The Blind That Can See

Here, in the Tetons, as a chauffer and bus driver, I've had the opportunity to drive some prestigious and interesting people, but one couple, surpasses them all in my memory. They made a real impact on me! Yes, I carried quite a few celebs and some government officials, but those weren't the ones that made a lasting impression. It was a couple on my side of the hill ~

I won't use their names, for privacy reasons, but this couple shares the same disability, but you wouldn't know it, by some of the things they've done or do. They are both blind. She is a retired music teacher, plays the piano and harp, beautifully ~ enjoys bike riding, (tandem) with a friend and snow skis! Yes, snow skis! He is a retired professor and loves to spend hours messing around with a ham radio in the garage. He does all the grocery shopping and the banking and loves books, he reads braille!

You know, we may think of this couples' blindness as a disability, but I truly think we are the ones that are disabled! They have insight we don't possess ~ they've found the meaning of contentment. We can spend alot of time whining over what we don't feel like doing ~ I never heard these folks complain, it was always about the challenge, the opportunity, a grateful heart for the little things.

Talking about perseverance, patience, the ability to overcome the obstacles in life ~ some people make an impact on our lives that we just don't forget! It was a major undertaking for these folks just to get from the back door, down the steps, through the garage and into the vehicle. But even more so, was getting from the garage to the curb to get the garbage can out for collection, especially in the winter ~ but teaching, skiing, piano, harp, ham radio, reading braille. Wow!

I'd drop him off at the grocery store with only a cane and pick him up an hour later with the groceries. Picture yourself going to the grocery store and shopping for groceries. You can't see (just not running into other people and the displays would be a big enough challenge) but you wouldn't be able to see what you're buying or how much it cost. At the check out how are you going to see what bills to give them or know what change you got back. The coins would be easier because of the difference in sizes, but the bills, another thing altogether. Yet I took him, almost weekly, to the store, to the ATM and on other errands and I heard no complaint, but only rejoicing!

I got the opportunity to take husband into town one day ~ he was so excited ~ he wanted to surprise his wife with a kite ~ she'd never flown one and he could hardly wait to teach her how to fly it! I think I was as excited as he was! I have a hard enough time flying a kite with my eyesight, I know without it, I'd be all tied up in the string. On another occasion, the husband wanted to surprise his wife with a gift of special candy for Valentine's Day and had me go to another city to pick up for him ~ what a blessing it was to do anything for these dear people!

I asked him once about the bills and how he knew what money he was giving them ~ he explained that he could, usually, guess by their usage, but it wasn't a 100%, that he ran them through a machine and the machine told him what they were. He then, put them in his money clip in a certain order and knew exactly how much he had with him. The change he got back was a little trickier.

Doing the laundry was a bigger deal for them, than for us, but they seemed to do it with joy. How often do we complain about doing the laundry or the dishes? Try doing it next time with your eyes closed. It was a big deal getting dressed and having their clothes match. We can stew about not liking what we have to wear! They had to use a machine to tell them what color their clothes were so they could match them.

Hardships bring what's important into perspective! It's when life is too easy and we have everything that we've ever wanted that spoils us, and we become ungrateful and nothing is good enough! Seems backwards doesn't it? Hardships bring maturity, perseverance, and character, giving us everything we want, doesn't breed a thankful heart, but greed. Trials and hardships can cause of us to see what we do have and cause us to become grateful. My friends can see more than you might think, they see what they have, they appreciate the little things in life, they've gained insight!

I've carried celebs that people would druel over ~ but if I could carry anyone, my choice, just one more time ~ it would be this couple, they are still a joy to my heart, just at the thought of them!

I remember the husband's joy ~ all his life he'd wanted a complete braille Bible! Sound like no big deal? Exactly how many books do you think it would take to contain the whole Bible in braille and could you even begin to guess the cost? I looked them up online ~ with the company I checked out, they ranged, in cost, from $645 ~ $916 and came in 18-20 volumes to contain the whole Bible.

The things we complain about and take for granite! Wouldn't hurt for us to be blind for a week or even a year, just to open our eyes to really see what matters in life! To see what we have and to appreciate our eyesight, to see our blessings, instead of never being content and always wanting more!

This couple is a true inspiration to me ~ we're the ones with the disability! They see just fine, they see what we don't!

Proverbs 14:30 says,
"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

Proverbs 15:15-16 says,
""All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart is a continual feast. Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil."

Philippians 4:11-13 says,
"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do everything in Him (God) who gives me strength."

1 Timothy 6:6-8 says,
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

Psalm 23
"The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want ~"

Psalm 73:25 says,
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And the earth has nothing I desire besides you."

2 Corinthians 12:9 God said to Paul concerning his "thorn in the flesh":
"My grace is sufficient for you."

A life hidden in God and hardships bring contentment! They bring to the the forefront, what's really important!

I leave you today with 2 Peter 1:3-9 says,
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being INEFFECTIVE AND UNPRODUCTIVE in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."

May God bless you today, my friend!

The Things That Make Chessie Happy, Sometimes Works For Me Too!

Well, the sun came out today and if my little dog, Chessie, could praise the Lord, I know she would have! She loves the outdoors and loved being outside today! I did too! I've been cleaning up the yard and cleaning out the garage for a few days and preparing to take a big load of stuff to the dump. The Lord willing and in His timing, I'm preparing for a move, as God leads!

Chessie, absolutely loves the outdoors ~ she loves to run! She got to do alot of her favorite things today: wrestle with "her kitty", Jake, and the two of them enjoyed the sunshine and their games of chase, while I moved a pile of wood and cleaned up the yard and deck.

Our mail lady, Kathy, dearly loves Chessie and always brings her a bone. Sometimes she leaves it in the box, but today Chessie got to go out and greet her herself. Kathy makes Chessie come to the car to get the bone herself, trying to help her with her shyness. Now, Chessie sees Kathy's car, waits for it to stop and runs to her. Chessie will take the bone, but puts it down and returns to the car for Kathy to pet her. She's learning not to be afraid of others! Chessie's making progress!

This evening, Chessie enjoyed a good run beside me, while I rode the recumbent trike to get some much needed exercise. We both need to get outdoors again ~ with the winter and all the endless paperwork (that I didn't realize went along with this estate stuff) we've been inside more and we have both gained some weight. We had been use to walking an hour a day before Jim got so sick and we need to get back to it! I've walked when I can, but Chessie has been a little depressed at times. She needs to run and play and be outdoors! She's not the only one! It helps us both!

It's amazing the impact, that exercise itself and the fresh air has on us both, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. Did you know that they've proved that exercise is better for depression than the pills they offer us. Thirty minutes to an hour of walking will change our outlook on life! Exercise is better than prozac!

God has done an amazing thing, for me, in the past 2 years ~ He's done what I couldn't! He's answered my plea for health, nutrition and fitness. I had cried out to the Lord for help for over a year ~ I was working long and crazy hours and couldn't eat regular meals, I had no time to exercise, and often, did not get enough sleep. So, I prayed and prayed and prayed some more!

God answered my cry! You don't expect God to answer a request for health, nutrition and fitness, through a frozen shoulder, but He did! I injured it pulling a cart of wood that weighed about 200-250 lbs., according to Jim. My foot slipped on the snow, the cart tipped and pulled my shoulder back with it and injured my chest wall. I couldn't work, so it took me out of the crazy work schedule. God lead me to a physical therapist, that's extremely knowledgable and provided the money needed to get the help I required.

The shoulder became movable again, through pool therapy, ultrasound treatment and exercises in 3 weeks, but still needed strengthening to prevent further injury. My physical therapist had seen my heart for health, fitness and nutrition and offered to help me strengthen the shoulder and to make some life changes.

Judy knew I had already gone off of processed foods and was walking on a treadmill. She had been a gym teacher before she got her masters degree in physical therapy and she knew I was serious and was willing to help me. I knew I'd been praying for God's help and I knew this was Him providing for me, so I stepped out in faith and I trusted Him to provide the money needed and He did! Jim saw that God was, specifically, answering my prayers and he was excited and encouraged me to keep at it.

