open our eyes

"And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened"

Matthew 20:32-33

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When we ask Jesus to open our eyes, He is filled with compassion. He lovingly reaches out, touches our eyes and they are opened.  And we receive our sight. 

When He opens our eyes, we see the depth of our depravity.

We come face-to-face with the wretchedness of who we are apart from Him.

We see our desperate need for a Savior.

When He opens our eyes, we begin to recognize the self-centered tendency of our nature. Our first thoughts as we rise in the morning, tend to be all about 'me'. As our eyes are opened, our awareness of Him increases and we realize the intense need for our focus to be all about Him.

Our thoughts transform from  'what am I going to do today', to 'what does God desire to do through me today'.

When He opens our eyes, we see more clearly the deep desperation of our need for his generous grace.

When He opens our eyes, we begin to see His Hand working in our lives. We begin to sense His presence more vividly and our longing for it intensifies.

We begin to see His Handprints everywhere we look.

When He opens our eyes we begin to see His wonder. His power. His fullness. His glory.

When He opens our eyes, we begin to truly experience Him. And a deepening hunger. And an increasing thirst. And a more desperate yearning for Him.

Our eyes are opened, our spirits enlightened and our satisfied souls then gaze upon our Lord and we are filled with awe.

And we pursue Him with a renewed passion and purpose as our eyes feast upon the only true nourisher of our soul.

Lord, that our eyes may be opened indeed.

breaking those ties that bind

I love God's perfect timing. I love how He works even when we don't think He is working or perhaps when we think we have closed off an area of our lives from Him to work in.

I first did Beth Moore's 'Breaking Free' about 11 years ago. Even though I have been a Christian since I was 9 years old, I didn't progress much in my spiritual life until about 5 years ago. Oh, I have the loved the Lord intensely for many, many years, but I just didn't quite grasp the difference between reading the bible and studying God's Word. Between loving Him and having an intimate relationship with Him.

So when I started studying about strongholds and captivity, I really didn't see the cords of the yoke that had me entangled back then. I didn't think I had any strongholds. Well, not of any significance. I looked back over my book from the first study and just couldn't believe how blind I was to some real captivity in my life back then. I definitely had the stronghold of ignorance! Or perhaps it was pride.

One thing I love about growing closer and closer to the Lord is how He reveals more and more of our imperfections as we grow. The deeper our walk with Him, the wider our eyes are opened to the truth of our depravity.  With our more intense seeking, comes the freedom from self-delusion. He will reveal His Truth to us so that we can begin to distinguish the Truth of His Word from the lies of satan.

"The LORD is near to all

who call on Him, to all

who call on Him in Truth"

(Psalm 145:18)

When I began teaching this study earlier this year, it didn't take but one homework session and I was just blown away at the captivity in my life! How in the world could I have been so blind? This statement really hit me square in the eyes and caused me to do some in-depth soul searching.

'A Christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God planned for her"

Oh, my.. I was a captive in the worse way. My life was not as abundant and Spirit-filled as Christ had planned for me. Not even close. I started right then by getting an index card out and making a list of the strongholds God was revealing to me. Of course, I wrote 4 of them down but didn't write one more that came to mind because, well, if I didn't write it down it didn't count. Right? Um... no. Wrong. It just meant that it would take God a little longer to deal with me on it and I would stay in bondage just a little bit longer than anticipated. Not a good plan.

We are nearing the end of our study and the other day I pulled out my card and glanced at it and realized that I was indeed, with God's help, breaking free from those things that are binding me and preventing me from experiencing true abundance in the Spirit. Except for the one thing that I failed to write down. Once again, God brought it to the forefront and I knew that it was time to deal with it. And so I did.

With the generous grace dispensed by my Lord, and with His Sovereign Hand leading the way, I was able to take that first step toward freedom in this area. It wasn't easy. It is a work in progress. But oh, it was so good. I felt a weight lifted off of me that was a long time in coming! I felt some freedom in my spirit that I hadn't felt in a while. I took another step in the journey with my Savior and took great pleasure in tearing down some high places in my life.

