TRUTHSHARER

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T19:54:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

JOY, Stephanie and Jossara Makenna

THE BOOK OF RUTH

2011-11-19T10:00:00.008-05:00

Another Bible study concluded this past Thursday as our morning group studied the Book of RUTH with great joy and expectation of what God had for us in that little short OT book!

My dear friend, Caroline, wrote this study. Her "Daily Meditations" and "Journey Thoughts" were the homework part of each week and the girls and I loved digging and pondering through all of them. God spoke deeply so that He could bring the response through each of us as He willed!

Thank you for allowing us to use this study to respond to His Heart in our present circumstances. We had many 'words' from the LORD..... one [through Kim] was: "Don't Stop Short!"

Pictured here:

Caroline Rambone [author of the study]

Stephanie [me]

Kim Reinhold [co-leader]

We will be meeting one last time on January 5th, 2012, to see what God is going to do in the next few weeks in each of our lives. We didn't want this study to end so this is our way of keeping the Word alive in our hearts until then!

Love with JOY abounding,

Stephanie

PS: We missed you Dawn and Cathy.......[not pictured]

PRAYER FOR HAITI

2011-10-11T10:28:00.010-04:00

Isaiah 26:3

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth inThee.

My daughter, Becky, sent these pictures and this request this morning. I am asking others to pray for her and her family and those in Haiti and the teams who are ther now as well.

We are on day 4 of torrential rains here in Haiti. We had a team here since Friday and they actually returned to Cayes yesterday cause they couldn’t do anything out at their sister church. Everything was wet, the kitchen was soaked and the church ladies cooking their meals were soaked thru. Here are a few pics from their drive home yesterday. The first pic is them driving over a bridge over a river.

That was 24 hours ago, the road must be covered now. The 3rd pic is the paved road they were driving on to get back to Cayes. I have never seen rain like this. Yes, we’ve had 8 days in a row before of rain, but not the constant torrential rains. It doesn’t let up for hours at a time!

We are safe and dry. There are 5 spots where water is getting into our house (4 roof leaks and one where it is seeping thru the walls) but it’s not that bad. Most people have holes in their roofs, so I am not complaining!

Please be praying! Becky

Father God ~

Please watch over all those in Haiti this day and this week as these rains come down. May we be reminded with every drop of RAIN that you are showering down GRACE UPON GRACE UPON GRACE! Protect and provide all that is needed and turn these rains into showers of blessing! In JESUS Precious Name we ask it, AMEN!
JOY, Stephanie

Journey of a Lifetime and She's Only In Kindegarten

2011-10-05T07:16:00.009-04:00

Many adults gasped, "Oh no, I'm so sorry." Such were the comments when telling friends, relatives, or even a grocery store checkers that my daughter and her family were going to Haiti. That was over 18 months ago - just three months after the disastrous earthquake struck the tiny country.

I had not seen my family in person until July of this year, when they were home for a short vacation to the States. After three weeks of visiting here, interestingly, all of their children [my grandchildren] couldn't wait to go "home"!

"Home" is Haiti for them. They now speak the language of the native people. This is Tessa's first day of Kindegarten [twazyčm] . The kids love Haiti, and though many adults would think they are missing so much, the kids are on an adventure of a lifetime with God!

I wondered, as I pondered over this picture, what kind of life do we lead? Do we really consider our pilgrimage, our journey, to be full of adventure and not so common place with God? Our feet may be dressed in different color socks, sometimes we march alike and sometimes we stick out like a sore thumb. But each of us has our place in God's kingdom. May we go to where God leads us falling into the ranks of "Onward Christian Soldiers" wherever HE sets our feet!

I am teaching the book of RUTH at this time. This verse came to mind from the picture:

Ruth 1
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.

Becky [the mother of Tessa] sent me this link based on this passage above:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ODe4sGCKxc

JOY,
Stephanie

HERE & NOW = THERE & THEN

2011-04-19T08:49:00.016-04:00

Revelation 21: 18-21

18The wall was built of jasper, while the city [itself was of] pure gold, clear and transparent like glass. 19The foundation [stones] of the wall of the city were ornamented with all of the precious stones. The first foundation [stone] was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony (or white agate), the fourth emerald, 20The fifth onyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each separate gate being built of one solid pearl. And the main street (the broadway) of the city was of gold as pure and translucent as glass.

My class gave me a special hand-made bracelet portraying the Scripture above. It is a New Jerusalem bracelet complete with streets of Gold and translucent glass. It also has 12 pearls in between each color of precious stone signifying the 12 gates! I will treasure this forever! We enjoyed studying Revelation together - almost half of the ladies for the first time. Two of us have studied it in depth for the 7th time! God met us here each week with His Presence! There were 22 of us in this study but only 18 made it to the final dinner celebration. We miss you Mary, Donna A., Marion and Jane!! Our theme verse was:

Revelation 17:14 "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Tiara and her Mom. Tiara celebrated her 28th birthday with us last night too! We had candles and cake to make it special!

God is now the CENTER of each of these ladies' lives! We learned sooo much together and God truly did bless us each and everyone one of us! We praise God for the Revelation of Jesus Christ in our lives!

Choosing JOY in this season,

Stephanie

Another Conference in PA

2011-04-17T19:05:00.011-04:00

Christ Community Church - 2011

I had the JOY of serving with the ladies of

Christ Community Church from Newfield, NJ,

at Black Rock Retreat Center in Quarryville, PA., last weekend!

The theme for this year was:

BODY - SOUL - SPIRIT

Theme verse:

1 Thessalonians 5:23

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.

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Worshiping Jesus was first and foremost!

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Above photo: My dear sister Kim! We met in 2008 the first year

that I spoke at their first retreat here at Black Rock.

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Above: Jane, the assistant pastor's wife -

and also my very dear friend and room-mate for this retreat!

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Above Photo:

The main speaker was Rosa Maria Faulkner from Wilmington, DE.

[left in pink - along with the retreat committee]

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Pastor Tony's wife, Lynn and me.

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Choosing JOY in this season,

Stephanie

Revive - Refresh - Renew RETREAT in PA

2011-04-02T14:45:00.014-04:00

I had the great privilege of teaching at a retreat last weekend with Hope Community Church from Gilbertsville, PA. We stayed at the INN of Leola Village in Leola, PA, a beautiful facility hidden in the heart of the Amish Country.

My dinner table group on Friday night before the sessions began!

I wrote a skit about the Presence of God - and Natalie [left] played the little girl, and Carly [right] played the mother. Their added humor made it come alive for all those who enjoyed it! Great job ladies!! You're going on the road with me from now on!!

Worship was a focus of each session. The team from HCC is Carly, Danielle, and Marcie

Teaching for Saturday's morning sessions.

Gretchen was one of the ladies who came to the Bible study session on my favorite chapter of the Old Testament = Exodus 33!

This was our prayer upon beginning the retreat: As a Get-Away Weekend with the KING of kings – THE LIVING GOD.

We asked God to...

REVIVE us with YOUR LOVE …. that we may see clearly exactly WHO YOU ARE! Revive us with YOUR PRESENCE in a way we’ve never known. REFRESH us with YOUR SPIRIT, LORD, let the wind blows across our face. Refresh us with YOUR WORD so that we are able to live fruitfully and abundantly in these last days. RENEW a RIGHT SPIRIT within us, LORD Bring us to OWN RENEWED COMMITMENT - to follow hard after You!

It was my JOY and pleasure to serve you all!

Choosing JOY in this season,

Stephanie

PICTURE PERFECT

2011-03-05T00:00:00.004-05:00

NEW BIRTH

2011-02-25T14:58:00.007-05:00

Please Welcome:

Jossara Makenna

[Josie Mae] for short
8 lbs. 7 oz. 21 "long
her name Jossara means :

God will increase / Shield of Joseph

Makenna in Hebrew is "Machaneh" = Armies of the Living God
it also means 'encircled' or 'encamped'.

My son and his new daughter!

Her 5 psalms for LIFE are:

Psalm 24 - 54 - 84 - 114 and

Psalm 144

[Selected section]

Of David
1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock,

who trains my hands for war,

my fingers for battle.

2 He is my loving God and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield, in whom I take refuge,

who subdues peoples under me...

12 Then our sons in their youth

will be like well-nurtured plants,

and our daughters will be like

pillars carved to adorn a palace.

13 Our barns will be filled

with every kind of provision.

Our sheep will increase by thousands,

by tens of thousands in our fields;

14 our oxen will draw heavy loads.

There will be no breaching of walls,

no going into captivity,

no cry of distress in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people of whom this is true;

blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

[emphasis added]

Mommy of Three - Susy

The poking begins!

Hands - Feet and HUGS!

My family is growing fast!

Choosing GREAT JOY in this season,

Stephanie

NESTING by Susy Brower

2011-02-22T09:36:00.008-05:00

My Daughter-in-Law wrote this today......and we all cannot wait for Baby Girl AND JESUS to arrive on the scene!

NESTING
by Susy Brower
I am a nesting nut! Besides organizing the entire house, I have the baby's room decorated, clothes washed, bags packed, and even have the phone numbers ready to share the news. I am about as ready as I will ever be for this baby - and good thing for she is due in less than a week.
All this preparation makes me realize how I fall short in preparing for the Lord's return. Am I anticipating it like I should? Am I getting ready? If I were truly excited about it and expecting it to happen any day now, I would be getting the room ready (preparing my heart) washing the clothes (getting rid of sin) packing bags (storing treasures in heaven) and have the phone numbers ready (telling others about the news).

Ready for a baby!
Just like my baby could come any day (and she better come soon!) Jesus could come back any day. Are we nesting?

Matthew 24:42 NKJV - "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
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She writes at WordPress:
Nesting
Susy February 22, 2011

A TALL ORDER of...

2011-02-13T08:33:00.007-05:00

Hebrews 11:1 [NIV 1984]

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

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What is on God's agenda right now in your life - in this new season - that seems to be a very TALL order of your faith?

Are you up for the challenge of trusting God with it? What are you doing to PREPARE yourself for it?

I'm asking the same questions of myself right now. So let's join together to follow through on FAITH ... living, real and active FAITH ... the kind of FAITH that stretches us beyond what we are capable of - and moves us into the place of trusting God in His ability to equip us for the tasks at hand. Are you with me? Are you armed with the Word of God? What verse are you claiming through this?

Hold tight to Jesus and walk TALL in the Spirit .

By faith _____________ ... [insert your name]

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Choosing JOY in this season,

Stephanie

A New SEASON - Will You Still Follow?

2011-01-27T10:45:00.025-05:00

I haven't been 'blogging' much in the past few months because God has called me to a new season with Him that demands my time in other places and with other people. I continually pray for my blog sisters [and brothers, like Kurt] by name from my prayer list and I also stay in touch with many of you. We have become true friends and have developed relationships that otherwise would never have been - had not we met in Cyberspace!

I say all of that to bring you to the reason for my post today.

Early this morning when I turned on my laptop, I saw a blog post title in an email that intrigued me. So I jumped on that blog and read the short post where God truly had a Word for me.

That is not the point of this post however. Stay with me here.......

As I prepared to make a comment I knew I had to 'sign-in' first - so the fastest way I knew was to jump on my own blog - it signs me in automatically. So, that's what I did.

Here's where this post began....