As I ate variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats and good fats (olive oil, avocados, coconut), (staying away from sugar, sweetners, breads & complex carbs) eating every 2-3 hours and drinking 64 oz. of water a day, I began to notice a difference in the way I felt, my body was getting what it needed. I was, now, exercising 3 days a week in the gym for 2 hours and an hour the rest of the days of the week at home, walking, biking and weights ~ it was amazing the amount of energy I felt,  I couldn't sit still! We changed out exercises, to trick my body into continuing to lose and to continue to raise my metabolism. Sometimes we, actually, raised my calories to trick my body to burn more. My metabolism was a roaring fire! I kept a journal of my progress and everything I ate, my calories, exercises and amount of time. I used a heart monitor for the aerobic exercises, to burn safely and to keep me burning fat.

Seeing the changes made the goals God gave me seem reachable! Here's a list I made at the end of my first journal, only about 6 months after God provided Judy to help me with nutrition and fitness:

 "God's brought me a long way!"

1. My knees no longer hurt when I climb the stairs.
2. The bursitis is gone in my shoulders (with the frozen shoulder, I was lifting 1-2 lbs and am now up to three.) Lateral pull down is now at 40 lbs.
3. The hip bursitis on the left hip and lower back is gone (my hips feel stronger, not as if they are moving and won't hold me up).
4. With hips and plantar fascitis in my feet: I don't have to stand for a minute before I can walk.
5. I've got alot more energy, I can't sit still!
6. I'm much stronger and more agile.
7. I'm sleeping again (deep sleep).
8. I'm hydrated (I hated water, anything but water and now it's all I want.)
9. I no longer crave the foods I shouldn't eat ~ I don't even want a bite. Not only is it not worth it, it sounds crazy, but it's become repulsive to me.
10. I don't crave sweets or breads. I have likes, but no addictions. (There's nothing I have to have.)
11. The flames of inflammation are being put out.
12. I've burned off alot of toxic fat ~ but doing it safely, for right reasons ~ for health and fitness.
13. I'm learning what my body needs and what it requires to run at it's best ~ I'm making life changes.
14. I've identified alot of food allergies ~ I've eliminated them completely. (No dairy, some mushrooms and some night shade vegetables.)
15. I've gone from not being able to walk, without pain, to exercising 3 days a week in the gym for 2 hours.
16. I couldn't ride a bike for 5 minutes when I started; I can ride it at level 3-4. Treadmill: I started at 7 minutes at 1.5, now I can do it an hour and 15 minutes with incline 2.6 to 2.7.

"I've got alot to celebrate! I'm making life changes (with God's help)! I'm 54 years old and have felt like I was 80, but now I'm dialing the clock back!"

God heard my prayers and was leading me to victory one day at a time! In the year and a month I spent with Judy, with God's leading, seeking health, fitness and nutrition brought an added benefit ~ God blessed and my body dropped off 90 lbs. of toxic fat and with the new energy levels, I felt like I was a teen again and the fitness more like I was 40 again.

Time with the Lord, is first and foremost, but we need to take care of the temples (our bodies) that God has given us ~ we only get one earthly body, it's got to last a lifetime! How we take care of it, makes a difference in our quality of life! It makes a difference whether we can be servants and serve God's people or whether we will have the need for others to serve us!

God created us for work and exercise and the outdoors (fresh air and sunshine) we aren't getting the vitamin D our body requires being inside all the time. For many, our technology has moved us from more physical labor, to sitting behind desks all day. Our body is not getting what it needs in front of the TV! God did not create process foods, man did ~ they are empty calories and we are fooling ourselves if we think they are okay to eat, just because they are FDA approved or they are sold at the grocery store. We can not eat anything we want and all we want and stay healthy! We can grow weary of the failure! If you're like me, stress makes me want to eat. Believe it or not exercise relieves stress. Hang in here with me, just a little longer ~ I want to encourage your heart! 

Stop trying to do this yourself, where we are weak, God is strong! A life change doesn't begin with a treadmill and a carrot ~ for God's children, it begins on our knees, looking to Him for what we can not do ourselves! Continually, making little changes makes for good progress! God can bring the victory, when we look to Him for it, one day at a time, one step at a time!

We begin by asking for forgiveness and asking God to help us turn from our sin and walk in victory! We look to Him for strength, wisdom and insight! We can ASK Him to show us, specifically, what our body needs ~ not what our husband or wife needs, but what WE need! We can ask God to funnel us, to guide and to provide all the help we need for health and fitness and then we take a step of faith, starting by eating the foods God meant for us to eat ~ the ones He created! They were created, with all our body needs, the vitamins and the nutrients. Then we move! We were created to work physically! If our work doesn't provide what our body needs, then we need to provide it another way. We begin with what we can do (walking, biking, etc.) but we need to move. We continue praying and asking every day for God's will ~ the discipline, the wisdom, the insight and the help needed to know all that OUR body needs. Each one of us are unique! Victory begins on our knees, one step at a time, one day at a time ~ continual, little changes, will bring success and life long change! Don't have desire? Ask for it!

Well, Chessie has been in the sunshine today as I worked outside and she is asleep on the couch upside down, feet in the air and snoring ~ she is one content pup! She got what she needed today, some fresh air, sunshine, exercise and play and now she is content and happy!

I need to complete the journey that God and I began! There's no hurry when it's a life style change. It's okay that life happened and the stress and loss, impacted my journey. The paperwork and all estate stuff has broken my pace and taken my focus and I've gained some weight. But it's time to move from the distractions and the focus of so many things that have drowned out the journey and to turn to the God I love and ask Him for His help! A life change ~ health, nutrition and fitness, begins on our knees!

Remember to take care of you! My mom use to say, "Everything with balance." I encourage you to ASK God for His help, let Him give you HIS passion for health, nutrition and fitness, ASK Him for it and let HIM direct your steps! He created you, will He not show you what you need, just as He will reveal what He created you for ~  if you ask? I'm praying for you! May God bless you and show you Himself as you seek to follow and obey, one day at a time!

James 1:5-6 says,
"If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

1 Timothy 4:7b and 8 says,
"Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

Life Seems So Fragile At Times

I was sitting by the wood stove, as the snow was flying last night ~ I'm thankful for all God has done for me, yet, was finding myself troubled for so many: I see others hurting, great needs, hardships, life can seem so fragile at times ~

One dear friend is looking at surgery for a cancerous tumor, another is in the hospital with heart problems, one has just had a double hip replacement and still not over the loss of her husband to cancer. Another dear friend is going through great financial difficulties, another has breast cancer, gone through surgery and now kimo, lost her job, fighting not to lose a business, but lost a home. Another dear friend has a nerve disease, another healing for weeks from foot surgery and another's parents just lost their home. A dear brother in the Lord, recently, loss his wife to cancer and all these dear people are God's children and walking in an intimate relationship with Him. The grief, the heartache, the hardships, yet the one promise we can count on, as His children  ~ God promises to be with us.

God's Word doesn't promise that we won't have troubles, but says we are likely to have many ~ yet He promises to go with us through them. As hard as that is to hear, it's in the midst of the troubles that we have the opportunity to see God more clearly, to know Him more intimately as "an ever present help trouble"(Ps. 46:1). The hardships cause us to have to dig down deep and we see our need for Him. Our trials are, actually, blessings in disguise (good friends) because they draw us to Him.

We're more concerned about our comfort, God is more concerned about our growth and relationship with Him. We seek to trust Him, desiring to have faith and not to waver, but our feet are made of clay and our fears can take over. It's hard, we want to believe God will heal, forgive, comfort and act on our behalf and He does. We have to trust in His Sovereignty and trust that He will use whatever we're going through for good and for His glory. We are living in stressful times ~ I can't imagine trying to go through all these things without Him ~ but God promises to be with His children!

