Waxing and Waning

It is evident with these posts over the course of the years that My Love, or at least my expression of Love and commitment to Christ, waxes and wanes. If I can trust in One thing, it is that I know Our God is constant and consistent, He IS Love, which make it entirely impossible for Him to wax and wane. He is ALWAYS with us. He is Always Loving us. Ephesians 3:17-21 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen!!

I surrender all to you

Lord, I lift your name on high, and I love to sing your praises!! Show me how to surrender all to you. I pray that I forever dwell in your house, you are our Prince of Peace and trusting in you is the only way to everlasting life. Thank you for ALL of your goodness and protection and guidance over this past year and the past 31 years. I love you my Lord My God with All of my Heart, my Mind, my Body and Soul.

You're Here...

Hold on now, gotta take a deep breath I don't know what to say when I look in your eyes You made the world before I was born But here I am holding You in my arms tonight Noel, noel, Jesus our Emmanuel You're here, I'm holding you so near I'm staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator You could've left us on our own, but You're here I don't know how long I'm gonna have you for But I'll be watching when You change the world Look at your hands, they're still so small Someday You're going to stretch them out and save us all Noel, noel, God with us Emmanuel You're here, I'm holding you so near I'm staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator You could've left us on our own, but You're here You're here Someday I'm gonna look back on this The night that God became my baby boy Someday You're gonna go home again, But You'll leave your Spirit and flood the world with joy You'll be here, I'm holding you so near I'm staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator You could've left me on my own, but You're here You're here Hallelujah You're here hallelujah You're here

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. I desire to delight in you every day Lord. Your Goodness and Mercy have never failed me and your promise is that they Will Never Fail me either. Your promises and assured and I lean not on my own understanding. I will continue to walk by Faith and not by sight. Praise be to you for Your Love for all of us. Thank you Jesus.

Blessed with the best and trusting and knowing God will take care of the rest.

Take My Life

Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise. Let them flow in ceaseless praise. Verse 2: Take my hands, and let them move At the impulse of Thy love; Take my feet, and let them be Swift and beautiful for Thee. Swift and beautiful for Thee. Verse 3: Take my voice, and let me sing Always, only, for my King; Take my lips, and let them be Filled with messages from Thee. Filled with messages from Thee. Verse 4: Take my silver and my gold: Not a mite would I withhold; Take my intellect, and use Ev'ry pow'r as Thou shalt choose. Ev'ry pow'r as Thou shalt choose. Verse 5: Take my will, and make it Thine, It shall be no longer mine; Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne. It shall be Thy royal throne. Verse 6: Take my love, my Lord, I pour At Thy feet its treasure store; Take myself, and I will be, Ever, only, all for Thee. Ever, only, all for Thee. Words: Frances R. Havergal 1874.

Thankful for Forgiveness

It's something we can all struggle to give, but are so grateful to receive. I pray that I continue to grow in forgiveness to others and lead by example. Grace is a gift you gave us and it never expires. What a precious thing to be thankful for!

Day of Thanks

Let every day be our day of Thanks. Today I am thankful for my job. How it has sustained and grown Grace and I. Lord, I pray that I am continually seeking your will for my life and that I learn when you are calling me to something else and that I have the courage to obey.

Catching up on my Thanks

Thankful to you Every Day, Oh Lord, My God. But know there is value in documenting it here. It's a blessing to look back and read and be reminded of ALL that you have given us. I am grateful for: The Beauty you created us women to be... inside and out. I tend to underestimate the power of the beauty you have given us as women. I believe for a while there I abused the privilege of this beauty and am still learning how to properly use it's power to better your kingdom. I am grateful for: your provisions. You keep my paths straight and lately when I step off course, you quickly reach for my hand and gently guide me back. I know you are always with me and I am so grateful for that. I am grateful for: My family. I pray and look forward to the day that Grace and i become a full family with a male lead to fill the roll that only a man can provide. But until then, I am grateful for her uncles, her grandpa and even her dad for what they bless her and I with when they are able. I am grateful for: my church family. LOVE my pastors each for their own styles of preaching and teaching. I am grateful for: my friends. The always understanding ones who show me much grace and love. I pray that I return those precious gifts to them in the same manner in which they are given.

Day 15 of ThankFULLness

Thank you Lord for the blessings of food in my tummy, clothes on my back and shoes on my feet. Lord, today I pray that I put into action my awareness that there are those who go without these basic needs. Lord, Use me to glorify your word and help those with these needs.