When I opened my own blog I noticed that my 'followers' list had decreased by one. This had happened a few weeks ago too. Down two, hum........ but this wasn't ever something I pursued [getting followers I mean] in fact for a long time the Lord would not allow me to have a button for followers. I don't do Facebook so my followers were always limited. I know that since I have not visited blogs lately, nor posted much in recent weeks, [this being my first post of the New Year] I even understood why someone would stop being a follower. I thought to myself at that moment, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."

But then......... John 6:66 flooded my mind:

After Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand ~ After Jesus Walks on the Water ~ After He declares to be the Bread of Life .....we come to the end of John chapter 6 and find this:

John 6:53-69 [SELECTED] NIV 1984

53 Jesus said to them,

“I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61 Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”
6:66 From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to Whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” [emphasis added]

I weep whenever I read that passage. Last spring I taught a Bible study on the Words of Jesus and we camped here for one long session. Can you imagine the hurt in His voice when He said,

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve - those who were His closet followers.

Those who left could not understand this difficult portion of the blood and guts of the Sacrifice He was going to have to pay. He tried to explain it but they didn't get it. Instead of trusting Him more, they deserted Him instead.

Friends, we are capable of the same thing if we do not stay as close to Him as we can. Intimacy with Jesus, means intimacy with The Father [for us]. That's not something I'm willing to give up! Jesus calls us [in these last days] to some very hard stuff... hard sufferings, difficult sacrifices, yet our lives are to be LIVING SACRIFICES according to:

Romans 12:1-2

Living Sacrifices to God

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. [emphasis added]

Let's never give up following the King of kings, even in the hard seasons of life! May the reading of God's Holy Word [His TRUTH] fill your hearts and minds this beautiful cloudy, or sunny, or snowy day wherever you are! I love you all!

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Choosing JOY, Stephanie

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PS: The post title that spoke to me was written by Kelly over at Titus 2 in Action, called: Faith Like Noah. I hope you read that too! Maybe God has a Word for you as well! Be Blessed!

In Darkness Or In Light

2010-12-28T17:01:00.012-05:00

This Little Light of mine - I'm gonna let it Shine!

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Happy New Year!

I'm looking for Jesus' in the Clouds to return as Coming King

~ how about you?

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Choosing JOY, Stephanie

THE INHERITANCE

2010-11-23T14:46:00.009-05:00

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed I have a beautiful inheritance.
~Psalm 16:6 ESV~
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We learned that God has made us heiresses - and co-heirs with Christ. We learned that our lives are never left to chance.

We learned that we have an inheritance that consists of
PRESENCE
PEOPLE
PROPERTY
As New Testament believers we are priests - and like the Levites
in the OT - our property is the PRESENCE of God Himself.
We inherit PEOPLE - those whom God places around us
in community who share our inheritance or will be blessed by it.
Our PROPERTY is His Presence - but it is also the process of
Christ redeeming our pasts, our life experiences and
our spiritual gifts
in the intimacy with God that we embrace.

We learned that we have a 'field'! Many of us were excited to embrace
that concept of being 'stewards over' our earthly properties - and learning
that we are to 'harvest' those fields to the very edges
with other believers who have the same fields assigned to them.
We are to work together for kingdom purposes - not separately.

We learned that fully inheriting what God has promised us

demands enduring faith and patience while in complete

OBEDIENCE

to what God has called us to be and do.

The Kingdom of God is within us now

but we will inherit a kingdom that will ultimately

be lived out in eternity with Christ as King.

_____________

1 Peter 1:3-7

Praise to God for a Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

__________________________

Choosing JOY in being Heiresses,

Stephanie

and those who studied hard this round: Dawn, Joan, Jane, Pat, Linda, Kathy, Tracie, Leeann, Mary, [Me], Donna, Cheryl, Sheryl, Linda, Chris, Bonnie, Annette, Donna, Stephanie, Lynne.

PS: We missed those of you who could not make it to the dinner: Shirley, Tiara, Gail, and Claire.

THY WORD

2010-11-15T08:31:00.014-05:00

Psalm 119 The Message
a paraphrase [selected verses]

1-6 You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.

You're blessed when you follow His directions, doing your best to find Him. That's right—you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road He set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now You expect us to live it.

Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course You set;

17-18 Be generous with me and I'll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off Your road. Open my eyes so I can see what You show me of Your miracle-wonders. I'm a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions. My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!— insatiable for Your nourishing commands.

41-48 Let Your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as You promised; Then I'll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted Your Word. Don't ever deprive me of truth, not ever— Your commandments are what I depend on.

Oh, I'll guard with my life what You've revealed to me, guard it now, guard it ever; and I'll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for Your truth and Your wisdom; then I'll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed. I cherish Your commandments—oh, how I love them!— relishing every fragment of Your counsel.

129-136 Every word You give me is a miracle word— how could I help but obey? Break open Your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted Your commands more than anything. Turn my way, look kindly on me, as You always do to those who personally love You. Steady my steps with Your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me. Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women so I can live life Your way. Smile on me, Your servant; teach me the right way to live. I cry rivers of tears because nobody's living by Your book!

169-176 Let my cry come right into Your presence, God; provide me with the insight that comes only from Your Word. Give my request Your personal attention, rescue me on the terms of Your promise. Let praise cascade off my lips; after all, You've taught me the truth about life! And let Your promises ring from my tongue; every order You've given is right.

Put Your hand out and steady me since I've chosen to live by Your counsel. I'm homesick, God, for Your salvation; I love it when You show Yourself! Invigorate my soul so I can praise You well, use Your decrees to put iron in my soul. And should I wander off like a lost sheep—seek me! I'll recognize the sound of Your voice. [emphasis added]

I love the TRUTH of God's Word, even when I might write it out in my own paraphrase giving understanding to how God wants me to receive it! Nothing watered down here - just a joy to devour the meal He has prepared in this Psalm all about His Word. Let God's Word speak to you today - not matter how He brings it across your path. Let's walk the journey together - in unity rather than division, loving each other rather than condemning. May His TRUTH give you understanding, JOY, peace, and... an ability to follow hard after Him.

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Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

PRINCESS WARRIOR

2010-10-31T20:06:00.007-04:00

GUEST POST
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Princess Warrior
by D.J. Hughes © 2010

One of my daughter’s favorite movies is “The Princess Diaries.” In the film, an average American teen discovers that she is the heir to a royal throne – a kingdom currently being ruled by a long-lost relative. Beneath her frizzy hair and clunky glasses, this young girl is really a princess, complete with castle and crown.

The movie was a major box-office success as it struck a chord with nearly every girl’s secret wish: to be a princess. So what does it mean to be a princess?

Simply put, a princess is someone born to prominent parents. And the perks of being a princess are palatial. Besides expensive clothes and designer purses, a princess typically doesn’t have to work very hard at anything – except being pretty – and even that probably comes easily. And that’s to say nothing of the inherent fairy-tale love story wherein a prince rescues the fair maiden from some mild form of distress – such as taking a seriously long nap – as in the case of Sleeping Beauty.

Being a princess – what’s not to love? It’s easy luxury. But on this earth, it’s reserved exclusively for the elite. Thankfully, such an elite status does not exist in God’s Kingdom, for Jesus spoke of His Father’s open invitation. Everyone, rich or poor, are invited to dine at His heavenly banquet (Luke 14:15-24).

In Scripture, anyone who has surrendered her life to Christ is a daughter of the King. Thus, by virtue of His Kingship and our adoption, then we too can call ourselves a princess in a very real, spiritual sense. We are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).

Despite this truth, the word princess bears such pansy-like connotations that I am reluctant to consider myself one. I much prefer the metaphor of spiritual warrior to that of spiritual princess. I would rather see myself as strong and capable and independent. Yet, this desire for self-sufficiency can, if taken to an extreme, become a stumbling block. As a follower of Christ, I must beware of falling prey to the kind of secular mindset that says I can be the master of my own domain – that I can, with enough hard work, control my own destiny.

This way of thinking negates the cross. No matter how self-sufficient any of us become in our own estimation, we will always need a Savior.

Our need to be rescued is a very real one. But it is a deeply spiritual need. The enemy knows this, so he tries to distort our desires and then deceive us into believing that another person could be the solution to our innermost problem; hence, that a man could rescue a hapless princess or a damsel in distress. But only God can rescue, redeem, and restore. This is why Jesus came.

But when Jesus came to this earth the first time, He did not meet the standard expectations of a King. Rather, He rode a donkey and washed people’s feet. The Son of
Man came, not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

(Matthew 28:20). Likewise, if we are born again, then our true calling as the King’s daughter is to serve. Being a servant, though, hardly resembles our idea of royalty.

For instance, even when a young Esther was suddenly catapulted to earthly princess status, her purpose lay beyond the posh and pampered lifestyle of the palace. She was called to serve her people – even at the risk of her own life.

Many of us today may not feel like a princess. We can look around us and see lots of other people enjoying fancier homes and more elaborate lifestyles. In some ways, being a princess today is a little like the awkward girl in the Disney movie – out of place and very much alone – lost and unsure in this world about who we are. But when we surrender our lives to Christ, He lavishes his great mercy upon us. He removes every stain and wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27). He exchanges our ashes for his beauty (Isaiah 61:4). Instead of designer clothes, we receive a garment of praise – instead of a tiara, a crown of life.

As members of this sisterhood of princesses, we must represent a Kingdom altogether different than the one Hollywood typically portrays. We must clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). And instead of being waited upon, we must serve with the same attitude of Christ, who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (Philippians 2:6-7).

Taking the very nature of a servant. That is the call.

But one day the trumpet will sound. Scripture promises that Jesus will come again, only this time He will be riding on a white horse (Revelation 19:11). And when He does, his followers will return with Him (Revelation 17:14), which means that being a princess and a warrior is not mutually exclusive; rather, in Christ, they are one and the same.

The End

D.J. Hughes is a daughter of the King. She grew up attending church, but when she was an awkward teenage girl herself, she met Christ in a very personal way. On a mountaintop at summer camp, the Word challenged her to know God deeply, and not be content with just about knowing information about Him. Today, she devotes her time to serving the people that God has placed in her life: her husband and three kids, her friends and church family, and those in her community. One of the ways she feels called to serve the Body of Christ is through writing and teaching the truths of God’s Word. You may reach her at: www.thequietquill.blogspot.com

DISCIPLINE IS LOVE = Part 4

2010-10-27T07:00:00.001-04:00

DISCIPLINE IS LOVE = Part 4
Wrap-Up
by Stephanie K. Brower © 2010

Respect [for God’s and the parent’s authority] is developed through discipline. Take time to properly discipline your children. Properly, meaning: with thought, with action, at the time when the problem occurs. It may not always be easy. It might even be embarrassing, but the closer you bring the discipline action to the time of the incident, the better. Your authority as the parent and your follow-through, is key for the child to know that the boundaries you have set in advance – hold!

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Please join me for my final post at Titus 2 In Action, hosted by Sonya Thompson.

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Choosing JOY, Stephanie

Thank Heaven for Little Girls?

2010-10-13T20:43:00.011-04:00

Right around the time I found out last June, that my son and daughter-in-law were expecting their third child, God had this waiting for me. The doctors are fairly sure that the little one she is carrying is a girl!

