"What are you thankful for today? Stop by Sonya's blog, Truth 4 The Journey, to find out how to share your gratitude and see what others are thanking God for today."

Today I am thankful!
1. I am thankful for my Heavenly Father!
1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

2. I am thankful that He loved me first!
1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

3. I am thankful that He provides for me.
1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

4. I am thankful that He protects me.
Psalm 37: 27-29 Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

5. I am thankful that He is preparing a place for me, eternally!
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

I pray that God will reveal to us who He is and all that He graciously does for us, daily!

WORD-FILLED WEDNESDAY

Please stop by AmyDeane's Blog for more words and images and consider joining her "Word-Filled-Wednesday" meme.


While waiting for my heart's desire, I sought the Lord for years. It was the hardest wait of my life thus far. At age 27, God brought His answer and satisfied my heart with Russell, a wonderful and godly man, who still brings me countless joys.

Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

I often forget the delighting myself in the Lord part. Sometimes I camp out at the second part- the desires of my heart. The Lord has reminded me time and time again that He is to remain my delight! So, today I purpose that again. Have a delightful day in our Lord!

THANKFUL THURSDAY

"What are you thankful for today? Stop by Sonya's blog, Truth 4 The Journey, to find out how to share your gratitude and see what others are thanking God for today."

Today, I am thankful for:

1. Focus on the Family- an organization that has helped my family and so many others

2. Our forefathers- those who died for the freedom we enjoy

3. Our military men and women today who still fight for our freedom and the freedom of others

4. THE TRUTH!!! I am thankful that we don't have to guess what is right and wrong. I am thankful that truth is NOT objective and NOT subject to our feelings or emotions. I am thankful that the TRUTH stands alone! I am thankful that Jesus is the TRUTH and that one day everyone will acknowledge Him!

5. I am thankful for how the Lord helps me each and every day in the smallest, yet sweetest ways. I am thankful for how much He loves me and how He has never, ever let me down. I am thankful that He knows my heart and cares for me. I am thankful that He leads and guides me and fills me with what I need for each day! I am thankful for His presence that never leaves me.

I am thankful that He loved me and called me when I was far away from Him! I am thankful for His unending pursuit of me. HE IS MORE MARVELOUS THAN WORDS!

WORD-FILLED WEDNESDAY

Please stop by AmyDeane's Blog for more words and images and consider joining her "Word-Filled-Wednesday" meme.

YES, JESUS CHRIST REIGNS! I am praying today that He will reign in all of our lives! May your experience His joy today! I love this picture, because it reminds me of the simplicity of our faith and the greatness of our God.

PSALM 97

1 The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side.

4 His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.

MONDAY MANNA

Welcome to Monday Manna. The purpose of this meme is to get together and get to know Christ more through His Word. The first and third Monday of each month, anyone who wishes can post their thoughts on a verse Joanne introduced at her blog the Thursday before. It doesn't have to be a long post -- just a few thoughts, a picture you feel helps express it, a poem, a short story, a devotional.

TODAY'S MANNA:
You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. Acts 22:15

Today I am reminded of how God can rescue ANYONE! Of course, I am an example, and my husband, and many more. But, I remember two stories in particular.

One weekday I was sitting at church in the foyer praying with another lady. A man walked up to the door and knocked. As he entered, he told us that he had some needs and came to see if the church could help. Most of all, he shared his amazing testimony. His Christian sister prayed for him for 17 YEARS before he surrended to Christ as Lord. WOW! Talk about perseverance.

I remember another time being at a teacher's workday. A lady came over and said hello. I went on a school trip with her years agowhen she was not walking with the Lord. At that time, she "thought" she was a Christian, because she went to church:) She had recently given her heart to the Lord and entered into a RELATIONSHIP with her Maker! She was a changed person indeed! Her whole countenance had changed. She thanked me for my "witness".

The interesting thing is that I often fight discouragement in sharing my faith. (Do people really care? Am I really effective?) Sure, I love to talk about it and believe we are all called to preach the gospel. And yet, this Scripture refers to BEING a witness. We often don't know how our mere presence, our character, and our ways affect those around us. My husband, in fact, came to the Lord in part because of a Christian man, who worked in the Navy. This man never shared his faith verbally. Russell just knew this man was different. His lifestyle and gratitude were starkly different from many of the others and Russell noticed.

So, don't underestimate the power of your life. We are witnesses without words. We are effective! God is at work, even when you don't see Him! We are His light and we are desperately needed in this dark hour. I find that as I connect with the Lord daily, I taste of His goodness again. I am recharged and so is my "witness".

May you see and hear of God's greatness and continue to BE a witness, always.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

"What are you thankful for today? Stop by Sonya's blog, Truth 4 The Journey, to find out how to share your gratitude and see what others are thanking God for today."