Psalm 73: 23-26 says,

"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

John 14:15-17 says,
"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever ~ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be with you."

John 16: 13-14 says,
"But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you."

God does speak to and counsel those that belong to Him. He will never leave us!

Psalm 89:15-17b says,
"Blessed (happy) are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of Your Presence, O Lord. They rejoice in Your name all day long; they exult in Your Righteousness. For You are their glory and their strength."

Isaiah 41: 10 says,
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Psalm 91:14-15 says,

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

God is Sovereign!

Romans 9: 15-16 says, 

"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy."

Isaiah 40:10-13,17, 23, 26 and 28-31 says,

"See the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and his arm rules for Him. See, His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him. He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; he gently leads those that have young. 

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, or with the breadth of His hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed Him as His counselor?

Surely, the nations are like a drop in a bucket: they are regarded as dust on the scales; He weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. 

Before Him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by Him as worthless and less than nothing.

He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired and weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. 

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

James 4:14-15 says,

"What is your life? You are a mist (a vapor) that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

Life is fragile, we are but a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow! (We realize that all the more as we grow older.) We don't have the control over our lives that we think we have or want to have. God is Sovereign, our life is in His hands. How easy it is to forget who He really is and how small and insignificant we really are! If we are looking for significance, for our lives to count, we find that in Him! If we are realizing our weakness and our inadequacy, through our trials, we can turn to Him for all we need. He will not leave us!

If you are going through difficulties today, allow God to draw near and praise Him for them, because they show us our need for Him! If they cause us to seek Him and to know Him, intimately, they are a blessing, our best friends! If you're reading this, I'm praying for you! God is an ever present help in trouble ~ seek Him and He promises to be found by you! Look to Him, He wants to help you! I know we just want our problems to go away, but He is using them for our good and the good of others! He is trustworthy, we can rest in His care!

Praise Him, a thankful heart will cause Satan to flee and us to experience God's strength and grace, bitterness or jealousy will only make us miserable and will cause our fellowship with God to be broken!

A Tribute To My God, Who Is Still Enough!

As the dead of winter falls away and the arrival of spring is in the air, I am SO GRATEFUL TO THE LORD for all He's done for me and all He is continuing to do! Though, this winter has, definitely, been the hardest I've ever endured, it has also been, for sure, the sweetest! In my pursuit of Him, I have found great joy, in the Lord, even in the midst of the searing pain, in the loss of my husband, Jim.

I would have never been able to imagine, a heart so broken, as if crushed, or torn in two, or such aloneness, being coupled with such DEEP communion, such GREAT joy, such SWEET fellowship or blessings, so UNIMAGINABLE ~ unless I had experienced it ALL FOR MYSELF! Yet for my God, the depth of MY need, only gave the opportunity for Him to show me the height of His Faithfulness, His unmerited favor! In my weakness, He showed Himself strong! He is worthy of praise and I praise Him!

My sweetest memories have been sitting at His feet, as He has comforted, counseled and instructed me ~ I would not trade any moment of it, for any amount of gold! I will always treasure this winter, and my time with Him and the memory of Him carrying me, as a spiritual marker to NEVER be forgotten ~ I know it will be an everlasting memory, of His Faithfulness, to me, even into eternity! There's, definitely, been only ONE set of foot prints in the snow, here, this winter!

HE has provided for my every need,  as He promised: "In ways unimaginable!" I have wanted for nothing! And though, He's required degrees of faith, He's never asked of me before ~ He has shown me Himself, in ways I've never seen! I am in awe of Him!

This winter could have been grief added upon grief, in SO MANY WAYS,  except for HIS GREAT MERCY and LOVE! There is only ONE GOD and HE IS ALIVE and HE is My Comforter, My Provider, My Refuge, My Strength, My Power Source, My Teacher, My Savior, My Lord and My God! I am here to testify, we can walk in His presence and KNOW HIM, because of His Son and His blood that was spilt to pay for our sins, that we might die to self and be raised to life in Him!
My God is still enough! And I'll say it again, He is worthy of praise and I praise Him!

God can be known, may He show you Himself, today, in ways you've never seen!

Psalm 145:3-9 says, 


"Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
   His greatness no one can fathom. 
One generation commends Your works to another;
   they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty~
   and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works~
   and I will proclaim Your great deeds.
They celebrate Your abundant goodness
   and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
   slow to anger and rich in love.
The LORD is good to all;
   He has compassion on all He has made." 


Praise the Lord!

Faith Is A Shield That Protects Us, But Only When It's Held Up!

Letting God have our anxieties calls for action, not passivity! We don't submit to the circumstances, but to the Lord who controls the circumstances. Worry savatoges any opportunity to apply faith to any given  situation, but faith opens the door for God's grace to be applied to any circumstance.

Faith is a shield ~ a shield protects us, but only when it's held up! If we don't hold up the shield of faith, that leaves us open for Satan's onslaught. Faith is our forward guard, but we MUST hold it up! When our shield is dropped, so is our courage and we are left standing wide open for Satan's attack. A dropped shield (Faith) is Satan's invitation and he will not miss an opportunity to send us running in fear! We must refuse to give him a foothold!

Anxiety, fear and depression are slippery slope ~ a pit that's harder to get out of, once we're in it! We must stay clear of it's edge, refusing to even get close. That downward spiral will only cause us misery and it's not worth it! Why be miserable when we can choose to believe His truths, walk in faith, sing His praises, and be filled with thanksgiving and PRAY, while we wait for God to act on our behalf ! We can enjoy rest and peace. It is a choice! These will be great weapons of victory, IF we will raise them up!

Our mind and it's focus will bring us victory or bring us down in defeat! What we do with our thoughts matters. We must captivate our thoughts, rule over them with an iron fist and, absolutely, refuse to allow them to focus on the problem,  to reason or wander. We must learn to master our thoughts and captivate them unto the Lord and not let them go wherever they will! We must think about what we're thinking about! A man is as he thinks. Where our mind goes the man (we) will follow. To move toward God, we must be fixed on Him!

If we will search out God's truths and apply them to the lies Satan is whispering in our ears and believe them, we will find joy in our faith and enjoy rest and peace! When we choose to believe Satan's lies, we cower in fear! We can choose who we believe: Satan, who whispers lies to cause fear or God's truths that teach us to stand in faith, that allow us to enjoy His rest!

Hold up the shield of faith! Hold it up! We win the war on our knees! One day at a time, one step at a time! We cannot give in to Satan's tactics ~ He's deceptive ~ don't be deceived! Choose faith, choose to believe God! What He says, He will do!

1 Peter 5:8-10 says,
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers, throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

Eph 6:10-18 (NIV)  . . . Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breast plate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, the the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests, With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for all the saints."

Philippians 4:4-8
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable ~ if anything is excellent or praiseworthy ~ think about such things."

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your OWN UNDERSTANDING. In ALL your ways, acknowledge Him and HE will make your paths straight."

Don't forget, EVERYTHING passes through the fingers of God's love ~ if you're going through hardships, don't lay blame ~ look at the disappointment as a God appointment ~ an invitation to draw near and know the Father more intimately. (View it as an opportunity to see God meet your need) you wouldn't see Him in the way He wants you to see Him without there being a need to fill! Look for Him in your situation! Set your mind and keep it set on Him!

He can be trusted! He is Faithful and Trustworthy! He has your best interest at heart! Do you really BELIEVE that? If so, you can rest in faith, while He works! Wait, patiently, don't try to deal with things that weren't meant for today. Ask, when God tells you to wait, trust that He's acting on your behalf ~ rest in Him and look to Him for your care. If you're depending on yourself, He will let you ~ depend on Him and watch Him do what you can not!

I could hug your neck! You're seeking to walk with Him! Ask for His help and He will not leave you!

