February 28, 2011

Yesterday was a good day.  We ahd Sunday School and then the Nicaragua report in church,  Dad and I ate with the team when they spent time together after the service.  there were a lot of people in church.  We have a new family coming that needs to find a place to live, they have horses.

VERSE:
  I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full
of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one
another.
   -- Romans 15:14
   

THOUGHT:
  While we may be flawed and imperfect, Paul reminds us of how
important, competent, and useful we can be to each other. While our
hope is in God, he has given us each other in our walk of faith.
Let's not live as isolated islands of faith, but lean on each other
and learn from each other as we look to Christ for our salvation
and strength.

PRAYER:
  Thank you, dear Father, for placing the people in my life who
have shaped, taught, corrected, and supported me in my life with
you. I am thankful for your support of me through their words,
example, and touch. Thank you for giving me a family to travel with
on my journey home to you. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

I appreciated these thoughts today, we need each other, is there some way that I can be of help to you?

February 27, 2011

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I couldn't get into this site.  Friday, after school, and I was there late helping a student.  I went to Cando, cleaned church did some visiting and then went to women's Bible study of the book of Esther.  Dad went to Bismarck to men's retreat, so I had  time to clean.  I did some that evening and yesterday morning before I went to Devils Lake.  I went to Fiber meeting, and always enjoy the people that I meet.  Talked to Edna on the phone and came home to visit with those at the center.  I am really focused on finishing some sewing, so I sewed on some blocks last night.  Dad got home in the evening.

Forgiven and Forgotten Sins


"If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there
is forgiveness; therefore you are feared."

--Psalm 130:3-4

Somewhere in the back of my memory, I have a list. It's called "Forgiven Sins That
I Can't Forget." The list isn't long, but it contains a handful of personal transgressions
that, in my estimation, tend toward the vile and disgusting. In my lower moments,
these old sins flash in neon lights in front of my thinking. I cringe, recalling
 those awful things I am capable of doing. Against my own conscience, I am unable
to stand.

Thankfully, my conscience does not render the final judgment. Christ does. And oh,
how I praise the Lord that He keeps no lists. To be sure, He takes notice of every
sin. But does He keep account? No. For one thing, God is love and 1 Corinthians
13 says that love "keeps no record of wrongs." For another thing, Psalm 103:12 reminds
us that "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions
from us."

When we confess our sin, we acknowledge that Christ paid the penalty for it on the
cross. He wipes the slate clean. He washes away the guilt and cleans our conscience.
In other words, He erases the list. When it comes to the sin of His truly repentant
children, God forgives and forgets.

That's the nature of His grace.

Wonderful grace of Jesus, reaching to all the lost,

By it I have been pardoned, saved to the uttermost;

Chains have been torn asunder, giving me liberty,

For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.*

I know you've already forgiven me for past sins, Lord, but today I'm reminded to
 thank You for Your grace that covers it all!

February 25, 2011

Yesterday in school, i was helping a student with her assignment about renting an apartment, when another student who was in the room told us about her brothers experience with roommates, it made the lesson so real.  I was after school for a while helping another student and then went to town to mail a letter and did some work on history project int he center.

                                            
VERSE:
  Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
   -- Psalm 98:1
      

THOUGHT:
  Songs can stir us up or they can bring us comfort. Songs can
take us back to a special time, or songs can give us hope for
things to come. Unfortunately, we usually leave the composing of
the words and the music of our songs only for someone else to
write, never taking time to write our own "new song." But today,
why not make up your own new song of praise and thanks to God. It
doesn't have to be great, just heartfelt and offered to the Father
from whom all joyful songs come.

PRAYER:
  Father God, thank you for the gift of song. Please receive my
song of thanks and praise from a heart you have filled with your
delight. In Jesus' name. Amen.

What could you and I say/sing to express our thoughts towards our Heavenly Father, ?  How could we express  what we feel, how could we thank him for coming into our lives and making himself real to us?

February 24, 2011

Yesterday was a busy day, after school I took a nap and then Dad and I went to Cando to Durum House.  It was a surprise party for Colleen Rohrer, for her 60th birthday, Most of the church was there and it was a good evening.  Good thoughts.....

