healing love

Heather of Not A DIY Life hosts More of HIM Monday. It's a wonderful way of sharing where God is working in your life and encouraging one another in our walks.


I consider myself a person who is willing to learn from others. I believe that's the way God teaches me things. I just wasn't expecting it by reading two blog posts today from two people who are near and dear to me... my daughter and my brother.

I don't want to try to tell you the messages these two posts are conveying. I would much rather you read them yourself. I think it would be worth your time. (And if you feel so inclined, leave them a comment with your thoughts.)

In A Summer of Healing, Danielle writes; I love how the Lord gives you what you need in exactly the right amounts. Lately, I've been learning to believe God, instead of just merely believing in Him. He has shown me so much this summer.... read more.

My brother, Steve, writes in his post, Steal and Kill and Destroy; When the devil bites he does damage. But we must never forget that the bite of the devil is healed by the love of Jesus Christ... read more.

What I'm hearing God telling me is that there are things in my life that He can heal - if I only let Him. That He wants us to live a life full of joy, but we don't let ourselves experience that in full if we hold on to past hurts. That His love is so deep, so vast, and so powerful. And that I, a 48 year old, can learn from my younger brother and 20 year old daughter. How awesome is that?

prayer

What is prayer? It's simply a conversation with God.

I'm always a little amazed and saddened by people who think they can't pray - or don't know how to pray. I'm sure there are different reasons for thinking this way. I can see why some might think they have to recite lengthy and wordy prayers. After all, that's the way prayers are spoken in church. But in actuality, God would much rather hear you just talk to Him.

He doesn't care about flowery speeches. He doesn't want to hear anything rote. He wants to know what's on your heart, your words of praise and thanksgiving, your concerns and petitions - all as if you were sitting next to him and simply talking to Him as a friend.

One of the methods we use with the kids in our youth group is telling them to just say one sentence (during open prayer time). We tell them, "how hard is it to say one sentence?," like, "help my grandma feel better" or "thank you for the beautiful day." Once they start and see how easy it is, you almost can't stop them. There's nothing that makes my heart smile more than hearing a group of teenagers pray in this manner.

I understand how scary it can be to pray in a larger group. I once felt that way, too. But we shouldn't be praying for others and their opinions. We should only be concerned with God's opinion and communicating our heart to Him. That shouldn't be something we're fearful of doing, but something we look forward to.

The other aspect of prayer is the other side of the conversation - the listening. God wants the conversation to be two sided, not one. But that's another post, as well as how often we should pray. Just know that praying doesn't have to be hard, or scary, or even laborious. It's a gift that we're given to be able to personally converse with our creator and almighty God. Give it a try.

And speaking of prayer, a fellow blogger, Penless Writer, has started a 24/7 prayer group here in the bloggy world. I, along with other bloggers, am committed to praying each day for prayer requests that are shared. If you ever would like someone to pray for you or someone you know, you can click on the Hearts In 1 Accord graphic on my side bar and it will take you to the email address you can use to email your request. If you would like to join the group of pray-ers, you can use the same email address.

Be sure to visit Heather, of Not A DIY Life, for all today's participants.

new challenges

More of HIM Mondays is hosted by Heather @ Not A DIY Life. Participants always appreciate support and encouragement in the form of comments.


A couple of things have happened in the last week that I feel God has arranged to challenge me and move me back on a path where I become more reliant on Him.

One of the ladies from my Moms In Touch group confessed something to the leader and myself and asked us to hold her accountable. As I sat there listening to her tell her story, all I could think about was, how can I help her? How can I help her from falling back into a lifestyle she wants to be out of? It's been on my mind ever since with the main question being, how do you keep an adult accountable for something?

I started feeling ill-equipped and a little frantic. But then it dawned on me (it was probably the two by four God wielded at me) that I don't have to come up with some great game plan. I don't have to have all the answers. I don't have to feel like it all falls on me.

The answer: put it in God's hands, walk close to Him, and He will show me how I can help my friend. That, along with being present in my her life. Show her I care and let her know that I'm there to walk her journey with her. I am praying that I can follow God's lead on this and am excited to see how He will direct me.

The other thing that I'm excited about is a new venture of Susan's of Penless Writer. She has felt called to start and run a 24 hour prayer blog. She is heavily involved in a prayer ministry in her home town and knows the value and power of prayer. She is looking for anyone who is willing to commit to praying every day for the requests that are left on the blog.

At first, I didn't think I would want to do this. I mean... every day! I didn't think I could follow through with such a commitment. But then I felt like this would be good for me. Something I need to be more disciplined in. Susan explained that she didn't want it to be a legalistic commitment, so if I miss my appointed time, I can find another time that day that works better for my schedule. I'm excited to be a part of this new endeavor.

She is still looking for volunteers, so if you think it's something you'd be interested in, leave her a comment or email her.

impact the world

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.'