1. I am thankful for the Holy Bible. I heard someone refer to the Bible this way yesterday. It is holy and set apart indeed!!! It reminded me how truly blessed we are to have God's Word and to be able to freely read it! How awesome, too, that the Word is living and God can speak to us personally and individually through all circumstances of life.

2. I am thankful for my husband's sense of humor. He brings me a lot of joy, help, encouragement, etc.

3. I am thankful that we (Richmond, Virginia) should see the sun and warmer temperatures today. YEAH!

4. I am thankful for my blogging friends. You have given me so much encouragement lately.
I love reading everyone's blog and God speaks so much to me through them!

5. I am thankful for Church. I think I take the local church for granted sometimes. Since becoming a Christian at age 19, I have always had people there to disciple me. Since then, I have attended two congregations, at two separate times. Both congregations have had incredible Pastors who have cared for me! I am thankful that we are free to go to church without fear of losing our lives!

May it continue to be so! GOD BLESS YOU ALL TODAY!

WORD-FILLED WEDNESDAY

Please stop by AmyDeane's Blog for more words and images and consider joining her "Word-Filled-Wednesday" meme. NOW more than ever, people need a revelation of Christ. In praying for our country, I am praying the following Scripture. I pray Lord that we, the United States of America, would "learn that You alone are called the Lord, that You alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth- NLT" Psalm 83:18. Dear Christian friends, continue writing for the Lord and make His revelation clear! God bless you all today! Also, for those who saw my last template, would you let me know which you prefer? I changed the template. Thanks for the feedback. Also, please visit our new blog CANNOT BE SHAKEN. There we will discuss why we believe what we believe, witnessing opportunities, and world events.

THANK YOU and OVERCOMING DISCOURAGEMENT

I want to thank my two dear friends and fellow bloggers for this award. Please visit Kat and Heart 2 Heart and Sitka at All Gods Creatures. I would urge you to please check out Kat’s latest posts Good Friday, Solemn Saturday, and Sonrise Sunday. Kat’s writings are rich and deep and to be treasured. Sitka and family also have an amazing story to tell and a unique way to share it. You will be blessed by both blogs! I would like to pass this award on to Sharlyn at Dancin' on Rainbows. Her testimony is one of overcoming and growing closer to the Lord. I know you will be touched by her blog. Kat and Andrea, your words and encouragement were very timely, because I have struggled through some discouragement lately.

Here comes my transparency. This week I have agonized over the condition and direction of our country and legislation, all of which hang in the balance. I am deeply, yet prayerfully concerned for our nation. I have also wondered about my writing and my impact in life in general. Sometimes I long to do so much for the Kingdom and feel stuck in doing what seems small or insignificant.

My husband has reminded me it is not about how many people read my blog. (How is that for revealing my heart?) Nor is it ever about having a name, or fame, or accomplishing something considered “lofty”. God has encouraged me in many ways to just be faithful with what He has given me now! I have confessed and repented of comparison, jealousy, selfishness, and faulty measures. (YUCK, I KNOW!) I realize I do fall short of Christ and my only measurement is “Am I obeying and mirroring Christ?” He really does take care of the rest.

Today I had the privilege of sharing Christ with someone who is very close to surrendering his life to the Lord. I couldn’t help thinking if I gave up, how many people would go untouched or “unreached” for Christ. Certainly, the same is true for all of us. If we quit (on whatever God has), we surrender not only ourselves, but also those who we would have reached.

So, my determination once more is to be faithful and not give up, not on my writing, not on my season of life, and definitely not on our nation.

God also reminded me that each of us is driving a train with our own set of train cars. Each train car represents a season in our lives. Some train cars are flashy red and others grey and common. All train cars are important and necessary and together they get us to God’s destination. I used to think of the shiny car as the peak of my destiny. Now, I wonder. In men’s eyes the most visible or most well known are the shiniest. In God’s eyes, He looks deeper. I believe an obedient and humble heart shines brightest before Him. Ultimately, we do all have a deeper place to walk in regards to our giftings and our destiny. But, we cannot despise or judge the train car which now carries us to that place of greater fruitfulness. God doesn’t. In fact, He designed each train car for a specific and beautiful purpose! May the God of all encouragement help you to finish every good work that He sets before you!

I pray that you would be fruitful and further the Kingdom of God in your homes, your neighborhoods, our nation, and the world! Dream big and live wholly for the Lord! And, drive your train car. (After all is said and done, no one else can!)

"What are you thankful for today? Stop by Sonya's blog, Truth 4 The Journey, to find out how to share your gratitude and see what others are thanking God for today."

1. I am thankful for the physical health of my family!

2. I am thankful for my emotional health. I remember how emotionally messed up I was coming to Christ.

3. I am thankful for my husband's emotional health. He, too, was pretty rough around the edges coming to Christ.

4. I am thankful that my husband and I met each other after God had healed our hearts and lives. Two healed hearts has made for smoother sailing.