Two Mountains

"You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire;
to darkness, gloom and storm. But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem,
the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels
in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven."

--Hebrews 12:18, 22-23

My spirit soars when I sit at the base of the snow-capped Sierras. Even though they're
grand and glacier-scarred, their beauty makes them approachable. I don't feel that
way about Mount St. Helens, the volcano at the northern edge of the same range.
That mountain blew its top years ago, and an eerie plume of smoke still rises from
the crater. There's nothing approachable about Mount St. Helens.

The twelfth chapter of Hebrews reads like a topography of mountains. Mount Sinai
 burns with fire and is surrounded in darkness and lightning. Even Moses was afraid
of it. But then there's Mount Zion, a place of angelic joy and happy assembly. This
mountain is one glorious destination.

Two mountains. Two views of life. One depicts a God of gloom and doom. The other
 represents a God of joy and forgiveness. How often we find ourselves living in
the frightening shadows of Mount Sinai, confronted by our inability to live up to
the demands of a Holy God, consumed by guilt, and backsliding in despair. That kind
of lifestyle paralyzes you with failure after failure.

Don't pitch your tent at the foot of that fearful mountain. Brush up on your topography
and walk in the direction of Zion today.

"May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life" (Psalm 128:5).

Lord of Mount Zion, I give You my striving and straining. I give You my defeat and
despair.  May I place my trust in You and discover along the way that Your dwelling
place, Zion, is where I long to be.

February 23, 2011

Another day at school, helping children succeed, My focus is on those God has given me to help in that process.  After school a visit with Frank and Dorothy, they are having some mechanical problems, hope Dad can help them today.  I am still sewing quilt blocks, soon will have everything together.  I am enjoying this old sewing machine, It really sews good.

The Lowliest Servant


"But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not
fit to carry."

--Matthew 3:11

In the days of John the Baptist, rich households employed various levels of servants
for different responsibilities around the home. Yes, there was even a servant who
had the lackluster job of untying a guest's sandals and carrying them aside.

John the Baptist couldn't think of a better way to humble himself before the Lord
than to say that he would carry his Savior's sandals. To him, it was a vocation
of humility.

But Jesus demonstrated a more amazing model of humility when He placed Himself lower
than even a sandal-carrying slave. Jesus not only untied the sandals of his disciples
and placed them to the side, but He went further and washed their dirty feet-a responsibility
of the lowest servant on the household totem pole.

John the Baptist extolled the power and greatness of the Lord Jesus. But Jesus was
the One who glorified His power by divesting Himself of it in order to wipe clean
the filthy feet of common men. And in so doing, Jesus showed us what power there
 is in sacrificial love and humble service.

A job description for a lowly servant can be found in Philippians 2:3-4, which says,
"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."

How appropriate that a couple of verses later we are told that Jesus took on this
job description, made Himself nothing, and became a servant. Your attitude today
 should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

Lord, I want to be Your servant. May I serve others today as You would, always considering my brothers and sisters as better than myself. Give me Your servant's heart, please.

How can you and I have a servants heart this day?  Does it start with our family closest to us?  How can we demonstrate it there?

February 22, 2011

Yesterday, we had school, whereas most schools had a holiday.  It was a fairly easy day,  our on line students didn't get an assignment because Devils Lake didn't have school.  After school I went to Devils lake to getmy eye checked.  I couldn't see the Dr. til 5 so I got my errands done before I went to him.  He says my eye is doing good, I am thankful because it doesn't hurt any more.  Supper was a little late til I got it cooked, we watched some tv and I did some sewing, too.

I know there are a lot of things in our lives that are really hard and make it hard to see good in life but this is good.....

Redefine Happiness

"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice
in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance,
character; and character, hope."

--Romans 5:2-4

Some people are never going to be happy.

I'm not being cynical, because the very folks about whom I'm speaking would agree.
They would be the first to say that they are in a dead-end marriage, that they see
no end to the constant irritation of their supervisor at work, that they will never
lose those ugly twenty-five pounds. Life, to them, seems to be a never-ending drudgery
of the same, sad routine.

