Storms - Does Jesus Care?

So many times in life we go through deep, dark storms.  We seem to be living in one of those times now in my family with illness and other things going on.  But this past week, these 2 songs have given me so much encouragement.  Just to know that I'm standing in the hollow of His hand and that He will take care of us has lifted my spirits many times.

I pray that if there are storms in your life right now, these songs may encourage you as they have me Because I KNOW BEYOND ANY SHADOW OF DOUBT THAT JESUS DOES CARE!!!

God is Faithful

Do you ever feel really burdened and overwhelmed and like you're just not going to make it through your circumstances?  I know I have, more recently than ever before in my life.  But we're making it and guess what?  I've actually grown closer to the Lord and stronger in my faith.  Here's a scripture from Paul that I think fits and explains why we sometimes have to go through what we go through.

I think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it.
 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead.
 And he did deliver us from mortal danger. And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us. 2Corinthians 1:8-10


So be encouraged my friend. If you are going through a hard time right now or living in circumstances you just don't understand.  You will make it through because God is faithful and He will deliver. 

Everything!

Why do we always keep searching and searching for something else. Why are we never just satisfied with Jesus? My girls participated in a drama a couple of weeks ago portraying this searching. Here's a video of that drama. I think it's very powerful.

I need to remember, Jesus is enough! He is all I need.

Choice

This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NLT

Sometimes we can't change the things that are happening to us. You know with each day's circumstances, we can either rejoice and be glad in it or we can be angry and defiant and irritated. Though we can't always change our circumstances, we can always change how we react to them. It all comes down to a choice doesn't it? I can choose to be angry and in a bad mood or I can choose to be joyful and praise the Lord. As one of my good friends in the Lord always says, "I choose joy!" She makes a conscious choice to be joyful. And you know what? So am I. Today I choose joy! I will rejoice and be glad in this day!

What about you? What's your choice?

It's Amazing

We attended a wonderful service tonight at our Church Campgrounds. The same place I've shown a couple pictures of where the girls attend Youth Camp. There is an outdoor tabernacle where we have church. I have been attending there since I was a very little girl. Every year in July they have what we call Campmeeting. Which is a week of services in the outdoor tabernacle. I'll try to take a couple pics tomorrow night and show you. It is very rustic and most times it is very hot. We are in a cooler spell right now so, so far, it hasn't been too bad.

Anyway, they asked hubby and me (mostly I think they wanted him because he has a beautiful tenor voice) to join in and sing with the choir. We didn't get there early enough to practice, but we went up anyway. They sang some really old songs, so we knew them. It was so fun to get up there and just cut loose and sing. It was a blast. And to think I fussed and didn't want to do it. Thanks you guys for making me! hahaha

The speaker did an awesome job. One thing he said really stuck with me. I mean, we all know when we're born again that the Holy Spirit moves in and takes up residence in our heart. But tonight for some reason it just really struck me. We are filled with God, the creator of everything. He moves in and lives inside of us. How awesome is that, God is living in me!!!!!

Wow! How Amazing is that?!? I love it. I am filled up with God. "Lord, please remove me and fill me with more and more of you!! That is my true desire!"

If You Want to Be Somebody

Mark 4:23-25 "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand--and even more, besides. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them."

We had this verse as part of our Sunday School Lesson this morning. We were talking about the light and the lamp. And how one way to see this is that we are the lamp (the thing that holds the light) and Jesus is the light. And how the lamp is useless if it doesn't have a light. Anyway, these verses come right after. I love the part that I have in red. Sometimes we feel like we can't understand scripture (and I believe we'll never fully understand it all here on this earth) and we wonder how can be learn more and understand more. This scripture right here tells us. We need to pay attention when we hear the Word and that the more we do this the more we will understand. Seems pretty simple to me. I think this may be the whole clue to learning more and more of God. It reminds me of the little song in Sister Act II that "Sister Mary Clarence" teaches the kids. The words are "If you want to be somebody and you want to go somewhere, you better wake up and pay attention." Seems like pretty good advice to me.