"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'" Matthew 25:34-40 The Message

Yesterday, a small group of teenagers decided not to go to church. Instead, they were the church. And I'm sure Jesus was smiling down on them.

Don and I took part of our youth group to downtown Denver to pass out coffee, donuts, oranges, and orange juice to the homeless. Most of them were middle school age and had never experienced seeing or serving the homeless. Their eyes were opened wide but their hearts were opened even wider.

At first, they were timid and even scared. But it only took them walking up to one or two people before they found themselves feeling comfortable and enjoying the act of giving. They engaged in conversation, making all those they came in contact with feel cared for, if only for a short time. They made people smile and heard the endless thank yous. Our group's purpose statement is Love God ~ Love Others ~ Impact the World. They knew what they were doing was having an impact.

After we were done, we sat in the park, among the homeless, and talked about our experiences. We also read the above scripture, which makes it clear that Jesus is telling us that how we treat those that are less fortunate than ourselves is important to Him; that when we treat them with love, we are also loving Him.


Visit Heather @ Not A DIY Life for more MORE OF HIM MONDAY.

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link of the day:
http://thepostitproject.blogspot.com/

you're blessed...

As homework for my Bible Study class, we were asked to read from Matthew 5. Some times I struggle with the Beatitudes; what they mean exactly or how I'm supposed to apply it to my life. So as I was reading them, I decided to see how they were written in The Message. As you may or may not know, The Message isn't a literal translation of the Bible, but more of a para-phrasing. But sometimes I just love the wording and the way it gets me to look at scripture. Here's how The Message phrases verses 3-10.

3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

4"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

5"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

6"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

7"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.

8"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

9"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

10"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

There is so much here that I love and that I could write about. I have taken an individual verse and taken the time to focus on it. Each one has touched me in the last week and a half and I have felt God's personal assurance through His words.

My favorite, or the one that speaks loudest to me right now, is verse 8 (with vs. 9 coming in a close second). Even when I think my inside world is right, God gently reminds me that there's still work to be done there. And when I do see God in the outside world, I feel like my heart and head is in the right place. I love that feeling.

Which one is speaking to you today? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

More of HIM Monday can be found at Not A DIY Life.

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link of the day:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/amazingfactgenerator/

it's about people

Well, Easter is over. We had a nice Easter where after church, I actually made a nice dinner for the family. This doesn't always happen. Because we don't have family here, there have been many years where we go out to dinner. But this year I decided to cook, and it was very nice.

And Lent is over. This year's Lent period was different than previous years, where I have usually given up something for the 40+ days. This year I tried something new and I'm not really sure it worked out to the degree I had wished.

I wanted to give more of myself in some tangible way. My idea was to do some kind of good deed or interact with someone in a personal way - every day! I can safely say that I did not do this every day. But there were days that God showed me things I could do and people He wanted me to come in contact with.

About half way through Lent, I adopted the theme, it's about people. I wanted to feel like my thoughts and actions should be about other people and not about me, about my wants, or about material things. And it was usually something that stretched me a bit or where I had to sacrifice my time or comfort.

I'll be honest, there were times it would have been easier to look beyond the need, to ignore that small voice of God asking me to do something, to stay sitting on my couch playing Scrabulous on Facebook. But it got easier because I realized I was the one that was always blessed.

making it about people = blessings for all

Even though Lent didn't turn out exactly as I had planned, I feel like it was a good and a blessed time with God. I will continue my personal campaign, it's about people, and continue to look for the small ways in which I can serve others. That's one more way of having more of Him in my life.

visit Heather at Not a DIY Life for more More of HIM

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link of the day:
http://www.lostamerica.com/roadside.html

happy st. patrick's day

A friend of mine gave me a Happy St. Patrick's Day card with the following Irish blessing in it.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

This made me remember a blessing that the Pastor of a previous church used to say at the end of each service.

May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor
and give you His peace.
~Numbers 6:24-26 NLT

I heard this so many times that I know I started to not hear it (you know what I mean). But now as I read it again and think about the words, it was a nice thing to be said over the congregation each week. It was a way to remind us that God is with us and wants to bless us.

I went on-line to see what I could find out about this blessing or blessings in general. Here's what I found in the commentary on Biblegateway.com.

The priests were solemnly to bless the people in the name of the Lord. To be under the almighty protection of God our Saviour; to enjoy his favour as the smile of a loving Father, or as the cheering beams of the sun; while he mercifully forgives our sins, supplies our wants, consoles the heart, and prepares us by his grace for eternal glory; these things form the substance of this blessing, and the sum total of all blessings.

I just love this picture of God and the purpose of blessings. I love the part of the description above that says 'enjoying his favor as the cheering beams of the sun.' That's describes my personal connection with God and the sun. That's the meaning behind the name of my blog. That's why I love the John Denver song, Sunshine On My Shoulders. I can feel God's face smiling upon me as the sun warms me and brightens the day.