Being 'Mom-Mom' to 7 boys and 1 girl has been a treasure. It's hard to imagine how you can love each one as if they were the only one - but you just do! I am blessed beyond measure with each one! And it is my job to pray for them to become 'mightly warriors for God's kingdom purposes'! I have a feeling that this next little girl will join the others as a 'strong warrior' in her own right!

My precious ones are Justin, Ethan, Collin / Drew, Tessa, Braden / Jyden, Malachi, #9 Baby Girl?

And to think I also have 8 more in heaven ~ waiting there to meet! My husband is blessed to care for them now. He will be gone 4 years this month! Having grandchildren helps me to keep going ~ and to keep his precious memory alive!

Praise God for the miracles He has done in our family! The Lord is forever faithful!

Psalm 22
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before Him,
28 for dominion belongs to the LORD
and He rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve Him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim His righteousness
to a people yet unborn— for He has done it.

Choosing GREAT JOY,
Stephanie

DISCIPLINE IS LOVE - Part 3

2010-10-13T07:00:00.007-04:00

The ‘rod’ is necessary or the child will become spoiled and will rule the house. God never intends for a child to rule his own father or mother. That example shows the child that he has control , over the household ~ even over God. His mind will remain self-seeking and warped without proper discipline and training.

Proverbs 13:24 [NIV]
He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. [emphasis added]

*************

[the word ‘careful’ here, reminds me that we must ‘care in full’ for our children.]

Please join me over at TITUS 2 IN ACTION, hosted by Sonya Thompson. Click the link below and head over to Mighty Warriors.

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

DISCIPLINE IS LOVE - Part 2

2010-09-29T07:00:00.006-04:00

A child should be shown from an early age about making a choice to obey his father and mother always. When a child chooses to disobey ~ there must be consequences set forth ~ so that the discipline brings them back to the path of choosing obedience first. To obey or not to obey? ~ this is the question of life – both for children and for us as adults in our walk with God.

Please join me over at TITUS 2 IN ACTION, hosted by Sonya Thompson.

Click on the link below and then on Mighty Warriors link:

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

On the WINGS of the DAWN...

2010-09-21T18:55:00.007-04:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

CENTERED on LOVE

2010-09-19T18:40:00.005-04:00

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

DISCIPLINE IS LOVE = Part 1

2010-09-15T07:00:00.006-04:00

Showing a pattern of
God's Love

Discipline for a child [and for us] is a necessity according to scriptures:

Proverbs 10:17
He who heeds discipline shows the way of life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

Disciplining a child
is an act of Godly love.
~~~~~~~~~~
It must be done …
· in love
· with great patience
· under control
· with an intention to produce good fruit as a result.

Won't you join me today, at Titus 2 In Action, hosted by Sonya Thompson, for a closer look?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

Click on the Link Below and then on Mighty Warriors

A Daughter's Heart for God

2010-09-14T09:26:00.007-04:00

My daughter, Rebekah, posted something on her blogsite this morning that I'd like to share. Many of you know that she and her husband, Rob and their three children, went to Haiti in April as full-time missionaries. This was planned by God from way before the earthquake. Today, Becky writes about the joys and difficulties she faces each day in a culture not her own. Her heart is spilled out ~ as her new life is poured out upon those in her community. Please take a moment to read what she wrote from her heart.

After all, like me, my daugther is the princess of The King! As for me.....There is no safer place for my daughter to be ~ than in the center of God's will!

Click on the link below:

http://robandbecky.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-am-i-here.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thesliver+%28thesliver%29

Choosing Joy,
Stephanie

The TRUTH of the Matter...

2010-09-08T12:01:00.002-04:00

Cadillac Mountain = Acadia National Park

Bar Harbor, Maine

“If the Arabs put down their weapons today,

there would be no more violence.
If the Jews put down their weapons today,

there would be no more Israel.”
~ Benjamin Netanyahu

~~~~~~~

40 Days of Prayer for Israel and America begins on

September 20th through October 30th.

Will you join in prayer for God's Holy Nation -

and the nation we live in here ~

as God's Plan is fulfilled according to His Holy Word?

We have nothing to lose

if we pray ~

and everything to lose if we don't.