Are you this way? Does happiness, like a butterfly, almost flutter within reach
but just when you think you have grasped it... it's gone? Or perhaps you feel your
marriage is okay, and your job is acceptable. Yet you feel as though something's
 missing. Perhaps you think this is real happiness.

Well, life is hard. For some, it is downright hard. Unhappiness seems to be here
 to stay. But it doesn't have to be this way, because the answer is not to get rid
of unhappiness but to find a new definition for it.

My friend Elisabeth Elliot has suggested that we redefine happiness as duty and
honor, sacrifice and faithfulness, commitment and service. Happiness is fleeting
 and elusive, but joy is an overflow of the perseverance and hope that comes from
demonstrating faithful sacrifice and committed service.

Lord of Joy, will You help me redefine happiness in my life? You promise joy in
the midst of our suffering, so please let me know Your joy today as I persevere
in faithful service and as I demonstrate true commitment in my tasks. Give me Your
smile, let me feel Your peace dancing in my heart. That, for me, will be true joy.

I am praying for each of you.

February 21, 2011

Yesterday we went to Sunday School and church, it was a good morning.  I had two students for Sunday School, we had a lot of discussion in class, that is good.  New faces in Church, and a good service.  We aren't getting a blizzard here, but the wind is blowing and the snow banks are getting higher.  I enjoyed being home, took a long nap, and that is about all I remember.  I have school today.

As we start this week let us think about.......

Whose Side Are You On?


"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful
nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit
what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other."

--Galatians 5:16-17

Remember that old game of Tug-of-War? Line up the strongest guys on your side, wait
for the signal, then dig your heels in, strain hard, and pull till it hurts.

I think of Tug-of-War when I consider the average Christian's daily experience.
It's like two forces that wrench you in a fierce contest of push-and-pull-the Holy
Spirit pushes you up and the flesh pulls you down. It's a constant struggle to crucify
the flesh and keep walking in the Spirit. To starve the old and feed the new. To
 reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God.

And who wins? It depends on whose side you choose to be. In this contest you are
 either on one side or the other and never in the middle. Every day you're either
following the claims of your fallen nature or believing the promises of God. Who
 prevails in this contest depends upon the attitude you adopt toward either side.

Every moment of the day, each decision you make, every choice and every thought
is a chance to crucify the old and encourage the new. Remember, you can't be neutral;
you can't remain in the middle. You are either walking in the Spirit or you're not.

Lord, as I begin this day, I want to choose You and Your promises. As each hour,
 each moment passes, help me to keep choosing to walk in Your Spirit and thereby
 starve the desires of my sinful nature. I praise You for the difference You will
make in my life.

February 20, 2011

Yesterday was a busy day,  Dad and I went to Devils Lake together,  He took me to DAR meeting, and then took mail to Jerry's house at Crary,  My meeting was longer than usual, Ruth Haugland knew Usher Burdick from the time she was a child and she shared about him from her life experiences and a book about his life, it was really good, but took a while, I felt bad that Dad had to wait for me.  Afterwards we got him a sandwich and then went to Methodist church for Marvin Carters funeral, we were there quite early but already the church was about full.  We sat in the back on the main level.  It was a good service,  a full house many had come to remember Marvin.  He was always friendly and always willing to help.  I would have liked to have spoken to Joyce and to Janice but that wasn't possible, so we came back to Hampden and visited with everyone at the end of lunch at the Senior Center.  It was good to be at home, I am trying really hard to use up yarn.  I am making stocking caps for some mission project.   For whatever is happening in your life,  God really does care, and he is desirous to help you.........

 Word of the Father

~

"Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.' Jesus answered:
'Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone
who has seen me has seen the Father.'"

--John 14:8-9

God has placed within our hearts a yearning, a longing for Himself, a desire to
know Him and understand what He is like. After all, despite the stain of the Fall,
we are stamped in His image, we are created as a kind of reflection of God. And
every soul feels the void and the emptiness until it connects with its Maker. Yet
God is incomprehensible. How then can our longing for Him be satisfied? How can
we know Him?