May His face shine on you today.


Heather @ Not A DIY Life hosts More of HIM. I encourage you to visit all the participants or contribute your own post.

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link of the day:
http://holidays.kaboose.com/saint-patricks-day/

i love a good story

In our youth class yesterday, we played a little game where we ask each other questions from a book we have. The question that I received was: name five Bible stories that I would like to have personally been a witness to. I gave some quick answers but then I thought about it later in the day. There are so many that would be cool to witness, but if I had to pick only five, these would be them.

><> The creation. How awesome would it be to see everything on the earth being formed? Since I love nature, I would enjoy being a part of the beautiful garden. And I would have loved sitting there with Adam as he went through the long line of animals, naming each one. (Genesis 1)

><> Noah's ark and the flood. Again, the animals. I think it would be neat to be on a big boat, with all the animals, watching it pour day after day and watching the world as I knew it filling with water. It would be kinda scary to think that I would be among the few that would be the only ones left on earth, but it would be an adventure. I bet the rainbow was a sight to behold, too. (Genesis 6-8)

><> David and Goliath. I'm such a sucker for the underdog, and that was definitely what David was in this story. Plus, I've always wondered what that Goliath looked like. He was over 9 feet tall - a giant. And then to watch David put a stone in his sling, swing it, throw it, and hit that giant warrior dead center in the forehead right before he hit the ground with a thud. I would have been jumping up and down, cheering loudly. (1 Samuel 17)

><> The birth of Jesus. What a holy night that was. Not only to be in the presence of my Lord and Savior as He made His entrance into this world, but I'm sure the there was a "feel" to the night that was indescribable. Like an eletrical charge to the air or something of that nature. It would have been a night to stay up until dawn because you wouldn't want to miss a thing. (Luke 2:1-15)

><> Feeding of the 5,000+. I would want to witness at least one miracle and picked this one because I would also get to hear Jesus speak to a large crowd. That would be pretty exciting. If I was truly witnessing the entire story, I would know that there was originally only five loaves of bread and two fish to feed a huge crowd. I can only imagine that I'd be sitting there in awe, wanting to share what I had just experienced with someone - with anyone. (Matthew 14:13-21)

I do love a good story, but the Bible isn't just a bunch of fictitious stories. They are true, and they are history. And when you put them all together, you understand who God is, why He loves us so much, and everything He wants to give us.

So, what Bible story would you most want to experience?

Visit all the MORE OR HIM participants here.

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link of the day:
http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/

post potpourri

I just need to post a disclaimer about yesterday's post. I thank everyone for their kind comments but as I was reading them, I felt like maybe you thought I was fishing for compliments. I wasn't. I wrote the post right after getting home from the band's gig and I guess you could say I was on a little bit of a high.

I was a little euphoric because I almost didn't go to their concert but then so glad I did. It had been snowing most of the day and I didn't want to drive nearly an hour to get into downtown. Don was out of town and I didn't want to go alone. Plain and simple - I didn't want to go. I wanted to sit home in my pj's and watch Extreme Home Makeover and Oprah's Big Give. But I just couldn't get comfortable with that choice. I felt like I should drive Jake and I should be there as probably the only adult for his band.

As it turned out, it was a fun evening. It was low key without too many responsibilities. The snow stopped and the roads were pretty clear. And I had fun. It's amazing what a difference your attitude makes. So, I just wanted to clear that up. I am far from the rockin' mom that the post implies. I'm a rockin' mom because I can rock to the music my son and his band mates play.
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I wanted to acknowledge the fact that the Blogging With A Purpose award was passed on to me by two wonderful blogging friends. Both Mary of Not Before 7 and Ma Kettle (Jen) of Double Nickel Farm honored me with such a nice award, each mentioning the meme I started; More Of Him. Thank you very much, Mary and Jen.

This award was created by Eric Novak at Blogging With A Purpose. He started awarding christian bloggers who blogged with a specific purpose and I am supposed to pass it on to five other blogs who do the same.

I would like to pass it on to Heather of Not A DIY Life as she has graciously taken over the reins of More Of Him. She has a wonderful blog where she regularly shares how God is working in her life. For those of you who participated in More Of Him, either through your posts or comments, I hope you continue to support this meme over at Heather's place.

I feel like most bloggers have a purpose for their blog. As for me, I have a few "purposes." Although I understand the spirit of the award, I once again am going to decline to pass it on because I feel like everyone is worthy of it. Sorry to disappoint.

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And here's an encouraging story. A 14 year old boy in California, who founded a 'no cussing club,' has designated this week as NO CUSSING WEEK. I hope he gets a lot of support for his efforts. There's even a website (of course there is) dedicated to the cause. I have included it as my link of the day.

