"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
-- John 3:16.
God is Love.
God loves you!
Enough said. =)
I love this time of year as it truly is the most wonderful!
A great writer by the name of Hamilton Wright Mable once penned, "Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."
Right on Mable! :)
This holiday season tends to bring out the best in humanity with classic, heart-stirring movies like It's A Wonderful Life, people being nicer to each other in the stores and on the street, kitchens filled with sweet scents of cooking and baking of holiday dinner favorites, school children happily giving gifts of cards and candy to each other and their favorite teacher, not to mention all the engagements, births and marriages which take place on Christmas Day! :)
Unfortunately, we don't always stay in these good spirits after December 25th. Most of us go back to our old routines and the gift of kindness is forgotten.
Enter, "My Grown-Up Christmas List," a song by a woman whom I believe is a kindred spirit :), Amy Grant! Amy's been making music for decades but this song of hers is by far, one of the very best.
Why? Because it engages the audience in a conspiracy of love. :)
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~Melody Beattie
Dear blog readers,
Happy Thanksgiving!
My grandma always says, "Gratitude will change your attitude."
On this Thanksgiving Day, I hope and pray that we will celebrate those whom we are thankful for and embrace the daily blessings God bestows upon our lives.
As you're feasting around the banquet table today, remember to ask God for an opportunity to share your faith in HIM! :)
I remember with great pleasure the day I created her… (Psalm 139:17).
I love her smile. I love her ways. I love to hear her laugh and the silly things she says and does. She brings me great pleasure.
This is how I made her… (Psalm 139:17)…I made her pretty but not beautiful, because I know her heart, and knew she would be vain. I wanted her to search out her heart, and learn that it would be me in her that would make her beautiful, and it would be me in her that would draw friends to her…(1 Peter 3:3-5)…
I made her in such a way that she would need me. I made her a little more lonesome than she would like to be…only because I need for her to learn to depend on Me. I knew she would go her own chosen way and forget me…her Creator… (Psalm 62:5-8)…
I have given her many good and happy things because I love her (Psalm 84:11, Romans 8:24)…Because I love her, I have seen her broken heart and the tears she cried alone. I have cried with her and had a broken heart.
Too many times, she has stumbled and fallen alone only because she would not hold my hand… (Psalm 56:8)…So many lessons she’s learned the hard way because she would not listen to my voice… (Isaiah 53:6)…So many times I have sat back and sadly watched her go her merry way alone only to watch her return to my open arms, sad and broken… (Isaiah 62:2)…and now she is mine again...
I made her…and then I bought her because I loved her (Romans 5:8)…I have to reshape her and remold her, to renew her to what I had planned for her to be. It has not been easy for her or me… (Jeremiah 29:11)…I want her to be conformed to my image. This high goal I have set for her, because I love her (Jeremiah 2:9).
~*~
Dear blog readers,
I hope you enjoyed the poetry above this message. I found it online a while ago and thought I'd share it with you.
This one goes out to all the girls...It's important to remember who you are and whose you are. You are a Child of God and you are His uniquely and wonderfully made princess! God loves you with all His heart and He wants what's best for you.
It's not easy to remember this when you're caught up in the standards society sets and how peers pressure you to be a certain way, to live a certain lifestyle here on Earth. When you're being pressured to conform, you need to remember again, who you are and whose you are. You are royalty, one of God's own! Live it!
Don't be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ! He's the one that keeps all of us-- girls and guys, women and men-- breathing, speaking, talking, living! Jesus loves you just the way you are and He wants you to live for Him. He's your Best Friend and Truest Friend, Savior, Redeemer and Creator all in one! And you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13)-- including going against the crowd and countering the mainstream of popular ideas and beliefs!
Know God for yourself--read your Bible, keep a prayer journal, truly delve into God's Word and the more you do, the more you'll see that God's way is perfect and He has the BEST plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11)...and the happier and more content you'll be!
Nothing like a song to drive a point home...Here's the official music video for the song, "Headphones," by Christian artist Britt Nicole:
May this message from Dr. Robert Schuller inspire you to pray to God with renewed faith.
GOD Always Answers Prayer
When the idea is not right God says, "No."
No- when the idea is not the best.
No- when the idea is absolutely wrong.
No- when though it may help you, it could create problems for someone else.
When the time is not right, God says, "Slow."
What a catastrophe it would be if God answered every prayer at the snap of your fingers. Do you know what would happen? God would become your servant, not your master. Suddenly, God would be working for you instead of you working for God.
Remember: God's delays are not God's denials. God's timing is perfect. Patience is what we need in prayer.
When you are not right, God says, "Grow."
The selfish person has to grow in unselfishness.
The cautious person must grow courage.
The timid person must grow in confidence.
The dominating person must grow in sensitivity.
The critical person must grow in tolerance.
The negative person must grow in positive attitudes.
The pleasure-seeking person must grow in compassion for suffering people.
When everything is all right, God says, "Go."
Then miracles happen:
A hopeless alcoholic is set free!
A drug addict finds release!
A doubter becomes as a child in his belief.
Diseased tissue responds to treatment and healing begins.
The door to your dream suddenly swings open and there stands God saying, "Go!"
-- Written by Dr. Robert Schuller.
~*~
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
When you think no one loves you, God loves you unconditionally.
So many times, people make the mistake of thinking they must be perfect and "clean" before coming to church or seeking God. It's comparable to trying to achieve physical fitness perfection without ever setting foot into a gym.
Dear blog readers,
You have a Creator. He is God.
You have a Redeemer. His name is Jesus.
You have a Comforter. He is the Holy Spirit.
My prayer for you today and always is that you will rest in God's love and know that you don't have to be perfect to come to Him. He wants you to come to Him just as you are. He knows all about your past, he cares about your present and He's ready to lead you into an AWESOME future!
Come to Jesus. Accept Him as your risen Lord and Savior and trust that the work which He began in you, He WILL perform it (carry it through completion)! :)