Hebrews 13:5-6 in AMP version is one of my favorites! I've posted it before, but love it!!
"Let your character or moral disposition be free from the love of money (including greed, avarice, lust and craving for earthly possessions) and be satisfied with your present (circumstances and with what you have); for He (God) Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. (I will) not, (I will) not, (I will) not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let (you) down (relax y hold on you)! (Assuredly not!)"

Another Lesson Learned From Chessie!

We got our dog, Chessie, at 6 weeks old, when we were off work during our off season feeling we'd have the time to train her. Our older cockapoo, Precious, was a social butterfly and just the perfect dog, but was 10 years old and we were hoping she would help us train Chessie. Precious had such a sweet spirit, easy going, gentle, loved people, she never met a stranger. She took Chessie under her wing right away, but did avoid the wrestling matches that Jake and Chessie are so fond of.

Precious had grown up around a house full of people, so she went from lap to lap, to share her time. Lol. (Always careful to not leave anyone out) When Chessie came along it was just Jim and I and her kitty, Jake; a parrot named Zowie (an African Grey) and a cockatiel named Sassy. Chessie was so loving and out going with us, I never thought about her not being around alot of people and being afraid, till some friends came to visit for a week and Chessie, growled and hid under the couch, shaking. We were shocked! She came across as mean, but actually, was so afraid she was trembling. I felt so sad for her and felt we had done her an injustice, without realizing it. We live out and away, so she wasn't around alot of people like Precious had been all those years.

The first time we went on a trip and Chessie went to the kennel, I thought, "This will be good for her, she'll be around alot of people." Precious loved the vet and she was so out going that the vet let her stay out in the waiting room because she was so good with all kinds of animals, adults and children. They called her their greeter. One time when they didn't have any openings at the kennel for Precious, the vet's daughter, said, "Oh, it's Precious, I'll take her home with me." So, I was glad for Chessie to go and be around alot of people, she'd be in the same kennel with Precious and I knew Chessie would love the "in office kitty" and felt Precious being with her would help.

I was excited to hear how Chessie did when we got back from our trip, it was the first thing I asked. "Oh, Precious is such a social butterfly, everyone just loves her and she gets along so well with everyone!" was the response. So, I asked again, "How did Chessie do?" "Okay" and they changed the subject. I felt so bad, as I questioned them more directly, they didn't really know Chessie, "she was afraid of everything" and "didn't want to come out of her kennel" and "when she did she hid under the desk". No one was seeing the loving dog I knew, she literally, trembled when I called her out from under the desk, when I went to pick them up. I was glad the staff got to see her response to me, to see how loving and personable she could be. Chessie's so cute and sweet, a very loving dog, but she misses out on so much because of her fears!

Did you ever think about that? That our fears or insecurities could give the wrong impression to others about us or cause us to miss out too? We can be so focused on our insecurities that people take us in the wrong way. Maybe, as unfriendly, too serious, not enjoying the party (so we aren't invited back the next time). The vet looked forward to Precious coming and made an opening for her, when she really didn't have one, but Chessie was more of a chore. With each visit, Chessie is getting better and they are loving on her more, seeing that she's really sweet and that it's just fear and she is responding to the love. I take her with me alot for her to be around others and the mail lady always brings her a bone and now, Chessie will go out to greet her at the car ~ she doesn't like the bones, but goes now to be petted. We're making progress, but she still hasn't overcome her fears and misses out on alot!  This past Sunday some kids wanted to play with her after church and she began to shake all over and, of course, they felt bad for her too. She missed out again! She loved playing with my grandkids, Lily and Caleb, when they were here for 9 days. She had time to get to know them.

Think about it ~ does fear cause you, at times, to miss out on God's blessings? God can help you change that if you will just ASK ~ He wants to help! Love casts out fear! God loves us and wants to help us overcome our fears! We can bring them to Him and let Him begin to melt them away and replace them with His peace! Admitting it's a problem and asking God for help is a good place to start! I'm praying for you!

Are You Stable Or An Emotional Roller Coaster?

Growing up, fear seemed to control my world. It wasn't till I looked back, from an adult perspective, later, that I understood how it was sown in my life. I was never afraid of the dark until I was about 5 years old, until one night I learned there was something in the dark to be afraid of ~ it hurt me.

I slept in a high single bed, but kept falling out on the hardwood floor and would wake up crying, so my parents put a railing on my bed, but that wasn't what caused my fear. I knew it was the floor that was hurting me and the railing took care of that. I, often, slept though, with the covers off of me ~ living in the south, it was hot and humid in the spring and summer months. I wasn't afraid and slept with my hands hanging out of the railings till something bit me. I was too afraid to get out of the bed and turn on the light to see what it was. I didn't sleep the rest of the night, but lay awake with the covers up over my mouth and nose hot and scared, too afraid to even call for help. That one experience, told me there was something in the dark to be afraid of. After that, I was afraid to go upstairs for anything at night. My parents tried taking me upstairs and showing me shadows and that there was nothing to be afraid of in the dark, but I already knew different. No one bothered to ask why I was afraid, what happened to cause the immediate change. (I know now, from an adult perspective, looking back on it ~ it was my cat, "Mint", but I did not know that then.) I slept, hot, under covers, afraid of the dark, until adulthood, when I finally asked myself, "Why am I afraid?"

Later, our family moved to a different location, out and away from the city. My fears of the dark were only added to, when all the sudden, at night before bed, my dad started putting a chain on the front and back doors, a broom stick in the sliding glass door and a gun on his end table by his bed. He, also, put big nails on the windows, so they couldn't be opened beyond 4 inches. (I remember asking about it, but the answer did not help me) This told me again there was something in the dark to be afraid of. So, immediately, I didn't want to sleep in my room, but on the floor in my parents room. The bushes rubbing against the window scared me ~ the nails on the windows told me there was someone out there that might try to get in, as well as, the chains, broom stick and gun. (I got the message real clear.) My dad had been a amateur boxer, I saw him as tough and fearing nothing, he'd never been afraid of anything, but there was a change and I saw it. I didn't want to go down the dark hall to my room to do my homework or to go to bed. I became their nightmare and it didn't matter how many times they said there was nothing to be afraid of.

Much later I found out why the change: There were a couple of convicts that had escaped from a prison, only miles away. The men's scent had been followed to our area by the blood hounds and my dad being older, wasn't feeling as confident as he might have once been. The police and blood hounds, apparently, had come through our yard one night with flash lights, shining them into my play house and etc. It actually, turns out the convicts were hiding out in the house next door, that was under construction for a few nights ~ a good reason for dad's caution.

My mom was a fearful person, but my dad was not, until that point. I, also, found out later in adulthood, that my mom's fears were fueled by her dad being over cautious too, having had a brother shot and killed. My parent's reactions caused my fear, but they were angry with me and very frustrated with mine. ~ their words and their actions gave me opposite messages. (Their actions spoke louder than their words.)

We can and are responsible to manage our emotions. We need to ask ourselves why we respond the way we do. (We don't have to blame anybody, but it's good to know how we got there ~ understanding why we do what we do helps us in applying God's truths, as we seek to take responsibility of those emotions.) My sister and I have talked about this a couple times over the years and how it effected both of us. We can choose to place our confidence, our security in the Lord. I dealt with my fears of the dark as a young adult and am no longer afraid of the dark.

Trust or faith is not a natural response, it's something we have to practice, learn and choose to walk in.

James 1:7 says "he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind". Verse 8 calls this kind of man a "double minded man, unstable in all he does" and that he shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Psalm 1:3 says we are to be as trees, firmly planted ~ stable. Colossians 2:7 says we are to "live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthen in the faith". Trust or faith is spoken of again in Jeremiah 17:7-8: "But blessed (happy) is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him." Listen to the characteristics of a tree (person) in verse 8: "He is like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." 

