“A Gift From God”

I have to wait just a few minutes for it to be light enough for me to put my boat into the water.  I stand on the small dock all ready to begin my early morning row. As I look out across the lake, I feel  like a young child all set for an exciting adventure.  I find myself taking in a deep breath trying to  capture as much of the delicious quiet and beauty as I can. 

The water is so smooth, so still that when a fish jumps out and does a quick exquisite ballet, the water ripples, and I can hear the small splash.  I put both oars in my left hand, gently step into my boat, sit down, and then slip my feet under the Velcro straps.  I lean over just a little to push away from the dock, and then dip my oars in and begin to (skull) row.  I know that my first few strokes will be a bit uneven, but within a few minutes the rhythm and touch returns,  and my long oars are making full efficient strokes enabling me to glide over the water and watch the dock disappear.

I named my boat, a 23 foot Shell, “Olivette.”   I have her name in large, bright red letters on the bow . Olivette was a woman I met through my church and our Prayer Shawl Ministry.  Some of you may know of this wonderful ministry, but if you don’t, I invite you to check out a web site, www.shawlministry.com.  We knit or crochet prayer shawls that are given not only to people who are going through some type of loss, illness, transition, but also at times of  celebration.  We usually have around ten to fifteen women who meet each month at our church, and there are several other women who may not attend our meetings, but contribute handmade shawls for this valuable ministry.

At the monthly gatherings, we have the opportunity to learn from each other as we share patterns, yarn, stories, and of course laughter and even tears.  We begin our meetings with the lighting of a small candle and a prayer.  Later during our meeting we drape the completed shawls we each have brought in, and often some unfinished shawls, over a stand.  We gather around the shawls with each of us placing one hand on a shawl, and our other hand on someone’s shoulder, as we say a prayer together.  Before a shawl is given to someone, we include a prayer tucked inside.

One prayer, I especially like is:

May God’s grace be upon this shawl…warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing.

May this mantle be a safe haven...
a sacred place of security and well-being,      
sustaining and embracing in good times as well
as difficult ones.

May the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace, and wrapped in love.     

                              Blessed be!                                      

                                                                    Author:  Janet Bristow               
                                                                                    2008 All rights reserved.

I so value this display of faith and friendship. I believe that it is a visible sign of what God’s love and caring is all about.  To me, it is an example of “Faith in Action.”  While I work on a prayer shawl, even though I am not a master knitter, I feel good, content, and centered as I knit and pray.  I feel fortunate to be a small part of a group that is serving and sharing. 

My friend, Olivette, crocheted, and we teased her that she was the most prolific of our group as she would bring in at least five shawls she had made during the month.  She would reply in her zesty voice telling us that, being in her 90s, she had more time to sit and crochet than most of us.  I had the privilege of interviewing Olivette about her life.  Our group wanted to have her story be part of the contents we were planning for our women’s time capsule at the church.  I didn’t know Olivette very well before the several weeks I spent with her obtaining information about her life history.  After we had completed her story, I continued my visits with her.  She allowed me to bring her new yarn, and I marveled at the beautiful shawls she made.  Olivette was a kind and attentive listener.   I always felt she took in every word I said, and that she cared. 

She was an unexpected gift to me for the few years I knew her before she died.  A surprise gift from God, Olivette was an outstanding woman who had a wonderful sense of humor, a deep value of  learning,  and  continued giving to others until the day she died at 93 years of age.

I was given one of Olivette’s shawls, and it is one of my favorite possessions.  One day when I was talking with Olivette, I brought up the subject of my wanting to get my own boat, but thought I might be a bit too old to move forward with this wish.  She looked at me, paused, and then said, “Connie, get your boat.”

As I row my boat I find myself always saying out loud, “Good morning, Olivette, let’s go have some fun.”

Yes, friendships and being out in God’s beautiful world is like being cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace and wrapped in love.

Blessings,
Connie I. Clark

Shattered Glass

 "Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons and daughters of light." -John 12:36

One Saturday morning while picking up the patio, it was after a late night bonfire my daughter shared with her friends on her birthday the night before, I realized I had tried to hold way too much when a glass seemed to jump out of my hands. There was shattered glass everywhere! I first thought, great, just what I need, more mess to clean up! I went inside to unload my arms and grab a whisk broom, bag and dustpan. Dreading the mess I had to face, as I got down on my knees, all of a sudden peace came over me. I looked and discovered that when sunlight struck the shattered glass, brilliant, colorful rays scattered everywhere. Shattered glass is full of a thousand different angles, each one picking up a ray of light and shooting it off in a thousand different directions. I stared for a long time before I could bring myself to clean it up. It was beautiful and something to be thankful for!

What's true of shattered glass is true of a broken life. Shattered dreams. A heart full of chards. Hopes that are splintered. A life broke in pieces. But given time and prayer, such a person's life can shine more brightly than if the brokenness had never happened. When the light of the Lord Jesus falls upon a shattered life, that believer's hopes can be brightened.

