Don't let anything worry you today! Listen to what scripture says about the grip that God has on us once we become His:
John 10:27-30 – The Bible (KJV) – "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one."
I have lost many things in my life. The worst time happened to be in the Sears store located at the Capital City Mall in 1974. Joel and I had stopped briefly beside a washer and dryer set just to dream a little!! How is it that salesmen come out of nowhere when you don't really need them??? As we tried to explain to the helpful man that we were really just looking, I realized that Kelly, our 2 year old daughter was no longer beside me.
My fears ramped up when I noticed a set of automatic doors right next to the display. Those doors led directly out to the mall parking lot and it had already become dark outside. As I began to hyperventilate, the salesman ask if we should make an announcement over the loud speaker about a missing child. At first I said no, because that meant that our daughter was REALLY lost.
Very soon I heard, "We have a missing two year old little girl. She is wearing green shorts and a yellow shirt. She has brown hair, and her name is Kelly. If you see her, please bring her to the Appliance section of Sears where her parents are waiting." As I listened, that's when the tears began to fall and the guilt was almost unbearable. Why hadn't I held more tightly to her hand? Why had I let myself be distracted?
Immediately after the announcement, we heard this tiny little voice saying, "Mommy. Daddy." And, the voice was not that far from us. We responded to her and told her to keep calling our names. We found Kelly trapped between two storm doors that were on display in the area. They had been bolted together with just enough room for a two year old little girl to open the door and walk in. The door had closed with her arms pinned to her side, which made it impossible to reach up and let herself out. It took her father to open the door and release her.
The Scripture from John promises that God is not as unmindful of His responsibility to us, as I was with my daughter. He will not be distracted. His grasp is strong, and He will not release our hand from His grip. Once you place your hand in His, He will hold on until eternity is yours. So, let go of your worry about the world and its uncertainties! When you fully grasp the Truth of these verses, you will be free to live your life for Christ, with the purpose of sharing this Truth with all you meet!
Nobody Told Me
Available January 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
How Do You View Your Cup???
The optimist says, the cup is half full. The pessimist says, the cup is half empty. The child of God says, my cup runneth over.
(from Kristy House Snyder, a former student)
That's what Kristy posted this morning on Facebook. That's a big reason why I love being on this social network. It gets a lot of criticism, but many days I am caused to think about my own Christian walk, and attitude. Today was one of those days!
How do people see me as I view what I've been given by God? I'm pretty sure that my friends would say that I am an optimist! My husband tells me that I live with my head in the clouds, and not in reality. I always see the best in every situation. God has a plan. And, I always thought this was the best way to look at things. UNTIL TODAY!
Kristy's statement caused me to reconsider! It's not only good to be an optimist, but my cup should be "running over". The state of mind that creates this response can only be a reaction to the realization that God has blessed me beyond what I deserve.
(from Kristy House Snyder, a former student)
That's what Kristy posted this morning on Facebook. That's a big reason why I love being on this social network. It gets a lot of criticism, but many days I am caused to think about my own Christian walk, and attitude. Today was one of those days!
How do people see me as I view what I've been given by God? I'm pretty sure that my friends would say that I am an optimist! My husband tells me that I live with my head in the clouds, and not in reality. I always see the best in every situation. God has a plan. And, I always thought this was the best way to look at things. UNTIL TODAY!
Kristy's statement caused me to reconsider! It's not only good to be an optimist, but my cup should be "running over". The state of mind that creates this response can only be a reaction to the realization that God has blessed me beyond what I deserve.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Musings on a Nuthatch
As I was sitting at my normal spot today at Winebrenner Seminary, Jeannine Grimm joined me at the table. While we were discussing various things, Jeannine turned my attention to a tiny nuthatch that had attached itself to the brick wall outside our window. It seemed perfectly content to cling to the wall with no apparent fear, or stress about its precarious position. The only objects keeping that little bird from falling were the pointed claws at the end of each foot. After a few minutes it merely launched itself away from the brick wall, and continued on its way to another perch.
It wasn't until much later that my thoughts returned to that nuthatch. That small bird seemed to defy gravity as it rested while attached to the brick. It obviously had done this before, and had learned to trust the way it was created. God had designed the bird to use its claw, in such a way, that they could support him with very little effort.