Songs and Smile

Two blessings Lord, that you have given me daily. Songs and Smiles. Thank you Lord for the beautiful gift of ears to hear. Thank you Lord for the beautiful gift of eyes to see smiling faces. Thank you Lord for lips to give both smiles and songs in return.

13th day of Thanks Giving

Thank you Lord for Life. I don't always understand it, I don't always appreciate it (the way that I should) but I DO thank you for this Gift of Life. I want, i truly want to revel in EACH single day that you have given. Each apart from the others. At times they all seem the same, but i know they are not, EACH uniquely different, and EACH day a blessing from you.

12 days of Thanks giving

On the first day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, Grace in a pretty palm tree. On the second day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, Mercy that daily finds me. On the third day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, friends that warm my heart. On the fourth day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, loyal family from the start. On the fifth day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, a church that the spirit lives strong. On the sixth day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, a place where I can belong. On the seventh day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, a Faith that just grows and grows. On the Eighth day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, A Hope that no end knows. On the Ninth day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, Love that never fails. On the tenth day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, a courage that often sets sails. On the eleventh day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, patience even when it's hard. On the twelfth day of Thanks giving My True Love gave to me, a place in Heaven's yard. Thank you Lord for an abundance of gifts that you have that you so freely give to every single one of us who simply believes in your Holy Name.

doxology

Glory [be] to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, both now, and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen. and Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Spirit Move Me!

Wow, Happy November. Today I am grateful for November, the month of gratitude, the month of THANKSgiving! LOVE. Thank you Lord for ALL of your Love. All I ever needed is Your Love!

Found By You

I'm a little girl And I'm just trying to figure out this funny world It's so big It's got me running around I just wanna be found by You Jesus I just wanna be found by You Jesus I just wanna be found by You See, I I'm not ashamed Of being small enough to fit inside Your hand Take Your cup And let Your love abound 'Cuz I just wanna be found by You Jesus I just wanna be found by You Jesus I just wanna be found by You How will I know if I'm alive if I'll survive Without Your Spirit inside to guide me Alone You're making me strong I'll never feel alone as long as I belong To You and Your Son You're the only One I'll ever need And I just wanna be I just wanna be Your little girl I don't have to figure out this crazy world Jesus I just wanna be found by You Jesus I just wanna be found by You

Psalms 51: 1-12

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

My God

You are my Everything. My Love, My Life, My Everything. You Lift me up when I need you the most. You are my strength, you are my holy ghost, All that I am I have you to sing praise and worship your name throughout all of my days. cuz God you are my everything! Praying for those who have been hit by the storm on the East coast. Praying for protection over those brave and courageous souls who are already involved in the relief efforts.

Leave it in the Hands of Jesus...

And walk away. I believe in your daily miracles Lord. It's because of your constant presence that I can be assured of this amazing truth. Thank you for your daily miracles and daily Graces and mercies. They are MORE than enough. Truly designed and desiring to live each day in complete Trust and Gratitude towards you.

Timothy 1:12-17

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Acts 2:1-4

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts 2:17-21

17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Holy Spirit

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I spoke a great deal on the Father's Love this weekend. I pointed out that he brought me to Jesus' arms, but I didn't touch on how I believe that the Holy Spirit has led me from that point. Because I know I've had to surrender day after day after day to keep on as a single mom, that's how I know I've been led by the Holy Spirit. i look at life now like this: God has got my back, Jesus is by my side and I am being led by the Holy Spirit who is forever before me.

By Faith, not by sight

So I pray that you will join me in this journey of stretching ourselves - not settling in the path of "well we've always done it this way" or "when I was young . . . " - God's trying to open our eyes and hearts to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us!

