Wonderful Talent

I MUST LEARN TO SEW! It is truly one of my lifelong dreams! I would make my daughters and grandaughters beautiful clothes to dress up in...like this pretty piece of work

Halloween Party 08

Thought I would include a couple pics from a Halloween party we went to last nite...we had such a blast. All three kids were pirates. I came as the scariest thing I could think of...me in 1992 (me as a band nerd...i mean band GENIUS! HA!) I wore my mom jeans, tucked in my polo and brought out my old band jacket. i added tape to the nose piece of my glasses just for effect. hahaha!

Mercy

"I cry out to the LORD; I plead for the LORD's mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn." Psalms 142:1-3 (NLT)

TODAY'S THOUGHT Have you ever felt overwhelmed? I talk to people everyday that feel that way. Divorce, hunger, disease, addictions, homelessness, debt, trauma, everyday people come to our church for help. And it should be that way. The church is God's representative on earth. We should be telling everyone that God deeply cares about their personal affairs. David knew this. He was overwhelmed with life and all the challenges it had for him, yet he knew he could turn to the Lord. He cried out to God and plead for mercy. And God listened. Jeremiah attests to this. In Lamentations 3:22-24 Jeremiah writes, "The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." What an overwhelming truth. God's faithful love NEVER ends and His mercies NEVER cease. I can't even begin to get my brain around that. And the beauty is, every morning I wake up, God is there, with all His love and mercy waiting for me. Today, when you need to, cry out to God. Pour out your complaints to Him. Tell Him all about your troubles. He has a brand new day's worth of mercy and love waiting for you.

TODAY'S PRAYER Father, I am so glad I can come before You and share all my burdens. I am so grateful for Your mercy and faithfulness. Thank You that they never cease but are new every morning. Praise You Lord. AMEN

Sweet Forgiveness

No one likes to talk about sin....I don't know about you, but I would much rather think on forgiveness. Sin is dirty and messy. It anxiety, confusion, pride, lust,greed and a multitude of other life sapping things. And yet, as nasty as it is...we still fall into it. It's being a human. Romans 7:15 says "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." If we do not acknowledge our sin....and let the Holy Spirit reveal these burdens...we can't fully comprehend grace, or the extent of God's love for us. It is when we come before Our Father, acknowledge our sin, ask and receive God's forgiveness that we are fullfilling the whole purpose of His sacrifice. Honestly it is hard for me to come before Him with this slimy stuff...and sometimes even harder to swallow that He's forgiven me again. But if I think on that, and let the Holy Spirit really reveal the reality of it. My soul is awakened to Him...I feel His blood washing over me....my heart begins to burst out of my chest in praise....it's magnificent. Ronald Ovitt's devotional was about it.

"When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. - Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, 'I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.' And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone." Psalms 32:3, 5 (NLT)

TODAY'S THOUGHT What hope is found when we decide to stop doing something that is wrong. What peace is ours when we set out to make right those wrongs that we have committed. What joy we experience when we unburden our self of things that have held us prisoner in the dungeon of guilt. David paints the picture of inner turmoil and anguish we bring upon ourselves when we store the toxic emotions of a guilty conscience. He writes, "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long." But later David writes, "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!" Where there was pain, there can be joy. Where there was guilt, there can be forgiveness. Today, come to God with anything that is bothering your conscience. Don't go another day without experiencing the joy from a heart forgiven.

TODAY'S PRAYER Father, thank You for the substitute death of Christ for my sins. I know I can bring any of my wrongdoings to You for Your complete forgiveness. Lord, hear my prayers of repentance and restore joy deep into my soul. AMEN

Being A Real Disciple/Following His Footsteps

TODAY'S VERSE "He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves the godly. The LORD protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked." Psalms 146:6-9 (NLT)

TODAY'S THOUGHT How the Church has distorted the purpose of God in this world. We have made it all about us. It is our worship of God, it the discipleship of our own, it is care of our buildings and programs that take top priority. Now, obviously we are to worship Him. Certainly God inhabits the praise of His people. We must disciple those who have come to faith in Christ. Christ Himself told us to go and make "disciples" of all nations. Finally, we must take care of the resources God has given us to use. But we have an incomplete picture of God's purpose if we never consider His compassion He has toward those that are needy. Is it any surprise? God created man and woman for fellowship with Himself, but we have ignored Him and have played all kinds of havoc on this world. So what does God do? He goes after all those hurting and tries to win them to Himself. Today's passage says, "He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves the godly. The LORD protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows." This attitude of God toward those in need is substantiated over and over again in both the Old and New Testament. The question is, will we join Him in His work? God has called you and I to follow Him; let us follow Him by helping those around us that so desperately need our help.