It's the nature of things that catch the light: The color and dazzle of light sparkles best through things that are shattered.

Only our great God can reach down into what otherwise would be brokenness and produce something beautiful. With Him, nothing is wasted. Every broken dream and every fear can be redeemed by His loving, warm touch. Your life may appear shattered, but God has in mind a kaleidoscope through which His light can shine more brilliantly.

Light of the world, may You shine today in dark places all over the earth. May broken people, hurt and disappointed, respond to Your loving touch. And may Christians become true children of light as You brighten their hearts and enlighten those around them. I present to You the parts of my life that are shattered. Shine, Jesus, shine!

Written by Terri Baker

Stop, Look and Listen with expectation

The Lord is sovereign and has a perfect plan for our lives.  So many times we think that we have to act now, make things happen now, and, if we do not do something now, nothing will happen.  I have found that the Lord has a way to make so many things happen all at once.  I can strategically plan so logically how things should be or turn out only to experience just the opposite as the Lord takes charge in His timing, which is always perfect.

Waiting on a job, or for that perfect mate for your child, or for someone to change so your life would be easier, and the list goes on and on.  The longer I live the more I realize that the Lord allows things to happen or does not allow them to happen for our own benefit.  Right when we think things should speed up in our lives, He may slow them down.  Right when we think that things should slow down in our lives, they may speed up.  We need to be sensitive to what is happening around us in our lives and ask the Lord to reveal to us just what it is He wants us to learn.  Everything is a learning experience He has specifically designed for us.  If we would just stop, look and listen, it is right before us.  All of the knowledge, wisdom and discernment that we need is generously given to us by the Holy Spirit which He sent us through Jesus for us to draw from at all times.

May you stop, look and listen with expectation knowing that the Lord is more than willing to assist us in figuring out exactly what He wants us to learn from our life's experiences. Whether they seem good, bad, uncomfortable or indifferent, we can always be assured that "All things work together for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son", Romans 8:28,29.  And this is what His intention is through all of life's circumstances, for us to become more and more like Jesus.

God Bless you as you continue to be transformed into the image of our Lord as you grow and delight yourselves in Him and His wonderful grace.

KC

A MOMENT BY THE LAKE

I step away from the campfire to let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Looking around, the dark shapes of trees emerge against the blackness and boulders begin glowing like shadowy balloons against the dark earth.

Inching my right foot forward, I feel for the edge of the first granite step leading down to the inky blackness of the lake. When my toe finds solid footing, I transfer my full weight and lift my left foot to explore for the edge of the next step.

After four steps I stop to look around. As my pupils dilate, the distant shoreline becomes visible as a solid row of tree silhouettes above a charcoal band of sand, the sheet of wet, black lake broken only by a sparse scattering of rocks breaking the surface a few feet off the near shore.

With my eyes adjusted, I abandon the toe-touch method and walk forward, more confident of the steps before me. I take the last step and feel the soft sand of the beach give away under my foot. I walk to the edge of the water and stand motionless.

The trees are perfectly still and not even a whisper of breeze gives movement to the water. No ripples lap the shore at waters edge. I close my eyes and taste the fragrant pine needles that were knocked to the ground by this mornings thundershower. My nose is filled with the strong smell of damp sand and cool, lake water.

I open my eyes to the night. The stillness is overwhelming, the blackness enveloping. My senses become hyper sensitive, believing they are being deprived of any input or stimulation. In my peripheral vision, I see movement in the water and look quickly left, finding myself staring at a pinpoint of light in the middle of the lake.

As I watch the light dance on the dark water, I become aware of more lights appearing all across the surface of the lake. A haze of lights covers an area to my right and even more bright points are flung across the flat blackness to my left.

The lights slip and shimmer before my eyes, forming patterns and shapes. One shape holds my attention, the shape of a giant ladle. I look up quickly and see the seven stars of the Big Dipper hanging low in the sky.

Suddenly, I realize that the mysterious lights on the lake are stars reflected on a mirror of black glass. The first bright light that caught my attention was Polaris, the North Star, and that haze of lights hovering to my right are the millions and billions of stars and planets known as the Milky Way.

The stars spread before my feet and the heavens wrap around the earth overhead. The disorientation of vertigo takes hold as I can no longer differentiate where the starry sky stops and the reflected lights begin. I focus on the dark tree line to reorient myself, but immediately allow the silhouettes of the trees to fade from focus when I decide the optical illusion of earth and sky united is a more thrilling place to be.

How many times have I stood on the shore of this dark lake and never experienced this display? When have I ever seen such complete blackness of the night sky and such absolute stillness of the waters surface? I have never known a time for such perfect conditions to exist or ever imagined that I would be allowed this momentary glimpse through a window of heaven.

And a window of heaven is what it must be. A moment to see something so overwhelming as to cause my eyes to well with tears. An instant to experience something so profound as to make me stop breathing A split second to feel the perceptible weight of the glory of creation around me. To know, without conscious thought, that I am standing with God.