I was designed by God with certain abilities. What plagued me after I began thinking about the nuthatch was, "Do I TRUST what I have been given by God enough to fearlessly go where I might find myself in a precarious situation?" Am I willing to take the message of Christ to those who might disagree with me? Would I speak courageously on His behalf? Could I step out in faith even if it looks like I could fall flat on my face?
God can speak Truth to us through every part of His creation. Be aware of your surroundings today, and search for what lesson He might be trying to teach you.
It wasn't until much later that my thoughts returned to that nuthatch. That small bird seemed to defy gravity as it rested while attached to the brick. It obviously had done this before, and had learned to trust the way it was created. God had designed the bird to use its claw, in such a way, that they could support him with very little effort.
I was designed by God with certain abilities. What plagued me after I began thinking about the nuthatch was, "Do I TRUST what I have been given by God enough to fearlessly go where I might find myself in a precarious situation?" Am I willing to take the message of Christ to those who might disagree with me? Would I speak courageously on His behalf? Could I step out in faith even if it looks like I could fall flat on my face?
God can speak Truth to us through every part of His creation. Be aware of your surroundings today, and search for what lesson He might be trying to teach you.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
New Growth
Living in Northwest Ohio means that flowers are just beginning to blossom. Each year I am totally amazed to watch the green shoots push up from where they've been dormant all winter. Our hyacinths and daffodils are in bloom, and by next weekend, the tulips should be displaying their colors to the neighborhood. Not far behind will be the tree blossoms that create a tunnel affect over our sidewalk.
New life......I'm seeing signs of newness in every yard that surround our house. It takes certain conditions for the plant to renew themselves and display their beauty.
What brings about "new life" in me? It's obvious that there are points in my life where I crawl into a dark place and become "dormant". Let's look at what brings new life in Spring flowers because the two are very similar:
* warmth
* fertilizer
* water
* removal of weeds
* the sun
WARMTH: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some of you are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
FERTILIZER: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV)
WATER: "Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4: 13-14)
REMOVAL OF WEEDS: "Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 'The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. 'The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30)
THE SUN (SON): "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
If you want to renew your life, you must have warmth through fellowship, nourishment through the Word, refreshing living water from daily contact with Christ, removal of sin through repentance and forgiveness, and finally, the Son as Lord of your life. This is a daily choice. As the chorus says:
In the morning when I rise / In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise / Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus / Give me Jesus
You can have all this world / But give me Jesus
And when I am alone / Oh, when I am alone
And when I am alone / Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus / Give me Jesus
New life......I'm seeing signs of newness in every yard that surround our house. It takes certain conditions for the plant to renew themselves and display their beauty.
What brings about "new life" in me? It's obvious that there are points in my life where I crawl into a dark place and become "dormant". Let's look at what brings new life in Spring flowers because the two are very similar:
* warmth
* fertilizer
* water
* removal of weeds
* the sun
WARMTH: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some of you are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
FERTILIZER: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV)
WATER: "Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4: 13-14)
REMOVAL OF WEEDS: "Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 'The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. 'The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30)
THE SUN (SON): "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
If you want to renew your life, you must have warmth through fellowship, nourishment through the Word, refreshing living water from daily contact with Christ, removal of sin through repentance and forgiveness, and finally, the Son as Lord of your life. This is a daily choice. As the chorus says:
In the morning when I rise / In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise / Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus / Give me Jesus
You can have all this world / But give me Jesus
And when I am alone / Oh, when I am alone
And when I am alone / Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus / Give me Jesus
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Fresh Snow
Snow brings me so much joy! I'm not sure why I am such a snow freak, but when Joel and I lived in upstate New York we would get 240 inches of snow a winter and I still wanted more!!
Watching falling snow brings me a sense of peacefulness, too. A pleasant quiet settles over everything. I'll never forget having all of the grandchildren in Ohio for the Christmas of 2009. Caleb and I were standing looking out the dining room window at new snow that had blanketed the grass, sidewalks, and street overnight. I had just started to walk away when Caleb shouted, "Nana! I think there's a fox out in the middle of your street!" Sure enough, the most beautiful red fox trotted up the street enjoying the fresh new snow.
There are many of us today across the middle and upper northwest of the nation that will be recipients of God's creative hand. Join me in marveling at these amazing crystals of frozen water that cover everything with shining diamonds. As the hymn says:
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Watching falling snow brings me a sense of peacefulness, too. A pleasant quiet settles over everything. I'll never forget having all of the grandchildren in Ohio for the Christmas of 2009. Caleb and I were standing looking out the dining room window at new snow that had blanketed the grass, sidewalks, and street overnight. I had just started to walk away when Caleb shouted, "Nana! I think there's a fox out in the middle of your street!" Sure enough, the most beautiful red fox trotted up the street enjoying the fresh new snow.