This tree is firmly planted, stable, strong, with deep roots (it's found it's water source and dug deep so when times of drought come, it still flourishes, it continues to bear fruit) it has "no worries" when heat (adversity) comes.

The question is, "Does this describe us?" Do we place our trust and confidence in God or when adversity comes, do we feel insecure, fear, or anger? Do we panic, worry and stress, try to reason and figure things out? Are we dependent on ourselves? Do we rush to fix it, or is our first response to turn to God, in confidence, seeking Him, in prayer? Faith opens the door for God's grace to be put in motion, when we seek God, He responds with grace, by being "an ever present help in trouble".

How would you rate your emotional stability? If we respond to everything, by emotions or feelings, instead of faith, we are going to be riding an emotional roller coaster all our lives and weary ourselves. Emotions in the dictionary are described as, fear, love, hate, anger, sadness, happiness, etc. We all have emotions, but if our first response is always through our emotions, our feelings, we will move up and down with every circumstance and situation. We will fall in and out of happiness because our happiness is dependent on things going well for us. We'll only know peace when things are going good.

But we can choose peace and joy, in every situation when we walk by the Spirit. Now, we've moved our confidence to God ~ taking everything to Him, first and foremost. When we feel that first twinge of doubt  ~ we run to Him! Now, we are no longer tossed to and fro, we can choose to respond in faith, believing He is fully aware of our problem and believing He will act in our favor, giving us wisdom and see us through whatever it is. We can learn to manage our emotions! (It takes time and practice) Ask for God's help.

I encourage you to seek to walk by the Spirit ~ when we are responding to life's circumstances with emotion, we are not walking by the Spirit. Being able to depend on Jesus' stability, our Rock, we can stay calm in adversity.

Romans 5:13 says,
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace (as you trust in Him), so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Psalm 91:1 says,
"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain STABLE and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty." (Rest is a place ~ a secret place)

Psalm 37:8 says,
"Do not fret, it only leads to evil."

Galatians 5:22-25 says,
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the sinful nature with it's passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

Galatians 5:16-17 says,
"So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature."

Galatians 5:8b says,
"The one who sows to please the Spirit will reap eternal life."

May you turn to God with confidence and choose peace. God isn't condemning, so when we mess up, we can ask forgiveness and continue to work at captivating our thoughts unto Christ, walking by the Spirit, not by our emotions and feelings. May God bless you as you seek to walk in faith!

All Things Made New

I'm loving the early spring weather, here, in the valley ~ the song of the Western Meadow Lark, today, was the first I've heard this season, and was a delight to my heart. I didn't, even, mind the mud from the melting snow, just to feel the sun breaking through the clouds on my face; even but for about 30 minutes, was enough to send my heart soaring! As I walked there was the serenade by the song birds from the nearby branches and I spotted my first robin! What's not to love about spring, as the cold, dead of winter passes and everything becomes fresh and new?

The horses, in the nearby fields, seemed to be celebrating too ~ I could sense their spring fever, as one pranced across the field with a playful spirit with his mane being tossed by the breeze and others followed, with a happy dance, joining in the celebration. I saw several new, baby lambs, this morning suckling, so small and still wobbly.

Chessie, our cockapoo and "her kitty", Jake seemed to be in celebration too, as they wrestled in the mud and would take turns being it in their game of chase ~ Jake being a bit unfair in his climbing to the top of the buck rail fence and running across the top, as Chessie followed below, through what's left of the deep, drifted snow. There's a energy, a joy that seems to be in the air and enjoyed by all, with the arrival of spring!

As we look forward to the dead of winter turning into the green, new growth of spring, I'm reminded of the new birth we can have in Christ. As we choose to leave a life of sin and turn toward Christ ~ our sins can be forgiven and all things made new, as we rise to walk in a different way ~ in obedience to His truths. He makes my heart soar, as He allows each new day, to be the opportunity for a fresh start on life, forgetting what is behind and pressing on to what's ahead ~ seeking to view life from His perspective and to follow close behind Him.

As we revel in the signs of spring, new growth and new life, let's turn our hearts toward our Maker and throw off the chains that bind us, to walk in His ways today, to truly live in His Presence!

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

1 John 2:1-6
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense ~ Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know Him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His Word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.

May God bless you today, as you see Him in His creation around you and seek to walk in His ways!

"Where's That Kitty?"

Chessie, our dog  and "HER kitty", Jake have a game they like to play that is quite hilarious ~ it requires the tall, thick grasses of summer, that grow along side the dirt road we live on. Chessie loves the outdoors! When she's told we're going for a walk and I say, "Where's your kitty?" She knows she's free to move from her position at my right heel and go find Jake. It means that I'm going to be walking on our road and she is free to run up and down the road, to scout for Jake or to join me ~ her choice.

Jake's up all night hunting, so he sleeps the morning away, in his bungalow, in the top of the house; but comes out, sleepy eyed, around noon and can be found on his perch by the window with a view of the Tetons. How is that for spoiled? In the afternoons, during the winter, Jake walks the miles of buck rail fence, that surrounds the house, in all directions, to avoid the deep snow. But, in the summer when the weather is nice, Jake can be found lounging or rolling in the green grass, usually, under the shade of a bush or tree.

As I walk up and down our road, Chessie is free to run and play, till she hears that one word, "heel"; then she knows she is required to show up at my right heel, IMMEDIATELY. This is done for her safety, to protect her from the wildlife, she might not be aware of: fox, coyote, wolves, moose and even, eagles that could carry her off ~ and local traffic; also, to protect her when we venture onto the busier streets, to keep her safe.

The GAME they like to play begins when Jake shows up. If Chessie hasn't already located him around back, he tends to show up unannounced and is, often, seen sitting in the middle of the road, close to the driveway. When Chessie spots Jake, she runs full speed ahead, sometimes, even, running into him, Lol. Chessie can be a little rough, as a welcoming party, but she isn't trying to be, she's just a little ditzy and excited to see Jake.

Jake has come up with 4 responses to Chessie's rough welcoming techniques: 1. to lay down, just before Chessie get's to him (she, then, just leaps over him) 2. Jake crouches and just before Chessie gets to him, he jumps high in the air and she runs under him (wondering where he went) Lol. 3. Jake retreats to the top of the buck rail fence with Chessie following him below 4. (my favorite) Jake darts, quickly, into the high grass with a zig zag approach and stops and crouches (being very still) as Chessie passes him by. Chessie, then looks like a jack rabbit, jumping and leaping, (appearing above the tall grass with every leap) back and forth, up and down, through the ditch, along the side of the road, looking for Jake. Lol. By now, Jake has waltzed, quietly, back on the road, and is sitting down, (often at my feet) his eyes are focused on Chessie's every move. I have to laugh, it's comical, to watch Jake's head going up and down, back and forth as he follows Chessie with his eyes and Chessie's no wiser. She knows what she knows, "He went into the grass, He's got to be here, somewhere." I can call to her and say, "Chessie! Where's your kitty?"trying to get her attention, but she doesn't look up or she'd see him sitting at my feet. Only one word, "heel" will break her focus of searching and leaping and cause her to look at me. (Of course, then she sees him, at my feet and comes running full force again toward Jake) and the game begins again as Jake is free to choose his next response. This game has been played many times, but the consequences are the same, Chessie doesn't seem to learn from the past experiences.

Don't we, often, take the same approach, of knowing what we know, the same reactions to a similar deception. It may be time for a different approach! Just as Jake likes to busy Chessie and then be entertained by her endless running ~ Satan seeks to busy us, and be entertained as we run to and fro, unaware of his tactics, not realizing his deceptive ways, like Chessie, none the wiser. He fills our life with business and stress and with endless distractions.

Let's wise up, life doesn't have to be so busy and we don't have to be so stressed out! It's time to stop the insanity! To take our lives back! To walk in the garden, in the cool of the day, with our Maker. Our endless running doesn't MAKE US MORE IMPORTANT, it's a deceptive tactic, to keep us from doing WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT! We know what they are: God, spouse, children, church and relationships ~ you know ~ those things we don't have time for anymore!