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link of the day:
http://www.nocussing.com/

my personal prayer

More of Him has moved to Not A DIY Life. Please follow the link to read from other participants or add your own post to the list. And thank you once again Heather, for taking the reins on this.

So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father... - Colossians 1:9-12 NLT

I came across this scripture a couple of weeks ago and have turned it into a personal prayer for myself. It goes something like this...

Lord, please give me wisdom and understanding of your will for my life so that I may live in a way that honors and pleases you. I pray that the fruit of your spirit, living in me, will be evident to those I come in contact with. It is my deepest desire to know you better, to spend time at your feet, and to feel the glow of your smile upon my face. Lord, I need your help today and know that I can rely on your strength to get me through. Help me to be patient and endure the situations that test and tempt me. Thank you for the joy in my life, that only comes from you.

Verse 11 in the Message reads, "We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives."

I must admit, that at times, I've had short timers attitude when it comes to working with the youth in our church. There's times when I feel like I'm gritting my teeth and that I can't wait for May to come. But, as you would guess, God changes my perspective when I need patience and endurance and I truly do experience the joy that only comes from serving Him by serving others. For that, I praise Him.

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link of the day:
http://www.soulkeepermusic.com/images/originalart/scripturephotoalbum2/index.htm

more of HIM

Welcome to More of HIM


More of HIM is a place to find encouragement, support, and honesty as we each strive to live in God's grace and love. Join in with your own post sharing how God is speaking to you through His word ~or~ how He is working in your life. Leave a link to your post on Mr. Linkly below. Or visit those who have shared this week and leave them a comment. Sharing our spiritual journeys with each other can help us to grow not only as a community here in bloggyland, but closer to our Lord and Savior.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

After some thought and prayer, I have decided to stop hosting More of HIM Mondays. I still strongly believe in the concept and feel that it ministers to readers and writers alike. Heather of Not A DIY Life has graciously offered to continue More of HIM by hosting it on her blog.

Heather is a wife and mother to a darling little "ladybug." You can tell that she obviously loves the Lord through her posts and how she lives her life. I think she will be a wonderful host and I hope you will continue to participate over at her place. If you don't know Heather, stop by and say hi.

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HIM in my life...

It's been a week and a half since Lent started and I've been enjoying reading Max Lucado's book, 3:16. He is such a good writer. Like I said in this post, there is a 40 day devotional in the back of the book and I've been reading that each day as well as the main part of the book. Both are really good. He has made me think about this specific verse in ways that I haven't before. And the book has been good for me to have as a focus for this period leading up to Easter.

My other focus for this time is to ask God daily to show me how I can reach out to someone - in the small or big ways. This is a little harder to measure, but I do feel like He has shown me some specific things and I have responded the best I can.

At first, I was looking so hard for some kind of act of kindness or reaching out that I was counting something I would normally have done as something to check off on my daily list. For example; I'd hold the door open for someone. Well, I normally do this, so I realized I couldn't count that.

I found that once i discounted my normal deeds of kindness, and relaxed a little, other things would come up that I knew God was asking me to do. How I recognized these was that they would cause me some level of discomfort or giving up of my precious time. But as you can guess, I've been blessed in the end by reaching out and getting involved.

Now, don't get me wrong... I haven't done this perfectly since Lent started. In fact, I know there has been times God was nudging me towards something and I turned and walked away. But I'm getting better. Better at hearing God's voice, better at knowing what He wants me to do, and better at obeying. It is a process after all. That why this is one of my favorite sayings:

Life is a journey, not a destination.

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more of HIM

Welcome to More of HIM

[graphics can be found on sidebar]
More of HIM is a place to find encouragement, support, and honesty as we each strive to live in God's grace and love. Join in with your own post sharing how God is speaking to you through His word ~or~ how He is working in your life. Leave a link to your post on Mr. Linkly below. Or visit those who have shared this week and leave them a comment. Sharing our spiritual journeys with each other can help us to grow not only as a community here in bloggyland, but closer to our Lord and Saviour.

more of HIM

Welcome to More of HIM

[graphics can be found on sidebar]
More of HIM is a place to find encouragement, support, and honesty as we each strive to live in God's grace and love. Join in with your own post sharing how God is speaking to you through His word ~or~ how He is working in your life. Leave a link to your post on Mr. Linkly below. Or visit those who have shared this week and leave them a comment. Sharing our spiritual journeys with each other can help us to grow not only as a community here in bloggyland, but closer to our Lord and Saviour.

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Scripture Speaks to me...

In The Message, 1 Timothy 2:1-2 and 8-9 says:

"The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation... (1-2)

Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray - not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions." (8-9)

I was reading through 1 Timothy this last week and as I was reading the second chapter, I was struck by some of the wording in my NIV Bible. I decided to check out how The Message said some of the passages I was interested in. Then I was struck even more.

