WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD...Honoring the Name

We all find ourselves in situations where we have to think about how our behavior reflects the name of another person or the organization with which we are affiliated with. I often times remind my children that their behavior reflects our family name. That theory does not just apply to children and teens, but if we, as adults, represent a company, everything that we do will affect how customers see our company. We can bring so much peace into relationships if we would just consider the name we are representing.

In my last YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers and asked them, "Where do you go to seek peace in your life?" And the top 3 answers were:

1. 31% of those polled said they find peace on a retreat.

2.18% of the readers said they find peace in their bathroom. (certainly they were joking)

3.15% voted and said they find peace when they take a drive in their car.

This poll reflected two things to me. First, that we all feel the need to retreat "somewhere" to find peace, and secondly, that finding peace is usually getting "away" from those we love. I am not sure how escaping from those we love brings honor to our name. Somehow I am thinking honor and unity should go hand in hand.

This is true when we as Christians bear the name of Jesus Christ. Honor and Unity go hand in hand...

COLOSSIANS 3:17 "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Everything that we do should be done to glorify the name of Jesus Christ.

The way of the world is to live to glorify one's own name. For instance, so many people strive to be like a famous sports figure, or a singing star or movie star. Have you ever noticed that some major stars can be recognized by "one - name" only...Elvis, Cher, Madonna, Shaq. Having a name that is recognizable does not assure that one will feel valued for who they are, most likely these famous "one - name" stars are well known because of their money, influence or fame. Not for who they really are.

The only "one -name" superstar that is worthy of honor and praise is the name of JESUS.

In today's society, Jesus' name gets treated in many different ways by many different kinds of people. Many use His name as a swear word. To a Christian, this type of name slamming is like taking a fine silk cloth and using it to wipe something dirty and filthy. It is true that this brings total dishonor to our Saviors name but what about when Christians call upon the Lord with their lips, but do not honor Him with their lives?

Jesus said, "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and don't do the things I say?" (found in Luke 6:46).

Truly, honoring Jesus' name is living according to what He taught. Paul instructs the people of Colossae in ways to honor the name of Jesus:

Putting on love

with HEARTFELT COMPASSION

Heartfelt compassion is going beyond outward acts to opening our heart to another person. In other words, our giving and loving must be heartfelt rather than manipulative.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:3 "And though I bestow all my good to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."

We, as Christians, must have the same heartfelt compassion as Christ did for those that are going thru a hard time. (see Matthew 9:36)

with KINDNESS

This can often times be used as a synonym for "mercy".

MICAH 6:8 "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."

with HUMILITY

Humility is being willing to serve others, not because you are worthless but because God calls you to help others to see their worth.

with GENTLENESS

Gentleness is realizing that we are all sometimes as vulnerable as little children.

1 THESSALONIANS 2:7 "Instead we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother nurtures her own children."

with PATIENCE

Patience is what we need to have, realizing that God is not finished with any of us. We are all "work in progress". We need to show patience with each other by forgiving one another as Christ forgave us.

Learning to love has probably been one of the hardest lessons for mankind to learn. Several years ago, a pop singer Tina Turner sang a song entitled, "What's Love Got to Do With It?" This particular song depicts why most people get frustrated with love... they are looking for what they can "get out of it." Paul, suggests that it is not what we "get out of" love but rather how can we "give love"?

If we carry the name of Christ...what are we honoring His name with?

• love or prejudice
• compassion or greed
• kindness or anger
• humility or selfishness
• gentleness or isolation
• patience or short tempered

Putting on love will not only bring honor to your name but also your Father's name.

I have been studying the book of Colossians. This mid week study are reflections of what Paul has taught me thru this book. I hope you will join me this week in bringing honor to the name you bear. May you love unconditionally those around you and as you do may you feel God's peace.

YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL: please take time to vote in this week's poll. It is located on the side bar of this blog. YOUR OPINION REALLY DOES MATTER!