Scripture Tag courtesy: Edie from Rich Gifts

http://richgift.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~

Praying Daniel 9:4-19

over both nations.

~~~~~~~

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

Sowing and Reaping

2010-09-01T06:00:00.008-04:00

Elizabeth George, who wrote A Woman After God's Own Heart, has long been one of my favorite authors concerning marriage, motherhood, and [for me] grandmotherhood. Her studies take us to a place which almost seems back in time, you know ~ the June Cleaver era...

Won't you join me today at Titus 2 In Action, sponsored by Sonya Thompson, for a closer look at Sowing and Reaping?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

Direct Link:
http://titus2inaction.blogspot.com/2010/09/sowing-and-reaping.html

or...Click on the button link ~then go to Mighty Warriors.

UNDERWATER TREASURES

2010-08-25T06:00:00.004-04:00

Colossians 2:2-3

My purpose 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,

in Whom are hidden

all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

PHOTO: Bar Island ~ Bar Harbor, Maine

TRUTHSHARER © July 2010

EVERY STEP I TAKE!

2010-08-19T08:07:00.003-04:00

Galatians 5 [NKJV] various passages

_________

___________

Christian Liberty

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

_________

Walking in the Spirit

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under [crushed by the penalty of] the law.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

[last verse in the NIV]

25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [all Scripture emphasis added]

I wrote a note to a dear friend recently, who like me, suffers from leg and foot pain as well as knee pain. I was sharing with her some of my pain and discomfort and my new inability to walk correctly now.

She replied with a sweet e-mail back - with words of encouragement for trusting God with Healing as we both do - but she made this statement in her letter about her own life:

"I have been living with my knee pain for so long

I have probably forgotten what it is to walk without

being conscious of every step."
_______________________

Hmmmm "...forgotten what it is ...to walk ...without being conscious... of every step."

Hosea 14

9 Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.

In the flesh we ...

take the lead often crushing others beneath us

take steps without thinking

stumble into the snare of the enemy

walk where we please, when we please

run ahead of others and ahead of God

step out into unsafe territory without looking both ways

stand up to be counted yet, stand for nothing

seek to run people down so we get to the top first

run ourselves in circles going nowhere

Deuteronomy 5:33

Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

Psalm 119

32 I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free.
35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

In the SPIRIT we ...

are conscious of every step we take

take steps directed by God through His Spirit

are surefooted on the path

have trodden on solid rock

run in the paths of His commands

walk slowly in discernment and wisdom

walk safely within His ancient boundaries

walk behind our Shepherd who leads us, not in front taking back the reigns

walk beside those on the path

share each step in stride

run this race for His glory at His pace

Where have your feet been? Where have they come from? What steps have you taken recently? Are they steps along God's pathway?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

'Footnote' [ha that's funny!] = Photo in today's post taken of my feet in the water at Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine July 27, 2010

Spiritually Homeschooling Our Children

2010-08-18T06:00:00.007-04:00

2 Timothy 1:5
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. [emphasis added]

What does the statement:
"Home school your children, spiritually." ... say to you?

__________________

Beth Moore is the author of that statement from her Believing God Bible Study video session. I remember hearing her talk about it the first time I did Believing God. Now, after 4 years of teaching that Bible study over and over again - this statement never gets old. She reminds us that we have to be very careful not to allow others to raise our children for us. While it is good to take our children to church, SS or send them to Christian Schools [as I did mine] whether lower level or even Christian colleges, homeschooling them spiritually is a parent's job [and often a grandparent's as well]. Beth makes a statement in that series that I believe is worth repeating here:

Please join me over at Titus 2 In Action hosted by Sonya Thompson, then click on the link for Mighty Warriors to see the rest of the story........

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

Do You Wonder?

2010-08-12T09:42:00.006-04:00

...If Our Heavenly Father said to His Son, "You don't have to do this." We already know that Jesus answered," Yes I do."
"Then we will do this together," said the Father who was always
By His Side.

Watch in Remembrance!

Get your tissues ready!

___________________________

Choosing JOY in the Race,
Stephanie

THE PRAYER BASKET - Guest Post

2010-08-08T13:32:00.011-04:00

Please welcome Camille. We met, as most do in Blogland, when we had gone back and forth a few times encouraging each other in the ways of the Lord. I love Camille's music on her blogsite and I often tell her that I leave it on all day. She in turn, found out that I was in need of prayer for a health issue of my back and feet and offered one day to add me to the Prayer "Basket" in her home so her children and family could pray for me. I was so overwhelmed, I asked her more about what the "Prayer Basket" was all about. She graciously agreed to do a guest post about it, but first take a moment to meet Camille and hear what the Lord has done in her life.

My name is Camille. I have been married to my Sweetheart ~ Howie, for 19 years. We were both fortunate to have been raised in Christian homes and attended church from birth. BUT ~ Christianity does not transfer to the child from the parent. We also must be saved. The LORD graciously drew me to Himself and saved me when I was still a child. I came under conviction of sin and realised the need for the Saviour. He it is that saved me and since has continued to work in my heart to sanctify me. I do not depend on ANY of my goodness, for the Bible says ~ “...all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags...”( Isaiah 64:6a), it is ALL of Jesus Christ and HIS completed work on my behalf. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) Since becoming a wife and a mother I am more and more aware of my NEED for the LORD in the everyday workings of life! What a blessing that HE promises NEVER to leave us nor forsake us!

We have been blessed with four children. Our oldest is 15 and our youngest is 8. We began our journey of home education only four years ago. Prior to that time, the first three attended a local Christian school. I am a full-time stay at home Mum and am so thankful that the LORD has given me the opportunity to do this for “work”. In another life (it seems), I was a Certified Dental Assistant. I forfeited my license when I began my career as Mum. We live in BC, Canada ~ In fact, both my husband and I were born here. Most of our extended family is also nearby ~ we are very thankful for these great blessings!

~ Here is the Post I wanted Camille to share with you ~

How often do we forget to pray for those things or people we’ve promised to?
To my shame, although I had good intentions, there have been those that I said I would pray for that I forgot about!
I came across this wonderful idea nearly a year ago and it was a great blessing to my heart. We had always prayed with our children, but this gave a tangible and do-able system by which we could go about implementing it with the joyful knowledge that we would not inadvertently miss someone! I trust it will be a blessing to your family as it has been to us.
We have what we call a “Prayer Basket” in our kitchen. In it go the names of loved ones and friends who have specific needs and requests. I write out the request with the person’s name on a little piece of paper and fold it up and drop it into the “Basket”. A request may be ~ “Aunt Minnie has to go for surgery on August 16th”, or “John needs a new job”.

Each time I tell someone that we will be praying for them, I write out the request and add it in.
We have family devotions with our children each day. Our four children range in age from 15 down to 8. They have enjoyed this system of praying for others and it is very beneficial to remember those specific things we desire to pray for. It is very easy to get into the habit of praying that the LORD would generally bless “all our friends and family” because of the sheer magnitude of praying for them ALL specifically EACH time we sit down with our children to pray! This eliminates the erroneous thinking that this is the only way all will be “covered” in prayer. How precious it is to teach our children to take the burdens of others to the Throne of Grace in a specific and purposeful way.

How do we do this? Generally, we each draw a slip of paper out at the evening devotional time and each of us takes a turn praying for the request that we have drawn. We instruct the children on the order of who will pray first, second, etc...prior to beginning, so that the prayer time flows smoothly without interruption. If your children are unable to read, or are very little, drawing a picture to help demonstrate the request would be helpful, as would guiding them in a “pray after me” approach. Thank you Stephanie for this wonderful idea!

We pray aloud. We pray purposefully. We pray specifically.

Once the slips of paper have been “prayed for” they go into a “holding bin” until such a time as the basket is empty. It may take a few weeks to get through the basket or only a few days, depending on the number of times in a day you draw a slip of paper out and the number of people doing the praying. This “system” could be implemented at mealtimes or bedtime ~ anytime is fine! We don’t necessarily pull from the “basket” every day, but it is always there and available for use. It is a very flexible system.

Eventually the basket will be empty. At that time, the papers are all placed back into the “Basket” and the requests go through another cycle. If a prayer request is no longer applicable ~ it was answered definitively, then praise and thanksgiving should be offered, and that slip of paper would be discarded and replaced by another (or two or three). Add more at any time! We have thoroughly enjoyed this system of teaching our young ones to be in the habit of intercessory prayer.

Prayer, of course, is a large subject. And it encompasses many things. We are to take to heart the pattern of prayer laid out for us by the LORD Jesus Christ. He taught His disciples to pray using what is known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” It can be found in Matthew 6:9-13. The LORD was not saying we should necessarily pray this prayer word for word ~ notice He says, “After this manner, therefore pray ye...” Matthew 6:9a. The implication here is that it is a pattern of prayer. He first worships the Father in Heaven and asks for HIS will to be done. He then requests that the basic needs of life be met, and asks for forgiveness and the strength to forgive others. The LORD ends with praise once again.

We ought to be teaching our children to pray, just as the LORD taught his disciples to pray. We are the ones that are called to teach and train our children. We are not to leave this responsibility to the Sunday school teacher or the pastor. All those who are involved in the Spiritual lives of our children are a blessing, for sure, but they are not the ones called to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
As Christians, we are called to “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ” ~ Galatians 6:2, and “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” ~ I Peter 5:7
Let’s teach our children to pray by leading them to do it! How precious they are, and how precious are these fleeting days we have been given in which to nurture and train them. Let us be faithful to lead them in HIS paths!

In Him,
Camille

You can join Camille on her own blog website at:
flowersinhisgarden.blogspot.com

Please thank Camille for her inspiring and practical methods of teaching prayer to our children and grandchildren.

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

SIDE-BY-SIDE COOPERATION

2010-08-04T06:00:00.002-04:00

Visiting Bar Harbor, Maine this past week gave food for thought in the way of instructions and working side-by-side within a group, especially within a family. Just across from Bar Island these one-time-Kayakers were given instruction by a young woman [Instructor] . She reminded me of Moses, instructing the Israelites, or a Mom instructing her kids about something important. I have never Kayaked myself, but as I eavesdropped on this conversation between the instructor and her 'students', I was amazed at the things she told them....

Please join me today at Titus 2 in Action
for the rest of the story........

click on Mighty Warriors:

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

CALLING FAVORITES? = Titus 2 in Action

2010-07-21T05:00:00.004-04:00

John 21:7a

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"

Have you ever had a grandmother who played "favorites" with her grandchildren? Maybe an aunt or uncle, or a grandfather, played 'favorites' in your family?

Perhaps a parent you had may have 'favored' one child over another during your lifetime which didn't make you feel very loved, much less the 'favorite' of the children. Allow me share a true story with you. Let this real life story paint a picture of how our Father [God] sees those who are called His children.

_____________________

Please join me a the Titus 2 in Action blog [hosted by Sonya Thompson] and click on the MIGHTY WARRIORS link under the heading. I hope you will be challenged and blessed.

click button below:

or click here:

http://titus2inaction.blogspot.com/2010/07/calling-them-favorites.html

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie

I Stand for Israel

2010-07-15T13:09:00.002-04:00

SHIPWRECKED? Or NOT!

2010-07-11T13:03:00.016-04:00

Proverbs
24:21-22
The Message [paraphrase]
Fear God, dear child—respect your leaders; don't be defiant or mutinous.Without warning your life can turn upside down, and who knows how or when it might happen?

Jeremiah 23:35-37 [NLT]
You should keep asking each other, ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What is the Lord saying?’ But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the Lord.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“This is what you should say to the prophets: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What is the Lord saying?’

Proverbs 10:24-26 [NLT]
24 The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled;
the hopes of the godly will be granted.
25 When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away,
but the godly have a lasting foundation.

________________________

Psalm 107 [selected]
21 Let them praise the Lord for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them. 22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about His glorious acts.
23 Some went off to sea in ships,
plying the trade routes of the world.
24 They, too, observed the Lord’s power in action, His impressive works on the deepest seas. 25 He spoke, and the winds rose, stirring up the waves. 26 Their ships were tossed to the heavens and plunged again to the depths; the sailors cringed in terror. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits’ end. 28 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. 29 He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. 30 What a blessing was that stillness as He brought them safely into harbor! 31 Let them praise the Lord for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.

Have you ever felt ship-wrecked during your lifetime? Paul was shipwrecked. In one night Jesus' life was turned upside down by circumstances around Him. No matter what you are facing in your life right now - no matter how difficult the circumstances - pressures or pain - there are two words to cling to....

BUT GOD....

is ever near to those who call upon His Name!

And only He can turn those things right-side up - to be used for His glory and purpose! He is our ANCHOR in the storms of life!