I feel like I have a decent prayer life, but that there's always a lot of room for improvement. Since the first of the year, I've been trying to pray more in an open and on-going converesation with God. I've been trying to just talk to him as I go about my day.

In doing this, I have found myself praying for people and situations I might not normally pray for. Someone that crosses my path or just comes to mind, or something I see on the News or read about in a blog.

So it was confirming to read the first part; "Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know." But then the very next sentence says; "Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well..." I realized that I haven't been praying [much] about the election and candidates. Even though I'm not a political person, I should be praying for the people and situations [duh].

I've included verses 8 and 9 because I liked; "...not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God." - boy, we would all do well to try this - and, "...not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions." - just letting me know where my priorities should be.

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more of HIM

Welcome to More of HIM Monday

I started More of HIM because I found it wonderfully encouraging to read from other blogs how the writer was affected by a certain piece of scripture or how they see God working in their lives. I thought it would be nice to have a place where bloggers could submit a link to such posts in order for others to have the opportunity to also read them.

Whether you are a regular reader of mine or you're visiting for the first time, I would like to invite you to participate. You can do this with one of two (or both) themes; Scripture Speaks and/or HIM in my Life. The graphics for each can be found on my sidebar.

If you use the Scripture Speaks focus, write a post sharing a specific piece of scripture, how you feel God is speaking to you through it, and how you plan to apply it to your life.



Maybe it's not scripture that's speaking directly to you, but you do see God working in your life in some way. Whether it's His quiet whisper into your ear or His two by four hitting you up side the head... whether you're on a spiritual high, or low... share HIM in my Life and you'll find that not only will you be encouraged by your readers, but your words will encourage others as well.

So please join us here each Monday. Even if you don't write a post for More of Him, visit the participants who leave their link on Mr. Linky. Let's support each other in our spiritual journeys.

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I'd like to share how I see More of HIM lately working in the life of one of the kids in our youth group. We have a few kids who have either professed that they don't believe in God or that they don't need God in their lives. And even though they are a little rough around the edges, they have allowed us to see their hearts, too.

One boy came to our group over a year ago through a friend. He's had a tough life and has made it clear that he doesn't believe. He would continue to come with his friend and Don and I continued to pray for him. Over the summer he started seeing a girl who is a christian and had been attending another youth group. She has been a good influence on him and slowly we've been able to see his heart soften and his attitude change.

At the end of our meetings, we do "popcorn" prayer time and allow the kids to pray as they wish. A few weeks ago, this boy came up to me after we were all done to ask me a question. It went something like this...

"I don't know about this whole prayer thing, but would it be okay to just make a statement during the prayer time." I asked him to give me an example and he said he wanted to say thank you to his friend there and to say something about Don's job situation. I said I thought that would be just fine - thinking it may be the closest thing to praying for this kid.

So the next week when we had our prayer time, he, indeed, spoke up and said some beautiful things about his friends and that he "hoped" Don's job would get better. He didn't preface it with dear God or Jesus or anything, but in my eyes, it was a prayer. And the next week he did the same thing. It made my heart smile as big as it ever has and brought a tear to my eye.

God is working on this kid and I've seen more and more of HIM each and every week.

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more of HIM

Welcome to More of HIM Monday

I started More of HIM because I found it wonderfully encouraging to read from other blogs how the writer was affected by a certain piece of scripture or how they see God working in their lives. I thought it would be nice to have a place where bloggers could submit a link to such posts in order for others to have the opportunity to also read them.

Whether you are a regular reader of mine or you're visiting for the first time, I would like to invite you to participate. You can do this with one of two (or both) themes; Scripture Speaks and/or HIM in my Life. The graphics for each can be found on my sidebar.

If you use the Scripture Speaks focus, write a post sharing a specific piece of scripture, how you feel God is speaking to you through it, and how you plan to apply it to your life.



Maybe it's not scripture that's speaking directly to you, but you do see God working in your life in some way. Whether it's His quiet whisper into your ear or His two by four hitting you up side the head... whether you're on a spiritual high, or low... share HIM in my Life and you'll find that not only will you be encouraged by your readers, but your words will encourage others as well.

So please join us here each Monday. Even if you don't write a post for More of Him, visit the participants who leave their link on Mr. Linky. Let's support each other in our spiritual journeys.

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I do feel HIM in my Life and feel Him speaking to me, but this time through a different book than the Bible. I just got done reading The Shack. It's a marvelous little book that will forever change how I view God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as well as their purpose and place in my life.

I grew up as a kid raised in a Christian family who learned all the Bible stories, the do's and the don't's, and the practices that go along with being a Christian. I rebelled when I was a teenager and turned my back on the church and my faith, only to turn back to it when my daughter was born. Since then, I've served in my church while my faith and maturity has grown.

Even though I'm of the belief that there's always something more I can learn and that I want to be teachable, I was caught a little off guard reading this book. I feel like I learned more about the nature of God, His love for me and all of His children, and what He does and does not expect from me.

