Surprises can be good and some are just bad.
I just got a phone call from our pastor that one of the young women affiliated with our church by family member had a heart attack and is in the hospital. This is terrible as she has a young child and was planning to be wed-- I believe next weekend. God works in mysterious ways and we are trusting Him to work a miracle yet again in this young ladies life.
A time of a good surprise was when we were able to visit our family in Milwaukee, WI. They moved there to pastor a church. The church knew how much Dad missed us so they made plans to surprise Dad. He always knew everything before it happened, but this time was not so! He was very surprised indeed.
A middle of the road surprise was a time I made coffee for a special friend in my life. It was April Fool's Day! She was unsuspecting of my deviousness. I brought her the coffee and she took a HUGE gulp knowing it was going to be awesome. IT WAS NOT! I added salt instead of sugar. HAHA!! SURPRISE!
We have many surprises in our lives some good and others not so much. A surprise I enjoy daily is that while I was still a sinner Christ died for me. I have done nothing to deserve His love or act of kindness, but He thinks I am worth it. Some days I have to pinch myself because I know what kind of person I have been and still nothing I could do would ever equal deserving a place in Heaven EVER!
If you would like to reply with a surprise of your own... please do!
Enjoy your Easter! God bless...
Friday, March 25, 2016
I Am Alive
I am alive... well that's kinda obvious. Not really because many people are breathing and moving as to seem alive, but are not ALIVE in CHRIST. He is the only reason I am alive. He is the only reason there is be HOPE.
Today is Good Friday. Many people think of good Friday as the Friday before spring break or a day they get to get off work at some places. In all actuality it is the day that Jesus Christ died on a cruel Cross to save us. Save us from what you might ask... save us from an eternity without Him.
We can accept Him and believe in Him which will lead to an eternity with Him or we can reject Him along with those that wanted to kill Jesus because He made them uncomfortable with what He was teaching and His example.
My five minutes are up... Have a wonderful Easter knowing He died in your place so you could be with God for all eternity.
Today is Good Friday. Many people think of good Friday as the Friday before spring break or a day they get to get off work at some places. In all actuality it is the day that Jesus Christ died on a cruel Cross to save us. Save us from what you might ask... save us from an eternity without Him.
We can accept Him and believe in Him which will lead to an eternity with Him or we can reject Him along with those that wanted to kill Jesus because He made them uncomfortable with what He was teaching and His example.
My five minutes are up... Have a wonderful Easter knowing He died in your place so you could be with God for all eternity.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Grow Where You’re Planted
Have you ever stressed over what to do and when? Many times we do over such things whether we have control or not over that situation.
I have a friend that knows she has a calling to do something further in her walk with Christ but that next journey has not become clear to her. She could grow weary trying to figure it out and become antsy for the next step which clearly isn’t the time yet, but she has decided to grow where she’s been planted.
How can that be? Is she giving up on the journey that awaits her? No, most certainly not! She has come to trust her Savior & obey the one who is in control.
Ephesians 4:12-13 says; “We are to prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Titus 2:3-5 also states, “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” The chapter starts out with this to say, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.”
How is it that we can do this mere women that range in age and occupation from stay at home homeschooling mothers to mothers or ladies that work outside of the home? How can we make that kind of a difference?
You can make a difference by remembering you are where you are by divine intervention. We are in direct contact with others every day. There is someone that crosses your path on a daily or weekly basis that needs you.
Has God laid someone on your heart maybe you know the reason or maybe you haven’t a clue but you know God has asked you to pray on their behalf? Has someone called you for guidance lately and you are wondering why they called you?
Remember back to the scripture, we are to prepare Gods people for works of service so that the body may be built up until we ALL reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge.
You are where you are and until God moves you or changes your direction you are to Grow Where God Planted You. It may be for your own personal growth but it may also be for someone else’s growth with God. You may be at the crossroads in life not sure of what to do or where to go; one thing is for sure, with much prayer and reading the Word of God your next move will be as clear as a bell when the time is right. Gods timing is never late and never early, it’s always just right and on time!
Let us come together those young and slightly seasoned with age and wisdom, we have much to accomplish for the Kingdom of God as we grow where we are planted and wait upon the Lord to give us the guidance for future plantings!
You may not be in an area of service for your personality to blossom but as you serve think of Ephesians 6:7. It says, “Serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord, not men” and continues to say in verse 8 that “the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does.”
The Bible says, “to be filled with the Spirit knowing the Lords will, speaking to one another in Psalms, making music in your heart to the Lord, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, letting your conversations be full of grace seasoned with salt, and being mindful to encourage others of the hope we have in our Savior Jesus Christ.” If we remember to do these it won’t be that bad to grow where we are planted.
Life at WalMart Pharmacy
You meet people in the strangest of places and they are in your lives for as long as The Father desires.