Thankfully, our longings are satisfied in Jesus, for He has said, "Anyone who has
seen me has seen the Father." We can know God's love when we look at the love of
 His Son. We can understand mercy and compassion when we look at the way Jesus demonstrated
it.

The Father, through the Son, does not permit us to know Him by scrutiny and rationale.
Tozer says, "That God can be known by the soul and in tender personal experience
 while remaining infinitely aloof from the curious eyes of reason constitutes a
paradox best described as 'Darkness to the intellect but sunshine to the heart.'"
"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being,
sustaining all things by his powerful word" (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus, to Thee be all glory given! You are the Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.
I sing a hymn of praise, saying, "O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore
 Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!"

February 19, 2011

Yesterday was a busy day, helping students finish their online studies, 4 out of 6 are upto date, that is a good feeling.  The a brief visit with Laverne and Stella, she had surgery on the back of her knee and a very long incision, so it is going to take time to heal and therapy.  IDad and watched some tv, we like a show about pilots in Alaska, I am doing some sewing for Nicaragua.  I had Joan adjust my sewing machine, so I dug out an old one, I really like using it, so I will do more sewing.  You wouldn't want to see the sewing room, it looks like a cyclone hit it, but it will get better.  Today will be busy....

VERSE:
  He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind
to the needy.
   -- Proverbs 14:21
  

THOUGHT:
  God has been so gracious to us! Think of all the different ways
he has blessed us -- some financially, others with great
opportunities for service, others with deep personal relationships
that are eternal, and for all of us, the promise of life with him.
But what will we do with these blessings? Will we hoard them, hide
them, and keep them to ourselves? If we do, our blessings will
wither, crack, and dry in our parched hearts. But, one of the
greatest ways we can thank God for his kindness, mercy, and
goodness is by sharing these blessings with those around us,
especially those in need who can never repay us for our kindness.

PRAYER:
  O LORD God, my gracious and generous Father, thank you so much
for the many rich blessings you have poured into my life. Open my
heart, dear Father, and use me as a conduit of your blessings so
that others may know of your love through my actions and attitudes.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

I wonder what God might be saying to us, what kindness he wants us to show?  Who he wants us to bless this day? 

What ever is happening in your life, I pray that you would sense God's love for you and that Jesus wants to bless your day.

February 17, 2011

Yesterday dad picked me up from school and took me to eye doctor, he is watching for an infection and so has changed medication, and wants to see me again on Monday.  I appreciated Dad taking me, we had lunch together and then I went back to school.  After school cleaned church and visited and Bible Study.  Long day.

VERSE:
  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he
may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because
he cares for you.
   -- 1 Peter 5:6-7

THOUGHT:
  In a universe so incomparably vast, in a world so marvelously
diverse, we can be paralyzed by our presumed insignificance and
impotence in the face of such staggering enormity. But in moments
of simple faith, we can be calmed by our reverence and dependence
upon the Creator and Sustainer of such wonders. We can find great
comfort that our lives are in his hands. We can rejoice that he has
promised to bless and guide our efforts in him.

PRAYER:
  Almighty and wondrous God, thank you for knowing me even though
I can't begin to comprehend your glory. I need your love, care,
protection, blessing, grace, forgiveness, and presence. Without
you, I have nothing of lasting significance. Please be near. In
Jesus' name I humbly ask. Amen.

I am also adding what Joni had to say, it is so good.

Saying Yes to Jesus
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"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve."

--Joshua 24:15

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches
us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,
 upright and godly lives in this present age."

--Titus 2:11-12

Do you remember when you said "yes" to Jesus? How long ago was it? A few months,
 maybe years? I said "yes" to the Lord in November 1964 when I was a teenager. But
I also said "yes" to Him just the other day.

After a row with Ken, I escaped to the shopping mall with a friend to get my mind
off the quarrel. While meandering past a sales rack of blouses, I could no longer
contain my self-pity. I began sobbing right next to a couple of mannequins. I couldn't
hide my face in a tissue, and my wheelchair was too big for me to escape behind
several clothes racks. All I could do was sit there, cry, and stare at the mannequins
with the plastic smiles.