Each day is a new challenge, but I know that God is faithful. He wants us to quit cooperating with the enemy. He wants us to be free. He desires for us to experience the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life He planned for us. Our liberty in Christ is a reality!

My greatest desire is to bring honor to His Name. I want to be an instrument for His glory. I want to be a display of His Splendor. May He be able to say over me, "My Name and My renown was the desire of her heart."

~~~~~~~~~

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to walk in your ways. Thank you for the power of your Word and the presence of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for the freedom that comes from a life lived according to your commandments.

mixed emotions

"And the Word was made flesh,

and dwelt among us, and we

 beheld His glory, the glory

as of the only begotten of

the Father, full of grace and truth"

(John 1:14)

~~~~~~~~~

Like many other people tonight, I am sitting in a warm house, comfortably relaxing on my couch. As my husband and I watch "It's a Wonderful Life" the lights on our Christmas tree bring a soft, peaceful glow to the room. We are anticipating a wonderful day tomorrow with our children and grandchildren. The day will be full of fun and excitement. Joyful chaos will descend upon our household in the form of 6 amazing grandchildren.

Love will abound. God's goodness will be evident. The presence of our Savior will be welcomed and embraced.

We will enjoy good food and fellowship. We will have a good time giving and receiving gifts. We are abundantly blessed and generously graced by our Lord.

As I sit here tonight and think about all of this, I am struck by the reality that although many families will be experiencing a joy filled day as well, there are many families that won't have that privilege.

There is a family that is still mourning the loss of their 21 month old  boy just a few short weeks ago. A little boy that was full of life until a tragic accident at his house took his life.

There is a little girl named Jessica, who at age 4 was just diagnosed with cancer a few days ago. Tonight her family is in the hospital waiting for test results so the doctors can begin plans to treat the stage 4 cancer that is in this precious baby's body.

There is a family here in my town, that is still grieving over the loss of their 10 year old daughter, Zoe, in a car accident about a month ago.

There is a little boy named Skyler, who is 4 years old and battling leukemia with many complications. He and his mom are spending Christmas in the hospital. And they spent Thanksgiving there, too. And her birthday. And Halloween. In fact, little Skyler has been in the hospital since August.

There is a family whose little 20 month old twin girl, Evie, died in her sleep a little over 2 weeks ago. She evidently had meningitis and they didn't know it.

A precious lady named Cindy experienced the loss of her husband today as was swept home to be with the Lord.

It breaks my heart to realize that these families aren't sitting in their comfortable homes tonight, watching Christmas shows, drinking hot chocolate, enjoying the lights on their trees and anticipating a grand celebration of our Lord's birth tomorrow. Their precious children aren't nestled snug in their beds in new pajamas, with smiles on their faces.

Instead they are struggling with raw emotions of grief. Stark emotions of disbelief. Trying to get through another day with no bad news.  Trying to smile when they feel like crying. Instead they are cradling their little children as the chemo they are taking is making them sick. They are praying for a good nights sleep. They are praying for their children to just make it through the night. Some of them are gazing at the empty beds that should be filled with their precious children that are now in the arms of Jesus.

And my heart is heavy for them as they experience what no parent should have to experience.

But for the grace of God, any one of us could be in that same place in the blink of an eye. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. None of us are immune to tragedy. None of us exempt from suffering.

But the one thing we can know for sure is that we can place our hope in Jesus. He will never leave us nor forsake us. Even in our grief and our sorrow, He is there. He will cradle us in our sadness. Comfort us in our mourning. Give us peace in the midst of uncertainty. Embrace us with His sweet spirit. Where there seems to be no hope, there is God. When there seems to be no answers, there is God. When all appears lost, there is God.

As we awaken in the morning to our healthy families and overwhelming abundance, let's remember to say a prayer for those less fortunate than us. Let's pray for all those children that are battling life threatening illnesses. Let's pray for their parents as they try to remain strong. Let's pray for those parents still in shock at the loss of their precious babies.

Every day God gives us an amazing gift. The gift of life. Every blessing He bestows upon us is one not deserved, but one so graciously dispensed to us. God is so good. May we be ever thankful for the greatest gift He gave us in the form of a baby. His only begotten Son. Fully God. Fully Man. Born to be our Savior. Born to be the redemption for our sins. Born to give us eternal life.

