I Love You...with a twist

Today I wanted to share an exert from this book that I am reading. In the chapter titled- "You Can Defeat Depression." What I am going to share today was like some healing balm was used on my heart and I wanted to share it with you all just in case you too needed some of this healing balm.

 

God loves you. 
  " 'I have loved your with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness' " (Jeremiah 31:3). When someone says, "I love you," isn't that a sweet feeling? How much more wonderful when those words come directly from the heart of your Creator who tells you,
 "I've always loved you."

Wow- do you see what I mean? "I have ALWAYS LOVED YOU!" It's like we hear Jesus loves you so often and so we just don't understand the depth of His love for us. Or that He has loved us always.

A cool thing happened after this healing balm found my heart. Several hours later, as I was driving, I saw a road runner just sitting on the side of the road - just out from the brush. And as I watched him- start to go run back into the brush - I remembered how when I see roadrunners it is a special "I love you" from God. But this time- it's like as soon as I thought - I love you - I thought - I remember.. "I have ALWAYS loved you!" I hope that each time I see a roadrunner I will be reminded of not only God's love for me - but that He has always loved me.

Oh and don't forget - if He has always loved you - it also means He will ALWAYS love you --- forever!

*photo was a photo shared with "Friends of Big Bend National Park" I just thought it was too cool not to share with you all. I have never had the pleasure of seeing a roadrunner up close, maybe one day. :O)

Where are You on the Stair Steps to Christ?

Today I am sharing a little of what I have been reading in the book I am reading. "To Know God- A 5-day Plan." by Morris Vendon. This is such a great book. It is not a very long book- but it is very full of wonderful information about the gospel. I am not rushing through this book. This is the kind of book that you read a little and savor it for a bit, before you move on. I just finished day 2 yesterday. I am hoping to find some more copies of this book - and that way if any of you are interested in it - I can mail it to you. I hope you are blessed with what I am sharing today.
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"..in the process of being drawn to Christ there are certain steps that we take in coming to Him.

 First, there is a desire for something better.

Second, there comes a knowledge of what it is that's better.

Third, comes the conviction that we are sinners.

Fourth, we are brought to realize that we are helpless to do anything at all about our condition.

 And finally, we give up- it's called "surrender" in Christian circles.

 We give up on ever being able to save ourselves,

 and then we can come to Christ just as we are."

pg.30-31.

"Perhaps you have seen which of the steps to Christ you are on. Do you realize a desire for something better? Do you realize that God is love and that Jesus died for you? Do you realize that you are a sinner? Do you realize that you are helpless to do anything about it? And have you come to the point of giving up on ever being able to do anything about it? Then you can come to Jesus, just as you are, because those are the steps to Him. God is drawing you to Him, and you can respond, and continue to come to Him tomorrow morning and the next, until Jesus Himself comes again."

 pg 41(this is what is written on the page above- under the stairs.)

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By the way, I am going to have my MRI this morning. Please pray that if there is a problem that it will show up on the MRI. And I am praying that what ever the problem is - will be an easy fix. I need prayers for wisdom to know the best route at taking care of the problem.

My Gilgal

I am so excited about what I am going to share with you today! So in continuing to read my Beth Moore book Believing God chapter 13 now, I have learned an exciting thing about the stones talked about in the previous post.

We are continuing on from our reading yesterday:

    Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.   

Joshua 4:19-20

As we see from the above text that they set the stones up at Gilgal. Now here is where it gets kind of exciting - at least to me.

"In essence the word Gilgal means "circle or wheel." The assumption is that the standing stones were arranged in a circle." quote from chapter 13

Which gives my windmill even more significance as my memorial - of God's faithfulness in my life but especially during my cancer 'adventure."

This chapter, like the whole book, is chalked full of a wonderful message - and has met me exactly where I am. I love it when I can see that God has brought a certain book that deals with exactly where I am in my walk with Him. It has happened several times before.

So as you can see - my windmill - which is in a circle or a wheel is very appropriately my memorial.

I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. 12 I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds.   
Psalm 77:11-12

Hanging Branches

Today I saw a tree, this was no ordinary tree. This tree was beautiful. It's trunk was so big around, there would be no way that you could reach your arms around it and touch your hands together. . The branches spread out so pretty. All the leaves were pretty and green. I was so impressed, except for one small branch that had partially  broke off and was hanging down. All the leaves on this branch were dead brown.

This dead branch that hung down under the canopy was relatively small in comparison to the whole tree, however all I could think of is how much better the tree would look without that dead branch. I have spent a lot of time over the last couple of years working on making my yard look better by cutting away the dead things.

As I thought about how much nicer the tree would look without that dead limb~ I couldn't help but think that God must think the same thing when He looks at us. He sees us and thinks how beautiful we are and then He notices that character defect that is just handing there being and eye sore. He wants us to reflect Him and it is hard to do that when we have an ugly branch hanging down.

The only way that we can get rid of that ugly hanging branch(character defect) is to turn our life and our will over to Jesus Christ. And ask Him to remove the character defect. Then we have to be willing to allow Him to guide and direct us. Only through the help of the Holy Spirit can we get rid of these Character defects.

    "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

  5  I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.       

John 15:1-8     

 

I can sure relate to this post probably because of the fact that over the last couple of years I have learned a lot about how cutting away the dead to make room for grown- in my yard and my life. 

 

    being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 

Philippians 1:6 

 

 

A Debtor to Mercy Alone

The work which His goodness began,
The arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen,
And never was forfeited yet
—Augustus M. Toplady