A PIECE OF MY HEART... a mother's Christmas list

This year for Christmas, I wrote out a list for the first time and gave it to my husband. This list contained nothing but practical items that I either needed or wanted.

For instance, for the past 27 years we have used the same hot pads in the kitchen. They are old, tattered and soiled with burn marks and cake batter. One day when I burnt myself because the fabric was worn down so much, I decided it was time to get new pot holders.

• I put "hot pads" on my list.
• I received new hot pads!

Another thing that needed to be replaced in my kitchen was the slow cooker. The one that we have was received as a wedding gift 27 years ago. It still works fine, except several years ago the glass top broke and when I use the slow cooker I have to wrap Reynolds wrap around the top. Not a big deal, but I thought maybe after 27 years it was time to get a new one.

• I put "slow cooker" on my list.
• I received a new slow cooker.

Periodically, we have things that just need to be replaced, restored or renewed. However, there was one item on my Christmas list that was not going to be able to be replaced. No amount of money could make it happen.

On my tree, for the first time, hung a special ornament. An ornament that represented what was missing in my Christmas...

My son Jeremy, stationed with the Air Force in the country of South Korea was going to have to miss his first Christmas with us. There was no way that this mother was going to receive the gift of seeing her son for the holidays.

A mother's love is a powerful force.

I am reminded of this story of a young mother's love:
A young mom who took her daughter to the local zoo. As she stopped at a concession stand to get some snacks, her little girl wandered off. After spending frantic minutes searching for her, she saw that her little girl had squeezed through the barricades to get a closer look at the bears. Without hesitating to look around or call for help, the young, 120-pound mother ran past the barricades and snatched her daughter out of harm's way.

This kind of powerful love is exactly what God's love is like for us! His love will reach high above what you can ever imagine.

The gift I desired most was peace, love and protection for my son.

• I put "peace and love for Jeremy" on my list.
• I received God's peace and love for Jeremy.

Love is powerful.
~A mother's love
~God's love

Are you looking for that kind of powerful love?

2 TIMOTHY 1:7 "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

God provided this Mother not only a spirit of power and love for her soldier boy, but a sound mind, a peace that passes all understanding. God opened a door for Jeremy's bride to join him in South Korea for a month while she was off of school. Knowing that Jeremy would not spend Christmas alone was the best Christmas gift this mother could receive!

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM KOREA...

Is Jeremy showing the locals how to use chopsticks??

Jeremy eating at one of his favorite restaurants!

Jeremy Christmas shopping in Korea!

and now he is waiting for Rachel to finish shopping!

Jeremy sharing one of my favorite things about himself...his humor!

Rachel with the gingerbread house they made.

Rachel sporting her new Korean hat.

Jeremy...love that hat!

JEREMY and RACHEL

a special Christmas in Korea

GOD'S LOVE IS POWERFUL NO MATTER WHAT PART OF THE WORLD YOU FIND YOURSELF IN!

and that is a PIECE OF MY HEART today!

LACED WITH GRACE...junkyard treasure

Today, I have shared a devotion over at:

There was nothing interesting about the piece of property that was located right next door to my Grandmother’s place. It was a plain-looking plot of land that resembled most of the other fields in the area. Mostly overgrown weeds and an occasional thorn bush. Ordinary, but yet, there was something different about this field. Off to one corner of the land was what we kids called “The Junkyard”. It was not really a junkyard, but...

To read the rest of "JUNKYARD TREASURE", please click HERE!

visit LACED WITH GRACE daily for inspiring devotions

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...blessed assurance

WHAT AN ASSURANCE WE

HAVE IN JESUS CHRIST

What a blessed assurance we have!

One of my favorite old songs is "Blessed Assurance". Listen to this video from THIRD DAY and meditate upon the scriptures that scroll by. What a wonderful assurance we have in Jesus Christ!

BLESSED ASSURANCE...is this your story? Is it your song?

