Giving thanks:

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”~ Ephesians 5:20.

Ivan Parker challenged me and I challenge you; “this month to make a list of ll the things you are grateful for. Keep it near you and give thanks every day. There’s power in that, friends!”

1)safe travels for my son that arrived home safely, and travels often 2) calls of encouragement daily from my sons, 3) friends that pray and care for myself, family and doggies in more that 11 ways 4) my doggies 5) my husband 6) health 7) faith 8) computer to build my faith and connect to friends 9) homes 10) healthy foods 11) health care……Oh, I have many more and I’m sure you do as well.

Let’s do as Ivan Parker has challenges some of us and make our list and give thanks through the month of September and challenge others to come here, the daily lily, and join in. When others join in the chorus image what the gates of heaven must look like.

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”~ Ephesians 5:20.

Debi’s New

By Debi Chaves

Today I got a new calendar by Neale Donald Walsch that Sara spotted in a store and thought it was just what I needed. Generously, MG purchased it and gave it to me. It’s titled, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”. Does that make you a little nervous? I know it did me because my comfort zone is just that…comfortable. But the calendar title is also encouraging and challenging and I’d like to share the quote for August. “Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground.” Wilfred Peterson.

Walk with me in the new!
debplant1@gmail.com

How does one pray

“How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days.” Matthew 24:19-21 NIV

As I listen to world news today of tensions, threats of war and especially the women and children held in Iraq on a mountain with no food and water, I can’t stop the picture thrashing in my mind of the words spoken by Jesus and recorded in the Book of Matthew. The deepest compassion of Jesus shows in this passage. How my heartfelt cries go out for these woman, men and children that are being told leave your Christian faith or die!

Heavenly Father, give world leaders wisdom, courage and faith to act to help Christians around the world. Give your church grace, mercy and a knee bending desire to pray. Minds to speak and support our brothers and sisters that are being deeply persecuted for their faith. Hands to serve and hearts to love. May we rightly discern your word with understand.

“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.…”

Thought Provoking

Some months ago I read the following words of truth: Since then it has been power words that jog my memory on my daily walking path. My wife, Sara, and I so often review and remind each other of this truth over our dinner conversations and our times of sharing and prayer. Maybe you will find a nugget of truth in these words that might become applied application to your life.

“When we no longer see ourselves standing before God as our judge, we become perverted. Our ego is inflated. Flattery replaces truth. Our minds are grasped by wickedness and we deceive others. The path that we walk is evil. The result is a self- centered and self- consumed person who has no authentic relationship with God, himself, or others. Flattery, illusion, and deception determine his life. Only the Word of God and the Holy Spirit’s conviction can reveal to us such depths of human sin,”

Sunflowers

If I were a flower.. …My son, Christopher and his wife, Tammy, went farming
in northern Virginia for sunflowers! Look what they surprised me with! Aren’t they beautiful? Happy flowers that smile and makes me happy! If I were a flower I think I would choose to be a sunflower because they seem to always follow the sun!
What flower would you like to be and why?

Psalm 23:1

“The Lord is my Shepherd!” “The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 “Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay…” Daniel 9:19

Did you ever Wonder?

The late great George Beverly Shea did. He penned the words, “The Wonder of it All” and sang them with great gusto over and over again! His wonderment was to think about how God loved Him. Have you ever gazed in wonderment about God’s love like this?

I hate to admit that all to often I find myself on the flip side of Bev’s coin. Not wondering about the miraculous offering of Jesus. Or, a sunset, a river, a tree but always wondering why someone did this or that. Or, said this or that? I start to doubt and then I win the jackpot of unbelief. Bev’ antidote for the cure of doubt was to formulate words of encouragement and beauty. He writes:

“There’s the wonder of spring time and harvest
The sky, the stars, the sun
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that’s only begun
The wonder of it all
The wonder of it all
Just to think that God loves me…”

What thrills my soul? Many things really. But, one wonderment is when I see the hand of God as He connects little pieces of a wonder that I have into a beautiful work of art thought the hands of a number of people to send me my answer. It’s like a love letter. It surely thrills my soul and I sing along with George Beverley Shea, just to think that God loves me. What thrills your soul?