Susan Larson

Let me take James 4:7 one part at a time: the word "submit" is a military term and means to get back in rank. We're out of rank when we get ahead of God We’re out of rank when we get offended with God (when He doesn’t give us what we want when we want it; when He doesn’t do what we think He should do) When we refuse to forgive When we undermine authority When we choose to be cruel When we embrace superiority When we judge others When we trust ourselves more than God When we withhold resources that belong to God and His work These are just a few examples of how we step out of rank and take matters (or an ungodly perspective) into our own hands. These are also ways we open doors for the enemy to get to us. He’ll access every opening we give him to steal, kill, and destroy all that’s beautiful and abundant about our lives. So, especially if you sense the enemy has stepped up his attack against you, it’s time to submit to God. You’re no match for this enemy on your own. But with God, that enemy is no match for you! Submit to God. Get back in rank. Honor the Lord first and foremost in your life. Acknowledge the ways you've stepped out of His best will for your life. Then what’s next? "Resist the devil." Here’s where things get amazing. Though he started out chasing after you, looking for even the slightest opportunity to take you out, things take a sudden turn. When you submit to God and then resist the devil, he has to flee from you. The word, "flee" means to "escape, run for his life." The devil starts out chasing you, and ends up running for his life to get away from you. Our authority comes from Christ. We are more powerful as a private in the army of God, staying in rank, and taking orders from Him, than we are a wannabe general, out of the will of God, thinking we can stand on our own, thinking we know better than God what's best for us. We’re safest and most powerful when we're in step with our Savior, who happens to be the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and General of all generals.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Saint Augustine of Hippo Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Understanding: In understanding, we comprehend how we need to live as followers of Christ. A person with understanding is not confused by the conflicting messages in our culture about the right way to live. The gift of understanding perfects a person's speculative reason in the apprehension of truth. It is the gift whereby self-evident principles are known, Aquinas writes.[12] Counsel (Right Judgment): With the gift of counsel/right judgment, we know the difference between right and wrong, and we choose to do what is right. A person with right judgment avoids sin and lives out the values taught by Jesus. Fortitude (Courage): With the gift of fortitude/courage, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risks as a follower of Jesus Christ. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or physical harm. The gift of courage allows people the firmness of mind that is required both in doing good and in enduring evil. Knowledge: With the gift of knowledge, we understand the meaning of God. The gift of knowledge is more than an accumulation of facts. Piety (Reverence): With the gift of reverence, sometimes called piety, we have a deep sense of respect for God and the Church. A person with reverence recognizes our total reliance on God and comes before God with humility, trust, and love. Piety is the gift whereby, at the Holy Spirit's instigation, we pay worship and duty to God as our Father, Aquinas writes. Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe): With the gift of fear of the Lord we are aware of the glory and majesty of God. A person with wonder and awe knows that God is the perfection of all we desire: perfect knowledge, perfect goodness, perfect power, and perfect love. This gift is described by Aquinas as a fear of separating oneself from God. He describes the gift as a "filial fear," like a child's fear of offending his father, rather than a "servile fear," that is, a fear of punishment. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 1:7) because it puts our mindset in correct location with respect to God: we are the finite, dependent creatures, and He is the infinite, all-powerful Creator.

Isaiah 11: 1-5

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

My church family

Mission Making Disciples of Jesus Vision We are a community that is prayerfully and radically dependent upon the Holy Spirit to work in and through us so that the GREAT COMMISSION, "go therefore and make disciples of all nations," is fulfilled. We believe that God is calling Central to make and grow disciples through Pastorate (groups of 25-35 children, youth, adults and seniors) and D4D (Designed for Discipleship is a intentional relationship in which we walk alongside 3-5 other disciples in order to encourage, equip and challenge one another in love to grow toward maturity in Christ) communities. Values Five Christ-centered values lead and guide our life together as we commit ourselves to Making Disciples of Jesus. 1. Intentional Discipleship 2. Passionate Worship 3. Radical Hospitality 4. Extravagent Generosity 5. Risk-taking Mission

grateful

First, I am thankful for this precious gift of God’s presence within me to be with me until I return home to My Father (Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Cor. 2:2). Second, I am reminded of the hurtfulness of sin to the Spirit of God living within me and I commit to honor God with what I do, think, and say (Eph. 4:30; 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Prayer : O Father, I cannot fully comprehend the wonder of you coming to live inside me through your Holy Spirit. I commit to live my life more aware that every breath, every thought, every action is part of my worship to you as the Temple in which you live by the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. I am forever grateful of each day that you have given me on this earth. Blessed that you have given me ears to hear beautiful music and poetry and laughter. Blessed that you have given me eyes to see smiling faces and rolling hills and the road that is before me. Blessed by all of the intricate ways that you created our bodies to dwell on this earth. For your ability to heal our bodies and make our Hearts, our Minds and our spirits new too.

Matthew 28:19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (NIV)

John 14: 15-17

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you.

Matthew 3:16-17

As soon as Jesus (the Son) was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven (the Father) said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (NIV)

Galatians 5:25

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Devotion by Charles Spurgeon

“In Psalm 84:11 we read, ‘No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”’Sir Richard Baker comments, ‘But how is this true when God oftentimes withholds riches, honor, and health of body from men? Though they walk ever so uprightly.’ We may therefore know that honors and riches and bodily strength are none of God’s good things. And the good things of God are chiefly peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, for wishing of God’s presence, and envisioning his face. These good things God never withholds from the godly.”