Jim and I both have had an opportunity to talk to people on their death beds, many times. It's interesting, the job, position, the car, the new house or the plaques, trophies and degrees have no importance at that point. It all comes into focus then, what's really important! If they are going to matter more then, let's make them important now!

Let's take our lives back! Ask yourself, if you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would matter to you today? That question is more important than you think ~ think about it! Who would you want to hug? What would you want to make right? What would you want to say? Who would you want to make sure knew Christ? How would you change your time spent with family? Do it today, don't wait, till your time is limited or has run out. (Our culture may have grown busier, but we can choose not to follow.) Don't be deceived by Satan's ploy! When we begin our day with the Lord, He makes room for the important!

The Earthquakes Of Life!

As believers, in the Lord Jesus Christ, people aren't looking for us to have it all together, BUT want to see what happens when we don't! How we respond when an earthquake of life shakes our very core! That's when God peels back our layers, so He can be seen and they say, "That's what I need in my life, I need God!" They see the extent of God's care, or recognize His strength, in the midst of our weakness. Even, in our most difficult moments ~ they see Him in us, because you see, what happens in worship, doesn't stay in worship ~ we are transformed, as we sit at His feet, then we rise and He goes with us. He shows us favor and acts on our behalf ~ God in us, radiates His love to a lost world! He, actually, uses the earthquake, our suffering, to benefit the furtherance of the gospel ~ for others to see Himself!

Daniel and his 3 friends, Hananiah, Mischael, & Azariah, in the first chapter of the book of Daniel, all experienced an earthquake in their lives and things would never be the same! What do you do when you are afraid to move forward and there's no going back? Daniel and his 3 friends did not give in to the pressures of the ungodly society they found themselves thrust into, because they had a clear purpose in life. With Christ at our center, He will give us peace and direction, in spite of our circumstances or the consequences. When our first allegiance is God, we become unshakeable!

We need "staying power" in order to fulfill our life's purpose. We must maintain our Christian distinctiveness, to be relentless in prayer, to maintain our integrity and to be content to serve God wherever He places us. Daniel and his friends were true examples of this kind of dedication and commitment. Daniel "resolved" not to become defiled or give into the pressures around him, but to obey God, no matter the outcome. Daniel chose to see the disappointment as a God appointment!

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, in a display of his power, swept into Palestine in September of 605 B.C., in a time when the Southern kingdom of Judah had returned to it's evil ways. (God was disciplining His nation.) Nebuchadnezzar not only raided the temple of it's worship articles, but, also, took captive the wisest men and the most beautiful of women, leaving behind the poor to fend for themselves. These men were held captive to a culture that couldn't have been any more different than their own, but God was with them. He delivered Daniel from prison, from the den of the lions, and from enemies that hated him. God was with Daniel!

The king ordered Ashphenaz, chief of his court of officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility ~ young men without physical defect, handsome and showing aptitude in every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand and qualified to serve in the king's palace and Daniel, Hananiah, Mischael and Azariah were chosen.

The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, meaning "God is my Judge" he gave the name Belteshazzar, which means "Bel, protect his life" (Bel was the chief Babylonian god); to Hananiah, which means "the Lord shows grace" he gave the name Shadrach, which means "under the command of Aku" (the moon god) and to Mishael, which means "Who is like God?" he gave the name Abednego, which means "Who is like Aku?" (The Babylonians were seeking to make replicas of themselves out of these young men, who served and loved the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD.)

The men were assigned to be trained for 3 years and to a certain amount of food and wine and then they would enter the king's service. Daniel asked permission from the chief official not to be defiled by the royal foods. (Likely, some of the foods, would be considered to be unclean to the Israelites.) After a test to make sure the water and vegetable diet that Daniel requested didn't cause them to look less healthy than the others, God showed them favor and caused the chief official to agree with Daniel's diet plan.

How did Daniel and his friends survive in their new, foreign culture? They learned about it, they prayed for God's help and they maintained their integrity, and adapted to their new culture without abandoning God. At the end of the time set, Daniel and his friends were brought before the king and he talked to them and none could be found equal, so they entered the king's service.

There's much more about these heroes of faith in the book of Daniel ~ they never questioned God's Sovereignty, but continued to serve Him, even, in their circumstances. They got into some HEATED situations, maybe, we'll take a look at the consequences of their faith in the another blog! Have a great day!

Anna, The Prophetess And Simeon ~ Of Like Precious Faith

 I love the story of Anna the prophetess! Though there's only a few verses in all of scripture written about her, her life inspires me! The name Anna, means grace or favored one (to be named after this lady would be a privilege.) If your name is "Anna" and you are a follower of Jesus, you have quite a mentor to encourage you in your walk of faith.

Anna may seem just like an old woman that fasted and prayed alot, but if you take the time to pour over these few verses, she was quite a lady! There was a moment, in time, that God placed Anna in a very special place and Anna got to see the Messiah with her own eyes before she died! God showed Anna favor!

Only six women in the Bible are stated as, actually, carrying the title of prophetess. There are five in the Old Testament and only one, Anna, in the New Testament, although, Philip, in the book of Acts, had four daughters who are said to have prophesied, so that's ten in all. In Revelation there is a false prophetess, which is not from God.

A prophetess is just a female prophet ~ someone called by God. A prophet is a mouthpiece for God and speaks on His behalf, we can find a prophet's roll described in scripture:

Exodus 7:1-2 says,
Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharoah, and your brother will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to is to tell Pharoah to let the Israelites go out of his country."

In 1 Samuel 9:9 we see a prophet is, also, considered a "seer":
Formerly in Israel, if a man went to inquire of God, he would say, "Come, let us go to the seer," because the prophet of today used to be called a seer, because God gives him the gift of foreknowledge.

In Amos 3:7 we learn that God reveals His plans, His secrets, to His prophets:
"Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets."

Real prophesy is initiated by the Holy Spirit as seen in 1 Peter 1:20-21:
" Above all, you must understand that no prophesy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophesy never had it's origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

When a prophet spoke about things of the future and it did not come about, he wasn't a prophet of God, but a false prophet. (Like those today that predict the end of the world.)

In the following verses in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians we see that prophets ranked only second to the apostles:

1 Corinthians 12:28 says,
"And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also, those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration and those speaking in different tongues."

Ephesians 4:11-12 says,
" It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

So, now that we've looked at the roll of a prophet or prophetess, let's take a look at the story of Anna the prophetess within it's context of scripture:

Luke 2:21-39 says, "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise Him (baby Jesus), He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord.") and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took Him in His arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about Him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too. Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, and this woman was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem."

Jewish families went through several ceremonies after the birth of a child. 1. Circumcision, every boy was to circumcised and named on the eighth day after his birth. 2. A firstborn son was to be presented to God, exactly, one month from his birth. 3. There was the purification of the mother: for 40 days after the birth of a son and 80 days after the birth of a daughter, the mother was ceremonially unclean and could not enter the temple. 4. At the end of her time of separation, the parents were to bring a lamb for a burnt offering and a dove or pigeon for the sin offering. Jesus was the Son of God, but his family carried out these ceremonies in accordance with God's law. Jesus was not born above the law, but born to fulfill it!

When Joseph and Mary brought  Jesus to be consecrated, they met a man named Simeon ~ the name Simeon means "God has heard". He's been thought by some to, maybe, have been a levitical priest, but we don't know. We know Simeon was just or righteous ~ from the Jewish perspective, one who is in right standing with God, especially, when it comes to God's Covenant with Israel.

We can look at Acts 22:12b to get a good definition of devout from scriptures:
"A man named Ananias came to see me a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there." Simeon was a devout man, which means he was reverent and pious; though obedient to the law he was not proud and arrogant about it. Luke, also writes that Simeon was looking toward the consolation of Israel, which is a prophetic term for the Messiah. He was looking for one who would bring peace, comfort and relief from the afflictions of Israel. Such consolation is spoken of in Isaiah 44-66.