There are many of us today across the middle and upper northwest of the nation that will be recipients of God's creative hand. Join me in marveling at these amazing crystals of frozen water that cover everything with shining diamonds. As the hymn says:
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sharing the Best
I would like to hear from Pastors' Wives concerning the best parts of being in the ministry with their spouse. Also, if you are a male, whose wife is the Pastor, I would love to hear about your experiences.
My favorite part of the ministry was watching someone grow in their relationship with Christ. I especially enjoyed seeing a person, who may have previously denied any interest in Christianity, have a moment where it became all too real to them who Christ was.
I had a very close friend that had requested that I never bring up the subject of faith because she was not a believer, and felt that there was no need for that in her life. I agreed to what she asked, and we never spoke about the faith issue, I just lived my life, and treated her as Christ would have. It was five years into our friendship, when she told me very excitedly that she and her husband had accepted Christ - I didn't even know they were attending church anywhere!
It was incredible to be with her from week to week, and see the joy of discovery! Every Bible story was new to her, and she couldn't get enough of it! She would grab my hand and say, "Do you know about Jonah and the whale?" Her joy was contagious!
For all of the stressful parts of the ministry, this was my favorite!
My favorite part of the ministry was watching someone grow in their relationship with Christ. I especially enjoyed seeing a person, who may have previously denied any interest in Christianity, have a moment where it became all too real to them who Christ was.
I had a very close friend that had requested that I never bring up the subject of faith because she was not a believer, and felt that there was no need for that in her life. I agreed to what she asked, and we never spoke about the faith issue, I just lived my life, and treated her as Christ would have. It was five years into our friendship, when she told me very excitedly that she and her husband had accepted Christ - I didn't even know they were attending church anywhere!
It was incredible to be with her from week to week, and see the joy of discovery! Every Bible story was new to her, and she couldn't get enough of it! She would grab my hand and say, "Do you know about Jonah and the whale?" Her joy was contagious!
For all of the stressful parts of the ministry, this was my favorite!
Getting Fit in the Right Places
Yesterday's sermon was focused on 1 Timothy 4:6-16. There was one verse that jumped out at me as the scripture was read - verse 8 says, "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" (NIV, 2192). I started to think about how many of my friends have become very engrossed in fitness and weight loss due to the increased media attention on staying healthy. If you look at Facebook posts, there are quite a few folks that are chronicling their miles run and pounds lost. Don't get me wrong - I'm not against this. In fact, I write about it myself in the daily status reports.
What is important to note from verse 8 is that physical training is for this world only, but training our minds and hearts for Godliness benefits us for eternity! There should be "spiritual fitness gyms" springing up all over our country! Oh....wait a minute....I think they already exist....they're called CHURCHES!! Maybe if we called them Spiritual Fitness Centers, charged memberships, and had T-Shirts for sale, maybe people would flock to them, and join.
My attendance in Sunday School builds my faith muscles, and provides the necessary vitamins to nourish my mind, and my heart. Being present during Worship fills me with praise and joy, and, by God's design, causes me to respond to the Holy Spirit's presence. This "filling up" of the Spirit of God allows me to take on the problems and stress of my life, just as much as exercise prepares your body for physical requirements.
Today is the day to tighten the muscles of my relationship with Christ. Lord, help me to run the race so that I can be fit for the Kingdom!
What is important to note from verse 8 is that physical training is for this world only, but training our minds and hearts for Godliness benefits us for eternity! There should be "spiritual fitness gyms" springing up all over our country! Oh....wait a minute....I think they already exist....they're called CHURCHES!! Maybe if we called them Spiritual Fitness Centers, charged memberships, and had T-Shirts for sale, maybe people would flock to them, and join.
My attendance in Sunday School builds my faith muscles, and provides the necessary vitamins to nourish my mind, and my heart. Being present during Worship fills me with praise and joy, and, by God's design, causes me to respond to the Holy Spirit's presence. This "filling up" of the Spirit of God allows me to take on the problems and stress of my life, just as much as exercise prepares your body for physical requirements.
Today is the day to tighten the muscles of my relationship with Christ. Lord, help me to run the race so that I can be fit for the Kingdom!
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