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, whether you're a Christian or not. I think God can use a book like this to speak to any of us. I hope you allow him to do so for you.

You can read more of my thoughts on this book on Stories Told.

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more of HIM

Welcome to More of HIM Monday

I started More of HIM because I found it wonderfully encouraging to read from other blogs how the writer was affected by a certain piece of scripture or how they see God working in their lives. I thought it would be nice to have a place where bloggers could submit a link to such posts in order for others to have the opportunity to also read them.

Whether you are a regular reader of mine or you're visiting for the first time, I would like to invite you to participate. You can do this with one of two (or both) themes; Scripture Speaks and/or HIM in my Life. The graphics for each can be found on my sidebar.



If you use the Scripture Speaks focus, write a post sharing a specific piece of scripture, how you feel God is speaking to you through it, and how you plan to apply it to your life.

Maybe it's not scripture that's speaking directly to you, but you do see God working in your life in some way. Whether it's His quiet whisper into your ear or His two by four hitting you up side the head... whether you're on a spiritual high, or low... share HIM in my Life and you'll find that not only will you be encouraged by your readers, but your words will encourage others as well.

So please join us here each Monday. Even if you don't write a post for More of Him, visit the participants who leave their link on Mr. Linky. Let's support each other in our spiritual journeys.

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Scripture Speaks to me...

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.
Psalm 39:4 NLT

I am part of a Moms In Touch prayer group. When we met last week, I shared with the group that I was looking for a piece of scripture that I can call my "2008 verse." That started a conversation where others shared verses that meant a lot to them.

The above verse was mentioned by a friend and she shared that she uses it as a reminder to live each and every day as if it's her last. At first, I thought that was kinda corny, or cliche'. But I've thought about that verse every day since.

How would I live my life if I knew this day would be my last? What would be important and what wouldn't? How would I treat people - my family? friends? total strangers? Are there relationships that should be mended? Are there things I've wanted to do but continue to put off?

I don't think I'll be using this as my "2008 verse," but it has had an impact on me and I hope it continues to do so. What I also find interesting is that not only did God use this piece of scripture to say something to me, but He used a friend to deliver it to me.

this, that, and the other thing

Thank you to everyone who commented on my previous post about Hillary Clinton. It was nice to read everyone's opinion and I appreciated them all.

I've been thinking, for a while now, of posting occasionally about hot topics that are being talked about. Probably not much on politics. I'm not a very political person and I know politics, more than any other subject, is very personal and can spark heated debates - which wouldn't be my intention. I just think it's interesting to hear people's opinions on different issues. We'll see. But thanks again to everyone who participated in the discussion.

Speaking of future posts, I'm trying to decide if I want to continue the More of Him Mondays. Please let me know if you have strong feelings either way.

I saw the movie P.S. I Love You today. I really liked it. A lot more than I thought I would. It's just one more case where the previews make a movie look one way and not necessarily the way it really is. It's a lot more serious and thought provoking than I thought it would be. It even made me tear up a couple of times. I would recommend it.

And lastly, Don was in a car accident last night on his way home from work. He's okay and thankfully, no one was hurt. On the freeway, in stop and go traffic, he was hit from behind and then pushed into the car in front of him. The impact in front of him barely left a scratch on the other car but did quite a bit of scrunching to Don's jeep. The impact from behind did some damage to the back of the jeep but so much to the other car that it had to be towed away. We're just thankful that no one was hurt.

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link of the day:
http://www.r2d2translator.com/

monday potpourri

I know some of you have come here looking for More of Him Monday. I have decided that More of Him will be taking the month of December off. I am sorry if this is an inconvenience to anyone, but I'm guessing that this month will be busy for all of us. Whether it's the hustle-bustle or the special meaning of the season, I think we all want to be writing about other things and/or not spending as much time here in blogland. I will post it again in January. If you did post something today, please leave a comment in order for me [and others] to stop by and read it.

SharonB of Quiet Reflections is having a holiday give-away. All you need to do is answer the question in her post and your name will be entered in the drawing for your choice of one of the books she's giving away. Good luck.

Speaking of SharonB, she honored me with this The Colors of Friendship award right before Thanksgiving. This is the spirit in which this award is given: I want to nominate my following blog friends for the Colors of Friendship Award. They color my life with the beautiful hues of friendship. Although we come from different backgrounds and cultures we share the same spirit of friendship. Thanks again Sharon.

And speaking of awards, Tee of Spilt Milk passed on this fabulous award to me some time ago. Thank you, Tee. It's always nice to feel fabulous, and you made me feel that way by honoring me with this award. Sorry it's taken so long to acknowledge it.

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link of the day:
http://www.joshhosler.biz/NumberOneInHistory/SelectMonth.htm

more of Him

Welcome to MORE OF HIM Monday

You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.

Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.
- or -


Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.

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Scripture speaks to me...

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Phillipians 2:3-4

I read this passage at the beginning of my vacation and the words stuck with me in several situations. I would be watching a family (I'm a people watcher), trying to figure out the dynamics and found myself thinking thoughts that made me and my parenting skills feel superior. And then these words would come back to me.

Or there were times when I found myself in a situation where I maneuvered myself to be closer to the front of the line, or in a better position to see something, or something along those lines. Again, the words would come back like Jesus was whispering them directly to me. There were many times when I felt like I could feel His gentle breath in my ear.

I've come to the conclusion that it is not easy to consider others better than myself. And in trying to follow God's words, where do I draw the line in preventing myself from becoming a door mat? I know I will be working on the first, and reflecting and asking God's guidance on the second. I really feel like He has spoken to me through this passage and wants me to be more aware of how I treat certain people.

I did have a very specific event happen during vacation that continues to haunt my thoughts. I did not do a good job of putting someone before myself. I will write about it in length in an upcoming post.

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more of Him

Welcome to MORE OF HIM Monday

You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.

Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.
- or -


Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.

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Scripture speaks to me...

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” [Psalm 112:9]
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
2 Corinthians 9:8-11 New Living Translation

Isn't God's wisdom and His plans amazing? I read and reread this piece of scripture in amazement. Not only does He pour His blessings on us, but He gives us even more so that we can in turn give to others. And then they will thank God for their blessings.

I know I don't need to remind anyone of this. We all know that we have so much to be thankful for. I've enjoyed coming home from vacation and reading so many posts on what bloggers are thankful for. When we have an attitude of gratitude, it changes our perspective on any given situation - and we then realize we have an attitude of sharing with others. And it's all part of God's plan. I'm sure He is smiling down on us all.

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"More of Him" Monday Participants

1. Heather - Not a DIY Life 2. Mary@notbefore7

3. Liza\'s Eyeview 4. barb

Learn more about "More of Him" Monday here.
Get The Code

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more of Him

Welcome to MORE OF HIM Monday

You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.

Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.
- or -


Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.

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

Scripture speaks to me...

In Acts, chapter 16, there's a story of Paul and Silas sitting in a jail cell when an earthquake occurs allowing the doors to open and giving the prisoners a chance to escape. But they didn't. I always wondered about this story. I could never understand why Paul and Silas wouldn't take off. In my child or immature christian mind, I just didn't get why anyone would stay in a bad situation when they could escape from it.

But as you continue to read this story, you realize God had something in mind for Paul and Silas; he had a plan. And His plan unfolds in the verses that follow. Here is part of the story:

"The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in front of Paul and Silas. He led them out of the jail and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved, to really live?" They said, "Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you'll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!" " Acts 16:29-31 The Message

If Paul and Silas had escaped when they had the chance, they wouldn't have been around to witness to the jailer. In fact, the jailer had contemplated suicide before he realized the prisoners hadn't escaped. By Paul and Silas staying put, they kept the jailer alive.

They not only talked the talk, they walked the walk. They believed in what they told the jailer; put your entire trust in the Jesus and you will be saved. My footnotes say that the Greek word for "salvation" has to do with deliverance for the future but also living a new kind of life in the here and now. That is why The Message translated "being saved" to "living as you were meant to live."

And that's the part of scripture that really spoke to me.

Don and I are faced with a situation that could change the course of our lives. He may lose his job. We've never had to go through this kind of situation. It's all new to us. It's scary. It could be exciting. It could change where we live and how we live financially. We're trying to keep an open mind about it and the consequences from it.

Most of the time we know God will take care of us - no matter what the future looks like. Other times, it's easy to doubt and worry. We try really hard not to fall into that trap. When I read this piece of scripture this week, I felt like God was telling me, "just trust Me - and you will live as you were meant to live." I needed to hear that. Thank you, Lord.

more of Him

Welcome to MORE OF HIM Monday

You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.

Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.
- or -


Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.

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Scripture speaks to me...

Galations 5:19-21 gives us the results of following the desires of our sinful nature. When I read this passage from The Message version, I was astounded. It goes into so much more depth in it's description and I see so much of the broken world described in these words.

It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.

Besides the grim picture these words paint, what made me take a second and even third read through was what Paul wrote at the end. He says, "those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (NIV) In The Message, it's worded, "if you use your freedom this way."

It is, indeed, a freedom and He gives it to us. He gives us freedom of choice. It really comes down to only two choices; Him or the world. You really can't pick both because they negate each other. If you live in and of the world, your life looks like what was described above, which isn't pretty. If you give your life to Him, He can help you steer your way through this very broken world and give you life everlasting. To me, it seems like a no brainer.