1 Thessalonians 5

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil. 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Galatians 6:2-10

God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the spirit from the spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Examine your Heart

Examine your heart. Are you controlled by self, sin or spirit? Ask God to reveal areas in your life that need to be surrendered to his control. Pray for the Holy Spirits power to choose God's way and God's will in your life. In him you will find true freedom to enjoy both God and your life. I know that God is in control, do I ALWAYS trust and lean on that. no. I wish I could say 100% yes, ALL the time, but that wouldn't be true. But I do believe I'm growing in My Faith to a whole-hearted level. That's what I long for, because I know God is Great and I know God is good and I Know I can Hope and Trust in the Lord's plans for my future. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me.

Galatians 5: 13-26 Live by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

The Holy Spirit

For the majority of Christians, the belief in the Holy Trinity implies the existence of three distinct Holy Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit being One Eternal Triune God. Tomorrow begins my 33 day focus on the Holy Spirit. I am thrilled!

Matthew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

God Sends

Thank you Lord for the blessings poured out on me this weekend. Great conversation with Tracy Friday night and a potential exciting road trip in the making! Love that you gave her "confirmation" through my text! Thank you SO much for my Angel Michael, who showed up, again, with impeccable timing and graced Grace and I with his presence, his laughter and love. You knew my needs and you provided, as always. Thank you for Connie R. and her beautiful testimony, both encouraging and inspiring. Thank you for using me to read Sunday morning and teach the little ones Sunday night. Thank you for the blessing of celebrating my brothers (39th) birthday with him at my sisters place. All your ways are good. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Amen!

Past, Present and Future

It's fun to look back at the last (almost 2 years) and see how I've grown with God in this short time. My second entry to this blog was talking about being a co-leader for Grace's G2K and how I was born with the potential to lead but not ever really the skills! We just started up (what will be Grace and my) 3rd year of G2K. Last year I lead her small group and this year I took on a new role! Large group leader! It turns out that I lead both small and large group sessions on Sunday because we haven't had enough volunteers sign up! So God has definitely taken this Heart and these Hands and molded them into the leader He saw in me all along. God you are So Faithful and Good.

and again..

on my drive home last night. It was later than I usually get on the road after work because we had an off sight meeting south of Minneapolis. But as I was driving into Elk River around 5:55 p.m. there it was to the left of me, a maroon mustang same license plate as the Dodge Avenger.

More on Abraham

This Sunday we will gather around the story, GOD BUILDS A NATION. It is the story of God's call and promise to Abraham. God promises three very specific things to Abraham; I will give you a PLACE (land), I will give you a PEOPLE (more descendants than the stars of the heavens), and I will give you a PURPOSE (you will be a blessing to the nations). In one sense of the word these are three timeless and true promises to every follower of the Lord God! At the same time they are unique and particular to Abraham as the one through whom God begins to save, redeem, restore and reconcile the world.

Today...

It was a Dodge Avenger.

You are just going to have to trust me on this one. It's not an MN license plate. Speak Lord, Your Servant is Listening.

This Sunday

I'm reading from The Story this Sunday at church. I'm reading about Abram and what God asked of Him. I do believe I am being called to Go. Keeping my Eyes AND my ears open Lord. Thy Will Be Done, On Earth AS IT IS in Heaven. To You Be ALL of The Glory.

Your Love Never Fails

And there it was, on my drive in this morning about to turn onto Thurston Ave., a truck in the lane next to me with the license plate that i see far more often than one might think they would see in MN. huh. Keep Your Eyes Open My Love.

Reminder in Colossians

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 3-14

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[d] behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[f] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

P.s.

I know I am always pointing out to Grace the numerous small/big ways that you listen to her heart and Give Her the Desires of Her heart! But today I need to say Thank You Lord for always listening to my heart. Grace and I had a wonderful time yesterday at our fun lunch stop in Alexandria. I know you know how much my cup overflowed from that experience. Thank you for Loving me the way you do.

God, you are My God

Seek Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with your God. Well, Lord, Thank you for blessing this weekend. I am SO grateful that I was proven wrong, and that I was humbled and over-joyed to know that you WERE present at Mike and Cindy's wedding this weekend. It was a beautifully written sermon that acknowledged you in a couple of glorious ways. To you be ALL of the Glory. I pray that they walk humbly with you and each other and that they do grow in Love. Thank you for the gift of my immediate family this weekend. I pray that we all learn to find forgiveness in our hearts for EVERYONE who ever says or does things that hurt us. Praying for my Aunt especially. Thank you for the gift of Aunt Liz, Uncle Larry/Aunt Nadine AND Aunt Kathy/Uncle Joe and Jeff, they are all so kind and genuine and I am grateful when I get to spend time with them.