Thank you, Father, for the gift of grace. May I never take lightly the sacrifice you made for me. May I be ever mindful of your infinite power and your unending mercy. You are everything to me and I love you with all that I am.

May the peace of God flood your hearts. May He be so evident in your life that He blows you away with His presence. May Jesus be the focus of our celebration.

 Merry Christmas!

fingermarks of God

The word 'sign' in this verse is from the Greek word "semeion" meaning 'a mark or indication that distinguishes a person from another'.

Much like our own fingerprints, which are unique and truly distinguish us from another, this babe - this Savior wrapped in swaddling clothes - bore distinct signs of His matchless identity.

This baby was born to be the King of ALL kings and the Lord of ALL lords. His birth was announced by a heavenly host of angels. A Star led the way to the place of His birth.

This Christ-child... this precious baby.... bore the very fingermarks of God. There was none that came before Him nor will there be any that could come after Him even remotely as unique and distinguished in this way.

This baby was conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. The very breath of God. The very diety of God. The great 'I AM' - wrapped in cloth, placed in the manger lovingly by the Hand of God. Leaving His fingerprints on the baby who would change everything.

A baby marked with grace and truth.

A baby marked as Savior of the world.

A baby marked as the only Son of God.

Unequaled. Unparalleled. Incomparable.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

And this shall be a sign unto you....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Merry Christmas to everyone! May the Lord minister sweetly to your hearts and may Jesus be the focus of our celebration!

Congratulations to Terry of http://www.adisciplesthoughts.blogspot.com/ - he is the winner of Warren's book! 

Joy, Roaring Lions, Book Giveaway...



* Books bring me much joy! I love to read and I just love getting new books. A few months ago, I bought the book Roaring Lions, Cracking Rocks, and other Gems from Proverbs by fellow blogger Warren Baldwin.  I have always loved reading from Proverbs but there have been times when I didn't always understand them and perhaps didn't always see a modern day application. Warren has taken these ancient sayings and so brilliantly applied them to our everyday lives. He has brought the book of Proverbs to life and given me new desire to dive into it with fresh awareness.

I love the way the book is set up. It is divided into 8 sections and each section is divided into short entries. I love using it as part of my daily devotion. I can read one at a time or I can read several, as time permits. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great devotional. 

When I purchased my copy of this book, Warren so graciously sent me an extra one to use in a giveaway.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will pick a winner from the comments sometime next week. 

You can visit Warren on his blog here and you can also read more of his wisdom laced posts at the Titus 2 in Action blog.

Thank you , Warren, for this great book inspired by the Holy Word of God.

* My granddaughter, Mercie, fills me with joy! She is so full of life and has such a sweet personality. There is nothing quite as sweet as her little arms wrapped around your neck and hearing her say, 'i wuh u, Nana'.  Last night she was riding in the car with me and her Papa and she was just amazed at all the Christmas lights. She was so excited and kept telling us, 'I see the 'tisamas lights! I do see 'em!'  I think that Jimbo and I got our hearts filled with much joy just from her delight.

* The Christmas story bring me much joy! I have been reading Luke 1 and 2 every morning for the past few weeks. Each time I read it, I feel an overwhelming sense of wonder in my heart. It still moves me to tears. It still fills me with awe at what my precious Lord did for me. May I never grow weary of reading about my Savior's birth and may it never cease to fill me with great joy.

* My granddaughter, Mikaela, fills me with joy! When she stays the night, we always spend some time together before bedtime reading God's Word and talking. A few nights ago, we were talking about getting crowns and rewards when we get to heaven for our works here on earth and how we would be able to lay these at the feet of Jesus. We were talking about how wonderful that is going to be and Mikaela looked at me and said, "Nana, I don't want to do good works just to get crowns and rewards, I want to do them because I love Jesus so much." Oh, my.. my eyes filled with tears and I could barely speak. I said, "Oh, Mikaela, me too, baby.. me, too."  Indeed, this eight year old child fills me with some JOY!

