Gift too wonderful!!!

A gift too wonderful for words! Have you ever received a gift like this? Yes, whether you realize it or not...

Little babies come into this world totally dependent on human parents to tend their every need. Food, health, total well-being placed in the hands of two people. Imagine, Our Savior entered the world the same way. Totally dependent on two human parents to see after His every need. Jesus could have come into this world with all of His power and might, but instead He entered like us.

When I happened upon 2 Corinthians 9:15 this morning ~ Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! I love God's timing...I used this scripture last night teaching at the Rescue Mission Shelter with the women to remember the best gift we ever received. It wasn't a random gift. It wasn't a deserved gift, instead it was definitely a gift we will never deserve, we can never earn, it is one received only because of God's grace...The Gift of Jesus! Imagine, being Mary or Joseph for a moment knowing they are rocking the Messiah, the Savior of all. Imagine, feeding baby Jesus. It definitely brings to mind the video Mary Did You know...

During this holiday season definitely remember to give thanks for the greatest gift you ever received that is way too wonderful for spoken or written words! Thank you LORD!

Sweet Blessings,
Debbie

A written letter

I still love to go to the mailbox and find a handwritten note from a friend or loved one. Absolutely, nothing like a handwritten note to let you know that someone cares about you. Especially in the world today! After all, who takes the time to write a note, find the address, spend .44, and drop it in the mail? You know you matter when you get a note like this in your mailbox!

Today, when I read 2 Corinthians 2:3 ~ Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. It hit me...are we? Are we a letter from Christ to that hurting woman that reminds her that He sees her? Are we that encouraging word from Christ that is will be okay? Are we that note that says you matter to that child that is hurting? Are we that long awaited word that they are never ever alone that Christ is always with them? Are we that letter that the world needs so badly? Are we the letter that our friend needs to hear from?

I was feeling pretty good in some situations and failure in others after all I am human and I came to 2 Corinthians 4:7 and was reminded of something very important...

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves...We are fragile, but we can be the light to another. We can write the letter or provide the hug with the reminder that Christ indeed loves each of us!

Run to receive your letter and let your light shine! Write someone that God places on your heart a note today and remind them that God loves them and so do you!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Beautiful?

Romans 10:15 ..."How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!

This scripture got me to thinking about feet. Feet are not my favorite part of another person's body...When I read this scripture today...it hit me! Without another person's feet walking, running, or just moving towards another to share God's Word where would we be?

LOST!

It takes a lot sometimes to share God's Word with another. We have to trust God and step out of our comfort zones and that's not always easy. At least, the stepping out of our comfort zone is hard. What if we don't? What if it is our job to share God's Word with another and we don't take our opportunity? What if we are the person placed in someone's path and we take a pass?

I decided that I love the feet of the brave people that indeed share the good news! We need feet of brave people to get the word out about OUR SAVIOR and that indeed makes their feet beautiful!

So get your feet moving, so that they may be called beautiful by Our LORD!

Sweet Blessings,
Debbie

Giving up control...

Anybody else have control issues? I know I do, but I listen to other people's conversations and they don't realize they do...I'm like did I just hear that right?

Today's reading was great from Romans. I was particularly drawn to Romans 8 and how letting the Spirit control our thoughts leads to life and if we control our thoughts it allows our sinful nature to come through...think about your last control issue, isn't that true? Not my prettiest image, but it's true...

If we allow our control issues that lead to our sinful nature then we will never please God! OOPS!

I loved the picture that I selected today for peace...Sit back, let go and read this scripture...But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Do you need a little peace? Do you want to enjoy peace shown in this picture then step back and let the Spirit control your journey!

Sound easy? Well, it isn't, because of the devil...The devil works to enter through the smallest crack and begin sinful thoughts entering our peaceful minds, but we can stop him cold...just call on Jesus and The Spirit to lead you right at that moment. The moment that you feel that nasty, evil thought coming through or peeking through say Jesus help me! Spirit take control over my mind.....

Today, allow the Spirit to control your mind so that it will lead you to life and peace or a peaceful life...Not always easy, but a Spirit of it's well with my soul!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sweet Blessings,
Debbie

Play with all you got!!!!

Today's reading from 1 Corinthians 14:7-8 grasp my attention right off -- Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. And if the bugler doesn't sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle? How many times have you gone to church and heard a message and thought what did that mean? Did you feel like you were on another planet perhaps? Did you feel like it was in a different language?

I loved the photo today...this little girl is playing with all she's got...She's putting everything she's got into that instrument...at least in the photo!