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie

MIGHT WARRIORS At TITUS 2 in ACTION

2010-07-07T05:00:00.003-04:00

I hope you will enjoy my new column at Titus 2 in Action called: MIGHTY WARRIORS to gain some practical insight through prayer, in raising children and grandchildren in the light of God's Word - His TRUTH - with purpose - God's kingdom purpose .

I am blessed to join other writers there as we share our lives with you including our mistakes, frustrations, and faults. Hopefully, it will help you to learn to grow in faith toward Jesus Christ and follow His plan for what He desires to pass on to your children and grandchildren - as an ambassador in your family.

Deuteronomy 4:9-10

9 Just make sure you stay alert. Keep close watch over yourselves. Don't forget anything of what you've seen. Don't let your heart wander off. Stay vigilant as long as you live. Teach what you've seen and heard to your children and grandchildren.
10 That day when you stood before God, your God, at Horeb, God said to me, "Assemble the people in My presence to listen to My words so that they will learn to fear Me in holy fear for as long as they live on the land, and then they will teach these same words to their children."

Please join me today in a special walk down 'memory lane' in my family heritage!

http://titus2inaction.blogspot.com/2010/07/mighty-warriors.html

Then...Click on "MIGHTY WARRIORS" link under heading.

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

AN OPEN DOOR

2010-06-21T19:54:00.009-04:00

We may only have a window of time to walk through a door that God has opened to us. Sometimes there is a pleasant treasure waiting on the other side. Sometimes the door will lead to a difficult task that God has asked of us. Yet still - there is only that window of time to accept or reject that open door.

1 Samuel 3:14-20 (The Message)
11-14 God said to Samuel, "Listen carefully. I'm getting ready to do something in Israel that is going to shake everyone up and get their attention. The time has come for me to bring down on Eli's family everything I warned him of, every last word of it. I'm letting him know that the time's up. I'm bringing judgment on his family for good. He knew what was going on, that his sons were desecrating God's name and God's place, and he did nothing to stop them. This is my sentence on the family of Eli: The evil of Eli's family can never be wiped out by sacrifice or offering."
15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then rose early and went about his duties, opening the doors of the sanctuary, but he dreaded having to tell the vision to Eli.
16 But then Eli summoned Samuel: "Samuel, my son!"
Samuel came running: "Yes? What can I do for you?"
17 "What did he say? Tell it to me, all of it. Don't suppress or soften one word, as God is your judge! I want it all, word for word as he said it to you."
18 So Samuel told him, word for word. He held back nothing.
Eli said, "He is God. Let him do whatever he thinks best."
19-21 Samuel grew up. God was with him, and Samuel's prophetic record was flawless. Everyone in Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, recognized that Samuel was the real thing—a true prophet of God. God continued to show up at Shiloh, revealed through his word to Samuel at Shiloh. [emphasis added]

__________________

I visited a very old church building this past Sunday night, probably about 100 years old, in the old seafaring town of Tuckerton, New Jersey. This door beckoned my entrance to the Sanctuary, though I had no idea what to expect inside. As I opened it and stepped across its threshold - the words over that door spoke to me like fresh wind from the spirit.

JESUS NEVER FAILS!

God held the sun in the sky just long enough for me to gasp at the beauty and wonder of many stained glass windows that lined each side of this old 'holy of holies'.

How many old hymns were sung in this place?
Did the people who worshiped here really know that JESUS NEVER FAILS? Do we really believe that? In the core of our being? In our marrow? Do we understand the depth of His love for us in the sacrifice He made in order to redeem us and give us access back to the Father? Do we understand His pure act of obedience to the Father - the same as Isaac to Abraham - and Abraham to God - when they trekked [slowly and laborously] up that mountain together so long ago?

Isaac trekked with Abraham - and Abraham trekked with God. Each had stepped through an imaginary door to which there was no turning back. Just like Jesus did with His Father. Each was willing to enact the part He was asked by God! Each was triumphant in the end.

Samuel's obedience was painstaking, yet God honored that obedience and blessed Samuel for the rest of his days for carrying out His instructions without a flaw!

What is your 'window of time'? What door of obedience is God asking you to walk through at this season of your life. Will it make a difference for all eternity?

Like Abraham, Isaac, Samuel and Jesus, are you willing to walk through it without looking back trusting that Jesus Never Fails?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

The GIFT - Not Always Easy to Give = A True Story

2010-06-09T18:47:00.016-04:00

OK, Lord. I’m ready ! Take me to the beach and let’s get started. I really did think this would be an easy task. God was bringing me ‘full circle’ to the very place where I received my own salvation over forty years earlier. Ocean City, NJ just 20 minutes from home! How hard could it be? Wouldn’t everyone be thrilled to get one of these books? You clearly said today was the first day – so off we go. I’m smiling and content with the Lord’s leading.

June 7th , 2010 ~ 1PM.
Spreading out my beach blanket on the windswept sand, I opened my beach chair and sat down facing the afternoon sun and waves. OK, Lord, show me who they are. Open my eyes that I might see who You are drawing to Yourself. I’m ready and willing to hand these out. [Not].

There’s a row of teenagers lying on their towels near me, just above the shoreline.
I could pick any one of them. The two closest were embracing each other in an intimate manner. Would your mother be proud of this moment if she saw you here doing that? A maternal spirit arose within me. Or was it a judgmental one? Remember, they don’t know any better. That’s why they need the Gift -The Message made clear. I reasoned in my mind that there were too many to tackle in that bunch so I decided not to give one to any of them.

A man came walking along, seemingly looking for a place to buy a cool drink. He had a wallet in his hand and just as he got closer he turned in my direction as though he were going to come right up to me. Is this one, Lord? Him? What do I say? How do I approach him? After asking the Lord too many questions the man walked right past me and I missed the open door. Ugh!
A wave of fear came over me. What are you afraid of? You have the Gift of eternal life in your hands. These people will never see you again. Are you going to let the fear of rejection paralyze you? It already had.

Lord? I prayed. There was nothing else I could do except pray at this point. I was already defeated in my mind. I’ll do it. The next person You bring to me, I will surely give the Gift to. Please give me another chance? I promise. I won’t fail You again. Never make a promise you cannot keep.

Before the last word was out of my mouth a young platinum blonde woman was walking right toward me [again]. She was carrying a very large tote bag on her shoulder and holding her sandals in her hand as she walked across the billowing sand. She didn’t look like she had come prepared to go to the beach; more of an afterthought perhaps. The closer she got to me the more the fear arose within me. She was carefree and happy. She probably already knows You, Lord. Can we skip her? As she walked past me a quizzical look doned on her face, like she was pondering something joyful in her life. As she crossed over the jetty rocks onto the next beach a feeling of desperation came over me. Lord, I need to go after her. How can leave my stuff and go? Again, I missed another one. How can this be? Maybe she’ll turn back and I can have another chance. Please, Lord, make her turn around? But with each passing step her frame got smaller and smaller in the distance. I wept over this one. She never returned my way again.

A woman seated behind me was all alone in her beach chair reading a summer novel. I’ll give her the Gift for sure, Lord. Leave it to me. I’ll catch her before I leave. I looked back several times waiting for the ‘perfect’ opportunity. Then, I looked back once again and she was gone. Vanished. Into thin air. How can that be? I wept again. Another one bit the dust.

Next, an unusual young couple came walking along the shoreline holding hands and smiling at one another without a care in the world, so it seemed. Again my mind reasoned away the Gift that awaited them.

Then a couple my age [that's over fifty] walking together near the water suddenly broke apart as the wife spotted the rest rooms behind me on the boardwalk. The husband, a larger man who walked with an unusual step in his stride, shouted to the wife, “I’ll meet you in the next block along the water.” How sweet to make sure she would know where to find him. Maybe she had fears too. Fears of being ‘lost’? His voice making sure she would be ‘found’. Is He sick, Lord? Cancer perhaps? Their last chance to be together? Maybe I should leave them alone. Maybe I should not hand them the Gift. What if no one has told him about the Gift. What if he dies without the Gift? That’s exactly why I’m here today. By Divine appointment. Isn’t that what You said, Lord? Today was going to be a day of 'Divine appointments'?

He was waiting for his wife as she emerged from the rest room. Taking her hand in his they walked on. The Gift was still sitting in my bag. Ugh! What is wrong with me? You picked the wrong person to do this, Lord? Why is this so hard?

Now the teen couple was alone. The others had toddled off in search of a snack. Now they are getting more serious in their embrace. Does he have any respect for this young woman? Does she have any respect for herself? Apparently not. The ‘petting’ has now gone a bit too far, right here on the open beach. I turn my head from their shame. Perhaps the Gift is too convicting……… offered in the midst of their sin? I could do nothing.

The hand-holding younger couple had returned from the way they had gone. Still, no boldness arises within me. He’s a God of ‘second chances’. But I’m already doomed and defeated in my heart. I let these pass me by.

People need the Lord . The song [by Steve Green] rolled through my mind like a broken record.

Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eyes.
Empty people filled with care,
Headed who knows where?

On they go through private pain,
Living fear to fear.
Laughter hides their silent cries,
Only Jesus hears.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize, people need the Lord?

We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right.
What could be too great a cost
For sharing Life with one who's lost?

Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the Words of Life
Only we can share.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize that we must give our lives,
For peo-ple need the Lord.

People need the Lord.

There were more people than I can count that day. But the last two were the most impacting. An empty beach chair drew me with all its owner’s belongings strewn around it. OK, Lord. I’m choosing the coward’s way out. I’m gonna leave the Gift on that empty chair if it kills me. But what if someone sees me drop it on the chair? What if the person returns just as I’m about to leave the Gift? What if……….? I shut up – packed up and headed home.

Snapping a picture of the empty chair seemed like the only desireable memory that was safe to take with me. At least there was hope in that empty chair. Was I brave enough [or coward enough] to leave the Gift on its seat?

Arranging the Gift on the top of my bag so I can get to it easily and without much ado, I trudged back toward the boardwalk with all my gear in tow. As I approached the empty chair, I glanced around quickly to see if anyone was looking. Coast seemed clear – but my heart pounded out of my chest. I almost fumbled the Gift taking it out. Plop. Right on the chair it falls. Whew! Coward. You chose the easiest one….with no confrontation necessary. Now all you can do it pray over the owner of that chair.

Thinking my defeated day was done and that’ failure’ was the label of the day, I scurried up the steps onto the boardwalk. What about him? The man in the wheelchair hung his head low as I approached. This time I was bold. This time I would not fail at my task. This time………..

“Excuse me Sir. May I give you a Gift?” Taking the book out of my bag I held it up for him to see.
“What is it?” he asked hesitantly.

"It’s the Gospel of John – a modern day paraphrase of the Bible. There’s a story at the end that I hope you will read…..”

My words were cut short as he shook his head saying, “No. No. No,” over and over, he repeated the word as if to stab me with it.
“No, Sir?” I ask in disbelief. “Are you a Christian, Sir?”
“No. No. No,” he repeated again, still hung his head as he shook it back and forth. He answered no more questions. Silence. I just stood there. Tears welled up inside of me. Failure. Defeat. But, Lord, what about His heart? I want to give him hope for his future!

“Have a blessed day, Sir,” I said softly and gently, as I turned and walked to my car. I breathed in the gentle ocean breeze. That man must have some deep seeded hurts in his life to be so opposed to God. Did the disciples of Jesus have it this hard, Lord, when offering the Gift of eternal life?

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John 6:40-48
40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
41At this the Jews began to grumble about Him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
43"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.'Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to Me. 46No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father. 47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life.

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Sometimes - even in our desired attempts to obey God - we fail Him miserably. But He knows our heart. That was part of the lessons learned that day. It may take me all summer to get it right - but I am willing to do it all over again - the next time. I desire to share the HOPE that is within me. It's all part of coming 'full circle' in my earthly Promised Land.

Will you join me in prayer for the person in the empty chair? That the Gift fell where the Father was drawing - and that it fell on eyes and ears ready to recive it?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

Meet Christina Weyman

2010-06-04T11:28:00.000-04:00

Meet Christina Weyman. Christina is a brand new friend to me and a fellow sister in Christ. She is a wife [to Adam] and a mother of two [to Cody and Chloe]. She has a degree in nursing but is presently a stay at home mom - working just one day a week in the office at her husband's business.

We met a few weeks ago when God ordained we pray together one Friday morning after a Titus 2 meeting we both attended. God made the connection and the rest is history! Our mutual love of Jesus drew us to one another in prayer. Now we speak often and desire to grow more in love with Jesus as we share all that He is doing in our lives.

This summer [beginning today] I will introduce several guest posts from others out there whose voice needs to be heard- shared for God's kingdom purpose. Christina's voice is one of those, and you will be intrigued to learn that her name on Facebook [where she posts devotionals] is:

"Avoicecrying Inthewilderness"

Please welcome Christina on TRUTHSHARER today and leave your comments here for her below. The guest post she has chosen to write is called:

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GOD KNOWS BEST

If you're facing a difficulty that seems too much to bear, remember that God is more than able to sustain you, uphold you, and carry you through it! There's no circumstance that He can't unfold for His greatest glory and for your greatest interests as well. There is no whimpering of cry or prayer lifted up that is too small or too big for His disliking or discomfort... no!, God loves you too much to leave His good will undone! His love IS you, is FOR you, and it is ingrained in your heart with every detail of love expressed for your taking. God is in complete control of every circumstance that is brought into your life with the only thing left on your lap to do... to be obedient to Him.