Finally, Luke records that the Holy Spirit was on Simeon, he led Simeon into the temple courts and that he told Joseph and Mary what their son would become. Can you imagine how they felt, as parents, hearing his words? We, also, read that Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Christ, the Messiah. Simeon would die in peace, a happy man, having seen and held the Messiah in his own arms! Can you imagine that?

We know that Anna, our focus of today's lesson, is the only prophetess mentioned in all four gospels, but we can, also, assume if Luke took the time to mention her, at all, that it's important. We know, also, that Anna was very old. (We know that Israelite women were known to marry as young as 13 or 14 years of age and we are told she was a virgin when she married.) We learn Anna's a widow and that she was married for 7 years, though, we aren't told the name of her husband ~ but we are told that her father is Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. Phanuel must have been a man of prominence, a devout man to have been mentioned. The tribe of Asher was known to have been a very prosperous people. In the middle - eastern culture, genealogy or lineage was  important and was linked to status, wealth, honor and respect.

We, also, know that Anna somehow managed to survive among the male religious leaders of her day, who were very legalistic and biased against women. It says Anna never left the temple, but worshiped night and day. Anna was known to be a woman faithful to prayer and fasting, which always leads to a powerful life. Anna was, obviously, respected as a woman of great faith! And, because Luke writes about her we can assume that he too had a great respect for her.

We can go through life, sometimes wondering our purpose. Anna may have wondered for what purpose the Lord was prolonging her life for so many years. Yet, in that moment, the scriptures say, "Coming up to them (Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus) she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." God had given Anna and Simeon the foreknowledge of who this child was, the predicted Messiah that was to come and they were breathing in the moment! Can you imagine being Simeon and Anna?

I leave you today, rehearsing Simeon's words of great joy over again:

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all the people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Both Simeon and Anna seem to believe that this ONE MOMENT in time, made their lives worth it all!
Their faith challenges me, their lives are a roll model and their faithfulness in prayer, simply, unnerves me and inspires me to kneel!  May Anna and Simeon challenge and inspire you, today, as well.

May God bless you today!

(I have a friend that bears this precious name and she too, continually, challenges me and inspires me!) Thank you, Anna!

Even In Chaos, We Can Know Peace And Joy!

Even in the middle of chaos, we can know peace and joy, when Christ is our Center, when we humble ourselves before Him and we seek Him for ALL things! We have a tendency, even as believers, to focus on the problems and to run to others first, instead of our Source. If we've accepted Christ, as our Lord and Savior, then we have His Spirit living in us ~ we need to seek to live IN His presence, to look to Him, our Center.

God is using others in my life, right now, in BIG ways,  and I am so grateful for each and every one; but if I ran to friends or family, with everything, I would burn them out. God is carrying me, comforting me, counseling me, instructing me in the way I need to go. He is my Father and my Provider and now, my Husband ~ I can trust Him with ALL my needs and so can you! No matter what life holds, we can know peace and joy, when we find our refuge in Him!

When we don't know what to do, we find the answers on our knees! HE knows ALL things! We can rush into the Throne Room of Grace, in all anxiousness and rattle off all our problems and tell God what He needs to do about it and leave no better off than if we stopped a stranger on the street and told him the same thing.

We enter the Throne Room of Grace, in humility, seeking forgiveness, remembering HE IS GOD ~ we quiet our hearts before Him, we align ourselves with Him. We may have to ask Him to bring our hearts to that place of being able to be still in His presence, but He will, if we ASK. We SEEK His wisdom and help, expecting to get it and we LISTEN! God is NOT a genie, and we are not God, we don't need to try to be the Godhead , all in one. He has a way for us ~ if we are always making our own decisions and leaving God out of out them, we will NOT know peace, but alot of chaos and the lack of joy.

We need to PRACTICE living in His Presence, daily, seeking and allowing Him to be LORD, and putting ourselves under His control. It's a daily struggle and it will have to be a daily FOCUS, a choice, something that we work at. How can He be Lord of our day, when we don't give Him a thought till much later in our day or maybe, not at all. How can we walk in His will, when we don't know what it is? How can we obey His truths, if we don't take the time to know what they are? (I don't get weary encouraging you in this, or reminding myself, it will be life changing if we make God our ONE focus.) If we don't get anything else done in this day, let God be what we seek and then all else will fall into balance. (Matthew 6:33)

I encourage you, as I remind myself, to put God FIRST and foremost in your day, before life steals you away and drowns Him out. Rise before it makes sense for the phone to ring, before the children are up, don't use them as an excuse. In that stillness, in that quiet, we will be able to hear His whisper ~ as we come before our Maker and talk to Him from our heart, we can be truthful with ourselves and Him. This is the key to a simplistic life! He will simplify, He will not give us too much, if we will listen to Him. He will prepare us for our day, He will give us wisdom and insight ~ He will go before us, acting on our behalf. We won't be without problems, but He will show us the way through them. Once we've accepted Him as Lord and Savior, He will never leave us!

We can hide ourselves in His truths and ASK Him to give us a passion for His Word (we don't have to try to muster it up on our own) so we aren't trying to "force feed ourselves"! We can ASK Him to give us a love for His Word, so we don't feel guilty about dreading it! We can ASK Him to give us a passion for His presence, to desire to meet with Him (we don't have to hide our struggle) He already knows, He will love our honesty and desire. He can give us the discipline and the desire to sit at His feet and to know Him. We can choose not to rush off, but really get into His Word and pour over it and ASK Him to be our TEACHER and to give us a heart that wants to learn. As we rise from our time spent with Him, to meet our day, we can continue in that fellowship with Him, talking to Him, through out the day, looking to Him for EVERYTHING! He will give us great joy in coming to Him, if we ASK Him and then step in faith to do it ~ He wants to help us! We don't have to feel guilty about our weaknesses ~ we can admit them and ASK Him to fix our wanter, as we run to meet Him (that's our step of faith). He will work all this out in us and for us! ASK, SEEK, FIND!

Psalm 25: 4-5 says,
"Show me Your ways , O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long."

Psalm 25:8-9 says,
"Good and upright is the Lord: therefore He instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way."

Psalm 25: 14-15 says,
"The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare."

Psalm 25:20-21 says,
"Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in You."

May God bless your day, my friend, as you continue to seek after Him! I'm praying for you and could just hug your neck that you are in pursuit of a God that loves you and delights in your presence! You are on the right path! O, how I need your prayers, as well!

I leave you today with Psalm 27: 4-5:
" One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I SEEK: that I may DWELL in the house of the Lord ALL the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to SEEK Him in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a Rock."

Mounted Up With Wings (from the parsonage window)

From an eagle's nest,
I hear a mother's cry
High above the rocky crags,
Reaching toward the sky
Clutching to the branches
Of a tall sitka spruce
Majestically, enthroned,
A mother guards her brood.

A fireball arises,
As if out of the sea
Stillness and silence,
a salty mist to breathe.
Mountains paint the backdrop
As they crash into the sea
For the mother, there's no time,
There's eaglets now to feed.

From the salty mist,
I hear a mother's cry
High above the rocky crags,
She circles in the sky
Clutching to the branches
Of the tall sitka spruce
Three frightened eaglets,
But mother calls her brood.

A fireball descends,
As if into the sea
Reflections like a mirror
Cast hues of antiquity
Rising ore the sunset,
As if painted in the sky
One lone eagle,
You can hear her freedom cry.

From the eagle's ways,
A lesson draws us nigh
It's resting on the stormy blasts,
She mounts to heaven's heights
Powerful, majestic,
Effortless she soars
Mounted up with wings
Is to wait upon the Lord.

By Sheryl A. Jackson

"I Don't Know What We're Doing, But I'm Doing It!"