The original word for lifeless was the Greek word 'aayuxou, without soul! How often do you hear a speaker speak about God in a monotone, no light showing and you wonder how can you speak about the Savior of the world without life or without their very soul being a part of the talk? I thought the words Paul used today spoke so well to this topic...if we sit down to play an instrument and we play it perfectly, but without order,harmony, or tone and we just make sounds is that making music? or when the bugler calls the soldiers to fight and he plays a new song that isn't calling them to fight...how will they know????

If we are speaking to new or perhaps unbelievers without soul how will they understand? or if we are speaking in words that make no sense to anybody but the "in crowd of Christians" (so to speak) how will that work? It turns others away... When will we get it that we need to speak or walk the life like this little girl playing the piano with all we have got????!!!!!

Go out today and use your soul! Play it with all you've got!!!

Sweet Blessings,
Debbie

For the Glory of God...

God's glory! I share these pictures with you that I took in October at our cabin in the mountains of Colorado. Every morning I wake up and hurry to see what splendor God has in store for me and all who look at the mountains and see HIM everywhere! During the span of ten days we went from the golden aspens to the snow in the mountains and the view is of the same view from the porch...God is so awesome.

I remember standing how can I explain to my friends this beauty, so I ran and got my camera to share God's glory...Where do you see God's glory are you sharing it? Are you telling your friends and family?

Have you witnessed a miracle? Have you witnessed a healing? Have you witnessed an answer to prayer? Have you told anyone? Today from 1 Corinthians 10:31, we are told whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. So, today whatever you do - do it for the glory of God!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Worthy of His Call!

In the reading today from 1 Thessalonians 1:11-12 it just jumped at me... we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. WOW! Are we ever worthy? Only through HIM are we made worthy!

Today,the lesson at the mission was on love. It was so moving the women talked about why they felt unworthy of love. Why they felt less than for someone to love...the list goes on and on. It was so sad and yet God very much moved in that room reminding them of HIS LOVE and that through His love they were indeed worthy! I love the way God shows up through one on them, His Word, an activity, but He always shows up during this special time together. I believe the women felt HIS love today! They were emotional and touched in only a way God touches!

God gives us everything we need to serve HIM and to accomplish good things and honor HIM through the way we walk. It made me thing and hang my head in shame about the times that I don't honor Him with my walk. The times I get angry and I say something I should never utter or perhaps the times I allow unforgiveness to hurt HIM by my actions...My actions could hurt HIS KINGDOM and I hang my head in shame, but this doesn't honor Him either. I need to admit the errors in my actions and let HIS Glory shine through my errors! He uses it all while HE supplies grace, grace, grace!

Accept the gift of salvation and allow him to continue to supply all the grace and goodness after all it is His gift to us, so that we might help others, so that all of us might honor HIM!

I loved the picture today! Stand out and look different like the picture for HIM...

Sweet Blessings,
Debbie

Healing, do you need it?

Today, I felt the Lord leading me to share this post with everyone and get off the chronological reading to encourage others. I want to share a blog with you all that you might read and comment on - http://thewritelife2.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/a-good-attitude-is-a-terrible-thing-to-waste/#comment-1387 . Nikole was one of the women that was kind enough to share my book with her blogging friends and yesterday she wrote about healing. She is a powerful writer that makes you think!

I read her post last night and was reminded of my own journey and it was a powerful moment. A moment to remember that my desires are not always the path or plan that God desires for our journey. I want to pose a question for you...If you think back over your life and the path you take how much of it would you change really? After all, the path is your life. I struggled last night posing the question to myself would you change things or leave things alone, if you could have the child you desired. I couldn't sleep and I sit here this morning telling you I would leave things the way they are in my life. I know that it was God's plan and through acceptance that His ways are not my ways my life changed because He is number one.

Now don't get me wrong. I still long for that unborn child at times, but I longed for Jesus, so much more in this time. I didn't realize it was God that I was longing for, but it was! I don't accept my circumstances always in fact a lot, but it is well with my soul. I don't have to like my circumstances! I miss loved ones that are gone and I don't understand, but we all must face the times that are coming. We all know we are all born and we all must face separation with our loved ones.I sit and cry as I write this, because I know how much I will grieve and life will forever change, but I know I will not walk it alone! My Savior will carry me or my loved ones through, so I know for healing to take place that we must all reach for Jesus! Keep your eyes focused on Him and Him alone and know in your heart that we don't have to like our circumstance, but we must keep the faith in HIM!

True healing only comes from the LORD! Keep in mind that healing may not be the way we see it, but true divine healing from the LORD will happen just reach for HIM!

It is my prayer that healing comes and in the way each of you pray for, but if it is like in my situation HIS Way was much better than mine! Difficult yes, Hard yes, Lonely yes, but contentment and peace in a way that only HE provides with His healing! So, please take His Hand and allow Him to Heal you with His Divine Touch!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

I love the sunlight! I need the sunlight!

