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Make a Sound- part 2
Each of our boys made a sound when they entered this world but one of our sons was very still and quiet at first. I looked over, waiting for the scream. But what we found was a peaceful little glare. Eventually, he had to make a sound! The nurse and doctor made sure those lungs were working. They gave him a bath, etc. and let us take him home. The degree, strength, or loudness of sound has to do with volume. Don’t worry if you started out shy. Don’t let it bother you if you have a low tone. Ears can pick up the sound. And spiritual ears can pick…
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Make a Sound- part 1
Don’t stay quiet about what God has done for you. It should be heard many times over. Different ears are listening today. They are open to the right sounds. There is always room for the sound of faith! Don’t stay silent about how God delivered you or how you believe He will deliver you from a health threat or a trial. Make a sound. People won’t hear you unless you decide to be heard. When your story hits the air waves, vibrations and volumes are released. Leave your email here for my upcoming video. (Let’s get into some biblical verses about this topic.) And as always, thank you so much…
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Fix my Focus
When it’s Winter time and the Spring clothing line emails start coming in…fix my focus. When plenty of issues surround my family and then report cards show up in the mail box…fix my focus. When the clutter doesn’t clean up fast enough and unknown boxes just got delivered to my front door…fix my focus! The things right in front of our faces get all the attention! And they pop up out of nowhere. Everywhere. They jump in front of everything and everyone else. They become our focus. Transient things move around. They don’t stay a long time so we think we have to deal with it all at this very…
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Buddies
What two things work together and make us a great friend to God? Here’s a hint: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Okay, yes, it is faith and action! They are big buddies. In Abraham’s case, they equaled something. James 2:21-25 “Was not Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did…Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness (not craziness), and he was called God’s friend.” Action packed faith can look wild…
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Elaborate Gifts
My husband thinks I deserve elaborate gifts; I’m not so sure I do but I receive them anyway! In the beginning of our marriage, it was difficult for me to reason with him about this. However, even recently, I could tell that Derek took great care in advance, to carry out his planned surprises for me. Many of his presents are just because. Not really “entitled”, a man named Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) accepted the great gift of Jesus coming over to his house and bringing salvation with Him. Zacchaeus “ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus.” Then “he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly.” When…
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Big Difference
Think of somebody who’s had a strong effect on your life. When that person made contact with you or walked into a room, did it make you feel admired and well loved? Even as a baby, in all of His weakness, Jesus’ presence made a big difference. In His smallness, our Lord was big enough to make a huge impact. “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.” Matt. 2:2 Each year at Christmas, our family talks about Granny “Big” and we remember that even in her times of weakness or frailty, she…
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Strong Enough
Have you read enough of the bible to know you’re strong enough? Strong enough for what, you ask? Strong enough to endure the trial. Strong enough to hold out against that financial loss. Strong enough to continue beyond the blame. Strong enough to walk passed those temptations. “God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you’re tempted, He’ll also provide a way so that you can endure it.” 1 Cor. 10:13. “For in Him you have been enriched in every way.” 1 Cor. 1:5 You are as strong as required, strong as necessary and strong as desired, for God to work. You might be…
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Alert and Sober
How do you stay alert when you’re tired and when there’s a lot of things going on…like Christmas parties, meetings, deadlines, new ideas and schedules for the new year? This past week, a new message went through me and part of it had to do with being alert and awake as the church. It’s not the time to turn to a lifestyle of blur. It is not a good idea to give into a state of fuzziness, not knowing what is going on around us. Our world is fusing and meshing lines and boundaries that were once clear; our world is looking more and more out of sorts and zoned…
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Gangster Prayer
In her book Gangster Prayer, Autumn Miles explains that when you don’t ask God for specific things, you are keeping yourselves from a level of knowing God that will transform your life. I get the feeling she really knows her stuff. She has a great way of connecting with readers on a personal level, with real life stories of her own struggles and successes. The book was an easy read from one chapter to the next! Autumn says: “I began to understand that I was missing out on a world of possibility because I was too lazy in prayer and too comfortable with my faith. That challenged me to begin…
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The Monday Mentor
L i v i n g it on the Mondays too- A christian life of courage. Sundays bring many Americans together for church. But how are we doing on Mondays? Have you been wanting to become an instrument that God can use for Life Change? A tool for growth in the spiritual lives of people? We want to help guide your week! Being easily equipped with some spiritual directives to gauge and grow, can be an encouraging way to reach your goal. (Mark 16:15-20) Then He said, “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all…and the disciples went everywhere…” His…