I am unaware of time passing but start to feel the damp chill of the night air setting into my arms and legs. I am reluctant to leave the spectacle of the stars, afraid if I turn from the lake the nearness of God will somehow evaporate behind me. I walk slowly up the beach toward the campfire, turning to take a final look before climbing the granite steps up the shore. I try to etch the amazing scene into my memory and the emotion into my heart, before my vision is corrupted by the brightness of the flames and glowing embers where my family sits roasting marshmallows.

I reclaim my lawn chair at the end of the fire pit and thoughtfully watch the kids ignite their marshmallows into flaming blue torches before blowing them out and slapping their pieces of sugared charcoal into a graham cracker and Hershey bar sandwich.

Staring into the embers, I think how much our lives need a starlit night by the lake. Our bright city nights, when the lights of life obscure our view of the stars, becomes normal. We no longer look for, or miss, the glory of the heavens in our hurried world. The stars are gone from our sight and we adapt to heavens without lights, life without the nearness of God.

But thankfully, just when one starless night runs into another and God seems as far away as a distant galaxy, an astounding heavenly display silently shouts the stars have not changed, God has not changed, He is here.

Psalm 19:1-4 says:

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.

How grateful I am to have heard the stars speak. All in a moment by the lake - an unexpected encounter with creation and the God who made it all.

Romans 1:20

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualitieshis eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Written by Jody Ward

Don't Lose Jesus

In the Bible in the book of Luke is the wonderful story of Jesus' birth. After the birth the Bible speaks of Jesus being lost by His parents, Mary & Joseph, only to be found in the temple. When they found him, He said that He was going about His father's business.

Our pastor Todd talked about what it is like to lose a child. How one could get side tracked and all of a sudden the child is gone. You feel a sense of fear and desperation and are frantic trying to find them. Nothing else matters but to find that missing child. Then when he is found you are so relieved, the anxiety is gone and such joy fills your heart that he is now safely with you.

Then he spoke about our busyness, especially at Christmas time, shopping for presents, all the festivities, opening the presents, cooking, all of the gatherings. He then asked the question, "Have we lost Jesus?" That hit home. Do we even notice that He is missing? If we ask the questions, "Do we have peace? Or are we anxious? Are we living a productive life? Do we have joy? If we can answer those questions we will get a good idea.

Let us not only find Him but fellowship with Him and never lose sight of His guiding leading directing and protecting us or the peace, joy and contentment He brings while we practicing being in His presence. For being in the presence of the Lord brings fullness of joy.

He finished his sermon by saying that we need to practice Corinthians 1:9 our first calling, having fellowship with the Lord, everyday and throughout the day so we do not ever lose sight of Him. What a great message.

God bless you this Christmas season and throughout the New Year as you practicing being in His presence and not losing sight of Him for a moment.

In His presence,

Written by KCB

Perspective on Heaven

After reading "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn my whole perspective on living on this earth has changed drastically. Over and over again it is expressed how the scriptures continually speak about the New Jerusalem that we will be leaving in and what the Lord has planned for us. The life living in the New Jerusalem is the life in whichGod intended for us to live before the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden.

There would be a life of no sickeness, no decay, no sorrow but one of blessings to enjoy thebeauty of all of His creations. A life devoted to worshipping the Lord and being in His presence. The ability to talk with Him and enjoy life with Him. Living inan environment in which you do not have to worry about being mistreated or not trusting or being hurt or hurting anyone. A life of holiness and well being. A life of joy without the dread of worry or concern that at any moment tragedy might strike.

There are times in our rushed life that we wish that we would have more time to spend with those we love or do the things we truly enjoy, but the business of work and trying to make a living and other committments get in the way. Today as I was thinking I was imagining that all unfinished business would get finished. That talk we wanted to have with our mom before she passed away, the love we want to share with a loved one that is just so difficult to love and won't receive it, the burning love that we have inside but seems to be imprisoned because of circumstances of the past and cannot be unleased, that child who left this world way to young, or that tragic accident that took that life when you would have loved to spend more time with them.

I envision a life of total outward expression, unhindered by lack of trust or a defensive attitude as to not get hurt but a total expression of how the Lord would want us to love. We will have the total freedom without the memory of harsh feelings getting in the way. We will have time in heaven that in which we never seem to have enough of here. We will know what is important and our lives will flow from one event to another unrushed, but relaxed and full of God's glory.

We need to strive to have a little bit of that heaven here on earth as much as we can.Until that day we will have the hope of an eternal happiness and glory with our Lord who has promised us just that in His word, which is the truth.

Written by KCB

 

A Mother's Prayer

Every morning hardly and ever missing a day,I start the day on my knees praying for my family, friends and anything else the Lordmay placon my heart to pray for. I look back at the years andit is amazingthe safety, blessings, andthe coverings that have been over my immediate family. Coincidence? I don't think so. All through scripture the Lord makes mention over and over again the value of seeking Him, listening to Him, being directed by Him, not serving other idols or depending on anyone or anything else but Him. He is a jealous God.