John 14:6

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

Isaiah 53: 3-6

3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Galatians 6-10

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1-9

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 12:12

Be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction, Faithful in Prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be Joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Luke 7:50

I also believe i needed this reminder: Jesus said to the woman, "because you have believed, you are saved from your sins. Go in peace."

Luke 8:15

And the seed that fell on good ground is like those who hear God's teaching with good, honest hearts and obey it and patiently produce good fruit. Another translation said "with good and honest hearts and Patient Endurance". I needed that reminder. Patient Endurance. Wait with Joy and Hope.

John 2 1:11

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[b] 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Jesus' Mother

Hail Mary, Full of Grace The Lord is with Thee, Blessed art thou among women and blessed if thy fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

1 John 1: 5-10

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

Need to let this sink in deep

Christian holiness is not the avoidance of darkness at all costs. It includes going into the darkness, letting our Light shine without compromise, and bringing people back from the darkness by the power of God. Jesus’s true followers are not only crucified to the world, but also raised to new life and sent back in to free others. Let’s die to every sinful desire in us for bad company, and yield to the holy impulse to befriend some of the world’s worst for Jesus’s sake.

Romans 3:23

It is God’s grace for those who have put their hope and trust in Him, that brings us into eternity with Him, despite what we deserve. All are sinners, all have fallen short, and deserve hell, yet for those who believe, for those who have faith in Him, we are able to spend our time here on earth sharing His love with others, and looking forward to forever with Him. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 John 3:16

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Great Reminder

“Real spiritual growth happens when we look up to Christ and what He has already done, out to our neighbors and what they need, not into ourselves and how we are doing.”

John 16: 33

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 15: 9-17

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

John 7:28-29

28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”

Jesus Heals Many

Luke 4: 38-41 38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. 40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

You overcame

I Love you My Lord, My God with All of My Heart, My Mind, My Body and Soul. Savior, worthy of Honor and Glory, worthy of all of our Praise, You Overcame. Thank you for the continual stream of Grace and Mercy.

Luke 1:26 thru 1:38

Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.' He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?" The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For everything spoken by God is possible." Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her.

Jesus take the wheel

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f] because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[g] (which means “God with us”).

praying...

Asking with much belief in your powers Lord to provide for this Art of Collaboration Team. Really believing in the beauty of this project. Thank you for all of your guidance and all of the blessings you pour out on us every day. I pray that this is a blessing this team can bring to many others.

i need you

now more than ever. Lord, I pray that i serve only you, today and always.

Oh Dear Lord

Please get me through today with your Peace and Strength, Patience and Joy. Help me to "drop the Joy bomb" today just like TobyMac ;)

1 Peter 4:13

Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.

Monday, Monday

Lord, 70 days. This Friday I will begin my 33 day journey of focusing on your Son Jesus, but until then let me continue to Honor and Praise your name, Oh Lord, My God.

Sunday August 26, 2012

A day of Thanksgiving and Marvel at your Love for us. Thank you for the morning service and Pastor Sonja. Lord, I do want to lift Alyssa up in prayer though, I pray that she has eyes to see you and ears to hear you. And that Grace and I know how to influence her in positive ways. Truly believing that your Love Will Conquer all of this evil. Thank you for guiding me right to our free parking place and Thank you for the Gift of your son from Bethel U. who gave up his seat on (what was a longer bus ride than i remember) His Kindness will not be forgotten. Forgive me for losing patience with Grace a few times throughout the day yesterday, I pray that I stood my ground enough for her to realize she does need to be thankful for all that she has and not pout about what she does not. A good reminder to me as well. Thank you for Pastor Jeff, for Aubra and for The Story. Looking forward to diving into this book of The Greatest Story ever told.

there by the grace

Forever learning to be at Peace in the Grip of your Grace. It's a blessing that I fail to grasp the magnitude of at times. But i know enough to know that I am forever Grateful for it, even when I don't understand. Thank you for Your Love Oh Lord, My God

