His children. We were all created to be His family; not just creatures who are distant and don't know Him personally! He desires to bestow His love upon us so we can feel how truly loved we are and enjoy a Father-child relationship one on one. The closer we draw to God, the more our spirit rises up from the depths of our soul and songs of praise come forth, "Because of who You are I give you glory; Because of who You are I give you praise; Because of who You are, I will lift my voice and say, Lord, I worship You because of who You are; I worship You because of who You are. Jehovah Jireh, my provider; Jehovah Nissi, you reign in victory; Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace and I worship You because of who You are; I worship You because of who You are!"

God is surely our Provider, our Strength, our Healer, our Refuge, and our Peace, and so much more; "a very present help in time of trouble"(Psalm 46:1). Where can you hide that He is not there? (Jeremiah 23:24). What can you think about, speak about, or do that He doesn't know about it already? (Psalm 139:1-5). His ways and His thoughts are far above ours (Isaiah 55:8) and He loves us so unconditionally that He would move heaven and earth to give us His Best! God sent Jesus into the world, not to condemn the world; but that through Him all who would believe might be saved(John 3:16,17). We are assured continuously throughout His Word that He is quick to hear, slow to anger, and always gives perfect guidance. Through the darkest of times, He assures us that "Weeping may endure for the moment, but Joy comes in the morning"(Psalm 30:5). He is Forever Faithful and hears our faintest cry; and is ready to wrap us in His comforting arms bringing peace as we call upon Him.

I think about the eagle and its unusual large eyes compared to the size of its head, allowing it to have extremely keen eyesight. Eagles are admired the world over as living symbols of power, of freedom, and transcendence. They are so graceful as they fly high into the heavens over-riding storms that may arise. Psalm 91:1 tells us, "He that dwelleth in the Secret Place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." and in verse 4 "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust; His truth shall be thy strength and buckler." 

I Peter 2:9 declares, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession; that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." It is our Father's will that we walk not in darkness but as children of Light; reflecting His Love throughout the world. His Light shines in the darkness and only those who choose not to comprehend Him are left in darkness (John 3:19). Moment by moment as we walk with Him, we are transformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus, Who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. As we walk in His light to the best of our ability, others will see the change within us and want to know the Hope we have found, so they can walk in the light in return; and this glorifies our Father in Heaven through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior!

So "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another; Forgive as the Lord forgave you; And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace, And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."(Colossians 3:12-17)

I pray that as you walk through this day, you walk as His priesthood, allowing His light to shine from deep within as it reaches out to others in darkness; and I pray you have a wonderfully blessed day, dear friends, because God loves you and so do I~~

Making Good Better, and Better Best

Matthew 6:33 Jesus tells His followers to "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and ALL these things shall be added unto you." Jesus told His followers not to worry over small matters of life, such as what they eat or drink, or what they wear, and not to worry about things to come; but to just take care of this day; right now; to live in this moment; because as their minds were stayed on Him, He would take care of all the small stuff! In other words, Jesus was telling His followers, 'Don't sweat the small stuff, I got it! just follow me and seek my will and I'll supply the rest!'

Today He still wants His followers to stop worrying about things and just to Trust Him wholeheartedly in all things; to stop trying to figure things out; stop wasting precious time worrying and just bring our cares to Him and He will supply All our needs.  As we commit our life to Him we begin building a personal relationship by seeking Him first above every thing and every one else. 
He doesn't want us to have a good life, nor a mediocre life. Our Heavenly Father Wants His Children to Have The BEST! Not Good, Not Better, But the Best! His plans for us is to have His Best. So as children of God, we need to apply the motto, "Good, Better, Best; Never let it rest; Until the Good is Better, and The better's Best! 

So if you want the BEST Life now, put it to this test: Is it good? Can it be better? Is it the Best? If not then how do we press on to make it the best. Talk with God about how you can make things better, or the best it can be. Sure it will take some time, but life is a journey; and walking and talking with God as we journey along this life, not only develops a personal relationship, but it will make our life The Best it can be as we journey together, hand in hand along our way! 

So let's Be Persistent! Let's keep pressing on! Let's Ask and Keep on Asking; Let's Seek and keep on Seeking; and Let's Knock and keep on Knocking because we are His children, Trusting God with All our Heart!
I pray you enjoy a blessed day, dear friends. God loves you and so do I~~~

LOOKING THROUGH THE FATHERS' EYES

FUNNY HOW WE SEE PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING OF THE PHASE OF LIFE WE ARE IN;  AND IF WE ARE REALLY SEEING THEM CLEARLY!

TRY THIS..... LOOK AT SOMEONE CLOSE BY......  LOOK AT THEM REAL GOOD!  WHAT DO YOU SEE?

LOOK AT THEIR HAIR....  AT THEIR FACE..... DO THEY HAVE WRINKLES?...... LOOK AT THEIR APPEARANCE.....  