I feel a lot like the poppy in the picture...Beaming in the sunlight. I need sunshine and when I hear friends say they love winter it's like how? Don't you need the sun? Don't you need the light? I just feel sad without light in my life and this picture speaks to my soul...

In Acts 13 we find the story of Paul and Barnabas visiting the home of a man that wanted to hear the word of God, but a man close to him was evil and had attached himself to the man seeking. Isn't that the way evil does and is? Just always wanting to step between us and God's goodness? Paul knew and he looked him in the eye and told him to stop perverting God's ways and that he was going to be struck blind, not to see sunlight for a long time. Punishment indeed...

Immediately this man believed for he was astonished at the teaching about the LORD. He may have been astonished about the teaching, but image the scene that happened right before his own eyes. He saw and he knew God. Just this week at the mission a woman shared with me that she never looked in a mirror to see her own eyes because her eyes could not lie to herself. She could not look into her own eyes, because she knew the evil choices that she was making. I ask could she look at others and she said yes that she could lie to them, but not herself...so she knew in her own eyes the evil choices. Eyes that were filled with darkness either in the Word or in this woman were evil choices that were made. Darkness was filling the life of both of these people until they made a choice to let the light in...

Do you let the light in? Let the light shine whether it is the light of a match or a floodlight let it shine for the LORD! Let it shine!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Blurred vision or do you see clearly now?

Today, in Acts 10 and 11 Peter's eyes were opened! What about ours?

Do you have ever have a moment in your life that you have thoughts that perhaps you are someone's favorite? Or perhaps that you might be a little bit better than someone else? Not good thoughts, but have you inside your mind ever thought something like this?

Today's reading was a fabulous reading for all of us to keep in mind! Peter was given a vision about foods that he had considered unclean to eat and a voice told him to eat them three times. Peter responded that he couldn't do that that according to the law they were unclean. Then a voice from heaven replied do not consider anything unclean that God has made clean! Wow, God indeed shows no favoritism! We are all the same in God's eyes ~ His Children! The original word was dexomai meaning acceptable to Christ and Christ will and can save all!

Do we get it? Imagine, the indignation of the other Jewish leaders when they realized what Peter had done by entering the home of a man that was unclean before this vision was given to him. Peter didn't care what they thought, he cared what God thought and what He told him to do...he followed through with God's instructions. I love his words...But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. So I came without objection...How often do you find God speaking to you and you say But God have you thought about....or Let me explain God maybe you got the wrong person...how often have you simply followed His instructions with no excuses? Are your eyes clear?

Wow, I love the way Peter listened and responded! Lord, let me be more like Peter and let my vision become clear with your instructions for me!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Oh to be bold!

Are you bold? When I typed in bold to find a picture it brought up skydivers, rock climbers, bungee jumpers, divers, firefighters, policeman, the list went on and on...I've thought about some of these for a moment from time to time, but not a long time. I decided what does bold truly mean? Well, it means not hesitant or fearful in the face of actual danger! Does this sound like you?

In Acts 4 today we are told that the members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see they were ordinary men with no training in the Scriptures. Ordinary did you catch it? Peter did you catch that? The man that denied Jesus 3 times was now being bold and standing firm and proud preaching about Jesus! Wow!

It takes a boldness to talk about Jesus, doesn't it? At least some people view it that way. I was one that was fearful, but now I love Him so much that I just can't keep quiet...I want everybody to share Him, know Him, love Him, so if that's bold it's okay with me! Never before would I have used the word bold to describe me, but hey I kinda of like it...what about you? Are you bold talking about Jesus? Do you want to be? Then just share HIM and the difference He makes in your life everyday! Just share the light and be bold...bold like a rock climber, bold like a bull fighter, bold like PETER!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

All the While Praising God

Acts 2 is beautiful we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, Peter stands and preaches so beautifully and believers came together to praise God and enjoy the goodwill of the people with the LORD adding new people each day. Wow!

So many things touched me in the reading that I will touch on a few of them today. First, the Holy Spirit came like a roaring of a mighty wind some were amazed by what happened and others were ridiculing, does this sound familiar? Which group do you want to fall in, amazed or ridicule? Food for thought...

Peter stepped forward. Yes, Peter denied 3 times, but when the time came for Him to step forward HE DID in a Mighty way! He stood out and shouted No, they are not drunk, they are living what was said in JOEL remember??? Peter's words pierced their hearts, the original word meant that the felt no excuse worthy to his words. Wow, those people always were offering excuses so he was speaking with power, the power of the Holy Spirit! He was strongly urging for a long time and 3000 were added that day all over the city.