* My 4 grandsons bring me much joy! It has been so much fun watching these little ones grow. Boys are so different than girls and I have had the most fun experiencing all the 'little boy things' that I missed out on while raising 3 girls. Bryton, Sawyer, Eli and Silas fill me with great joy!

* Jesus fills me with much JOY! He is all I need. He is everything to me. I am so grateful for His presence in my life and I want to live my life totally surrendered to Him and His will for me. I am blessed beyond measure. I am overwhelmed at His goodness. I am so unworthy. He is my Joy.

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the lord."

(Luke 2: 10-11)



thankful thursday - God is so good to me

I love thankful Thursday's with Greg because it encourages me to take the time to really focus on the positive. It helps me put my mind on the many blessings that the Lord bestows on me daily. He is so good to me and I need this reminder not to take life and its goodness for granted.

1. I am thankful that my husband and I had a great mini vacation last week. We spent 4 days in New Orleans and really enjoyed just being together. 

We took strolls along the Riverwalk.

~~~~~

We enjoyed  a tour through the St. Louis Cathedral. I spotted it across the marketplace and was just so awed at the beauty of it.

~~~~~~~~~

When we walked in the sanctuary, the Holy Spirit was so thick. We just felt the sweetest presence of God in the church. It was just amazing. The mural on the ceiling was hand painted and it was absolutely breathtaking.

2. I am thankful that even my trip to the aquarium gave me a glimpse of the glory of God. It is hard to look at all the many different shapes and sizes of sea life and not realize how awesome God's creation is. From the beauty found in schools of colorful fish to the splendor of the rainbow of colors found below the sea. Everywhere I looked, I saw the magnificence of God's handiwork.

"The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork" (Psalm 19:1)

3. I am thankful that one day as we were walking on the Riverwalk, we came across an older man playing his guitar and singing. As we drew closer to him, I began to recognize what he was singing. "I'll fly away, oh glory, I'll fly away. When I die hallelujah by and by, I'll fly away". It was so sweet and I felt God's presence in that moment. As I dropped some money into his hat, I sang the chorus with him and was blessed beyond measure. God is so good to show Himself in obscure places.