Think about the story of a man who approached Jesus one day. His disciples drew closer as to ear in on what this man had to say. It was evident that he had everything going for him. He was a young, wealthy ruler who aimed for excellence in all he did. As Jesus proclaimed to him all the commandments that he should be keeping, he confidently replied, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" Sadly, the young ruler walked away not being able to fulfill Jesus' response. Then, as Jesus turned to His disciples He said, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matt.19:24). But, "when the disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'who then can be saved" (Matt. 19:25)? I can picture them almost to a point of panic. They must have thought, for sure, that here was a man that did it perfectly. Confusion must have set in as Jesus said it was STILL nearly impossible for such a man to enter into heaven. And being people that grew up learning about salvation being gained through do's, don'ts, and sacrifices, their hearts must have sank within them with a great sadness, knowing full well that indeed, they too would also be unworthy for heaven.
See, all along God knew the whole picture. He saw something His disciples couldn't even imagine at that point. He saw that HIS sacrifice and blood offering would cover anyone's sin if they would give over their lives to Him, whether rich, poor, good or bad. Jesus saw that it was no longer about works of righteousness but about a free gift He wanted to give. While His friends were focusing on the "now," God was seeing the later. Isaiah 55:8 states, "for My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways." God knows better than us and He "knows the thoughts that I think toward you.. thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Oh! but still... obedience, obedience, obedience! Remain faithful to Him through difficulty. Stay steadfast in prayer and obeying His voice and surely "all these things will be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33). Psalms 145:4 says, "the Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down." I don't know about you, but I have done my share of falling, plenty of it! But in the end, I hope that I have done more of my part in bowing!

With Much Love,
Christina Weyman

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"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." Ephesians 3:16

COME TO THE TABLE = Pathway to the Words of Jesus

2010-06-02T08:24:00.017-04:00

"COME TO THE TABLE" = Pathway to the Words of Jesus

5-week Bible Study

The Cost of Being a Disciple_____LESSON 1

Luke 14:25-35 [NIV]

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said: 26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple."

Over the last 6 weeks we have been studying the Words that Jesus spoke while here on earth. My Bible study group traveled deep into the word of God - walking hundreds of miles with Jesus over the course of our study. We not only found ourselves in the gospels as you would consider the place to find Jesus' words - but we journeyed back in time to dig out backgrounds of why He said what He said.

The thing this study was meant to reveal was setting our hearts in a place to RESPOND to those Words that Jesus spoke to them - then - and to us - now! We saw these Scriptures in a new light - trying to feel what Jesus felt. We studied others as well - like John the Baptist - a figure that most people [believers and non-believers] know very little about and even if they do - they just don't consider much about him. Yet when we read about him [John the Baptist] through the words that Jesus spoke of him, we learned about the committed and devoted life that he lived - one that became a prime example and pattern for us to follow. Just like when Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ." We could say the same of John the Baptist in terms of his devotion to Jesus.

Jesus said this of John the Baptist:

Matthew 11:1-15

1After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
2When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, He sent his disciples 3 to ask Him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
4Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me."
7 As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: " 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 He who has ears, let him hear. [emphasis added]

We also saw how John's life tied the Old Testament to the NT with prophesy of his coming in Malachi [the last book of the OT] and the fulfillment of his life in the opening of the NT. God connected many dots for us through this study. We viewed special video clips [from simple truths®] which God gave us each week that tied in with our lessons. God's Word came alive in a new way because we saw, heard, smelled, tasted and touched a LIVING JESUS in our midst.

We ended our last [6th] week with our Bible study dinner last night. After we ate - we headed out to the Sanctuary Circle and ate a Communion meal together [following the example of Jesus] and reading from 1 Corinthians 11 - partook of the elements.

A thundershower came through before we headed out there around 8PM - and some had seen the rainbow that had appeared with it. The air was awash with freshness and newness of life. The earth had taken a long deep drink of the water poured down from heaven - reminding us of Isaiah 55:8-11.

Here are some other pictures of the sights and sounds of our last meal together:

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Some of my girls!
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A Dogwood Tree was Planted in Shepherd's Walk today as a Memorial
Thanking God that He completed this work!
This Memorial [Tree Planting] and the placing of 12 Stones of Remembrance
is significant to God's covenant and it also marks this day -
June 1st, 2010
as a New Season Beginning! ********************************

Along the Pathway = Before the Rains came down!

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Our Communion Meal Prepared in little Napkin Envelopes!

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One last pose! Back Row left to right: Lynne, Joan, Chris, Stephanie, Gwen, Claire

2nd Row: Mary D.

Seated: Donna A. Bonnie, Peggy, Donna P.

Not shown: We missed you Annette!

HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?

2010-05-28T08:12:00.013-04:00

Psalm 108
[The Message]

A David Prayer
1-2 I'm ready, God, so ready,
ready from head to toe.
Ready to sing, ready to raise a God-song: "Wake, soul! Wake, lute!
Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!"
3-6 I'm thanking You, God, out in the streets, singing Your praises in town and country.
The deeper Your love, the higher it goes;
every cloud's a flag to Your faithfulness. Soar high in the skies, O God!
Cover the whole earth with Your glory!
And for the sake of the one You love so much,
reach down and help me—answer me!
7 That's when God spoke in holy splendor: "Brimming over with joy…...."

I love how God will use anything - even the cover of another children's book - to speak His truth to my heart!

How big is YOUR TRUST in this HOLY GOD?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

FROM SIMPLE HUMILTY

2010-05-25T09:46:00.008-04:00

James 1:18-21 (The Message)
So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all His creatures.

Act on What You Hear
Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. [emphasis added]

I don't study with The Message paraphrase, but since going to Jerusalem the Lord has directed me, for a time, to read this as a 'story' - about Him - and about my life in Him. I believe it is to gain a deeper clarity of life in our own modern times. God took me to several chapters this morning from 1 Corinthians - to Hebrews - to James. When I read this line in the last part of the above passage it blew me away.

Ponder that thought: Our gardener is God - landscaping us with His Word - making a salvation-garden of your life.

How does this speak to your life today?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

EYESSET - Are Yours?

2010-05-19T09:50:00.014-04:00

Hebrews 12 [NIV]
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

And then....go out and........

1 Corinthians 13 [Phillips translation]
Christian love - the highest and best gift
If I speak with the eloquence of men and of angels, but have no love, I become no more than blaring brass or crashing cymbal. If I have the gift of foretelling the future and hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but the very secrets of God, and if I also have that absolute faith which can move mountains, but have no love, I amount to nothing at all. If I dispose of all that I possess, yes, even if I give my own body to be burned, but have no love, I achieve precisely nothing. This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience - it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.

All gifts

except love

will be superseded one day

For if there are prophecies they will be fulfilled and done with, if there are "tongues" the need for them will disappear, if there is knowledge it will be swallowed up in truth. For our knowledge is always incomplete and our prophecy is always incomplete, and when the complete comes, that is the end of the incomplete. When I was a little child I talked and felt and thought like a little child. Now that I am a man my childish speech and feeling and thought have no further significance for me. At present we are men looking at puzzling reflections in a mirror. The time will come when we shall see reality whole and face to face! At present all I know is a little fraction of the truth, but the time will come when I shall know it as fully as God now knows me! In this life we have three great lasting qualities - faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love.

After reading this passage from 1 Corinthians 13 this morning as quoted in a book I'm reading a second time called:
A Treasury of God's Virtues
I was posting a comment on my friend Beth's blog and up popped these letters before I could send my comment. Usually those letters make no sense and you're lucky if you can even read the letters at all. But this was a clear picture of what God wanted me to know for today. I hope God speaks to your heart today through it - as He did mine. Let's 'fix our eyes on JESUS' first - and then seek to clothe ourselves in the same LOVE that He wears!

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

Like a Shepherd - Lead Us

2010-05-09T20:29:00.021-04:00

Do you know The Way?

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Please click the link [below] and watch the slide show:

http://s937.photobucket.com/albums/ad217/TRUTHSHARER/Birds%20of%20a%20Feather2010/?action=view&current=12fe3e80.pbw

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or view it in the Header - above this post

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Can you quote some other Scriptures from Exodus, the Gospels, Ruth, or other passages after watching this slide show? This is a tiny creek not far from my home where God led me after visiting several shut-ins today.

Oh the JOY to be young and FREE!
But then... in Christ... we are FREE INDEED!

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie

Sailing on FAITH

2010-04-28T16:36:00.020-04:00

Our flag is raised to join Israel and the Sea of Galilee flags!

Matthew 4:17-19 NLT

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them,

“Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

Meet Daniel Carmel [middle]
On our second day inTiberias our guide, Abraham, had arranged for our group [51 of us] to take a ride on a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee one morning and then have a St. Peter's fish [Talapia]lunch along the shore.

It was a great plan until Abraham received a phone call while we were on top of Mt Carmel that the boat we were supposed to take had sprung a leak. He was panicked about trying to find another boat with only one hour's notice.

BUT GOD........
Need I say more?

God had this whole thing planned from start to finish.

Daniel is the only Messianic Jew who sails his own fishing boat crew along the Sea of Galilee. Yeshua is is God and he also leads worship and sings all the popular songs that we know - both in English and in Hebrew. He has produced his own CD and visits the USA to promote both his music ministry and the boat ministry in Galilee.

You can contact him for info at:

daniel@hebrewworshipsongs.com

and tell him that Stephanie sent you!
He has an amazing testimony with how he came to know Yeshua
As Redeemer [Ha-GoEl] and Lord [Adoni]

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The atmosphere on the boat that day gave a new sense of

'freedom' in Yeshua

- especially when those flags were raised and wrapped around each other

in the wind!

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Choosing JOY in FAITH,
Stephanie

Jerusalem - The HOLY CITY of GOD

2010-04-22T09:34:00.011-04:00

Isaiah 48 [The Message]
Tested in the Furnace of Affliction 1-10

"And now listen to this, family of Jacob, you who are called by the name Israel: Who got you started in the loins of Judah, you who use God's name to back up your promises and pray to the God of Israel? But do you mean it?

Do you live like it? You claim to be citizens of the Holy City; you act as though you lean on the God of Israel, named God-of-the-Angel-Armies. For a long time now, I've let you in on the way I work: I told you what I was going to do beforehand, then I did it and it was done, and that's that. I know you're a bunch of hardheads, obstinate and flint-faced, So I got a running start and began telling you what was going on before it even happened. That is why you can't say, 'My god-idol did this.'

'My favorite god-carving commanded this. 'You have all this evidence confirmed by your own eyes and ears.

Shouldn't you be talking about it? And that was just the beginning. I have a lot more to tell you, things you never knew existed. This isn't a variation on the same old thing.

This is new, brand-new, something you'd never guess or dream up. When you hear this you won't be able to say, 'I knew that all along. 'You've never been good listeners to Me.

You have a history of ignoring Me, A sorry track record of fickle attachments—

rebels from the womb. But out of the sheer goodness of My heart, because of who I am,I keep a tight rein on My anger and hold My temper. I don't wash My hands of you. Do you see what I've done?
I've refined you, but not without fire. I've tested you like silver in the furnace of affliction. Out of Myself, simply because of who I am, I do what I do.

There is nothing more breathtaking than Jerusalem! When our eyes met this Holy City there were gasps under our breath - then came the silence of all those on our tour bus. There is no describing it. The walls and buildings of this city are smaller in scale than I had imagined which makes seeing it that much more surreal. There is an air of ancient days that never left my senses the entire time we visited. Everyone in the bus said, "This feels like HOME!" For sure it was home for us.

I will be sharing passages from The Message [a paraphrase] because that is what God asked me to take along - rather than my heavy pen-noted study Bible. He had said before I left - to just 'read it like a story' and just enjoy His Presence in that place with no work - no preparation - no preconceptions on my part. I should just flow with all that He had to show me and those with me. Indeed, He led me by the hand as my ultimate tour guide.

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Slideshow added to header.......

"ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES!"

2010-04-03T00:25:00.001-04:00

Justin - age 6 - my oldest little shepherd -
shares The RESURRECTION Scriptures:

1 Corinthians 15
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

God's Word - click on the video below!

Happy Resurrection Day!

Choosing JOY in my grandchild's heart,

Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

THE GREATEST SACRIFICE

2010-04-01T12:00:00.005-04:00

Warning - Graphic scenes ahead...

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May We Never Forget The Reason He Came!