He has taught me as I John I states that there is no need for man to teach you anythingfor the Holy Spirit will teach you all things. If we take the time to pray and listen to our Lord, we will soon realize that He speaks to us every day and in every way. He is often just waiting for usjust take the time to fellowship with Him and spend time with Him.

He is a patient God and will wait but will also give signs, nudging us to spend time with Him so He can properly direct us in our lives. As you get up in the morning asking the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct, and protect you and your loved ones, he will graciously not only do that but guide you throughout the day. We just need to take the time to listen and wait on Him.

We must make sure that we pass the torch unto the next generation to keep the fire burning for the Lord and the heavenly protection going through prayer so that He can be glorified through all generations to come and not ever be forgotten.

Always seeking Him in all that we do is the only way to live a life of prosperity, peace and contentment.
KB

Personal Foundations of A Christian Life

The life of a Christian can be like an iceberg, the visible part receives the most attention and is often used to measure success or failure. Yet, its the par that is hidden from view that is of greatest concern to God. Oswald Chambers, who wrote My Utmost for His Highest, said My worth to God in public is what I am in private. The time that I invest in my private time with God has greatly affected my public life and leadership.
If we apply these six practices in our lives they will help to form the foundation of who we are. We need to have a good foundation (Matt. 7:24-27) whether we are alone or in front of a crowd, or these ideas are new or old, they are a worthy reminder to us who have the desire to walk worthy of the call or position God has for us.
Journaling
Its hard to journal everyday, and dont feel guilty if you dont. I carry a small notebook in my purse at all times. The book is mainly for sermon notes from Sunday or other sessions/classes I am attending. But I use the back to write thoughts, quotes, or words that God places in my heart. It is a great help.
Time with God
We should try to follow the example of Jesus in Matt. 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Find a quiet, secluded place so you wont be distracted, and the focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his presence. He is then able to encourage, rebuke, admonish and speak words of wisdom into our lives.
Monthly Assessment
Since the unexamined life is not worth living, we should try to ask ourselves these questions below at the end of each month. For each question rate your current condition. (1 = never, 3 = sometimes, 5 = always)

• Did I pursue regular spiritual disciplines?
• Did I listen to God throughout the day?
• Did I have consistent Bible study time?
• Did I rely more on resource material than on scripture?
• Did I spend quiet time, so I could hear God speaking to me?
• Did I spend time in prayer everyday?

Quarterly Review
I read through my journal (book) to remind me of thoughts or words that God has given me. Significant spiritual insights are often gained from this simple practice. It also reminds me of what God is going to do in my life, and how he wants to use me. It is a great encouragement to be reminded of Gods faithfulness to us.
Semi-Annual Fast
It is helpful to set aside regular time to fast. It may be for just a single meal or for several days to a month, depending on how God directs you. This practice develops focus and personal discipline, and much more.
Accountability
Find someone to be your spiritual mentor. Accountability that grows out of genuine relationship will strengthen you personally as a leader.

If we dont take time to slow down in order to be with God, then He usually catches our attention through a life event that brings us to a standstill. He often unfolds His plan over a space of time while we learn not to rush ahead of Him by applying foundational principals, like these, into our lives. God is more concerned with my relationship with Him than my ministry for Him.
A faulty Christian life, like icebergs, can cause shipwrecks that dishonor God and undermine leadership. Giving due diligence to the hidden parts of our lives will one day conclude with the words, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