AMY is hosting THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY. For other hearts of worship ... CLICK HERE and spend time in worship today!

CHRISTMAS...it is over

IT IS OVER!

YES...

the shopping is done
the presents have been opened
the last cookie has been eaten
the relatives have all gone back home
the tree is dropping needles

Christmas is over for another season.

Now what?
What do we do with ALL of this stuff?
What do we do if we didn't get everything on our "wish list"?

No need to be disappointed...JUST COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

Did you know that there are such things as hidden blessings, or blessings in disguise. Read the following paragraph and see how many blessings you can spot:

"As John hurriedly buttons his shirtsleeves, he sees that the edge of one cuff is starting to fray. He sits on the bed to put on his shoes, which look a little scuffed. One of the laces breaks when he pulls it tight. His wife offers to replace it while he puts on a tie, so he won't be late for work. He picks out a Burgundy one; it's kind of faded, but it will do. On his way down to the kitchen, John almost trips on a toy truck laying broken at the foot of the stairs. The light is out in the refrigerator, John reaches for the milk, then pours it out after checking the expiration date. Grabbing some orange juice and a bagel, he picks up his worn briefcase, yells goodbye, and heads out to the garage. His hands full, he struggles to open the car door, which is showing a bit of rust. Finally, John pulls out of the driveway, but not before noticing a tiny crack in his windshield."

Maybe you spotted the blessings in this story easily. Some of them seem pretty obvious. John is alive; he has a wife; a child, a roof over his head; a bed to sleep in; clothes on his back; modern appliances; food to eat; a car; a job.

However, like John, you may not recognize one of life's greatest hidden blessings. Because of God's grace, every hint of brokenness and decay that we encounter each day should serve as a gentle reminder that an inheritance is waiting for us in heaven. Such an amazing eternal treasure that will far surpass the fading things of this world.

You are BLESSED ~ no matter what you may be experiencing this "day after" Christmas...

• happiness or sadness
• wealth or poverty
• good health or sickness
• love of family or loneliness

JAMES 1:12 "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

REMEMBER THAT GOD'S BLESSINGS

ARE ALL AROUND YOU...CAN YOU SEE THEM?

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS....

THOUGHTS OF THANKFULNESS FOR THE SPECIAL GIFTS GOD GIVES....

like PEACE and JOY

and FRIENDS like you!

To all of my blogging friends!

Have a very blessed Christmas!

A PIECE OF MY HEART...pillow talk

Around this time of year - keeping secrets is something that we all attempt to do. Keeping the gift hidden is sometimes a real chore especially if you have "snoopers" at your house.

Sometimes when I find that ultimate gift for one of my loved ones, I am just bursting on the inside and I want to tell them or show them their gift RIGHT AWAY. Waiting until Christmas Day is sometimes so hard. Keeping Secrets can sometimes be so hard to hold inside.

Keeping secrets reminds me of how often times we go through things in our lives that cause us guilt and shame, and often times we hide a part of our lives from everyone because of secretive things. Hidden away from everyone, except for God.

Our conversations with God are the most intimate conversations we will ever have. No one knows us more deeply. God knows every secret of our lives, yet, He still loves us with an everlasting love. His gentle hand remains upon our lives, even when we have sinned. All He desires is for us to repent.

The word "repent" means to have a change of heart. This change includes even those deepest secrets that only you and God know about. There is no need to hide from Him, He knows everything about you and He desires pillow talk with you. He wants conversation so intimate that it can be spoken of only in private.

God holds us close to His heart, He is a merciful God.

• Do you have a secret that you have been keeping?
• One that may be keeping you from peace and enjoying a full life?

MATTHEW 6:6 Jesus said, "When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you."

WHY NOT HAVE ALITTLE

PILLOW TALK WITH GOD TODAY?

He desires to be your closest confidant.

