A Beautiful Birthday Gift

I had a birthday a week or so ago. 

This is what my husband got me! 

There has been so much hoopla going around about Instant Pots and when he saw this beautiful one he had to get it for me. I am excited to be able to use it. 

Last week a new friend from my new Sabbath School class invited me over to tell me some pointers about the Instant Pot. She was so sweet! She created a binder that has all the basic information needed to use the Instant Pot in one binder. I thought that was one of those going above and beyond! 

If any of you are interested in the Instant Pot. I will be sharing a bit about it along the way. :O) 

Are You Living Blessed? Finale

My Book "Living Blessed - the mission statement of the born- again follower of Christ" ended with this beautiful song:

Your Story

You wish your story had more meaning,
So you could tell how you conquered all the pain.
But life's been gentle, even easy;
You've convinced yourself you don't have much
   to say.

So your story goes unspoken,
A testimony tat's been silenced by your fears.
But let me tell you, the day God saved you,
He penned the wondrous story someone needs to hear.

Your story hold the power - giving hope o the weary on their way.
Your story tells the how this God of love still reaches out with arms of grace.
You've seen what God can do, now it's up to you to share His glory.
They're waiting to be free, wanting to believe...
You have just what they need- Your story.
The cross of Christ, the sacrifice that cannot be denied.
It took as much to save you as the thief He hung beside.

Your story holds the power- giving hope to the weary n their way.
your story tells them how this God of love still reaches out with arms of grace.
You've seen what God can do, now it's up to you to share His glory.
They're waiting to be free, wanting to believe
you have just what they need- your story.

By Rodney Griffin

Are You Living Blessed? part 8

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
Psalm 107:2

In the last chapter, I learned the importance of telling our story. By sharing what God has done for you and what He has brought you through blesses other people and helps them in their journey through life.

No wonder God urges us, "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!" (Ps. 107:2a), because it encourages us when we are reminded of His supreme ability to rescue the perishing. It also blesses our own hearts and helps us be victorious when we tell of His providences: "They (God's people) overcame him (the enemy)by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony."(Revelation 12:11), emphasis supplied) Tell your story, it may be just the judge someone needs."  

 

Not only does telling how God has cared for you bless others, it reminds you and keeps it fresh in your mind so your faith is reinforced and encouraged each time. They are blessed and so are you.

Are You Living Blessed? part 7

There is a chapter on blessing the family that had some awesome ideas. "..God's blessing changes things. It changed a 24-hour period into a Sabbath. It changed a little boy's lunch into a huge meal. And it still changes people and things today."

In this chapter I also learned the importance of affirming God's work in the life's of those around us.
"We are energized when people who know us remind us that they see evidence that God is at work within us. The devil loves to remind us of the negatives. Research shows that the human mind remembers negative things that happen to us or wrong decisions we make 14 times longer than the good things. That's no doubt why the Apostle Paul urges us to speak only those things that build up others.(Eph 4:29) Affirming how we see God at work in someone's life is one way we can do that."

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Ephesians 4:29

 

I was also reminded that "criticism is the devil's counterfeit for intercessory prayer and a critical spirit can stifle the blessing gift God wishes to provide."  Jesus looked for the best in people and so should we.

Are You Living Blessed? part 4

"We read barely into the second chapter of the Scripture record before we see God selecting a day, a 24-hour period very like the other six -common, ordinary- and placing on it a part of Himself. It is now blessed, holy. It is now unlike the other six. It is unique, distinct, and carries eternal significance. His blessing changed a piece of time."

2By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Genesis 2:2-3

 Happy Sabbath everyone!

Are You Living Blessed?...part 3

Each chapter has a great story or two to show examples of what is spoken of in that chapter. In this chapter the author shares a story how a prayer of blessing on a young prostitutes changed her life.

 

"In the grand design of the universe you and I are not intended to be receivers as much as we are to be channels, conduits, conveyors. Like any healthy body of water, we receive so we can give. All God has given you He gave for you to hand off to others. God instructed Abraham, "I will bless you and you will be a blessing." (Gen. 12:2)"

 

"That's God's Grand Design. The blessing prayer has great power because as we speak words of blessing we become an instrument of God's grace, and extension of His hands, a tangible way for Him to say to someone, "I love you." We are called by Him to do this. Notice:

"Finally, all of you...be tenderhearted, be courteous, not returning evil for evil...but on the contrary, blessing, knowing that you were called to do this..." (1 Peter 3:8-9)

 

God loves to bless His children because He can use them in turn to bless others. He blesses His blessers, and He distributes His gifts lavishly.

 

A blessing is redemptive and restorative because we become the vessels God uses to share His grace with others, often in unexpected places, maybe even like an all-night diner filled with ladies of the street. God moves us to see others from His perspective and then love through us. Blessings are instruments of healing, and they very often have eternal consequences."

 

This chapter ends with the author encouraging the reader to "reflect on ways that you can bless your family, your friends, colleagues at work and relationships in your church and neighborhood."  

Are You Living Blessed...part 2

This book was so good that I thought I would do a series on the book. But trust me when I say - I am only giving just a tidbit of the wonderful, uplifting information in this awesome book. There are great stories in every chapter that really spoke to my heart. If you ever get the chance to read this book - I would highly recommend it. But for now - you will get the benefit of picking up some of wonderful tips to live by in your life in order to live blessed.

 

 

 

In this next chapter, I learned that the blessing is spoken of in the scripture more than 200 times and how God "blesses us so we can bless one another- with our words and with His words."

"It is God's intention- His joy- to lift, to encourage, to inspire. It's His nature to give and His glory to bless! And to us He gives the gift of being extensions of His hands."

24The LORD bless you, and keep you;
25The LORD make His face shine on you,
         And be gracious to you; 26The LORD lift up His countenance on you,
         And give you peace.’
Numbers 6:24-26

This chapter ended with some great questions that I think we should ask ourselves each day:

• "Who do You want me to bless for You today?"
• "Who do You want to love through me today?
• "Who do You want me to put an arm around on your behalf today?"

Like I said at the beginning - what I am sharing is just a tiny bit of the gems I have found in this book, the things that really spoke to my heart. I will be keeping my eyes opened for more copies of this great book to give away.