Easter

Isn't it wonderful to serve the God of the Universe
who loves us so much that He sent His Son to suffer and die for our sins?
And then He raised that same Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead.
He did all this so that we can be reconciled to Him!
God, You are so Wonderful!!

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

Last night at church we were discussing the nature of God and one of the ladies mentioned this song and it's been on my mind ever since. I found the words and wanted to share it with you. I especially love the third verse.

The Love of God

Frederick M. Lehman, 1917

Copyright: Public Domain

1. The love of God is greater far
   Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
   It goes beyond the highest star,
   And reaches to the lowest hell;
   The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
   God gave His Son to win;
   His erring child He reconciled,
   And pardoned from his sin.
   • Refrain:
     Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
     How measureless and strong!
     It shall forevermore endure—
     The saints’ and angels’ song.
2. When hoary time shall pass away,
   And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
   When men who here refuse to pray,
   On rocks and hills and mountains call,
   God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
   All measureless and strong;
   Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
   The saints’ and angels’ song.
3. Could we with ink the ocean fill,
   And were the skies of parchment made,
   Were every stalk on earth a quill,
   And every man a scribe by trade;
   To write the love of God above
   Would drain the ocean dry;
   Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
   Though stretched from sky to sky.

Valentines

The greatest Valentine we ever received:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Fireproof

We (all four of us) went to see the movie Fireproof last night. The church where my daughters attend youth showed the movie and invited anyone who wanted to come. Let me tell you, it was a really great movie. I know it's about marriage relationships, but it really speaks to any kind of relationship. It's not just for married people. My daughers really enjoyed it too.
The movie just made it so clear that we first have to have a relationship with Jesus Christ before we can truly love someone else the way they deserve to be loved. When we love Christ and really realize how much He loves us (and this is the key, HE LOVES US) then we can learn to love others, whether that be our spouse, our child, our parent, or our friends.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." That just blows me away, that God gave His Son to save me. Me! Wow! And He gave His Son to save You too. Grab onto that and believe Him and then your other relationships can become what they were meant to be.
So if you get the opportunity to see Fireproof, I would strongly recommend it.

Jesus Loves Me This I Know

I received this in an e-mail this morning from a good friend and I thought it was so awesome so with her permission, I posted it here for you all to read and enjoy.

THE OLD PREACHER

While watching a little TV on Sunday instead of going to church, I watched a Church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years. He was 92 at that time and I wondered why the Church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age.
After a warm welcome, introduction of this speaker, and as the applause quieted down he rose from his high back chair and walked slowly, with great effort and a sliding gate to the podium. Without a note or written paper of any kind he placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself and then quietly and slowly he began to speak.... "When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50 odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heartbreak and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me... the only thing that would comfort was this verse.........

"Jesus loves me this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
We are weak but He is strong.....
Yes, Jesus loves me...
The Bible tells me so."

When he finished, the church was quiet.You actually could hear his footsteps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will ever forget it.

A pastor once stated, "I always noticed that it was the adults who chose the children's hymn 'Jesus Loves Me' (for the children of course) during a hymn sing, and it was the adults who sang the loudest because I could see they knew it the best."

"Senior version of Jesus Loves Me"

Here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you others check out this newest version of Jesus Loves Me.


JESUS LOVES ME

Jesus loves me, this I know,

Though my hair is white as snow

Though my sight is growing dim,

Still He bids me trust in Him.

(CHORUS) YES, JESUS LOVES ME..

YES, JESUS LOVES ME..

YES, JESUS LOVES ME

FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow,

With my hand in His I'll go

On through life, let come what may,

He'll be there to lead the way.

(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long,

In my heart He puts a song.

Telling me in words so clear,

"Have no fear, for I am near."

(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done,

And life's victories have been won.

He will take me home above,

Then I'll understand His love

(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know?

Have I ever told Him so?

Jesus loves to hear me say,

That I love Him every day.

(CHORUS)