John 6

⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your forefathers ate manna in the desert, yet they died. ⁵⁰But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

⁵²Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"

⁵³Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵For My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. ⁵⁶Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

Choosing JOY in His Overwhelming Sacrifice,

Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

What Is SACRED in Your Life?

2010-03-29T09:34:00.013-04:00

Romans 6:19b,22

... Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.... But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

1 Corinthians 1:30

It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Ephesians 4:22-24

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Hebrews 12:14

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

2 Timothy 2:19-21
Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

As we step into "HOLY WEEK" may our focus be on JESUS CHRIST alone. His CROSS is in the forefront - not a place of death - but one that offers eternal life to those who repent and believe and cleanse themselves by turning away from sin and turning to receive that new life that Christ promises to all who come to Him.

This holy week is a place of sacred reflection - but it should not be one of making commitments that are never intended to be carried out.

It is a time to examine our hearts - to purposefully make the adjustments that God requires for holiness that can only come through obedience to His written Word, and a deep commitment to prayer and intercession with the Father - from this day forward!

What must be SACRED - as followers of Christ?

Purposeful personal time in God's Word - Daily?

A Prayer Life with Intersession & Fasting?

Confession?

Thanksgiving?

Communion?

Serving others from the overflow of a heart in gratitude to Christ?

Solitude?

Silence?

The list seems like a mountain to climb - but through Christ we can get that mountain under our feet.

What are we willing to strip away - to let go of - to overcome - allowing the light of God's Sacred Holiness to penetrate into our DAILY lives - so it can grow us toward Him for His kingdom purposes?

Will you join me in reflecting with a purpose to grow?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

Which WAY Are You LEANING?

2010-03-26T11:02:00.008-04:00

Job 8:13-15 [NLT]
The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate. Their confidence hangs by a thread.

They are leaning on a spider’s web. They cling to their home for security, but it won’t last. They try to hold it tight, but it will not endure.

Psalm 62 [NIV]
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

1 My soul finds rest in God alone;

my salvation comes from Him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man?

Would all of you throw him down—

this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to topple him

from his lofty place;

they take delight in lies.

With their mouths they bless,

but in their hearts they curse.

Selah
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

my hope comes from Him.

_______________________________

Isaiah 1:7-9 [NLT]
7 Your country lies in ruins,

and your towns are burned.

Foreigners plunder your fields before your eyes

and destroy everything they see. 8 Beautiful Jerusalem stands abandoned

like a watchman’s shelter in a vineyard,

like a lean-to in a cucumber field after the harvest,

like a helpless city under siege. 9 If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies

had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out like Sodom,

destroyed like Gomorrah.

_________________________

Isaiah 10:20 [The Message]

And on that Day also, what's left of Israel, the ragtag survivors of Jacob, will no longer be fascinated by abusive, battering Assyria. They'll lean on God, The Holy—yes, truly. The ragtag remnant—what's left of Jacob—will come back to the Strong God. Your people Israel were once like the sand on the seashore, but only a scattered few will return. Destruction is ordered, brimming over with righteousness. For the Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, will finish here what He started all over the globe.

_________________________

Proverbs 3:5-6 [KJV]

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

__________________________

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

The STAR Has Fallen

2010-03-22T16:41:00.007-04:00

Isaiah 30

[selected passages]

Woe to the Obstinate Nation

1 "Woe to the obstinate children,"

declares the LORD,

"to those who carry out plans that are not Mine,

forming an alliance, but not by My Spirit,

heaping sin upon sin;
4 Though they have officials in Zoan

and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
5 everyone will be put to shame

because of a people useless to them,

who bring neither help nor advantage,

but only shame and disgrace."
8 Go now, write it on a tablet for them,

inscribe it on a scroll,

that for the days to come

it may be an everlasting witness.
9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.
10 They say to the seers,

"See no more visions!"

and to the prophets,

"Give us no more visions of what is right!

Tell us pleasant things,

prophesy illusions.
11 Leave this way,

get off this path,

and stop confronting us

with the Holy One of Israel!"
12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

"Because you have rejected this message,

relied on oppression

and depended on deceit,
13 this sin will become for you

like a high wall, cracked and bulging,

that collapses suddenly, in an instant.

15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation,

in quietness and trust is your strength,

but you would have none of it.
16 You said, 'No, we will flee on horses.'

Therefore you will flee!

You said, 'We will ride off on swift horses.'

Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
17 A thousand will flee

at the threat of one;

at the threat of five you will all flee away,

till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,

like a banner on a hill."
18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;

He rises to show you compassion.

For the LORD is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait for Him!

21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left,

your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

"This is the way; walk in it."

22 Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver

and your images covered with gold; you will throw

them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them,

"Away with you!"

27 See, the Name of the LORD comes from afar,

with burning anger and dense clouds of smoke;

His lips are full of wrath,

and His tongue is a consuming fire.
28 His breath is like a rushing torrent,

rising up to the neck.

He shakes the nations

in the sieve of destruction;
He places in the jaws of the peoples

a bit that leads them astray.

33 Topheth has long been prepared;

it has been made ready for the king.

Its fire pit has been made deep and wide,

with an abundance of fire and wood;

the breath of the LORD,

like a stream of burning sulfur,

sets it ablaze.

[emphasis added]

_____________________________________

God is loving and compassionate.

But He will not be mocked.

Our God is also a consuming Fire!

Any nation that defiles His ways will be judged.

_____________________________________

I will win no awards for this post.

Good thing this is an award-free blog. ;-)

Most people will leave no comment here.

I pray you are not most people.

We close our ears to things like this.

We want to know only a loving God, not one who is angered by sin.

Some will label me a 'radical' or 'controversial ' for speaking the truth because it is harsh. Do they think I like writing this? These are not my words - they are God's Word! I believe the whole counsel of the Word of God. I can't pick and choose to throw out the parts that make me queasy!

His Word stands firm and true.

Jesus was a radical. Label me what you will. I follow Him.

His Name along brings controversy.

_________________________________

May we come back to the Prayer of Daniel in Daniel 9:4-19 and pray this for all the nations of the earth who have closed their eyes and ears to the LORD's instructions. May we cling tightly to the God who loves us and Who alone can save us from our 'national' iniquities for WE have sinned greatly against a Holy God.

_________________________________

______________________

Choosing JOY in the wake,

Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

LIFE with PURPOSE!

2010-03-19T19:58:00.011-04:00

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

_________________

Psalm 71

17 Since my youth, O God, You have taught me,

and to this day I declare Your marvelous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray,

do not forsake me, O God,

till I declare your power to the next generation,

Your might to all who are to come.

________________________

Psalm 78

3 what we have heard and known,

what our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children;

we will tell the next generation

the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,

His power, and the wonders He has done.
6 so the next generation would know them,

even the children yet to be born,

and they in turn would tell their children.

_____________________

Psalm 139

For You created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in Your book

before one of them came to be.

[all emphasis added]

___________________

With these Scripture passages in mind

please view the following video movie

and be prepared to know

who Your God made you to be!
________________

Butterfly Effect Movie

___________________

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Are You PUSHING or Being PUSHED?

2010-03-15T16:42:00.001-04:00

Mama Sparrow looking on from the rooftop!

Deuteronomy 32:10-11

¹⁰ In a desert land He found him,
       in a barren and howling waste.
       He shielded him and cared for him;
       He guarded him as the apple of His eye,

¹¹ like an eagle that stirs up its nest
       and hovers over its young,
       that spreads its wings to catch them
       and carries them on its pinions [the tips of its wings].

_______________________

Some of us need a PUSH in order to take flight - and some are doing the pushing of others who need a little PUSH themselves!

Whether you are like an old mother sparrow, pushing, or a baby wren being pushed ....

The last baby Wren [above] leaving the nest.

Click on the Video below and get ready to FLY!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

The Beginnings of JOY!

2010-03-12T21:54:00.000-05:00

God gave me a big surprise this past week when I was looking for something in an old cabinet filled with 'junk' - or so I thought! There to my JOY I found 4 journals from my past that I had written : one in 1994 / two in 1996 / and this one in 1997. I vaguely remembered writing them. The day I found them I took one of them to the Prayer Room and began to read it - each day being filled with SCRIPTURE! Wow! My heart burst open as I saw the very redemption of my life unfolding on its pages. I will share more later from the other journals but it was this one - that God saved for last. With sunflowers on the cover the first page said this:

[ I hope you can read the writing which says]:

My "JOY" Book

1997

Stephanie Brower

A very plain and simple title yet this was written 3 years after I had come out of a very sinful time in my life. When I turned back to the Lord, He embraced me with His Word and began a miracle healing process in my life . I didn't realize that my 'JOY' went this far back until I found this journal the other day. I thought that my "Choosing JOY" had only come around 2006 when I began writing it in the updates I was giving to those who were praying for my husband before his home going to heaven. But God... wanted me to see that He had given me my 'JOY ' long before. As I began re-reading this journal, God put it upon my heart to share it with you here. I pray that the entries and Scriptures will bless your heart as much as they did mine all over again.

1st Page Entry [I wrote these words]:

Tuesday, December 31, 1996

It is the last day of 1996. As I sit and

ponder what the New Year will bring, I

am challenged to think about what one thing

would I change about myself to bring

more "JOY" to those around me.

The one thing I want to change is to be

more compassionate. That involves many

aspects; being more tolerant of people; caring

even when it is inconvenient; being more

understanding by putting myself in the other

persons shoes trying to feel what they feel.

I will make this my goal for 1997 ... first

toward my own family; second to friends; and

third to strangers I meet every day.

Page 3 Entry

Wednesday, January 1, 1997

Thy words were found, and I did eat

them; and Thy Word was unto me the

JOY and rejoicing of mine heart: for

I am called by Thy Name, O Lord,

God of Hosts. - Jer. 15:16 KJV

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. - Abraham Lincoln

VALUES

So often folks have wondered why

God has placed on earth

The storms, the tears, the raging seas---

Destroyers of all worth.

But if it weren't for angry skies,

The torrents and dismay,

How could we realize the worth

Of a sunny, cloudless day?

-- Unknown author

Pages 6 & 7 Entry

Thursday, January 2, 1997

Fill your mind with the truths of God's

Word and rely on the Holy Spirit's

moment-by-moment guidance and strength.

Then you'll experience the joy of God's

blessing rather than temporary pleasures.

-Unknown author

With my whole heart have I sought Thee:

O let me not wander from Thy

commandments.

Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that

I might not sin against Thee.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord: teach me

Thy statutes. -Psalm 119:10-12

Dear Father,

Help me to bridle my tongue,

so that on judgment day

I will not be found guilty

of assault with a deadly weapon. -Unknown Author

The foundation of all joy for Christians is that we can live as though Christ died yesterday, rose today, and is coming tomorrow. -Unknown author

Pretend you're a star *

and poke a hole in someone's darkness.

_______________________________

End 1997 Journal Entry

God chose my 'JOY' before I even knew it!

Choosing JOY [again],

Stephanie

A NEW SEASON COMING!

2010-03-08T19:15:00.001-05:00

^{Isaiah 43:15-19}

¹⁵ I am the LORD, your Holy One,
Israel's Creator, your King."

¹⁶ This is what the LORD says—
He who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,

¹⁷ who drew out the chariots and horses,
       the army and reinforcements together,
       and they lay there, never to rise again,
       extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

¹⁸ "Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.

¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
       Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
       I am making a way in the desert
       and streams in the wasteland. [emphasis added]

Philippians 3:13-14

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. [emphasis added]

These tiny white flowers [snow drops] appeared in my garden by the pond yesterday here at Shepherd's Walk. They reminded me of the 'newness of abundant life' that the Scriptures promise.

Are you perceiving the new season coming in your life? What does it hold for you? Where is God leading you after He has brought you out of a pit of despair or out of a great victory where He fought for you with His strength?

What is on your horizon?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

Anointed-Transformed-Redeemed Girls!

2010-03-02T19:47:00.003-05:00

2 Samuel 6:14-15

¹⁴ David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, ¹⁵ while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

2 Samuel 7:18-26

David's Prayer

¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said:
"Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far? ¹⁹ And as if this were not enough in Your sight, O Sovereign LORD, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. Is this Your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD ?

²⁰ "What more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Sovereign LORD. ²¹ For the sake of Your word and according to Your will, You have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