Our little dog, Chessie, was a gift to me from, my husband, Jim, 4 years ago. She's a small, apricot cockapoo, with energy more like a terrier and a love for the outdoors that just doesn't quit! She loves to wrestle with "her kitty", Jake ~ a male, gray and black tabby, with beautiful markings, who is twice her size. Jake has loved Chessie since the day we brought her home. He prefers the outdoors too, but will come inside, just to see her.

Jake showed up at our house on a bitter, cold morning about 4 and a half years ago ~ it was minus 25 degrees and I had the stomach flu. Jake was wailing like a cat in heat and had grown too weak to help himself in that extreme cold, he had no fat to insulate him. Jim was leaving for work and heard his cries and came back in to tell me that there was a young, stray cat outside in trouble. I took warm tuna and warm water out to him and he stood in it while he ate. When I picked him up to bring him inside, though scared, he just went limp in my arms; he was too weak to run. We were able to doctor Jake back to health ~ the two, now, are inseperable!

Chessie's love, for the outdoors, often, draws her attention out the picture window. Jake's love for Chessie, tends to draw his attention to the inside, as he waits, patiently, on his perch by the window ~ longing for us to come out and play. They both are poised to jump if I show any indication that I'm moving toward the door, at all.

When Chessie knows I'm leaving, (getting the keys, putting on my coat or shoes) she's always looking for her cue, asking if she gets to go along. If she's told, "okay, you can go" her excitement propels her out the back door, in front of me; but her attention, even, in her excitement, is focused on me. Why? Because she doesn''t know what we're doing ~ whether we are going for a walk, going for a ride or just going to get the mail. All Chessie knows, is that she's getting to go and she's in full celebration, dancing at my feet, while she waits for her next instruction. In her celebration, she looks like she's saying, "I don't know what we're doing, but whatever it is, I'm doing it!"Lol. (Chessie's desire is to be with me.)

Chessie reminds me, in some ways, of my walk with the Lord! God doesn't always tell me what's next, like right now; I don't know what we're doing. He hasn't made the next step known ~ like Chessie, I have to wait on Him. But I can say, "Lord, I don't know what we're doing, but whatever it is, I'm doing it!" I can celebrate, while I wait, because He promises to be with me. I'm looking to Him for direction and wherever He is, is where I want to be! I want to join Him, in whatever He's doing. Like Chessie, I'm filled with excitement, complete gratitude, that I get to go WITH HIM!

I'm at a crossroads in my life ~ with my husband passing away, I'm looking to the Lord, with great anticipation, asking Him, "What's next?" My eyes are fixed on Him, looking for His cue, for His instruction and ready to bolt in any direction, at any invitation. I don't know what we're doing, but I'm ready!

I sense Him bringing closure, making ready for a new excursion ~ I see a new adventure on the horizon. You know, GOD"S GREATEST WORK IS DONE WHILE WE'RE WAITING! Though, we may be feeling impatient with the being still, and feel frustrated, as if nothing is happening, God is at work preparing a way for us ~ He's still at work!  God is going to establish me and only God knows how badly I need to be established! Lol. (Established means to be brought to a firm and stable basis.)

I want to go with God, to have the same trust that Chessie has in me; she has no concern for her life, everything is a celebration! She doesn't have to think about where she's going to sleep, what she's going to eat, what she's going to drink or whether she is capable of what we're going to do, she has no thought for her life. Chessie's every desire is to be loved by me and to go with me and be where I am, that's her total focus! There's a lesson that can be learned from her simple and complete dependence!

Zephaniah 3:17 says,
"The Lord our God is WITH YOU, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with is love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

Psalm 61:4 says,
"I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings."

Psalm 32:8 says,

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

Psalm 25:12 says,

"Who then is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him."

Psalm 16:7 says,

"I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is my right hand, I will not be shaken."

Psalm 18:32-33 says,

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer; He enables me to stand on the heights."

God has a plan, a way chosen for us, He delights in us and quiets us in His love. He will instruct us in the way chosen for us, He will counsel us and watch over us. Like Chessie, we can have no fear for the future ~ He is ALL we need! May God bless you and keep you and may you seek Him and find Him! He will lead you and provide all you need, when you put Him first! He delights in you!

Feet Of Clay That Changed The Mind Of God!

My favorite verse, my life verse, is found in the 27th chapter of the Psalms. Verse 8 says, 

'My heart says of You, "Seek His face!" Your face, Lord I will seek.'
There's nothing that makes my heart soar more than my relationship with the Lord. There's nothing I look forward to more than one day, actually, seeing Him face to face!  I love the obedience read inbetween these words, the quickness felt in the response, as if to RUN, it's an immediate reaction! It's with that quickness, I want my heart to turn to God, to seek His face (Presence)! Do you really think an intimate relationship with the Lord can make a difference in the grander scheme of things? Do you think your relationship is so personal and treasured by God that you could cause Him to change His mind? Check out the following passages!

Exodus 33:11 says, "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." (When you love someone, you cherish every moment spent with them and looked forward to it with anticipation!)

Exodus 33: 14-17 says,

'The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.' Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"And the Lord said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

I love Moses' request here, his reasoning makes sense. "How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?" God's Presence in our lives distinguishes us ~ it sets us apart from the rest. I want God to be seen in my life, I want God to go with me ~ I want Him to be known by others as a "God WITH US", as seen in me! We may be the only Bible some people ever read! I want God to be, not just  prominent in my life, but Preeminent! How about you? 

The Lord agrees to Moses' request, but I want you to notice why: God says, "because I am pleased with you and I know you by name". God agrees to Moses' request because He knows him personally, Moses is shown favor because God is pleased with HIM. A man with feet of clay, like you and me, face to face with a Holy God and then he changes God's mind! Let's back up this story a little bit and take a look at the impact Moses' relationship, actually, has on God's decision making process, at this point; it's, actually, pretty amazing!

God has made a covenant with His people, Israel; He has given them the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. He's explained more than once, MANY TIMES, in Exodus 19 -25, that they are to have no other gods before them, no idols, no gods of silver and gold. And in chapter 24 He calls Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the 70 elders of Israel to come up to Him. Again, as before Moses goes and tells the people all God has said and again they respond, "Everything God has said we will do." Verse 9 says, "Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the 70 elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself." (They, too, saw God!)

Then God calls Moses again, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction." Then Moses with Joshua, his aid, went up on the mountain with God ~ leaving Aaron and Hur in charge. God gives Moses all the instructions of the building of the tabernacle and all that is in it. "When God had finished speaking with Moses he gave him two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God." (Exodus 31:18)

Now, while Moses was gone, it says in Exodus 32:1,
"When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what happened to him." Remember, Aaron, has been doing all the speaking for Moses. And God, at this moment, is giving Moses all the instructions for the building of the tabernacle and Aaron is to be a priest. Aaron has seen all God's miracles as he's been with Moses every step of the way. Aaron, doesn't even argue, but says, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." So they brought them to Aaron and "he took what they handed him and made it into and idol cast in the shape of a calf".

So, this is what Mose finds when he comes down the mountain that has been in a fiery blaze above their heads, with the Presence of God! What were they thinking? (Especially, Aaron)

God tells Moses to go down that the people have become corrupt and quick to turn away from Him, "they are a stiff-neck people". In verse 32:8 God says, "Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you a great nation."

But Moses pleads with the Lord on behalf of the people: "Why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, "It was with evil intent that He brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth?" It says, in Exodus 32:14, "Then the Lord relented and did not bring on His people the disaster He had threatened." Moses has just changed the mind of God!

How powerful is your prayer life? How intimate is your relationship with God? An intimate relationship is more powerful than you think ~ draw near and see for yourself! God hasn't changed, He shows favor to those He knows by name! May God write the passion of His heart on the tablet of yours and mine! Revival begins with one heart turned toward God, may our cry, continually be, "Lord, let it begin with me!" I'm praying for you!!!