4.  I am thankful that my 2 grandsons are home after 11 weeks in Wyoming! Bryton was so glad to see his cousin Mercie. They were so sweet and I am thankful that I captured this moment when they saw each other for the first time that day.

~~~~~~~~~

Eli and Bryton were happy to see each other as well. They kept calling each other 'buddy'. I am thankful that my girls are able to raise their children together and that the cousins are so close to each other. It really blesses my heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mikaela was so happy to see Sawyer - she couldn't believe how much he had grown!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aunt Megan was happy to get some good sugar from Sawyer.  She had really missed those fellas and was glad they were finally home.

5. I am thankful that Ashlie and her family are home. I missed them so much when they were away working. It just isn't the same without them here. I am thankful that God brought them safely back to Louisiana. He is so good!

6. I am thankful that little Silas got his first tooth! Even 6 grandkids later, that first tooth is still so precious to me!

"Be careful for nothing; but in

every thing by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests

be made known unto God"

(Philippians 4:6)

Thank you, sweet Lord, for your mercy and your grace. Thank you for your goodness and your love. You have blessed me in abundance and I am forever grateful.

in the silence of the night



In the silence of the night, a mother cradles the stark roundness of her stomach and lets out a soft sigh.

The stars that were shining that night, shone with an added measure of brilliance. Never before had they sparkled with such a glow.

The small stable she was in was nothing more than a tiny indention in a hillside. There was nothing fancy about it. Just a dirt floor with a scattering of hay and a few animals settling in for the night.

As the mother began to realize that the time had come for the baby to be born, she prayed.

In the silence of the night, she communed quietly with God. She knew that which had been revealed to her by an angel was about to take place. Her baby boy - the Christ child - would soon make His grand entrance into the world.

A baby was about to be born that would change everything.

A Holy hush fell over all of Bethlehem that night. The air was tingling with the almighty presence of God. It was heavy with the very fullness of His glory.

Heaven coming down to earth. The Word becoming flesh.

In the silence of the night, Mary rested against the hay. Joseph had readied a small manger and it was filled with tufts of hay. Ready for the infant to be gently placed there after His birth.

As Mary glanced at the empty manger, she tried to imagine the baby nestled deep inside. A baby who would be born King. A baby who would be called the Son of the Highest. The Son of God. A baby that she would call 'Jesus'.

The baby that would change everything.

And Mary smiled and whispered the same words to God that she had uttered that day the angel appeared to her many months before. "Be it unto me according to thy Word."

In the silence of that night, the tiny baby boy made His entrance. From heaven to earth. From God to man. He slipped into this world as an infant that was conceived of the Holy Spirit. Born to a virgin.

His small cries that night filled the whole earth. His mother gently swaddled Him, kissed the precious face of God and lovingly laid Him in the manger.

The Word had become flesh. The baby had been born. They baby that had been born to die. The baby who would change everything.

Full of grace and Truth.

Emmanuel

God with us.

Jesus.

Oh, come let us worship Christ the King!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary;
for thou hast found favor with God.
 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name JESUS." 
(Luke 2:30,31)

a furious love

"He that loveth not knoweth not God;

for God is love"

(1 John 4:8)

"We love Him, because He first loved us"

(1 John 4:19)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's an awesome thought to ponder the Love that our God has for us.

It's even more awesome to realize that He desires to have an intimate and loving relationship with us. In fact, He longs for it.

The late Rich Mullins described this longing of God as  ".. the reckless raging fury that they call the love of God..."

It's a furious Love.

And an even more furious longing. That is what Jesus has for us. He loves us with an all-consuming, unconditional, unfailing and tender love. A Love that is unimaginable.

And He longs for us to love Him with an unfathomable fury.

God is Love. It's who He is. There has never been a time when God was not Love. And He loves us with a Love unsurpassed by any other.

He loves us in our sin and in our repentance.

He loves us in our weakness and in our strength.

He loves us in our fears and in our courage.

He loves us.

No limits. No boundaries. He just loves us.

In tears and laughter. In sorrow and joy.

Our Father...Our Abba, loves us.

And in that place of His furious Love for us, we find our Love for Him.

A love of surrender. A love of trust and obedience.

A seeking and a yearning love.

A love that completes our longing spirits.

Because of His great Love for us, we are able to tap into that reservoir and have union with our God. A union of Love. An overwhelming, astounding and indescribable union with an awesome God.

And then we are swept up in the sweet embrace of God's fury and receive the unbelievable gift of His Love.

Praise you, Jesus, for your consuming Love. May we experience a reckless and raging longing to love you as you love us. May it be a furious love that knows no bounds.

my baby.... a prayer...