We have used the pharmacy at WalMart for about as long as I can remember. Many years ago our son, Austin, had a terrible sore throat and begged to go to the doctor. THIS WAS NOT NORMAL! He like most adult men would rather die than go to the doctor. It was just before Thanksgiving. You can imagine. It was STREP! Off to the pharmacy we go. He is sitting in the buggy just feeling like crud when this worker comes up and starts talking to him. Little did we know then the relationship that just began. That was about 2005, I believe... if not 2004.
Through the years she and I have developed our relationship as well. She watched Austin grow and all the neat things he has been involved with. Over time I would share things about life or church and she would listen. One day after a quick visit in the isles of the pharmacy as I was walking away I hollered back at her, "Love ya!" At first I was like... where did that come from? I did love her as a fellow human and friend, but I was not sure what she would think.
A while back she told me of a serious time in her life that she was very stressed over. She said she was praying about it and I told erh I would also pray with her. She hugged me and after clearing our face full of tears she went on her way and I went mine. Since then we've visited as we run in and out of WalMart.
Yesterday, Thursday, we were in there again for refills and chatted up a storm. I asked her how she was... she is still in situation, but still praying. She said she tries to remember prayers from church to pray and hopes it's enough. My heart just exploded into my eyes and I reaffirmed that her prayers are enough. She needed to be reminded, like we all do at times, that if it''s from our heart He hears and is working on our behalf. We are His children and loves us dearly.When we cry out He works it out.
Our sweet friend at WalMart pharmacy is trusting God to work her dire situation out that only He can fix. God is faithful. Who knows why He put our paths together except that at this time in her life she could have someone she could share with and believe what was shared in return.
It's all about the relationship. If they know you... they know you care. They know you are genuine. I am thankful that God put a yield sign there that day long ago instead of keeping our paths parallel.
We have used the pharmacy at WalMart for about as long as I can remember. Many years ago our son, Austin, had a terrible sore throat and begged to go to the doctor. THIS WAS NOT NORMAL! He like most adult men would rather die than go to the doctor. It was just before Thanksgiving. You can imagine. It was STREP! Off to the pharmacy we go. He is sitting in the buggy just feeling like crud when this worker comes up and starts talking to him. Little did we know then the relationship that just began. That was about 2005, I believe... if not 2004.
Through the years she and I have developed our relationship as well. She watched Austin grow and all the neat things he has been involved with. Over time I would share things about life or church and she would listen. One day after a quick visit in the isles of the pharmacy as I was walking away I hollered back at her, "Love ya!" At first I was like... where did that come from? I did love her as a fellow human and friend, but I was not sure what she would think.
A while back she told me of a serious time in her life that she was very stressed over. She said she was praying about it and I told erh I would also pray with her. She hugged me and after clearing our face full of tears she went on her way and I went mine. Since then we've visited as we run in and out of WalMart.
Yesterday, Thursday, we were in there again for refills and chatted up a storm. I asked her how she was... she is still in situation, but still praying. She said she tries to remember prayers from church to pray and hopes it's enough. My heart just exploded into my eyes and I reaffirmed that her prayers are enough. She needed to be reminded, like we all do at times, that if it''s from our heart He hears and is working on our behalf. We are His children and loves us dearly.When we cry out He works it out.
Our sweet friend at WalMart pharmacy is trusting God to work her dire situation out that only He can fix. God is faithful. Who knows why He put our paths together except that at this time in her life she could have someone she could share with and believe what was shared in return.
It's all about the relationship. If they know you... they know you care. They know you are genuine. I am thankful that God put a yield sign there that day long ago instead of keeping our paths parallel.
Sharing the Path Together
Welcome to the weekend!
This weekend we will SHARE time with one of our favorite families. Their son turned 17 on the 9th. He is 3 weeks older than our son. These two boys have grown up over the past 11 years together.
When you think of people in your life that you can't wait to share time with... what about them draws you to them in the first place?
It was ALL GOD! In the beginning it was all His plan. The mom and I were at a meeting that she usually did not attend and I just had the urge to speak up about how Cub Scouts really impacted my son's life. She was so moved, the family had to check it out. From then till now our two families have been connected at the hip as they say.
God is good and knows what He is doing even in putting people in our lives.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOGAN!
This weekend we will SHARE time with one of our favorite families. Their son turned 17 on the 9th. He is 3 weeks older than our son. These two boys have grown up over the past 11 years together.
When you think of people in your life that you can't wait to share time with... what about them draws you to them in the first place?
It was ALL GOD! In the beginning it was all His plan. The mom and I were at a meeting that she usually did not attend and I just had the urge to speak up about how Cub Scouts really impacted my son's life. She was so moved, the family had to check it out. From then till now our two families have been connected at the hip as they say.
God is good and knows what He is doing even in putting people in our lives.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOGAN!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)