Written by Rhonda Ihrig

BROKEN DISHES

I was in the bedroom when I heard the crash and my shoulders tightened as I cringed that same, involuntary cringe everyone does in a restaurant when the waiter drops a tray of dishes. Silence followed, then I heard my husband walk to the garage for the broom and dustpan.
With equal portions of curiosity and dread, I went to the kitchen to see what pieces of china had met their untimely death. My husband was squatting on the floor, scooping the broom into the dustpan.
It was two saucers, he said without looking up. Apparently I had stacked them at an odd angle a week ago and they spent the ensuing time in the cabinet inching closer to the edge. Little did they realize when planning their ambush on my husband that between the granite counter and tile floor, they didnt stand a chance.
I was relieved. The saucers were my least used dishes. They came with the dish set but I rarely used them with the little coffee cups, usually preferring heftier mugs, and they were two small for dessert plates.
Shards of white china were everywhere. The larger pieces were already in the trash and my husband was carefully sweeping the entire area for the elusive tiny slivers. I was glad I put my slippers on.
When youre done sweeping, Ill run a mop over the area to get the ones you cant see. I volunteered, walking past him to pour my morning cup of coffee. Why is there sugar everywhere?
My husband stood to look at the sugar that was mounded like snowdrifts across the counter. I dont know, he said. Ive been cleaning up the floor and didnt notice.
I like to keep a stocked coffee station on the counter next to my coffee maker a glass tray with a decorative sugar and creamer set, flavored coffee syrups, assorted teas and a little bowl of Splenda and Equal for guests who prefer artificial sweeteners. Its also where I display my collection of vintage sugar and creamer sets by corresponding them to the holidays or seasons.
We both stood staring at the sugar spilled around the coffee station. My husband reached to pick up a tiny spoon on the other side of the counter. Was this here? he asked.
My heart sank. The little spoon was the one that belonged in my newly acquired pink glass sugar bowl. The only way it could have been knocked across the counter was if the bowl had broken the fall of the saucers on the way down. I picked up the sugar bowl to find a chip the size of my thumbnail missing from the rim leaving a sharp, uneven edge. I sifted through the spilled sugar to find that even the missing chip had been shattered and no amount of glue would make it presentable.
Obviously beyond repair, I sadly swept all the sugar back into the bowl and slowly dropped it in the trash. I put the orphaned creamer in the cabinet with all my other sets, not quite knowing what Id do with it, but still not able to bring myself to have it join its sibling in the garbage can under the sink.
I set out a new sugar and creamer set, poured in some fresh sugar and headed for the sponge mop. I kept thinking of the broken sugar bowl. Maybe I could turn the chipped side toward the wall and no one would notice. Maybe I could use it for something else that would cover the damage, a small flower bowl perhaps. No, even though it was still serviceable, its marred surface and sharp edge relegated it to the land fill.
I pulled out the trash to stare down at the little pink bowl, trying to think of some reason to rescue it from where it sat abjectly in the middle of yesterdays dinner scraps. Somehow, I identified with the broken bowl.
Thats how we all are. Chipped and damaged but still serviceable. We turn our sharp edges to the wall so no one will see. We make sure the pretty, perfect side faces the world. We make things work, choosing careers and undertaking projects we were not designed for and, most of the time, it turns out okay. But somehow we always know its not the right fit.
Often, others trash us and we wind up sitting in the refuse, not having the energy to climb out. Sometimes, we just wake up one day and find ourselves sitting in the middle of avocado peels and last nights spaghetti. Then, looking around, we start to believe maybe if we got ourselves there, we belong there.
Oh, how thankful I am that God does not see us that way! We are not beyond repair to Him. He doesnt think were disposable when we are cracked or chipped. He never believes we belong in the trash. He tells us in the Bible that with everlasting lovingkindness He has compassion on us and that even if the mountains fall and the world ends, His love will remain with us. His love of us is not conditional on our condition.
God knows our cracks and flaws and He doesnt ever stop loving us because we are damaged; in fact the opposite is true. Because we are broken and while we are shattered, God reached out to love us through His most valuable treasure, the thing that would cost Him the most, His son Jesus.
In the gospels, Jesus tells us the righteous, or the healthy, dont need Him, and thats not why He came. Jesus said He was there for the sick and they were the ones who need a doctor. He came for us regular folk - the broken, the hurting and those who had been labeled un-useable.
With billions of people on the planet, and countless billions who have gone before, Jesus tells us that He will go after one lost sheep. He tells us He will even give His life for that lone little lamb and that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for another.
I may be cracked and flawed. I may have sharp edges that I try to hide. I may be going in the wrong direction or blundering along, unaware of Gods purpose for me. I may even be sitting in the trash of my life, not able to stand the smell but not knowing what to do about it. But I will always know, God loves me how I am, where I am, what I am. Loves me enough to pay everything He had to show me.

Written by Jody Ward

Listen & Obey Only His Voice And Commands

After reading the book of Jeremiah, it really has instilled in me the importance of not only listening to the Lord but obeying Him as well. It is a sad thing how the Lord had topunish Judah and Jerusalem and discipline them by having the Babylonians take them captive into their land and destroying theirs. He had had enough of their idol worship and looking to other gods for their comfort and trust and also for them not listening to Him and obeying His commandments.

The Lord warned them through Jeremiah over and over again how they were not listening to the Lord and worshipping other idols and howHe was sodespisedwith alifestyle that chooses to serve anythingor anyone other than the Living God. They didn't listen or believe Jeremiah, yet the Lord kept giving them warnings trying to spare them of their captivity but with no avail. Their land ended up being destroyed and only a remnant of thepeople of their land wasleft.

We have the prophesies and truths of Jeremiah. The history of what happened to Israel and then how Babylon was one of the richest prosperous cities andnow there is nothing left of it. The Lord prophesied through Jeremiah about their destruction as well. The importance of knowing this and studying the scriptures and history is of such value because it validates the past and the Lord's word and how it has come to pass and gives us a living hope that what He says is truth and will come to pass.