As I type this, I am waiting very impatiently for my youngest daughter, Ashlie, to arrive. After 10 weeks in Wyoming, she and her husband and their 2 precious boys began the long trip home early Monday morning. After 2 hard days on the road with a sick boy, they are almost home. To our home that is... Ashlie called and said that they were stopping here to spend the night and all day tomorrow with us. They actually live another 25 miles from here, but she is ready to see her mama and she said that Bryton has asked about his Nana the whole way home! I can't wait to wrap my arms around all of them. God has been so good and has given them traveling mercy. He has placed His healing hand upon Bryton. He has carried them and kept them safe. And I am ever so grateful to Him for His goodness and His unfailing love. Thank you, Lord, for all that you do. You are amazing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drink deeply from the well of His Word.

Let the springs of refreshment flow into the crevices

of your soul and eternally quench the

desperate thirst of your spirit.

Inhale the sweet aroma of His goodness.

Allow His fragrance to assail your senses

and fill you with great anticipation

of His presence.

Lean back against him and breathe in the amazing

sweetness of His mercy and grace

and rest in the peace that

only He can give.

Let Him minister to the most hidden

areas of your heart and begin the

restoration of your spirit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow

the LORD will do amazing

things among you"

(Joshua 3:5)

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Please go to Titus2 in Action and read my post there today!

they shall know...

"Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD." (Jeremiah 16:21)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There have been many times in my life that God has shown me His power. Many times that He has shown me exactly who He is, exactly what He can do and that His name is The LORD.  Many times that He has shown up in my deepest need and shown me His greatest grace.

This time last year, I had just brought my daughter, Melissa, home from the hospital. A week earlier, she had been diagnosed with P. Falciparum malaria and was admitted to ICU a very, very sick girl. She contracted this terrible disease while she was on a medical mission trip in Cameroon, Africa. While she was doing good. While she was serving the Lord.

During her illness and clinical trial treatment process, God kept His hand upon her daily.  There were many unknowns during this period of time. The doctors weren't sure of how she would respond to the experimental treatment. They weren't sure what the side effects would be. They weren't sure if she would suffer any long-lasting complications from the malaria. They weren't even certain that she would live.

God was so present in my life during this time. He was so real to me. His presence was so manifest in my life that I was astounded by it. There was a night when Melissa was in so much pain and so sick, I sat by her bedside holding her hand and singing to her. I prayed for God to reach down and touch her. And He did. She felt His hand stroking her head as she fell asleep that night. He showed up in that room that night and His mighty presence filled the room. His healing presence.

Many people have asked me if I ever wondered why God allowed her to get sick. Why didn't He just heal her immediately?

We don't always know the answers to our questions. God doesn't owe us any explanations. He doesn't have to defend His actions.

I know why Melissa was in ICU at precisely the time she was. I know why God placed me in that ICU waiting room at that particular time.

There was another woman in the waiting room with me during those few days. She was from south Louisiana and her 25 year old daughter was in ICU as well, with meningitis. We had spent several long days in the waiting room together, passing the time from one visiting hour to the next. We had spoken to each other briefly during this time, checking on each others daughters after each visit. After one visit with her daughter, she came back in the waiting room, visibly shaken. She was crying and I could tell that she needed some encouragement. I went over to where she was sitting and asked her if everything was alright. "No, it isn't", she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the doctors had just told her that her daughter had AIDS. And that she was in the end stages of the disease.

This precious woman had no idea that her daughter was battling this. This mother was hurting and she was scared. She was alone and she needed a friend. And I was there.

My husband and I prayed with her and talked with her for a while. She thanked us for being there for her during that difficult time and it was then that God showed me. He showed me that He is in all the details. He showed me that His grace is sufficient. He showed me that He places us just where we need to be for that moment. Just where He needs us to be.

If Melissa hadn't been sick, I wouldn't have met this amazing woman. If Melissa hadn't been in that particular hospital, I wouldn't have formed a bond with this woman and been able to minister to her at that time. For the next few days, we were two mothers concerned for their daughters. Two mothers, who most likely would never have crossed paths outside this hospital setting. Two mothers, sharing the pain that accompanies having a sick child. Two mothers from different places. Different circumstances. Different.

Two mothers sharing a deep love for their children. Two mothers desiring the healing Hand of God upon their offspring. Two mothers, able to say with confidence, that their daughters had a personal relationship with Jesus.

A few days later, I was able to take my child home. And although Melissa was in a weakened physical condition and still had many months of recovery ahead of her,  she was still home. And she was on the mend. God had reached down and ministered mightily to her body and was restoring her back to health.

My friend wasn't able to take her daughter home for several weeks. And even then, she wasn't in the process of recovering but she was in the process of dying. During the next few months, she and I kept in touch. I let her know every few weeks that I was praying for her and her daughter. I let her know that I cared and that I hadn't forgotten her or the hard times she was facing. In May of this year, her daughter breathed her last and went home to be with Jesus.