Psalm 40:2

He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

big daddy weave

I am sure all of Heaven's heard me cry As I tell You all the reasons why This life is just too hard But day by day, without fail I'm finding everything I need And everything that You are to me Every time I breathe You seem a little bit closer I never wanna leave, I wanna stay in Your warm embrace Oh, basking in the glory shining from Your face And every time I get another glimpse of Your heart I realize it's true that You are so marvelous God And I am so in love with You, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah So in love with You Now how could I after knowing One so great Respond to You in any way That's less than all I have to give? But by Your grace I wanna love You Not with what I say but everyday In a way that my life is lived Every time I breathe You seem a little bit closer I never wanna leave, I wanna stay in Your warm embrace Oh, basking in the glory shining from Your face And every time I get another glimpse of Your heart I realize it's true that You are so marvelous, God And I am so in love with You Wrapped in Your mercy I wanna live and never leave I am held by how humble Yet overwhelmed by Your majesty Captured by grace, now I'm finding I am free, You are marvelous, God And knowing You is everything Every time I breathe You seem a little bit closer I never wanna leave, I wanna stay in Your warm embrace Oh, basking in the glory shining from Your face And every time I get another glimpse of Your heart I realize it's true that You are so marvelous God And I am so in love with You, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I'm so in love with You, I'm so in love with You

You Never Fail Me, Oh Lord, My God

"Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend you heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity." (Joel 3:12-13)

Today is The Day!!!

You Have Made, I will Rejoice and Be Glad in It, and I won't worry about tomorrow, i'm trusting in what you say, Today is the Day!!! Thank you Lord for the Gift of Today, May I use it wisely to Honor and Serve You.

The Debt I owe

I will never be able to repay the debt that I owe. Thank you God for relieving me of my greatest debts, for paying the cost at the cross. I am wholly Yours, Oh Lord My God. Thank you for the blessings of this weekend, the family time, the Love, your presence.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18 NIV)

Til I am wholly lost in thee. Lord you have my heart and I will search for yours.

Your Majesty

You are majestic. You are Glorious, Full of Glory. You are Wise, Full of Wisdom. Power and Might beyond my comprehension. You are Great and You are Good. You are compassionate, full of mercy. You are Creator of ALL things seen and unseen, you created me and the trees and plants, birds and grass, sky and waters, and all of the millions of creatures that live. You knew my name before I was even born, my daughters name too. God, You are Love. You are the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Your Mercies

Your mercies truly are new each and every morning. Thank you for Loving me the way you do Lord. Just a closer walk with thee.

Psalm 143:8

Let the morning bring word of your unfailing love, for i have put my trust in you. Show me the way i should go, for to you i lift up my soul. Thank you for your unfailing love today. You have shown me great mercies all day long. All of your ways truly are good, oh Lord, My God.

Humble Yourself

1 Peter 5:6; "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you in due time."

Abundant blessings that i have failed to thank you for lately... job, transportation, a safe place to live, family and friends that truly care, your faithfulness, your Abundant Love. ALL of the rich blessings you give me daily, these are only a few.

All your ways are Good

Let me continually sing you Praises, Oh Lord My God. I pray that I am fruitful in my works today. Thank you for the gift of this day.

I love you

Thank you Lord for blessing me with friends like Deb and her kids. Lord I pray you give her peace that passes all understanding in ways I know that only you can do. Thank you for my godmother Sr. Mary and her 50 years of Love for you and your people.

Your mercies, your grace and your abundant love never cease and never cease to amaze me. Thank you for getting me through the last few days. Be anxious of nothing. Please forgive the anxiety I had. All of your ways are so good.

Awesome wonder

Oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder consider all thy works thy hands have made. Then sings my soul my savior God to thee How Great Thou Art. Thank you Lord for your new mercies each and every morning. Thank you for leading me through yesterdays trials. Please continue to guide me today.

Thy Will Be Done

Father, You are in Heaven, Hallowed (greatly respected) is your name Thy Kingdom Come Thy Will Be Done On Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory forever and ever Amen.

You and I

You and I were made to worship, You and I were made to Love, You and I are forgiven and Free. You and I embrace surrender You and I choose to believe You and I will see That we were meant to be.

3 hr 33 min :D

Thank you Lord for blessing this day. Thank you Lord for last nights meeting. Thank you Lord for Audrey and everyone. Lord, I want to lift all of my pastorate family in prayers today, We Love you Lord and marvel at your Love for us.

You Never Walk Alone

Yesterdays sermon was about reaching out to God and others in times of struggles. You Never Walk Alone You never walk alone my friend Though you may think you do, For in your sorrow and despair God always walks with you There is no hour, no passing day He is not by your side, and though unseen he still is there To be your friend and guide. Whene'er you think you walk alone Reach out and you will find, The hand of God to show the way And bring you peace of mind. Harold F. Mohn Amen.

Praise be to you Oh Lord My God! I long to sing your Praises all day! Thank you for your abundant Love and care and Grace!