TODAY'S PRAYER Father, help me see the needs of others the way You do. Help me to respond in a way that honors you. In Jesus' name.

MY MOUTH SINGS HIS PRAISES!

In Genesis, He's the breath of life
In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb
In Leviticus, He's our high priest
In Numbers, the fire by night
Deuteronomy, He's Israel's Guide
Joshua, He's salvation's choice
Judges, He's Israel's Guard
In Ruth, the kinsmen's redeemer
1st and 2nd Samuel, our trusted prophet
In Kings and Chronicles He is Sovereign
In Ezra, He's the true and faithful scribe
In Nehemiah, the re-builder of broken walls and lives
In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage
In Job, the timeless redeemer
In Psalms He is our morning song
In Proverbs, He is our wisdom
Ecclesiastes, He's the time and season
In Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream
In Isaiah He is Prince of Peace
In Jeremiah, the weeping prophet
Lamentations, the cry for Israel
Ezekiel, the call from sin
Daniel, the stranger in the fire
Hosea, the forever faithful
Joel, the spirit's power
Amos, the strong-arms that carry
Obadiah, the Lord our Savior
Jonah, the great missionary
Micah, the promise of peace
Nahum, our strength and shield
In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's brings revival
In Haggai He restores that which was lost
IN Zachariah, He's our fountain
And in Malachi, He's the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings
AND THAT'S JUST THE OLD TESTAMENT

In Matthew Mark Luke and John, He is God and Messiah
In the spirit filled book of Acts, He is the reigning fire from Heaven
In Romans, He is the grace of God
Corinthians, the power of love
Galatians, freedom from the curse of sin
Ephesians, our glorious treasure
Philippians, the servant's heart
Colossians, He's God and the trinity
Thessalonians, our calling King
In Timothy, Titus and Philemon, He's our mediator and our faithful pastor
In Hebrews, the everlasting courage
In James, the one who heals the sick
In 1st and 2nd Peter, our faithful shepherd
In John and Jude, He's the lover coming for His bride

AND in the Revelation, in the very end, when it's all over, said and done, when time is NO MORE. He is and will always be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, son of Man, Lamb of God, The Great I am, Alpha and Omega, God and Savior He is Jesus Christ the Lord HE IS EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED!

Plugging into the Power/Putting on the Armor of God

TODAY'S VERSE "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)

TODAY'S THOUGHT There is no doubt, in this life we need to be strong! How many times are we gripped with uncertainty, fear and doubt? How often are we attacked by rouge thoughts that would take us captive and leave our souls barren? How weak can we get and still have more room for weakness? But today's passage says, "Finally, be strong." And would we try! But our strength just doesn't seem to be enough. That is why I rejoice in the rest of the passage. When we read the rest we see that we are not alone in this spiritual battle. No, the verse reads, "Finally be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." What a difference a few words can make. We are to be strong, but not in our own power. Rather we are to lean upon the generosity of our Lord Jesus Christ and His mighty power. Today, take a few moments and meditate on what "His power" really means. Consider what it can do, think about your life and how different it would be if indeed God unleashed His power in it. This is what He offers. He says, "Come today and use my power. Don't try to do it on your own. Lean on me. I give you my power to use so come be strong in me."

I pondered over this devotional. POWER. What an incredibly strong word. (pardon the pun) GODS POWER. Big words. BIG MEANING. But no understanding. I know...it seems so obvious. God has power...power over the universe, power over the earth....POWER. But He wants to share His power with ME!? Seriously? Then I look up the rest of the passage. Whoa.
11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The battle is the Lords!!!!!!We choose Him, the author of SALVATION to lean upon and He stands up against this world! THAT is how we plug into THE POWER!!!!!