Reading the Old Testament gives us the history of what happened in the past and giving us assurance that God did what He said He would do every time. Then toread the New Testament and the truths that Jeremiah spoke of of the coming Messiah and then to have Jesus come in the flesh in Spirit and inTruth telling us what we must do to be spared and live eternally with Him by believing that He is our salvation, the way the truth the life. Just as Israel had the opportunity to believe in what Jeremiah was saying but chose not to, we have the opportunity to believe in what Jesus tells us in the New Testament. It is our choice.

Why chose not to believe, when we can believe and have not only an abundant life but a life lived in eternity with Him? Studying the word and understanding history validates and brings Jesus to life and gives us the assurance and hope that there is a future for us not of this earth but of another. There is a new Jerusalem to be built for those who believe and choose to trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. Why wait, why wait to experience that hope, joy and truth?

When I did not know enough about the Lord, I asked Him to please reveal Himself to me. I wanted to know Him more. I wanted to live the life He wanted me to live. The bible says, "If you seek me with all of your heart, you will be found by me." I sought Him and He answered. I was led to a church, studied the word, and really learned who Jesus is and what He did for me. I can say thirty-three years later, to follow Jesus has been the greatestdecision of my life. My three grown children know the Lord and I pray that they will pass this heritage of knowing our Lord to their children so they will receive the same blessings not onlyin thislife on earth but also the life to come.

Written by KCB

7 Wonders of the World

A group of Geography students studied the Seven Wonders of the World.
At the end of that section, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids,
2. Taj Mahal,
3. Grand Canyon,
4. Panama Canal,
5. Empire State Building,
6. St. Peter's Basilica,
7. China's Great Wall.
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
1. to touch
2. to taste
3. to see
4. to hear

She hesitated a little, and then,
5. to run
6. to laugh
7. and to love.
It is far too easy for us to look at the exploits of man and refer to them as "wonders" while we overlook all that God has done, regarding them as merely "ordinary."
May you be reminded today of those things which are truly wondrous.

Shared by Corinne Mustafa

Passion Week

It is good to remember not only during Passion Week but all year through what our Lord Jesus did for us on the cross. His death, burial and ressurrection is the most powerful thing that has ever been done and it was done for us. God who chose to come down in the flesh to be like us to bring redemption for our souls since we could not do it ourselves. His great love for us in not wanting the seperation any longer became our sacrificial lamb so that we can have reconciliation with Him.

For all of us who choose to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour will have the same ressurrection power as Jesus had. We shall rise again, as He did, we will live eternally with Him. His shed blood on the crosswas not in vain but in order to cleanse us from our sin and reconcile us back to the father.

We who choose to believe in our Lord have the Holy Spirit to guide us through this life, direct us into all truth and to live a victorious life. We do not have to doubt why we exist or the meaning behind our life. The Lord created us to love Him and be loved by Him and to share that love with others in order that they will come to the savingknowledge and graceof our Saviour.

He bore the shame, was beaten for our transgressions, was humiliated, spat upon, looked down upon, laughed at, mocked and He did it all for us. He did it all and it was completed on the cross. We need not look any further for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, for these are the fruits of the spirit, the fruits generously given to us if we just accept what He has to offer, the penalty that He paid for us.

What a might God we serve, what a Saviour, what a Father. May you experience the passion of Christ filled with love for you this Easter Season and really understand the true meaning of the cross and His might ressurrection.

Serving Him for He paid it all.

Written by KCB

Seek His Comfort and Approval

Sometimes lifes circumstances can weigh on you. Where all we can see, feel and think is the immediate fear, problem or conflict at hand. When we look at everything at face value in the flesh, it is always so one-sided and limited. It appears there is no way out, no resolution and no relief from the delima. The constant thinking and rethinking our way out of a situation that is very uncomfortable or painful appears at the time that it will last a life time. In those moments of darkness of discomfort of no place to turn or anyone to turn to, it is at that moment that it is a comfort to know that this is not all there is. There is a heaven, an eternity with the Lord waiting for us. The Lord has a way of keeping us looking up to Him the only protector of our soul.

It is hard to imagine a place that will be stress free, no fear, no sorrow, no doubts, no disappointments no waiting to be disappointed by a person's hurtful ways or an illness that will not go away, orpain that is persistant outside of medication.

If we could live in a state of bliss thinking about heaven and our real home. A state where everyone is holy and pure before the Lord. A state where everything in our world is beautiful and perfect without decay. Now that is what our minds should be dwelling upon. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

When we doubt, we need to strive to have faith. When we are fearful, we must rest in Him. When we are being hurt by someone to know that we have a Father that will never hurt us or abandon us but will always be looking to make things better in our lives.

If we just let Him wrap His wings around us and be in the shelter of His care, the shelter of the Almighty one who cares for us through it alland as one song writer put it, he knows the depths of our heart and still loves us. What a mighty God we serve.

So as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we must fear no evil for He is with us. We have a choice to be still and know that He is God, or stay active and try to make all of those feelings of doubt, frustration, pain and abandonment go away, when we could just trust and rest in Him and we will have the perfect peace that passes all understanding.

