Needed Faith

Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage;

be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy

God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

  ~ Joshua 1:9

God's Hands

Tragedy changes people. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. But, if allowed, God will use tragedy to show His amazing power and love through those affected.

The tornadoes that swept through the Southeast United States on April 27 would qualify as a tragedy. So many lives lost or forever changed, it continues to boggle my mind. I waiver between being incredibly grateful that my family and I were spared and feeling helpless to make the lives of those affected better.

I feel helpless, because there is little I can do as Christie. But, as a pair of God's hands, I have power. I'm not a contractor that can build a house; but I am a person that can cook so that those who can build have food and drink as they do their jobs. I'm not a pastor with an in depth knowledge of Biblical theology that can help explain tragedy to others; but I am a Christian that can share all the love and comfort God has given me. I'm not a charismatic political leader that can ask and procure tons of money; but I am a couponer that can use my couponing talent to provide essentials to charities.

Still, if God only used my hands, I would continue to feel helpless. My hands are not the only ones working for God's good, though. I see people far and wide coming into town in order to help total strangers. I hear stories of people who have lost everything but their lives cleaning up neighbors' homes.  I speak with people who praise God for their lives and for those who choose to help instead of criticizing or blaming or raging against God and others.

These are God's hands at work.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

                                                   
                                              ~Proverbs 3:27

A Love Letter

You have made me promises you never kept, and asked my advice that you never followed.
I still love you.

You have been embarrassed by me, have denied knowing me and have made fun of me.
I still love you.

You have treated me as a crutch, only wanting me when times are hard and throwing me aside when life is good.
I still love you.

You have asked for proof of my love, time and time again. I allowed My Son to die for your sins. Yet, you still ask for more.
I still love you.

My love is unconditional and unwavering. All you have to do is choose to accept it. Will you?
Because I still love you.

My prayer today and every day is that all will come to know the amazing love of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 (KJV)

Let Thy Will Be Done

"Lord, let Thy will be done."

The hardest prayer that I think anyone will ever pray.  The wisest prayer, though.

I don't always want to pray that prayer. And, I will admit, I sometimes tack on my desires to the end, something like, "Lord, let Thy will be done; and, just in case You were wondering, I would REALLY like this or that to happen."

Sometimes it has worked. God's will has lined up with mine, and I'm granted whatever blessing I was hoping to receive. Other times, it didn't work that way. God's will was not my will. And, in more than one instance, I was pretty upset about that fact. But--and here's why I keep praying the prayer--in hindsight--in most of the cases where I've prayed this prayer--I can see where my will would have not placed me in as good of a position, or, honestly, I would have been miserable. And, in the rest, I have confidence that God just isn't ready to show the reason for His "no" yet.

So, again, Lord, let Thy will be done. You know what my heart's desire is, but I know that You know what is best for me. I just ask You give me the strength and patience to wait on Your answer!

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

 

                       ~Matthew 6:10

The Greatest Present Ever!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.



So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.


And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."


Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."


When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."


So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
                                                                                        ~Luke 2: 1-20

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. May the joy of the season be upon you!



An angel to watch over you, MAU!



                     Love,

                                                                                         

                              Christie

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Today I am truly thankful for my multiple blessings. Two amazing children that I love and adore. A family that supports me and loves me warts and all. Friends that find my crazy "the fun kind of crazy" and not just crazy. A man with whom I can remain best friends with although we will no longer be married. The fact that I have known an amazing love in my life. But most importantly, I'm truly thankful for my Saviour, Jesus Christ, and for the strength and love He gives me daily.

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2)”

Stuck in My Head

There are days when I will have a phrase, a song, a cheer (compliments of my daughter), or a verse stuck in my head.  Usually I can pinpoint why I became fixated on that one particular whatever fairly easily. 

A confused little kid used some big man talk, declaring, "I got this!" For the rest of the day, I catch myself using the same tough-talk vernacular (to the amusement of friends and family.)

A Taylor Swift song comes on the radio, and, DANG, I'm humming "Should've Said No" while cooking dinner.

My daughter has cheerleading practice, and all of a sudden all I can think of is, "How funky is your chicken? How funky is your chicken? How loose is your goose? How loose is your goose? Now come on all you Patriot fans and shake your caboose!" (It's really bad when I start DOING the cheer.)

As far as verses go, usually they are tied directly to an event or a person whom I've worked with that day. The verse is something that helps me to help them (or helps me to help me to be perfectly honest.)

There are days, though, that something pops in my mind and won't go away, and I can't figure out why. Today it was the Apostle's Creed. I just kept reciting it over and over in my head. It made me feel better as today was a little hard for me.

So, I've decided the Apostle's Creed was officially stuck in my head by God. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't think so, though.

I believe in God the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried;

the third day he rose from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,[26]

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

A Time for Everything

Here is another one of my favorite verses from the Bible. Seemed appropriate for today.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8