AND THAT IS A PIECE OF MY HEART TODAY;

Through a child's eyes

Many times we miss out on seeing the true meaning of Christmas. We get so busy with the hustle and bustle of Christmas, that all we can see is the long "to do" lists and the credit card bills stacking up.

What would happen if we looked at

Christmas through a child's eyes?

WE MIGHT SEE...

love
joy
peace
goodness

We might see our Savior!

ISAIAH 9:6 "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

HAVE YOU SLOWED DOWN

ENOUGH TO SEE CHRISTMAS?

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...while you were sleeping

It is in the middle of the night that the unexpected can take you by surprise...

~ the phone rings with an unexpected emergency
~ the electricity can go out because of a late night storm
~ a sick child can wake you up suddenly

~ a savior is born

2 PETER 3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE

UNEXPECTED THINGS WHILE YOU ARE SLEEPING?

Please watch this video by Casting Crowns. It is my new favorite Christmas song....

"WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING"

by Casting Crowns

Please visit AMY of Signs, Miracles and Wonders who is our host of TSMSS! You will be blessed with the many other hearts of worship over there. Find it HERE!

PASSING BY

Today, I have shared a devotion over at:

"With less than one week away until Christmas, I doubt very seriously that in our rushing around and our last minute gift buying that we notice the people that we pass by each day.

The shoppers at the mall
The customers in line at the post office
The drivers on the road

WHAT DO WE NOTICE AS WE PASS THEM BY?" ....

To read the rest of "PASSING BY", please click HERE!

visit LACED WITH GRACE

daily for inspiring devotions

THANKFUL THURSDAY...the best gift ever!

Each year, you open the gift from Aunt Mae from Toledo and you have to ask yourself, "what is this?" and "what do you do with it?" We have all gotten those strange, peculiar gifts that we just don't know what to do with.

WHAT IS THE WORST GIFT YOU HAVE RECEIVED?

If you are running out of idea's for that perfect gift ... and looking for something that will "Wow" your family and friends, here are some suggestions of actual gifts people have received....


~ a half pack of tube socks
~ a copy of the yellow pages book
~ a 10 pound sack of rice
~ a 9 volt battery

(YES, these are actual gifts received. They were actually wrapped, and placed under someones tree!)

CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO GIVE YOUR VERY BEST!

Your best does not have to be expensive, but certainly your best could be more than a 1/2 of a package of socks! ( a complete package would be nice!)

Today, on THANKFUL THURSDAY, I am so thankful that such a long time ago, the very best gift was given to me. I did not deserve it, but yet it was so sacrificially given. Wrapped in love and grace...God's gift to me was His forgiveness and His grace.

EPHESIANS 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Now THAT is the best gift ever! No matter how you wrap it - it never disappoints and it will "Wow" you all the way to eternity!

What are you thankful for today? Join IRIS at GRACE ALONE for other grateful hearts on this Thankful Thursday.

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD...stretching the truth

With the New Year only days away, many of us are already thinking about our New Year's resolution. Each year, we start out just revved up to change something in our lives.

To give something up.

We resolve to lose weight or give up some bad habit, but usually before the end of January we have totally dismissed even trying to change. We have all the best intentions, but somehow we keep going back to being the same old person.

IS CHANGE REALLY POSSIBLE?

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil." - JEREMIAH (found in Jeremiah 13:23)

Some things, no matter how you paint it or cover it up - it still remains the same. Just like Jeremiah tells us: the Ethiopian cannot change his skin any more than a leopard can change its spots. But we, as Christians, have a choice to change. In fact the Bible tells us to be new people. That means to put away the old and become a new creature in Jesus Christ.

This change does not come from changing the outward appearance. Our skin and spots remain the same. What changes is on the inside. Accepting Jesus Christ changes our heart and when our heart is changed - our perspective, our goals and our mission will change also!

COLOSSIANS 3:8-11 "But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. (9) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices (10) and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his Creator. (11) Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all in all."