Your promises

I will never leave you nor forsake you. Thank you oh Lord My God

Isaiah 33: 2-6

² Lord, be gracious to us;
    we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
    our salvation in time of distress. 
³ At the uproar of your army, the peoples flee; 
    when you rise up, the nations scatter.
⁴ Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts; 
    like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.

⁵ The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; 
    he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. 
⁶ He will be the sure foundation for your times,
    a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
    the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.^[a]

Your Mercies ARE new each morning

I Love you My Lord My God with ALL of My Heart, My Mind, My Body and My Soul.
Please Show me the way I should GO, for to you I lift up my soul!
Amen!

Run from your old life into the arms of your Savior and Don't Ever Look Back.

God, You are My God

And I will Ever Praise You.
I will Seek you in the morning
And i will Learn to Walk in your ways
And step by step you lead me
and I will follow you All of my days!

Thank you Lord for another Glorious morning. Thy Will Be Done, Oh Lord My God.

Exodus 20

The Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words:

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before^[a] me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lordyour God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lordmade the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpetand saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: ²³ Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.

²⁴ “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. ²⁶ And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’

Alpha Omega

Genesis: 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

² And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

³ And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Lord, Thank you for being our creator, maker of Heaven and of Earth, of ALL things that we can see, and all things that we cannot. 

You were the beginning and you will be the end. Our human bodies are here only a blip, but knowing that we will live an eternity with you in Heaven is such an amazing and glorious fact! 

99

My God you are my everything. My love My life my everything. 99days. 33 devoted to you. 33 devoted to your son Jesus and 33 to Sarayu. Amen

How can you deny a God that whispers in your ear

I woke up last night at 3:38 a.m. to a whisper, Proverbs 16:11
woah. what a way to wake up, i mean really, think about who's trying to communicate... not trying, who HAS JUST communicated with you! GOD, Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth just SPOKE to you, you heard it, there is NO denying it.  Open your Bible, read what it says, so naturally:
Proverbs 16:11
Honest scales and balances are from the Lord: all the weights in the bag are of his making.

Which didn't quite register with me right away, so i went to Proverbs 11 (thinking i would look up 11:16 in case my morning brain had some sort of hearing dyslexia or something)
But before I could get to Proverbs 11:16, Proverbs 11:1 leapt off the page:
The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight!

WOW!! How COOL is that.  He just reiterated what he was trying to tell me in the first place!
AH-MA-ZING!

Now just applying it to pretty much every aspect of my life and see how the Lord moves!
amen!!

Colossians 2: 2-7

² My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. ⁵ For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Continue to Live your Lives in Him, Rooted and Built Up in Him, Strengthened in the Faith as you were taught and OverFlowing with Thankfulness.

This is a beautiful and powerful verse to remember.

ABC's

April and Andy - That they begin to put their sincere Hope in you and your plans for their family
Alex and Aliyah - That they continue to be nurtured and loved so much by both parents even through this break-up
Aurora, CO - For all of the victims and friends and family and witnesses to this tragedy.
Ben and Rachel - Peace and Understanding
Brandon - continued faith that can move mountains. patience.
Brett - Peace
Chelsea and Michaela - That their growing Love for God is a continued good example for my daughter
Corin - That I might have even half of the Faith and Love that she has for our Lord.
Doreen - That she continues to grow in Love and Understanding for our Lord and spreads that Love to all she meets with her brilliant smile and beautiful Joy.
Eve and Ethan
Florence - Lord I pray that she is doing well as her baby continues to grow (who must be 3-4 years old now!)
Grace and Gabe - that their relationship continues to grow in a healthy and loving way
Heath Lanctot and all former and current members of the armed forces.
I
Jim and Josie - Lord I pray that your guiding them every step of the way these days, that they truly are turning to you in their times of struggle. Lord, I pray that this disease is something we can all begin to handle with the appropriate care and love. Lord, I pray for DAILY renewal of all of our minds, bodies, spirits and souls.
Kjerste and Rachel - I pray Lord that you continue to bless Kjerste with friends and a strong church family. I pray that Rachel continues to move closer into your loving arms and away from her "crutch"/addiction.
Love
Matt, Melissa and Mike - Their relationships with their significant others as well as their relationships with you, that they might all be strengthened and nourished.
Nash - Harlan and Connie and their son and grandson.
O
Philip and His Family - Lord I pray that you guide them to the perfect job that glorifies you and provides for their family
Q
R
Scott and Joni and Alyssa and Amy - Lord I pray you move in the hardened hearts of your daughters esepcially
Tracy, Thad - for peace
Uncle John, Uncle Gene, Uncle Bill, Uncle Joe and Uncle Larry - Lord, thank you for the blessing of amazing Uncles in my life. I pray that your Peace and Strength wash over them all today and every day as they all face aging and it's difficulties.