I know that this Christmas season will be especially hard for her. Her first one without her daughter. And God placed her on my heart once again. I let her know that I was praying for her still. I told her that I knew these next few weeks would be hard and that I would be lifting her up in prayer daily.  She thanked me for remembering her during this time. She let me know that God had been working in her life. He was becoming even more real to her and she was growing deeper in Him.

"I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD"

Thank you, Jesus, for doing what only You can do. Thank you for working even when we don't see it or understand it. Thank you for your Mighty Hand and Power. Indeed, You are LORD!

oh so thankful

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice." (1 Chronicles 16:8-10, NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are so many things that I have to be thankful for. Here are four of them... Eli, Silas, Mikaela and Mercie are definitely on the top of the list. I will be so glad when their cousins make it home from Wyoming and then this picture will be complete.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am thankful for the sweet smiles of baby Silas. He can certainly melt your heart with that face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am thankful for the fun that I had today as 3 of my grandbabies helped me decorate my Christmas tree. They did a wonderful job and my tree has never looked better! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am thankful for the laughter that bubbled up inside me each time I saw Eli wearing this hat and flashing me this big grin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And the sweetness of this moment when we realized Mercie had crawled up in Papa's chair and promptly fell asleep on him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And the hysterical laughter that accompanied a fun day Megan and I shared as I taught her to sew. She finally got the hang of it and with a little coaching from me, she made Mikaela and Mercie the cutest skirts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am thankful for all 3 of my daughters. Melissa and Megan are 12 months apart and I am thankful that they have always been good friends. They are missing their baby sister, Ashlie, terribly and are ready for her to be home. So is her Mama!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am thankful that Sawyer was OK after he fell and hit his head on their coffee table last week. Ashlie had to take him to the ER and he had to have stitches, but I am so glad it wasn't any worse than that. She sent me this picture from her phone while they were in the ER in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Poor little fella...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am also thankful for his big brother, Bryton. I am so ready to see these little fellas and am so grateful that the job their daddy is on right now is almost over and they will be heading home where they belong!

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God is so good. He has blessed me abundantly and I am so grateful to Him. There are so many things that we take for granted and I am determined to do my best to be more appreciative for even the small things. I am thankful that for now, my family is all healthy and able to be together.

My precious friend, Charlotte, was swept up in the arms of Jesus early Tuesday morning and ushered into her heavenly home for all eternity. She fought a courageous battle with cancer but God called her home and she doesn't have to fight anymore. She has been restored back to health. She is tired no more and she is free of all pain and suffering.  Charlotte is seeing our precious Lord face-to-face in all of His glory. Thank you, Lord, for the blessed assurance that we have of life eternal with You.

Ever thankful,
Beth

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Thanks, Greg!!

living it out.... and a giveaway!

I daresay that there aren't many passages of scripture that pack more punch than the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, chapters 5 through 7. Jesus' teachings in those few chapters cover much ground pertaining to how followers of Christ should live their lives.

Matthew 7:13-23 could be aptly titled 'The gospel according to Jesus'. These verses clearly outline what our lives as Christians should resemble. What our lives must resemble. Salvation is much more than just 'spiritual rescue from sin and death'. Salvation is obedience. Salvation is commitment. Salvation is doing the will of our Father.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21)

See, it's not just about acknowledgement of who He is. It's about doing the will of His Father. Our Father. It's about doing what God has instructed us to do. Salvation is not just the cleansing of sin, but a passionate and ongoing longing for Christ and His Word.

In fact the word 'does' in that verse comes from the Greek present tense and means 'to continually live in obedience'. Our faith is an active faith. Not just knowing it but actually living it out with our hands and our feet. Living it out with our lives.

We fall so short of what God requires of us. We are guilty of taking these scriptures as suggestions and not as commands. We fail to comprehend the timelessness of God's Word and fully understand just how applicable these words are to us even now.

The way that leads to destruction is broad. The way that leads us into Life is narrow. Jesus tells us that there will be few that find the narrow way. The broad way is full of so many choices. So many distractions. So many things that divert us from our destination. Too many and too much.

The way to Life is narrow. It doesn't leave room for anything but Jesus. Because the road is narrow, it helps us keep our attention and focus on Him. We need to keep our minds clear of distraction and keep them focused straight ahead and on Jesus.