Last week, in the YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers the following question; "Which of the following lies do you find yourself telling most frequently?" The top 3 answers were:

1. 76% of those voting have lied and said, "Angry, I'm not angry!"

2. 17% voted and said they have lied and said, "Sure I like it. I'm just full." (probably during Thanksgiving!)

3. 1% of the readers said they have lied and said, "Of course I trust you."

This poll tells me that we, as Christians tend to embellish the truth at times.

If we were to submit a resume and apply for the position of "follower of Christ", what qualifications would be needed? What qualities do you have that would match the job desription? Would you stretch the truth alittle bit to make yourself look refined?

When applying for a job in the business world, many times we "embellish" the facts to make ourselves look better. We say we made more money than we really did. We say our duties were more than what they were. We imply our attendance and attitude were impeccable at all recent places of employment.

Stretching the truth on our "follower of Christ" application would not work...for the One to whom we are applying already knows us better than we know ourselves. Also, on our resume "job history" would not matter because Christ is not concerned with the old self as much as He is concerned with the new self.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if becoming a new self was like ordering a new car? With a new car you can stipulate the color, the engine size and what accessories you would like. With an order for a "new self", instead of ordering "cruise control" you could order "anger control". Instead of tinted or clear windows you could designate a clearer window to your soul, so people could truly see who you are.

Of course, things don't work this way in real life, but it could be helpful to have a shopping list of the things that you would like to see changed in your life. Paul shares with us and the Christians of Colossae important traits as we put on our "new self".

• the control of our anger
• honesty
• openness to people of other races and cultures

CHANGE...IS IT POSSIBLE?

Yes, with the help of Christ. He has provided forgiveness for the old and laid the groundwork for the new.

Your application has been accepted.

(Signed with the blood of Jesus)

Proceed forward and receive your on-the-job training.

(The Holy Spirit will guide you)

Refer to your job manual at all times

(God's Word)

1 CORINTHIANS 5:17 " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

As I study the book of Colossians, Paul is teaching me that I can change the things that keep me from keeping my eye on the prize. If I have laid aside the old self, I must do some planning to keep the new self working in proper order.

If controlling your anger is one of those things on your shopping list ... may I recommend for you to keep a "anger diary" for a week. Write in it each day all of the things that made you angry for that day...why it made you angry, what you learned from your anger and how you dealt with the anger. Realizing what prompts you to anger will help you to initiate a plan of action to get control of your anger. This can also work for other areas such as dishonesty or discriminating against others.

Changing IS Possible!

PLEASE VOTE IN THIS WEEK'S POLL: "Where are you most likely to go when you are seeking a little peace in your life?" The poll is located on the sidebar of this blog. YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

A PIECE OF MY HEART...a cord of three strands

The author of Ecclesiastes noted this:

" A cord of three strands

is not quickly torn apart."

Have you ever had a single string and easily snapped it in half? If you add a couple more strands and weave them all together, it takes alittle bit more strength to break it. In my weekly devotional, I read the story of a man that experienced this very thing...

A man discovered that his boat had become stuck in the soft muddy banks of the lake in which it was moored. Grabbing an old coil of rope, he tied one end to the boat and tried to pull it out, but the rope was too weak and it snapped in two. He tried a newer coil of rope, but this also broke. Frustrated, he grabbed a sturdy piece of nylon rope, but this also snapped at the first tug. Finally, the man wound the three pieces of rope together and secured them to the boat. This time, the combined strength of the rope was able to support the weight of the craft, and the boat was finally freed.

Boy, isn't being united in Christian love alot like this rope illustration?

We can each be represented as a strand of rope. By itself, we have purpose and strength. Limited strength on our own.

But, when we unite or combine our strengths with others and pursue a common goal - how much more can we accomplish for the kingdom of God? Unity will strengthen the cord!