We must purpose to trust in Him. For in a moment He can and does make everything right.

Seeking His comfort and approval in everything,

 

Written by KCB

SNOWFREE

We are all readyfor the end of winter.Here is a nice write about wanting to be free ofwind
and snow.

Speaking of a desire
to be warm.

 

Strange that some will write of bliss,

Tell a sweet tale of a wind thats crisp,

Speak with delight of white piles of drift.

Are they deaf to the howl of this devilish blight?

Blowing in white mounds disguised as angels of light.

Let light tepid breezes give me a kiss.

Warm oceans only,
that I insist.

No snow, no sleet, no more than a mist.

Cold hands, cold feet
and a nose that is runny?

Not for me!

Keep my soul in a place that is sunny

By Luana Layton

Count Your Blessings

After reading "Rekindled By Fire" an account of Brian Bidwell who worked at the Pentagon and was there when the plane hit on 9/11. His story is a miraculous one on the faith of he and his wife in the midst of such an enormous trial. One minute he was jogging 4 1/2 miles, the next he was struck down barley surviving and about to die.

The wonderful thing was his witness of how he knew it may be the end for him but he was ready to be with the Lord. He did not have fear but knew He had a Saviour that was waiting for Him, ready for Him and He was prepared to be with Him. What men and the enemy meant for evil, the Lord made out for good. He and his wife now have a powerful ministry as a result of the terrible tragedy.

When reading this book it gave me such peace to know that even in the darkest moments of our life in which the valley of the shadow of death is right there staring us in the face, we can have the perfect peace that passes all understanding. We can talk about our faith and witness to others about it, but it is when we go through those ultimately heart wrenching painful trials of life unto death that we are faced with the reality of just how confident our faith really is.

Here was a man in the midst of surviving day to day, moment to moment, not knowing which turn his life would take, but never unwavered from His faith or trust in the Lord. He was ready to surrender at any time leaving all behind for the sake of being with the Lord fearless and alone, He was ready.

That iswhat we all should strive to attain, that immovable hope, trust and faith in resting in the arms of our Saviour in the good times and the bad. During this Christmas time we must continue to give thanks for the gift of our Lord and the salvation He brought to us through His son so that we can live eternally with Him. He has defeated, death, Hell and the grave and we have life a new life with Him through all eternity not just on this earth but also the life to come.

Praise His Holy Name.

Written by KC

Mountain of Light

I stand on the summit of the tallest mountain on the earth. Rising from over 19,000 feet on the ocean floor to almost 14,000 feet above sea level, the mighty Mauna Kea volcano is silent beneath my feet.
I look down on the clouds thousands of feet below me at a view usually reserved for airplane windows, a rolling sea of thick white brew, swirling the blinding white of sunlight with the deep purple of the shadows. The clouds surround the summit and stretch as far as the eye can see, creating their own horizon.
The hard, brick colored volcanic rock crunches as I walk. Before my ascent, my mind pictured a mountain summit as the tip-top of a peak, a sharp point to climb to, balance on, and drive a flag into. But the summit I stand on now is miles of barren red earth with many rounded peaks and sloping valleys punctuated by a winding ribbon of two-lane black road.
The wind is fierce and painful. I pull my hood over my beanie, secure my sunglasses and stuff my gloved hands deeper in my pockets. With the clouds below me, there is zero moisture in the air. My face stings from the wind and my skin tightens as it drys out. I pull out my chapstick and apply it to my lips, pause, and use it to coat my exposed nose and cheeks.
I walk to the edge of a steep decline. I look down on the landscape of peaks and valleys flowing downward in all directions, disappearing into the cloud ocean below. The orange-red earth (that will never be mistaken for soil) is devoid of plants. There are no animals, no insects. Not even the famous Hawaiian cockroach ventures to this inhospitable altitude.
I am here, along with a smattering of other high altitude pilgrims, to witness a spectacular event. An occurrence so amazing it inspires travelers from around the world to make this arduous journey to see it, even hiring tour companies to make sure they arrive at the right time and are positioned correctly. We stand reverently, speaking in hushed tones, and wait for sunset.
The air is thin and I feel my muscles conserving movement, working efficiently to squeeze the most out of every scarce oxygen molecule.
But my eyes are on hyper speed. I devour the vivid scene, viewing it through the distortion free, unfilter of ultra thin air. Unaltered by atmospheric interference, colors are vibrant and loud, shouting their over saturation. The edges of shapes are razor sharp and cut dramatic, oversized shadows in the red earth. This world is assailing me in high definition and my senses are drunk with color and texture.
The summit landscape is dotted with observatories housing some of the most technologically advanced telescopes on earth. I am sharing the ground of scientists, governments and educational institutions who determined Mauna Keas super-thin atmosphere is ideal for astronomical study. I am only a mere stargazer.
The telescopes are housed in observatories of assorted shapes and sizes - from the iconic half-round domes, to an enormous white cylinder with rotating curtains sheathing the telescope inside, to freeform shapes resembling giant chrome snail shells.
The effect is surreal, otherworldly. I am sci-fi transported to a red rock world floating in a churning sea of clouds. I cant convince myself I am still on planet earth. I turn and look at our silver Jeep parked in the shadow of a small dome, thinking it will tether me to reality but in this scene, it looks more like a Mars rover than a rental car.
I look down at the ground and my shadow stretches thirty feet from my toes to halfway up a red slope. Sunset is near.
I turn with the scattering of my fellow adventurers and face due west. Couples stand close. Parents pull their children in front of them and wrap them in snug arms.
Some sit on the hard ground in groups, pulling their knees to their chest and huddling together. My husband reaches in my pocket to hold my hand. Silently we stand. Motionless, we all watch the sacred ritual of bright yellow rays stretching across the sky.
It begins gently, a gold ball of light brushing the soft horizon of lavender clouds. The intensity builds as the sun begins to dip from view, slowly transforming itself to polished, shining bronze. Its rays are visible beacons shooting into the violet sky.
Half gone, the sun is pure fire now. It is the red of licking flame, the orange white glow of hot embers. The cloud tips reflect the fire and dance upwards from misty shadows of royal purple and metallic blues.
I stand transfixed. I remind myself to breathe. I am shivering, but I no longer notice the cold. I am hypnotized by the power of the spectacle, the extreme size and scale of the event.
The sun is only a sliver now, its deep red disc sliding too quickly below the surface of the shadowed clouds. The summit is awash in a watercolor red glow. Faces are sunburn pink. Unnatural hues tint clothes and cars as the red light mixes with the man-made colors. The white domes of the observatories blush cotton candy pink against the Chinese red of the volcanic earth.
The event is extraordinary. It is energy and reverence. It is a raw inferno and exquisite beauty. It is earthly creation and heavens glory. It is passion and splendor. It is riotous and joyful.
And without fanfare or hesitation, it is gone.
I stare at the spot where the sun sent its last shaft of light into the sky. I am still quiet, still solemn. Someone begins to clap and we all join in, applauding, cheering and beating our gloved hands together in a chorus of muted thump-thumps. I am released from the spell and start to laugh. I hug my husband and he kisses me then squeezes me tight. We start to talk at the same time.