EACH MORNING WE STAND BEFORE OUR MIRROR AND CHECK OUT OUR APPEARANCE BEFORE LEAVING OUR HOME! MOST OF US PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS, MAKING SURE WE ARE DRESSED AND LOOK APPROPRIATELY FOR WHATEVER WE MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERING FOR THAT DAY. MOST OF US WILL ASSURE THAT OUR LITTLE FLAWS ARE WELL COVERED WHERE POSSIBLE AND WE TRY TO MAKE THE BEST OF OUR WEAKER VALUED AREAS.

I WONDER WHAT WE WOULD SEE IF WE COULD JUST SEE OUR SELF THROUGH THE EYES OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER? TO SEE WHAT HE REALLY SEES US AS! WOULD WE WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT OUR OUTWARD FLAWS AND HURRY TO FIX UP SOMETHING LACKING? OR WOULD WE SMILE AND APPROVE OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN THIS PHASE OF OUR LIFE?

DO WE REALIZE THAT ONCE WE WERE REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, WE BECAME HIS CHILD!

AND AS HIS CHILD HE SEES US AS LOVELY,  AS BEAUTIFUL,  AS THE APPLE OF HIS EYE... NOTHING LACKING! HE SEES US HAPPY..... FEELING BLESSED..... BOUNTIFUL IN WISDOM HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST..... AND DID YOU KNOW HE SMILES WITH GREAT PRIDE KNOWING YOU ARE HIS CHILD? 

REMEMBER WHEN YOUR FIRST CHILD WAS BORN AND YOU HELD THEM IN YOUR HANDS.

REMEMBER THE JOY THAT RADIATED THROUGH OUT YOUR ENTIRE BODY! YOU WERE SO THRILLED, JOYFUL BEYOND MEASURE! THIS LITTLE MIRACLE FROM GOD YOU HOLD IN YOUR HANDS BLESSES YOUR HEART AND YOUR LOST FOR WORDS!  YOU NOURISH HIM WITH MILK AND WATCH HIM GROW DAY BY DAY, MONTH BY MONTH, AND HE BEGINS TO SIT UP.... 

HE ADVANCES IN NOURISHMENT TO TOLERATE FOOD, PUREED AT FIRST AS YOU SEE HIM BEGIN TO TODDLE AND TRY TO WALK WITH YOU CLOSE BY TO CATCH HIM IF HE FALLS.....AND YOU HELP HIM BACK UP TO START AGAIN. HIS NOURISHMENT ADVANCES TO MEAT AND SOON HE'S TAKING LIFE ON HIS OWN, ONE DAY AT A TIME AND OH THE PRIDE HE BRINGS..... 

THE MORE HE GROWS, THE MORE YOU ADMIRE HOW HE'S ADVANCED AND GROWN MUCH TOO QUICKLY;  AND AS HE ADVANCES HIS NOURISHMENT AND KNOWLEDGE HE'S GROWN WAY TOO SOON! BUT REGARDLESS OF HIS AGE OR STATUS, HE IS ALWAYS SO DEAR TO YOUR HEART!

WELL, HAVE YOU STOPPED TO WONDER HOW YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER SEES YOU! HOW HE LOVES YOU AND TAKES PRIDE IN EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE?

HOW THAT WHEN YOU WERE REBORN IN JESUS, HIS SON, HE WATCHED YOU AS YOU BEGAN TAKING IN THE MILK OF HIS WORD AND GROWING IN SPIRIT..... AND THE MORE NOURISHMENT OF HIS WORD YOU TOOK IN, THE MORE YOU BEGAN TO GAIN STRENGTH WITHIN TO SIT UP.....''

AND AS YOU BEGAN TO SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE OF HIM, YOU ADVANCED TO THE MEAT OF HIS WORD, AND INCREASED IN WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE AND WALK IN THE LIGHT OF HIS WORD. 

HE WATCHED PROUDLY AS YOU BEGAN ADVANCING THROUGH EACH PHASE OF YOUR LIFE AND JUST AS YOUR EARTHLY PARENTS, HE CHEERED YOU ON! 

AND THEN AS LIFE WOULD HAVE IT,  YOU RAN INTO A ROADBLOCK AND CROSSROAD IN YOUR PATH.... THE PATH YOU HAD PLANNED HAD TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE YOU BECAME WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS WITHOUT YOUR CHOOSING. YOU NEVER PLANNED ANOTHER ROUTE THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT YOUR LOVED ONE.... YOU WERE ONE WITH YOUR SOUL MATE, YOUR COMPANION, YOUR LOVE..... AND YOU SEEMED TO LOSE A SENSE OF WHO YOU WERE WITHOUT YOUR LOVED ONE BY YOUR SIDE......

YOUR HEART WAS TORN IN TWO AND IT SEEMED DIFFICULT AT TIMES TO GO ON. HOW YOU SAW YOUR SELF BEFORE WAS NO LONGER WHO YOU SAW IN THE MIRROR....... 

THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE WAS NO LONGER THERE TO WALK ALONGSIDE YOU HAND IN HAND.... NOT THERE TO LEAN YOUR HEAD ON.... NOT THERE TO TALK TO AS BEFORE, AND YOU LOST SIGHT OF WHO YOU WERE BEFORE.....

THAT IS UNTIL THE DAY YOU LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND SAW THE REFLECTION OF WHO GOD SEES RADIATING BACK AT YOU AND YOU CRUMBLED BENEATH THE LOAD OF DESPAIR BUT THEN GOD......

GOD TENDERLY TOOK THE BROKEN PIECES AND BEGAN TO RECREATE THEM INTO A MASTERPIECE......  AN INCREDIBLE WORK OF ART.... HE CREATED YOU.

THIS IS THE STORY OF WIDOWHOOD: OF LOSING THAT SPECIAL LOVED ONE, NOT BY CHOICE BUT JUST LIFE THAT HAPPENS......  AND IT'S ONLY WHEN WE REACH OUT TO JESUS THAT HE CAN CREATE OUR SINGLENESS INTO A MASTERPIECE FOR HIS GLORY!  THAT'S WHEN WE BEGIN TO SMILE AGAIN WITH A NEW SOURCE OF SELF ESTEEM, KNOWING WE ARE GOD'S CHILD AND HE LOVES US JUST AS WE ARE..... HIS BELOVED.

IT'S THROUGH HIS STRENGTH WORKING WITHIN US THAT WE BECOME VICTORIOUS OVER THE BATTLE THAT COMES WITH WIDOWHOOD AND WE REALIZE WE ARE NOT REALLY ALONE BECAUSE NOW WE WALK HAND IN HAND WITH JESUS; AND THROUGH THE ANOINTING THAT LIES WITHIN US, WORKING WITHIN US, WE BEGIN TO SEE OUR SELF AS GOD SEES US : 

*VICTORIOUS.... MORE THAN CONQUERORS.... NO LONGER ALONE, BUT OF THE HOUSEHOLD     OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS!

*

*WE CELEBRATE THE FEELING OF BEING HAPPY ONCE AGAIN AND BECOME THANKFUL   FOR THE FULLNESS OF LIFE HE GIVES, DAY BY DAY, ONE STEP AT A TIME. 

*WE REALIZE WE ARE BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED, ABOVE AND NOT BENEATH, THE HEAD AND NOT THE TAIL, AND WE DELIGHT IN HIS PRESENCE AND HE DELIGHTS IN US.

*WE FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE WONDERFULLY AND BEAUTIFULLY MADE.... 

THE APPLE OF HIS EYE.....  SO WE SMILE, AND WE SMILE AGAIN JUST BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE!

NOW LOOK AT THAT FAMILY MEMBER OR NEIGHBOR YOU LOOKED AT BEFORE AND WHAT DO YOU SEE NOW? 

ARE YOU STILL LOOKING AT THEM THROUGH HUMAN EYES;  OR CAN YOU DARE TO SEE THEM THROUGH THE FATHER'S EYES........  *BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFULLY MADE!*

Letting Your Light Shine

Good morning! Just wanted to send you a smile and share a ray of Son-shine with you this morning. I love to see someone smile at me; just can't help but smile right back and allow His Light to spring forth from deep within my spirit. My little light becomes brighter and brighter the more I smile and see those smiles radiating back at me throughout my day. Just can't help but let my little light shine.
I remember from childhood the little song, "This little light of mine", and how we as Gleaners (children's church group) would sing before the audience and do motions with our hands as we let our little lights shine. We could see how it touched those who heard as those who weren't smiling before, began smiling brightly as we held out our little light(finger) in front of us and began to sing, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine; this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine; this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine; let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Won't let satan blow it out, I'm gonna let it shine (blowing toward our finger light); won't let satan blow it out, I'm gonna let it shine; won't let satan blow it out, I'm gonna let it shine; let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Let it shine til Jesus comes, I'm gonna let it shine (holdng our finger light up way high), let it shine til Jesus comes, I'm gonna let it shine; Let it shine til Jesus comes, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!" 
The more we sang the more they smiled and although this little song is usually considered a children's song, it could very easily be the greatest conditioning song for an encouraging message to people of all ages. Jesus taught His followers in Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." He encouraged us to not hide our light, but to let it shine forth in the darkness, giving hope and guidance to those lost in darkness; and the time is now that we need to be that light shining in the darkness so others can see that calm enlightening presence of God's love within us. It's surprising what a difference one little light can make in a vast darkness where people are searching for a way out of hopeless situations; but they have no light to show them the way.
So are you letting your light shine? 
One little match lit in a darkened room shines enough light for others to move quickly from the darkness into the light;and you hold that little match deep within you and Jesus is the Light! So let's strike that match and let our little light to shine so others can see the Light from within us and want to know the Hope that lights our way (1 Peter 3:15). You and I hold the key to those around us having a blessed day and seeing the Light within us today and always; so let's shine for Jesus as we enjoy a wonderfully blessed day! God loves you and so do I~~~