5. I am thankful for our spiritual health. "Easter", to me, is a picture of what God can overcome. Christ overcame EVERYTHING that we needed- He overcame our sin, our broken hearts, our broken minds, our broken bodies, and our broken lives. He rescued us from our pain, our destruction, our destination to Hell. Now we are Heaven-bound and heavenly-minded.

He is Risen indeed! Join with me this week and tell someone who is lost the Good News.
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" I Corinthians 15:55

Please stop by AmyDeane's Blog for more words and images and consider joining her "Word-Filled-Wednesday" meme.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

A THANK YOU POEM

You are the breath I breathe as I face another day.
You are the gentle whisper calling me to pray.

You are the soles of my feet that softly hit the floor.
The loving arms that bring me higher and cause me to want more.

You stand behind the moments that I love and treasure the most.
You are the reason for all my joy, the essence of my boast.

You are the in between for hours that don't seem to end.
You are the help in the twilight and the grace to which I bend.

You are my yesterday, my tomorrow, and all the in between,
You are the present, the eternal, in goodness known and seen.

You suffered, You lived, You died, and this I know for me.
Help me more fully appreciate the price that set me free.

You gave all for Love surrending to Your Father's care,
You finished the race, You overcame, my victory to bear.

For every beautiful act You have done or have yet to do,
I want an obedient heart to echo my Lord, I love You.

May my life reflect Your Glory and help Your Kingdom Come,
Whatever it takes to mirror Your Son, I ask, Your will be done.

Welcome to Monday Manna. The purpose of this meme is to get together and get to know Christ more through His Word. The first and third Monday of each month, anyone who wishes can post their thoughts on a verse Joanne introduced at her blog the Thursday before. It doesn't have to be a long post -- just a few thoughts, a picture you feel helps express it, a poem, a short story, a devotional.

Today's Verse: Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (NIV)

As I pondered today's verse another Scritpure came to mind. Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? (NKJV) These two Scriptures mirror one another and reflect our Christian walk and duty beautifully. Today I discuss them.

BE JOYFUL IN HOPE…. TO LOVE MERCY
God desires that we love mercy. When I forgive, when I use God’s talents within me, and when I prefer others, I find joy. In reaching out, I find the joyful life God has promised. No matter our circumstance, God’s desire to work in and through us. Through our fellowship with Christ, we can always find hope for ourselves and others, no matter the circumstance.
What reason to be joyful!

PATIENT IN AFFLICTION…. TO DO JUSTLY
God desires that we do justly. News flash! When we do justly and live righteously, persecution and trials come. But, remember we can still have hope and be joyful. We probably all can say that trials, problems, and persecutions are not our favorite things. But, aren’t they the very things that make us more like Christ and reveal what is truly eternal- hope and joy in Christ?

FAITHFUL IN PRAYER…. WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD
God desires that we walk humbly with Him. HOW AWESOME IS THAT??? Like Adam and Even before sin, we can enjoy constant and continual fellowship with God Almighty, The Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Emmanuel, the Lord of Lord, the King of Kings, Our Healer, Our Deliver, Wonderful, Counselor, and Redeemer! Realizing that Jesus alone makes that fellowship possible keeps us humble. Our first priority must be to connect with God through prayer. Our determination must be to stay connected through affliction and through times of ease. Whatever the season, whatever the circumstance, His Command to us is the same. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.

1. I am thankful for Heaven and that the best is yet to come.

2. I am thankful for my sweet husband, who is such a good husband and dad. He shares the house load, gives me alone time, and loves the Lord. God knew what I wanted and gave me even more!

3. I am thankful for vacations. My family will have a short get-away in May. THANK YOU JESUS!

4. I am thankful for the true meaning of Easter. I will never forget being 18 years old and talking with my college roomate. I was wondering if God was real and she suggested that I go to church. (Neither of us were Christians then.) Finally, at age 19 I did and the rest is... His Story!

5. I am thankful for how God answers prayer. My mother just went into the hospital and we all prayed she would have a private room. She had to share a room instead, which made me upset. My dad shared that in retrospect her sharing a room was actually better, because she had someone to be with when my dad was not there. It reminded us that God answers with what is BEST and not just what we want. My dad said her time in the hospital was like a well written Script. Thank you Lord! I also thank God that my mom is home and doing well!!!

"What are you thankful for today? Stop by Sonya's blog, Truth 4 The Journey, to find out how to share your gratitude and see what others are thanking God for today."

GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE. HEBREWS 12:20b.

I am so thankful that God was, is, and is to come. I am also thankful that He is able to consume what is not of Him in order that we may reflect Christ. So, it's not always a fun process, but by His grace, I pray we would each embrace His loving work within us. May you be blessed today by our Heavenly Father, who longs to be the beginning and end of all things. And please stop by AmyDeane's Blog for more words and images. Thank you Amy for creating this meme and your wonderful blog. And thank you photo bucket for supplying the above heart photograph:)