When we get a heart full of Jesus, we will desire to be obedient. We will long to do the will of the Father. We will continually strive to live in obedience.

Service to the Lord will be a natural outpouring of our heart. We will become doers of the word. Unconditionally surrendered to all that we are and all that we have to all that He is.

And our faith will show itself in a changed life.

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"But that gift of grace involves the gift of a new heart. New desires. New longings. For the first time, we want God. We see our need for Him, and we love Him. We seek after Him, and we find Him, and we discover that He is indeed the great reward of our salvation. We realize that we are saved not just to be forgiven of our sins or to be assured of our eternity in heaven, but we are saved to know God. So we yearn for Him. We want Him so much that we abandon everything else to experience Him. This is the only proper response to the revelation of God in the gospel."   - David Platt, 'Radical'

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I loved the book 'Radical' so much. It was such an enlightening and heart changing book that I want to share it with one of you. Wednesday, I will randomly pick a winner from the comments on this post and send them a copy of this fabulous book!

Seeking Him continually,

Beth

things I learned...

Things that I learned this past week:

I learned just how much I miss these two little fellas. I miss them like crazy. Bryton and Sawyer have been in Wyoming with their parents for 2 months and my heart hurts with emptiness.  I never knew being a Nana could be amazing and I am so thankful that God has blessed me with 6 of these grand blessings for now.

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I learned how much fun it is to go to a 3D movie with your daughter and granddaughter. Melissa, Mikaela and I  had a great time watching 'Tangled' and getting to wear these cool glasses was just an added bonus.

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I learned that we can't continue in our childish behavior and expect to become more knowledgeable in our faith. As I read 1 Corinthians 13:11, the Lord showed me with new eyes that to be an authentic Women of God, we have to put away those childish attitudes and behaviors. Instead, we need to seek to increase our spiritual maturity by drawing closer to Him. In turn, our ability to discern those wrong attitudes will increase and our childish behavior will decrease.

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I learned that little Mercie reminds me so much of her aunt Ashlie when she was a  little girl.  Just like my youngest daughter, Mercie is full of energy and full of life. She brightens up each day. She has a smile that can melt my heart in a second.

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I learned that we don't stop pursuing God once we find Him. We continue to hunger and thirst for more. The more we know, the more we long to know.  Praise you, Jesus for that. I pray for an ever deepening hunger and thirst for more intimacy with and more knowledge of my precious Lord.

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I learned that Eli is about as 'all boy' as a little fella can get. He loves all things rough and tough. He loves rubber snakes and had the biggest blast with 2 of them he found at his Pawpaw's house on Thanksgiving day. He made me take pictures of him with these snakes in every possible position you can imagine. Eli is very affectionate and loves to hug and be hugged. A single hug from him can brighten up the darkest day.

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I learned that the last 8 years went by way too fast. Mikaela is halfway to being able to drive! It seems like just yesterday that I watched my little ladybug come into this world. I can't even believe that she is turning into such a young lady. She loves Jesus with all of her heart and loves to read her bible and study it. I am so thankful that she is on her way to becoming a young woman of the Word. Thank you, Lord, for being so good.

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I learned that the love you have for your grandyoungin's is an all consuming love that reflects the love you have for your own children.  It's so amazing to see your daughters mothering their children with such love and patience. It's amazing to see how God so graciously took care of our own children even though we made mistakes while raising them. He bestows such generous mercy and grace upon us as parents and upon our children. He can make all things beautiful and works everything out for the good.

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I learned that even though we don't see each other often, I still have such deep love for my sister, brother and mama. We had so much fun together Thanksgiving night. The waited on me to have lunch with Jimbo's parents and then drive 2  more hours to get to Shreveport by 5 o'clock. It was well worth the long day because we had such a good time. My sister is still recovering from her surgery, but is doing really well!

I learned that I still miss my daddy... Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday and it still doesn't seem right to celebrate it without him. This was our 17th thanksgiving without him. Doesn't seem possible. Doesn't seem right. But God's plan is the right plan and I am thankful that I have complete peace in knowing that one day, I will see my daddy again in heaven for all eternity. Thank you, my precious Lord for that assurance.

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I learned that I have a marvelous husband. He was so willing to let me go to Shreveport without him so I could see my family. Not all men are so understanding and I am thankful that God gave me a husband who loves me enough to allow me that freedom

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Christ will never be made

manifest to us if we don't

have an acute desire to seek Him....