This is profound on every level. God is with us and is mighty to save! What is remarkable here is that this great God who created the universe – will save and rejoice over YOU with joy!
“GOD take delight in ME?”, yes, YOU!
A few months ago I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. The diagnosis came as a surprise as no one in our family ever had it. Although not life-threatening, the disease is and will continue to be life-altering. The “what about? what abouts?”set in. I have given my condition to God for whatever He wants to do with me. My doctor referred to my Parkinson’s diagnosis as “later in life onset.” In fact, the day this article is due to come out, September 5, is my 75th birthday. Therefore, I may not live long enough for the symptoms to get real bad. So, instead of saying”why me?” I say “why not me?” I am not a young mother with small children. Of the many side effects of my medicine is a desire to spend money! So, now I can blame it on the pill.
Read MoreWhen you think of emptying yourself do you truly rid yourself of your wants/desires and allow God His deserved place as head of your life? This is something I’d never really given a lot of thought to until I started really studying His word. Asking God to fill me with His Spirit to be number one above all my wants and needs.
Read MoreLadies, would you agree we are a busy people. The busyness of keeping house, cooking, taking kids to practices, church and the list could go on and on. If we aren’t careful the day will get away from us without giving any thought to God. I love the verse in Psalms 46:10. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. There are tremendous benefits of being still. When God created us He gave us five senses, I want to look at three of those senses. When we get to the place where we can be still there are some wonderful benefits.
Read More“You’re not good enough.” “Are you sure they would even miss you if you were gone?” “God is being unfair to bring this trial into your life.” These, and countless more, are LIES that Satan whispers in our ears. In recent days, I’ve heard from several ladies and teen girls about how Satan is working on their thought life. As I listen, I am reminded of my own personal struggles with Satan whispering in my ear causing me to let my own mind run out of control with worry and fear. Lest we feel like we are alone in this struggle, we can go back to the very beginning of time and see how the Devil works.
Read MoreWhen I saw my reflection for the first time in the bathroom mirror, out of shock I said, “I feel like a freak.” Immediately the Holy Spirit convicted me that my thinking was wrong, and I knew right then and there I was going to have to spend as little time as possible looking into a physical mirror and as much time as possible looking into the mirror of God’s Word.
Read MoreSoil is the place where these truths develop roots and get the nourishment they need to become the plant intended it to be. This is a crucial part of growth in our life! It may require that we remove some things that are not good for tender plants. Sin is an obvious thing we should move. But what about those things that hold us back? Excuses and bad time management. It requires we add things that our plant needs. We may have to increase our faith, patience, love or longsuffering. But will cost us things time, treasure and talents. You will have to watch for weeds and pests that will kill your Secret Garden.
Read MoreThe thought of a Christian feeling worthless and unworthy is a lie from no one other than the devil. He’s been a liar from the beginning and he’s trying to stop you from doing God’s will for your life. Resist the devil by putting on the full armor of God.
Read MoreFear is a very common human emotion. We can be happily going along our way when all of a sudden….Wham! Something happens, or a thought pops up in our mind, or we hear something…and instantly that spirit of fear grips our heart. Although, this is a very common emotion, this spirit is not of the Lord. I pray that these thoughts that have helped me when I am fearful will be a help to you.
Read MoreFor a few days, God tried to get me to rest and He tried to give me peace, but I didn't want to accept it. I was heartbroken, angry and I just plain didn't understand what He was doing and why??? Hadn't I prayed almost constantly, plus fasted? Had I not asked many others to pray along with us for the situation? But it still didn't work out the way I wanted it to. To be honest, I still don't understand why things happened the way they did, but I do know there have been some lessons He wants me to learn through this.
Read MoreWhy can we not just rest in that? Do we think we can do a better job of figuring it out on our own? Do we think we can fix the problems better than He can? Or do we just prefer to wallow in our misery and seek pity from others? These are all the Devil’s ploys to keep us from being the peace-filled, powerful, and productive Christians God wants us to be.
Read MoreWhat am I going to do about this situation? Is there anyone who can help me? What is going to happen? We often don’t know what to do or where to turn. We seek counsel, think about it nonstop, and we worry. We worry about how we were treated and what they deserve. We lose our focus on what we should be doing and become distracted by things that lead us away from our main purpose in life. We spend time telling a friend instead of telling our one Friend, Jesus.
Read MoreHave you ever been in a storm? A bad storm? A storm that sends you running to the basement. A storm that you can feel the house shaking. There is no doubt those storms are terrifying. You have a healthy fear of those storms, as you ought.
Read MoreEveryone is going through something. It may seem like the hardest thing you have ever faced. No matter the age it’s big for you! A different season a different time.To Every Thing there is a season - a time for every purpose under the Heaven. What will you do with your Season?
Read MoreRecently, my thinking was adjusted. MY PLAN, ideas, event, or schedule may have be altered- but I realized it was changed to line up with GOD’S PLAN A. Now when there is a snafu, my heart is joyful and excited that NOW the day is going as HE PLANNED. I can embrace the reconfigurations of my life because my great God is constantly revealing His Plan A. No longer do I drudge through Plan C,D, or E. With thankfulness, contentment and peacea, I choose to dwell on Plan A.
Read MoreWe watched from the deck of the house until the storm got a little too close for comfort, then retreated inside. It was a night filled with thunder, lightning and lots of rain, but we were warm and safe inside the house. The next morning, I didn’t get up early to go out and get my sunrise shot, since I knew it wouldn’t be there. Instead, slept in a bit until my daughter came in, begging to go out to the water. She pulled back the curtain, and WOOSH, there it was! The SUNLIGHT I had been wishing for!
Read MoreWhen Mary said to the angel, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word,” do you think she really knew what she was getting herself into? I’m sure she grew up learning that a virgin would bring forth the Messiah, but do you really think she realized what was ahead for her? Afterall, she was facing ridicule, false accusation, and the possibility of being stoned to death. Not to mention the ultimate sacrifice…. the Son she would carry in her body would be crucified for sins He never committed. If you ask me, Mary was just being USED.
Read MoreHere is when the “thirst” really began. They gave me a “green lollipop”, (that is what I called it.) A green sponge on a stick that I could dip in a glass of water and then just wet my lips. The doctor wanted to wait a couple of days to see if I could hold anything down. On Monday they started giving me some soft foods, but I was throwing up again. My doctor said I needed to have surgery, so they scheduled it for Tuesday. After surgery I could have some ice chips with my “green lollipop”. By this time the ice chips were GREAT! But still barely quenching my “thirst”.
Read MoreWhat do you believe? Not just what you think you believe or what you say you believe. What do you believe in your heart about Christ?
Read MoreWhat a wonderful account of faith and dedication here in this passage. This could be so applicable to we as women today. Think about it. It appears that this woman is hurrying along with a crowd of people who were also trying to see this One called Jesus. It spoke of the multitudes and of a whole city coming out to see Him just a few verses earlier.
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