Have you ever known someone that seemed like they were trying to break your rope. No matter how hard you tried, they worked against you to break your confidence in yourself. Break your character. Break the tie or connection that could enhance your strengths?

There is nothing that will make you more frustrated or stuck than having someone question every move you make? Someone who will weaken your confidence, weaken your abilities. Someone who weakens your rope.

Strands that are not united together will easily be torn apart. Whatever team you are on, it is vital that your cords become strong so they cannot be broken...

• in marriage
• in ministry
• at work

In the body of Christ, division brings only weakness and it will rob you of your joy that God wants you to experience. Petty arguments and disagreements and constant character de-fusing will damage your relationship with others and it will definitely hinder the work that Christ wants accomplished.

"A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart"

There are three cords that I think of that are vital to one another...

The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

THEY ARE UNITED!

PSALM 133:1 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

• Standing with your team will unite you!
• It will make you strong!
• It will be difficult to be torn apart!

ARE YOU FUNCTIONING

AS A SINGLE STRAND ?

or is your cord strong and united?

And that is a piece of my heart today;

OUR SUBSTITUTE

In the movie, THE LAST EMPEROR, there is a young child who was anointed as the last emperor of China. This child lived a life of luxury with a thousand servants at his command. In the movie, the child's brother asks him a question..."What happens when you do wrong?" And the last emperor proudly responds, "When I do wrong, someone else is punished!"

Further in the movie, the boy demonstrates this unique power that he held and he intentionally breaks a jar. One of his servants took the punishment that the boy himself deserved for doing this.

What an amazing illustration of what Jesus Christ has done for us. However, at the cross, there was one difference than depicted in this movie...when we, the servants (God's children) sinned, the King (Jesus Christ) took our punishment.

All of the sins of the entire world were laid on our Savior at that particular time, and when He died, His last words that he breathed were, "It is finished" The debt had been paid!

Here it is 10 days away from Christmas, a time of the year that we celebrate Jesus birth. But the miracle does not end there. As miraculous as a virgin giving birth is ... the wonder to me is knowing that Jesus came to earth as a man so He could be our living example and then He suffered unmercifully and bled and died for me. A punishment that I deserved but yet He took my place there on Calvary.

Christmas is a time to remember His birth but Christmas time is also about the sacrifice that He made for you and me. The miracle is in His birth and His death!

ISAIAH 53:5 "Jesus was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities...by His wounds we are healed."

If you are looking for the AT THE WELL study today...

HEATHER is hosting this week.

Please check her thoughts out today on the subject of Purity!

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...slow fade

Each choice
Each decision
Each opportunity

...it is building character
...it is developing you
...it is molding you

Just as it takes time to BUILD something, it also takes time to DESTROY something.

alittle at a time
~one look
~one thought
~one lie

One then leads to two
and it is the 2nd look that can destroy you.

"SLOW FADE"...by Casting Crowns

"It's a slow fade

when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade,

choices are made,

a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

people never crumble in a day

It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade"

IS THERE SOMETHING SLOWLY FADING FROM YOUR LIFE?

• your family
• your devotion to God
• your daily Bible reading
• your beliefs
• your honesty
• your character

PHILIPPIANS 4:8 " Finally, Brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things."

AMY is the host of THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY. If you click HERE, you will find many more worship and praising going on. While over there, say a quick prayer for Amy's son (SPENCER). He needs a physical touch. Thanks.

WORD POWER...katapheugo

Now here's a word I bet you never heard of ... KATAPHEUGO. It is the greek lexicon word meaning "refuge".

Katapheugo (kat-af-yoo'-go) (verb)

DEFINITION: to flee away, flee for refuge

When I was a child, I lived in a community where there were alot of Hmong refugee's. Whenever I heard the word "refuge" I automatically thought of this part of town where most of these refugee's lived.

It wasn't until later that I realized that the word refuge meant safety. We all seek to have a feeling of safety...