May 31, 2012 Journal Entry

Alright Lord, I know I need to continue to be bold in My Faith in you, My Faith in your abundant Love for me, My Faith in your perfect plan and in your perfect timing. Lord, I know that you've gotten me this far and you haven't failed me yet, I'm sorry that I've tried so many years to run ahead, and I'm sorry Lord that my mind still drifts into dreamland of the future and sometimes dwells on the past. Lord, Help Me to live each day in it's full presence. You know my greatest hearts desires, you know my longings, Lord, I give them all to you.
You Have My Faith.
You Have My Heart.
You Have My Trust.

Grace and Faith want a play date

While this title is literal, that two little girls named, Grace and Faith want to have a play date together, I can't help but dig deeper into it as my growing in Love and Trust for our Lord continues.
Grace and Faith want a play date.
I've recognized, been humbled by, marveled at, and rejoiced over the Grace of God in the past 5 years, and it truly has been growing my Faith... but, I still fall back on my human shortcomings of the ugly "d" words, doubt or distrust more often than I should.  I want my Faith to be daily evident in everything I do. I want to Love the Lord more each and every day. I want that Love to be so inspiring, so encouraging that others won't be able to resist His Love either. I want my Faith to be solid.
I want to be as Faithful to Him as He is to me.
My God, You Are My Everything, My Love, My Life, My Everything!
Amena

ABCs

Aurora, CO, April and Andy, Alex and Aliyah (Ben and Rachel), Brandon, Brett, Chelsea and Michaela, Corin, Doreen, Eve, Ethan and Peyton, Florence, Grace, Gabe, Heath Lanctot and all of the soldiers who experience extreme burdens from their military service, Jim and Josie, Jill H. and Family,  Kjerste and Rachel, Krissy K., Laura Lu, Matt, Melissa, Mike and Lori, Aaron and Cindy, Noreens, O, Philip M., Russell, Scott and Joni, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

If it WERE a competition...

Which it is not.  But if it were a competition for cramming the most goodness into your life (and specifically one weekend) i think i had a good shot at finishing front of the pack this past couple of days.

We left my place at 6:30 a.m. to head to Bemidji to support my b.f.f.'s first year as a captain of a Relay for Life team.  We were Team B Awesome and she had the brilliant idea of a Dr. Seuss theme! It was wonderful to experience the day and share it with her and her mom and her moms friend Doreen! We were recognized for our creativity in booth decorations and fun costumes... pictures to follow.

Spent the night at my brothers and a brief period of time with him before heading to my parents about an hour away.  Went to church with them and the sermon was about "GO"ing  which of course warmed my heart... as the best advice I was ever given was recently by Bill Verebly when he told me that the first 2 letters of GOd are GO for a reason!!! ;)  Thanks Bill and Thank you Lord for your perfect timing and placement of Anne and Bill in my life. :)  All your ways are good.

My parents, Grace and I got home from church and picked some fresh raspberries and had an amazing home grown meal of fresh green beans, fresh cucumbers and fresh peas, of course the raspberries too!

From there we soldiered on to the Polk County Fair where I was able to ride on and represent our 1999 float in the parade :)  It was quite the ordeal really with flying and falling building boxes, one of which we ran over and dragged for a portion of the trail.  After the parade I found Grace having a BALL with Gramma and Grandpa spoiling her and putting her on every ride that met her height!
We were gifted a unlimited band and gramma proceeded to take Grace around AGAIN, while Grandpa and I went to get an oof-da taco.... soooo good.  AND, by the Grace of God Deb Mjelde sat down right beside me and we talked and smiled and hugged and it was good.

Thank you Lord for a family and friends filled weekend and for our safe travels.  Thank you for blessing Grace with an abundance of family who showers her with Love. Thank you for returning her safely from her 3 week adventure with her dad.  All of your ways are good, Oh Lord My God.

Gifts

No material gift has ever meant more to me than the gift of someones time. Of their presence and their conversation. Of their laughter and their grace.

Redemption in all it's glory

What a gift. Redemption. Not just from yesterday's sins but every. Single. Day. Lord, all your ways are good and surely it is All for Your Glory ANC Honor. Thank you for guiding me to life everlasting with you. Thank you using my most recent misstep to turn around and share your good news with someone who seems a bit lost.Your mercies truly are new each morning and I am humbled and in Awe of your abundant incredible Love.

Death through Adam, life through Christ

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! (Romans 5:12-17 NIV)