²² "How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like You, and there is no God but You, as we have heard with our own ears. ²³ And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for Himself, and to make a Name for Himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt?

²⁴ You have established Your people Israel as Your very own forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.

²⁵ "And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise You have made concerning Your servant and his house. Do as You promised, ²⁶ so that Your Name will be great forever. Then men will say, 'The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!' And the house of Your servant David will be established before You.

____________________________

After six long snow-covered weeks of earnest digging 'Deeper Still' into God's Word our Monday night Bible Study Group ended with a Banquet Feast Celebration last night. The woman concluded one last page of writing to give account of all that God spoken, challenged, broken, forgiven, and healed in our time together. God amazed us with His Presence!

We take time in God's Word

Teaching God's Word is my PASSION...

Digging 'Deeper Still'

Consecrated Unto the LORD!

Diligent Students of the Word!

Beautiful Daughters in the Eyes of God!

Some of the past weeks together...

We miss you Becky -- on to HAITI with you and yours!

We missed your sweet face last night Leah!

Sorry you were sick!

JOYFULLY we sing praise to the Lord!

HAND-FED HEARTS

2010-02-22T06:18:00.018-05:00

TURN - REPENT - BELIEVE!
Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him,
nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
4 Surely He took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten 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 upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on Him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet He did not open His mouth;
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so He did not open His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away.
And who can speak of His descendants?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of My people He was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in His death,
though He had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes His life a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring and prolong His days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11 After the suffering of His soul,
He will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and He will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great,
and He will divide the spoils with the strong,
because He poured out His life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For He bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
_____________________

Luke 24

[selected]
25 He [Jesus] said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So He went in to stay with them.
30 When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" [all emphasis added]

"Come to the Table...
feast on the Bread..."
You've heard them........ phrases that mean more than the naked ear can hear.

It amazes me to see that Jesus' simple invitation to us - to

'come to the table and feast'

is so often rejected by many. Yet, He will Hand-Feed us if we do.

He will ...

dine with us

explain to us

reveal Himself to us

take up residence with us

[NOTE HERE: If you've read this far but skipped over the Scripture passages because they are long -PLEASE go back and read them Word for Word, or you will miss the entire point that God desires for you to hear. PLEASE.... let what Jesus did for you soak in! ....thank you.]

He will do that for any Jewish person as well, on the face of this earth today . I recently heard a testimony of a Jewish woman , who shared her story of coming to Christ. She was a widow at the time. Her husband was about 30 years old. She had a young daughter about 2-3 years old. Then.......her husband [who was a believer] died suddenly! After his death, her mother-in-law, who was also a believer, led her to Christ. She remained a widow for several years. During that time she poured her heart INTO Christ and He poured Himself INTO her life through the Scriptures. Jesus became her [husband]. Then a few years after that God brought a Jewish Believer to be her new [earthly husband] as well. They have served together in ministry ever since.

She explained in her testimony that as a young girl going to Hebrew school, no one was ever permitted to read Isaiah 53. And worse... they were not even allowed to ask, why?

It was through Isaiah 53 that her mother-in-law had shared Christ with her. She told us that, 'immediately her eyes were opened and she saw Christ for Who He Was'! It was there all along. She had questioned the Rabbi..... she had asked the right questions.......she even asked 'why?'.

She encouraged us that day to share this passage from the Old Testament with any Jewish people we know. Those of us who study the Scriptures daily, know that all of Isaiah is a prophesy of Christ. But , for the Jew, that chapter is the very key to unlocking the door where the Messiah is found.

I encourage you to share Christ with your Jewish friends and neighbors, co-workers, and even family members. The Jews awaited the coming Messiah - but they missed it. Why? For some, there was a link broken, missing and removed.........and it still is today. Let's tell them about it....let's give them back the KEY. Then, let GOD do the work in opening their eyes to see the TRUTH of [Yeshua HaMashiach] Jesus Messiah revealed.

Then... will come the day .... when they

TURN - REPENT - BELIEVE!

___________________

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

It's Just the FEAR Growling

2010-02-19T11:58:00.018-05:00

Psalm 64:1 NKJV
1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

Psalm 64:1 NIV
1 Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

Psalm 64 [The Message]
A David Psalm
1 Listen and help, O God. I'm reduced to a whine and a whimper, obsessed with feelings of doomsday. 2-6 Don't let them find me— the conspirators out to get me, using their tongues as weapons, flinging poison words, poison-tipped arrow-words. They shoot from ambush,
shoot without warning,
not caring who they hit.
They keep fit doing calisthenics
of evil purpose,
They keep lists of the traps
they've secretly set.
They say to each other,
"No one can catch us,
no one can detect our perfect crime."
The Detective detects the mystery
in the dark of the cellar heart.
7-8 The God of the Arrow shoots!
They double up in pain,
Fall flat on their faces
in full view of the grinning crowd.
9-10 Everyone sees it. God's
work is the talk of the town.
Be glad, good people! Fly to God!
Good-hearted people, make praise your habit.

The Bible tells us to 'beware' and 'to be on guard' against the schemes of the enemy - but never are we to 'fear with dread' our very lives in any situation or circumstance. Those are hard words to swallow if you are the one in the middle of a [seeming] attack.

How many times has the enemy asked you the "What if..." question?

"What if ......... he dies?"
"What if ......... I lose my job?"
"What if ......... he walks out on me?"
"What if ......... he takes my kids?"
"What if ......... I get sick?"
"What if ......... [___you fill in the blanks___]?"

The 'tag' line to each one of these is the fear for survival. Add this 'tag' to any one of the above and you've named the fear:

"...How will I [we] survive?"

___________

Are you 'biting the hook' or sinking your own teeth into the 'fear' of that? [So it's not always the enemy - but the FEAR of the enemy that paralyzes us.]

There is nothing the enemy can do to us without the permission from a Sovereign God.... but often our 'fear' of him and his treats is where we fall short in trusting the God who has already given us the victory.

When those challenges come today or next week or next month [and they will] ask yourself the same question, "What if...?" but instead of being paralyzed by the dreaded answers , [which is where the enemy wants to take you] follow.... your own answer to the finish line? And when you come to the end of it, say to yourself, "Then what.....?"

Usually you will find a phrase like one of these.........

"But GOD...!"

"Then GOD did...!"

IF our hearts are fully engaged in trusting God's Heart, then these 'fears' can be 'put to death' when they are smashed in the palms of His Almighty Hands!

Will we let go of the 'grip of fear'... and let God Himself quiet the 'roar' to a mere growl?

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
JESUS ONLY in 2010

How Firm a FOUNDATION

2010-02-15T10:21:00.006-05:00

Genesis 8 [selected verses]

1 But God remembered Noah... 3 The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down... 8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was 'a freshly plucked olive leaf'* [*Noah's first 'sign' that the hope of God's promise was sure]! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. [insertion mine]

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Taken from my personal study time of this chapter today - where God is teaching me the INSIDE ~ OUT of His Heart. Do you see it here in this very passage? A true portrait of Christ and us = Noah and the Ark!

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Now~ will you join with me today at the feet of a great man who enveloped himself in a life of Faith and Prayer with our God?

E.M Bounds On PRAYER _____

Prayer and Faith
[Excerpts from Chapter 1 - with my emphasis added]

"In any study... of PRAYER... first place, must be given to FAITH. It is the initial quality in the heart of any man who essays to talk to the Unseen. He must out of sheer helplessness, stretch forth hands of faith.

He must BELIEVE, where he cannot prove.

PRAYER is simply FAITH, claiming its natural yet marvelous prerogatives---faith taking possession of its illimitable inheritance....
When faith ceases to PRAY it ceases to LIVE.
Faith does the impossible because it brings God to undertake for us, and nothing is impossible with God.
PRAYER projects FAITH on God, and God on the world. Only God can move mountains, but FAITH and PRAYER move God."
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Several years ago the Lord gave me a saying which was this:
"PRAYER ACTIVATES... what God has already purposed in your life." ~~~~~~~~~ skbrower © 2007
And that saying was based on these two verses of Scripture:
Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD. ~Psalm 139:4
I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills {His purpose} for me. ~Psalm 52:2
We can see here, how important our FAITH is, being the very foundation of our PRAYER life.
As we go on with our study.... E. M. Bounds says:
"In His cursing of the fig tree our Lord demonstrated His power. Following that, her proceeded to declare, that large powers were committed to FAITH and PRAYER, not in order to kill but to make alive, not to blast but to bless.
'Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.' [Mark 11:24]
There is a need to emphasize [this verse], since it is the very keystone or the arch of FAITH and PRAYER.
We should ponder well that statement--- 'Believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.' Here is described a FAITH which realizes, which appropriates, which takes. Such FAITH is a consciousness of the Divine, an experienced communion, a realized certainty."
He goes on to ask these questions:
"Is FAITH growing or declining as the years go by? Does FAITH stand strong and foursquare, these days, as iniquity abounds and the love of many grows cold? Does FAITH maintain its hold, as religion tends to become a mere formality and worldliness increasingly prevails? The inquiry of our Lord, may, with great appropriateness, be ours.
'When the Son of Man cometh,' He says, 'shall He find FAITH on the earth?'"
How do you see and understand these truths about our FAITH being the very foundation of our PRAYER LIFE?
Will you join me on The Prayer Walk today? click here: SHEPHERD'S WALK at Sweetbriar
Choosing JOY in EXPECTANT PRAYER!
Stephanie ___ JESUS ONLY in 2010

The INSIDE-OUT of GOD's HEART

2010-02-13T13:21:00.005-05:00

Psalm 19
For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

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1 John 4:13-16 [The Message]

This is how we know we're living steadily and deeply in Him, and He in us: He's given us life from His life, from His very own Spirit. Also, we've seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent His Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it Heart and soul, this Love that comes from God. [emphasis added]

It's Heart Month and God is showing off His Heart for all to see!

What is God's Heart speaking to you from His Holy Word - from His Spirit and even from the heavens that pour forth His Speech? He wasn't kidding when He said that as David penned those words that God put in his own heart!

Choosing Great JOY in His Intimate Presence,

Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

PLOWED OUT

2010-02-06T13:35:00.009-05:00

There are now blizzard conditions here

in this quiet Southern NJ town.

The above photo was taken early about 8AM just off my front porch.

I fed the birds before I fed myself! They came from nowhere and there were large blackbirds that were disturbing many of my regular little cardinals, titmice, sparrows, juncos, chickadees, and wrens. My cat, Griffin, was in heaven watching all of this from the window.

I looked out my window a little after noontime and some masked man was plowing my driveway with a small red tracker with a bucket loader on the end. It turned out to be my next door neighbor, who I never see or talk to - just because there is never an occasion to do so. I thanked him with Chocolate Chip Cookies that I had baked last night... and invited him and his family to come and stay over here if we lose power again because they did not have heat [but I did because the Lord provided that for me]. He was grateful and said he would bring them over if it goes out again because he has a little grandson living with him. Our electric was out here for 7 hours and could go out again with 5-8 more inches of snow falling as I type this. The wind has picked up and is drifting in every corner of the yard.
My home is open to the stranger, the friend,
and anyone who God would bring to find shelter here...
all because He is my provider!

On days like this it is hard living alone. "Manly" jobs like shoveling, plowing, and fixing things around the house are not my cup of tea....... yet the last word my husband spoke before he passed into glory - just five minutes before he died was:
JYDEN
our Grandson's name which means:

JEHOVAH-JIREH
[ The LORD will Provide!]

Genesis 22

14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said,

"On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." ________________________________

My God is FAITHFUL and GOOD! Bless His Holy Name. Bob's last word was really 'the Word of the LORD' spoken to me that day because God Himself continues to provide for my EVERY NEED!

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How do you see the Lord's provision in your life this day?
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Choosing JOY, Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010

A PLEA for ACTION

2010-02-05T19:05:00.004-05:00

It is with a full heart that I first and foremost ask you to PRAY for our dear blogging sister, Lisa Smith.

She has been diagnosed with a rare type of cancer [Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the breast]. In addition to your prayers for her life - there is a desperate

Call to Action! Please click on this LINK to go to Lisa's site where you can be informed how to best pray and participate on her behalf. Thank you in advance for your prayers and your faithful call to action on Lisa's behalf!

Febrary is HEART Month - so let's give Lisa the full support of our hearts, prayers, and actions.

UPDATE JUST IN from Tracy Smith:

*UPDATE*We've already had success! We're asking everyone to hold off any more phone calls, faxes and letters. S&WHP has just approved TWO VISITS for Lisa at MD Anderson. This is a fantastic and amazing first step. For now we'd like people to hold off on more contact with Scott&White Health Plan. We made need you again in this capacity soon but for now let's all celebrate this small victory!!!THANKS EVERYONE!

Choosing JOY in a God sized Victory,

Stephanie

JESUS ONLY in 2010