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"More of Him" Monday Participants

1. Heather - Not A DIY Life 2. Mary (Ezekiel) 3. grb312@sbcglobal.net

4. Ginger 5. Lynne 6. barb

Learn more about "More of Him" Monday here.

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more of Him

Welcome to MORE OF HIM Monday

You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.

Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.
- or -


Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.

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

HIM in my life

As I wrote last week, I've been going through a little "dry" spell when it comes to feeling God in my life. Thank you to all who left encouraging comments. I've been working harder at spending quality time with Him and trying to hear His quiet voice amidst all the noise that fills my life.

One of my favorite songs is Never Alone by Barlow Girl. Not only do I like the melody and beat of the song, but I love the lyrics. Here they are:

I waited for you today - But You didn't show - No.No.No.
I needed You today - So where did you go?
You told me to call - you said You'd be there
And though I haven't seen You - Are You still there?

Chorus
I cried out with no reply and
I can't feel You by my side
So I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here and I'm never alone.

And though I can not see You - and I can't explain why.
Such a deep, reassurance - You've placed in my life oh
We cannot separate' - Cause You're part of me
and though You're invisible - I'll trust the unseen

Chorus

We cannot separate
You're part of me
and though You're invisible
I'll trust the unseen

Chorus

You can also watch the music video here.

One day last week I was waiting in my car and the song came on over the radio. I turned it up and started singing away. I have sang this song countless times (just ask my family). I know every word and every note. But for some reason, this time was different. I had a real feeling of God speaking to me.

When I came to the part that said, "we cannot separate - you're part of me - and though You're invisible - I'll trust the unseen," I cried. It was really the words, "we cannot separate - you're part of me" that got to me. It brought me a new sense of comfort to know that no matter how I'm feeling, no matter how far away I feel from Christ, there cannot be any true separation. He's a part of me. And I truly believe that.

I've always believed that. Maybe I temporarily forgot that or maybe I really hadn't thought about it for awhile. God must have known I needed to hear it. He uses scripture to speak to us, He uses pastors, teachers, and friends. I shouldn't be surprised that He will use a song to tell me something He wants me to know.

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"More of Him" Monday Participants

1. Susan - Penless Writer 2. Leigh Ann @ Momma Roar 3. barb moser

4. Ginger 5. Lynne 6. SharonB

Learn more about "More of Him" Monday here.

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

more of Him

Welcome to More of Him.

You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.

Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.



or

Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.

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

Scripture Speaks to me

Jesus responded, "The real significance of that Scripture is not that Moses gave you bread from heaven but that my Father is right now offering you bread from heaven, the real bread. The Bread of God came down out of heaven and is giving life to the world." John 6:32-33 the Message

I have to be honest here. I haven't felt very close to God for the past few weeks. I think I'm just in a dry spot right now. I want to feel that closeness again, and I have faith that I will. But it feels lonely where I am right now. I've been wanting to write a "Him in my life" post, but don't really feel Him at the moment. And I want to feel that closeness again.

As I read the footnote about this passage in my Bible, I realized that bread is the sustenance in our lives. In the same way, Jesus needs to be the sustenance to my spiritual life. I need to remember that He is the answer to my inner hunger. He is what I need to feel fed and satisfied. I will remain at His feet, until we are walking hand in hand again. I just hope that is more sooner than later.

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more of Him

Welcome once again to More of Him. You can encourage others or your may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.

Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you wish to apply it to your life.



or

Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.

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Scripture Speaks to me

If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me. Matthew 10:39 the Message

Have you ever had a piece of scripture jump out at you yet you're not sure what it's saying to you or how you're to interpret it. This is what this passage did for me this past week.

I read it early last week and have reflected on it the rest of the week. I know I struggle with looking beyond myself at times. I'm struggling with that right now in a certain area of my life. I know I can rationalize my thinking. I say I'm doing it for Don, or my family, but in the end, it's more about me.

So, after reading this passage, I felt challenged to forget about me and focus more on God. I knew this wouldn't be easy. A few times during the week, I caught myself thinking about something and realized I was really only thinking about such a thing from a "me" perspective. It was like a little bell went off in my head and I remembered the above words from the Bible, and I then couldn't help but think of whatever it was from a "God" perspective. And in most cases, there was quite a difference.

I'm still thinking and working through the part of "finding myself and Him." Of course, I want a closer relationship with God. Does finding myself mean who I am supposed to be in Him? I believe that life is a process - a journey. So I take it to mean not only this, but also of who I am supposed to be - the finished person that God already knows me to be. Does that make any sense? That's why I'm still working through that part of the passage. So I can articulate, "finding myself."

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"More of Him" Monday Participants

1. Amber @ Trust in the Lord 2. Mary@notbefore7 3. Karen\'s Korner 4. Ginger

5. Danielle! 6. barb 7. Karen 8. Lynne

9. Ruth 10. Ally 11. Silent Wings

Learn more about "More of Him" Monday here.

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