The light fades quickly now with the colors racing to follow. The eastern sky is already a royal blue velvet, transitioning from a bright sky afire to a sky ablaze with pinpoint lights. The temperature drops twenty degrees to near freezing and a cool bluish cast replaces the red glow.
I am very cold now and my nose is running. I turn to head back to the warm cocoon of the car and my waiting travel mug filled with steaming coffee. Around me, my fellow observers are laughing, talking excitedly, as they head toward their vehicles. We are giddy witnesses, compelled to try and capture what we have just experienced.
Even before the sky fades from blue to black, the observatories awaken, opening heavy eyelids of rolling roofs to the sky. Astronomers aim precision optics and their instruments probe deep into the heavens, hundreds of light years away, looking for answers to the mysteries of the universe and even the source of life itself.
Their efforts seem feeble and vain, even insignificant. They devote their lives to stars and planets millions of miles away, but the answers they seek are within, closer than their own breathing. If they would turn and look inward they would realize that deep within our soul, God implanted an link, a connection that by default correlates what we see in creation with the God who created it.
The Bible says,
That they may see and recognize
And consider and gain insight as well
That the hand of the Lord has done this
And the holy one of Israel has created it
Isaiah 41.20
Many will spend their lives silencing or ignoring this association but whether we admit it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not, does not alter the fact that it is there.
The crowd I stood with on Mauna Kea made the trek to the summit to watch a sunset famous for its beauty and clarity. I am sure many faiths and religions were represented in the crowd that gathered. Some probably hadnt thought about God in years. Others may have spent considerable time and effort denying His existence and still there are some who actively work to refute God and all He stands for.
But in the face of such a spectacular display of creation, a hush covered the crowd as a whole. The witnesses to this primal event became quiet, reverent. Children stood still. Few spoke and then only is short whispers and always without looking away from the sunset colors in front of them.
No one directed them to stand silently in awe. No one shushed them and said Quiet please, God at work. It was a natural response to what was before them the glory of the God of creation.
And no one orchestrated the applause and cheers. No cue cards directed those on the mountain to give God glory, now. It is their internal programming that compels them to recognize Gods handiwork and praise Him for it. Their spontaneous outburst was evidence that the association of creation to Creator is always seeking an outlet, driving those on the summit to acknowledge, if even unknowingly, the God of the universe.

It is written,
That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun
that there is no one besides Me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other
The One creating light and creating darkness
I am the Lord who does all these.

Isaiah 45.6-7
I have heard people say they will believe in God when they can see Him. A trip to the top of a volcano would be a good place to start.

Written by Jody Ward