• safe from danger
• safe from our enemies
• safe in times of trouble

A documentary about Jimmy Stewart, the actor revealed an amazing story of the "net of safety" that he found. It was the year 1941, World War II and Jimmy Stewart enlisted in the Army Air Corps and prepared to go overseas. Stewart's father choked up when he tried to say farewell to his son, so he wrote Jimmy a note. After being shipped out, Jimmy read the words that his father had not been able to say outloud:

My dear Jim boy,

"Soon after you read this, you will be on your way to the worst sort of danger. Jim, I'm banking on the enclosed copy of the 91st Psalm. The thing that takes the place of fear and worry is the promise of these words. I am staking my faith in them. I can say no more. I only continue to pray. Goodbye, my dear. God bless you and keep you. I love you more than I can tell you."

Dad

As you know, Jimmy Stewart returned home safely. A decorated war hero, he was unharmed even though his record included 20 combat missions. During the heat of battle, Stewart is said to have leaned on the words of his tattered copy of Psalm 91.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;

my God, in Him I will trust." - PSALM 91:2

No matter what battle you may face today, lean on Him and trust in His protection. For God is our refuge or katapheugo. And that is a Word that you can bank on!

NOW THAT IS A WORD PACKED WITH REFUGE!

THANKFUL THURSDAY...power of prayer

ARE YOU PRAYING FOR SOMETHING...something really important to you - but the answer hasn't come?

You just wait and wait, but nothing changes. In the beginning, you were pretty enthusiastic, thinking that God would surely answer your prayer with a resounding "yes". But, life goes on as if you had never even prayed at all. You have not received an insight or even heard His still, small voice speaking inside of your heart, the voice that assures you that help is on the way. Slowly, you feel your confidence slipping away and your faith begins to fade.

We all face times that we need alittle help. It is at this moment that we need our sisters in the Lord to come along side of us and intercede with us. There is power in prayer and when two or more are banded together, great things are bound to happen.

Last week, I shared about my "waiting time" as I recuperated from my recent surgery. (you can read that post HERE!) There are several things that I can think of that happened during my time of waiting:

• I slowed down and put aside "things" that were stealing my focus.
• I stopped taking the simple things in life for granted.
• I depended on others more.
• I read God's Word more.
• I relied upon God more than ever.
• I found a deeper friendship with people who were praying for me.
• I became more compassionate for others that are in need.

"WAITING time is not WASTED time"

We serve a reasonable God. He has a reason for everything that He does. Perhaps you are waiting because He wants to stretch your faith...to see how much you will trust Him. Maybe He is testing your commitment to the very thing that you are praying for. Perhaps, there are other considerations that you are not even aware of. Your time of waiting could be for any of these reasons or something entirely different.

Whatever His reason, you can rest easy knowing that he knows best. He sees all. He won't let you down. His promises are certain. Keep trusting, for as sure as the sun rises in the morning and sets again at night, your answer will come.

HEBREWS 10:23 "Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep His promise."

I am so grateful for all of the prayers of my faithful friends and family during my recent surgery. My waiting period is FINALLY over...the four tumors that were removed came back this week benign. Praise the Lord! For the past 6 months I have struggled with physical difficulties and I did not know what the outcome would bring. But one thing is for sure, I have felt the peace of God thru it all. I have been able to scale walls that looked impossible. I know that the peace I have felt was nothing but the peace of God, but, I could not have faced any of this without faithful prayer warriors.

Prayer is not something to be taken lightly. Prayer can literally move mountains. James tells us that prayers of the righteous "avails much". If you desire to band together with others thru prayer...check out my prayer blog: http://wmfirstassemblyofgodprays.blogspot.com/ Here you will find prayer needs and a weekly devotion on prayer and faith.

There is someone who needs YOU

to stand in the gap for them today.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN

THE POWER OF PRAYER?

IRIS is our host of THANKFUL THURSDAY. You can find her thankful heart along with others HERE! What are you thankful for today?