Another thing that spoke to my heart was a deep sense of awe came over them all. I looked this up and it meant they felt fear and a reverence about everything. They were filled with remorse about what had happened with Jesus and they were in awe of the things happening around them and they were changed! ALL THE WHILE THEY WERE PRAISING GOD...Let's do this ...let's all the while praise GOD and this world will be a better place!

Oh for our hearts to be filled with a deep sense of awe and remorse at what we know about Jesus and to be forever changed for all of us to come together in praise and worship of HIM! YES, LORD!

Sweet Blessings,
Debbie

Graduation

Emotional journey this week through the Word and life! Jesus has been crucified in our reading and it was difficult for me reading this again. I think how alone He was hit me this time so strongly. His disciples vanished, He cried out "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? -- My God, My God, why have you abandoned me? Never had God left Him except during this difficult time and don't you know that God was broken hearted and weeping in pain watching, keeping silent for us?

Emotion in life because so many friends and family around me are walking through difficult times at this moment. Yes, we are all at the point where this is just the point in life we are, but everybody at the same time is almost tooooo much at times. My heart breaks, but then I get a nudge that we all must walk the path that we are called to walk. We are not promised a life without trouble, in fact we are told the opposite. It is just so hard to watch the ones we love suffer -- much easier for us to suffer alone in our hearts than watch those we love suffer, isn't it?

Last night I was rewarded though. Many of you know that I work with some wonderful women at the Rescue Mission. Once a week I teach a class in their discipleship program for women and I've been with one group for 24 weeks...yes 24 weeks and they graduated! It was so emotional! We started with I think 14 and 6 made it through the 9 month program. Tears were shared, laughs were shared and Jesus most of all! Each woman stood and proudly shared how Jesus had taken their life in this 9 month program from anger to love and you could see JESUS! The Light was so brightly shining in each of these special women. I thank the Lord for the joy that I am allowed to share each week with these special women of the LORD!

I received a new group this week and it saddened me when I walked in (at first) our relationship is just starting and I missed the usual banter until God showed up! We are studying the fruits of the spirit this time around and to get to know them better I ask them to draw a fruit that represented them and tell me why...it slowly went around the room and each woman shared a little more as we moved...we came to this beautiful African american woman that had drawn a beautiful pineapple. A pineapple and she began with sometimes I appear prickly and hard on the outside until I know how others are and then I allow the sweetness to flow that truly is inside me...another was a fruit salad because sometimes she is sweet, layered, bitter, and until it is all peeled away not herself...I'm telling you I was in tears by the time we made it around the room. It is my prayer that all 15 of these women will make graduation! Please Lord help them make it to the end where your Light shines brightly through each of them...Lord help me to be what You want me to be to help and be their sister.

So emotions are okay, it is definitely part of this walk of life! A Hard walk that each of us make, but even at that our walks are nothing when we look at the walk JESUS took for each of us! A walk to die on the cross for me and for you, so that we may have eternal life...now that is what should make each of us emotional! After all, we know that joy does come because in today's reading from Matthew 28, we are reminded the women were filled with great joy, and they rushed to tell the disciples the angel's message and Jesus met them and greeted them! YES indeed such joy!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Vanished quickly

Our Savior was so alone to face this difficult moment. Our God wouldn't respond to Him, probably His heart was breaking knowing what He knew Jesus had to do, but He loved Him so. So, He wouldn't answer Jesus. The disciples went to sleep...yes sleep while waiting. I will give them a break in that they didn't understand and they had just had a huge meal, so it was quiet and they were full and still. Probably would have happened easily enough. It just saddens me that after every thing the hardest steps Jesus had to take - He did alone.

In Mark 14, we are told that the disciples deserted him and ran away. At first I as furious and I began to research and learned that probably it was necessary, so that they wouldn't be taken into custody as well. The future depended on these disciples and spreading the word about Jesus, so perhaps they fled because it was necessary. Perhaps, but it still bothered me. The men that knew him best vanished quickly.

Except for Peter and one other we are told in John 18, Peter followed Jesus, but he wasn't allowed into the courtyard. He stood warming himself by a fire when a woman ask "are you one of that man's disciples?" Peter, replied "No, I am not." The first denial. Reminded me of the old saying once, twice, three times your out from a ballgame, but not with Jesus thank goodness! We aren't out after three failures.

Jesus who loved these men so very much stood alone in the courtyard to face His questioners. He spoke truth still with love even facing death. He wasn't short and ugly like most of us might be, He simply spoke truth.

I was left to ponder would we vanish quickly, stand outside warming ourselve by the fire and then deny Him? Would we have tried to support Him? What would we have done?

Sweet blessings,
Debbie