While wiping my eyes with the backside of my hand splint, I knew what I had to do.
In between sobs, I said out loud what I've said so many times before, "Yes, Jesus,
I choose you. I don't choose self-pity or resentment. I say 'yes' to you!"

Even though my face was still wet, my heart filled with peace. Nothing about my
husband had changed. Shoppers on the other side of the store still picked through
the racks... teenagers still ambled by, giggling, and eating popcorn... but everything
was different because of my peaceful heart. Because I said "yes" to Jesus.

Dear Lord, I choose You right now. I will be faced with many challenges today, and
so in the power of Your Spirit, I say "yes" to following You each moment.

February 16,2011

Yesterday back to school.  I am struggling with a sore eye and after school went to the Dr.  she was very good and now wants me to see an eye dr.  I came home and after we ate I went to bed, It doesn't hurt as bad this morning but my eyes water and I can hardly see the computer. 

 VERSE:

  Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good
things with his instructor.
   -- Galatians 6:6
    

THOUGHT:
  Yes, there are those who take advantage of God's flock and
misuse God's money. This is tragic because many of God's servants
of the Word all over the world minister with few economic resources
or financial support. While God never promised ministers of the
Word economic wealth, he does remind us of the importance of caring
for them. Let's use this week as a time that we make sure those who
share God's word with us are supported in ways that enable God's
ministry through them. Let's also remember that sharing "all good
things" means much more than money! Let's keep our missionaries,
our ministers, and our teachers in our prayers. Let's commit to
send them regular notes of specific encouragement so their ministry
will be a blessing not only to us and the Lord, but also to them!

PRAYER:
  Holy God, you sent the Living Word so that I could know you.
Thank you for those who have shared your Word with me. I ask you to
bless the Bible teachers, the ministers of the Word, and the
pastor-teachers who have shared your truth and grace with me.
Protect them from discouragement and sin. Strengthen their will.
Bless their families. Fill them with your Spirit and power. And
dear Father, please use me to help them know how precious they are
to me and to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

February 15, 2011

Yesterday was a busy day, with trying to get students caught up in online class  After school time with Frank and Dorothy and conversations with Cody and Janet.

Would You Like to be Handicapped?
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never
perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with
their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their
 eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would
heal them."

--Matthew 13:14-15

Someone once asked me, "If you had the power, would you go back and choose your
life in a wheelchair?" In one sense, I knew what he meant. After all, God has taught
me much through my wheelchair. But would I want to do it over again? I don't think
so.

I can't think of anyone who desires to be paralyzed. Who would be foolish enough
 to choose not to have use of his legs and hands? Can you imagine someone wanting
to be blind, choosing darkness over the brilliance of a clear blue sky? Who would
want to deliberately shut his eyes against the sight of a glorious rainbow?

And who would want to be deaf? Who in the world would desire silence instead of
the beauty of a waltz, or the soothing voice of a loved one?

Yet there are people who choose to be handicapped. If you were to challenge them,
they wouldn't have it any other way. They deliberately determine to be disabled.
 Theirs are very serious disabilities, not physical ones but spiritual handicaps.
Jesus even talked about such people.

O God, it's foolish to think that someone would choose a physical handicap. I certainly
wouldn't. But forgive me when I foolishly close myself off from You and Your Word.
Help me to open my eyes and ears. To look for You and listen to You today. I choose
not to be paralyzed by indifference or doubt.

February 14, 2011

Thank you for the Valentine greetings.  You are all special.  This has been a busy weekend.  We drove Friday afternoon to Bismarck, picking up Jerry in Devils Lake.  We started in that very evening, moving boxes and furniture, we did eat out together that evening and ha a good visit together,  Saturday was a busy day, by the time it was dark that night we had the old apartment empty and cleaned.  Sunday morning, Julie Ann called and said there wasa weather wrning, so we left motel and drove to Julie's apartment and got the things we needed to take with us.  It didn't storm but the wind was terrible, we were home by 3:30 and got the boxes burned and everything put away.  Home was a good place to be.

VERSE:
  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
   -- Romans 12:9
     

THOUGHT:
  Genuine love involves hate. Genuine love means that we hate
evil. We detest its creeping into our hearts and ruining our
relationships. We abhor its effects on those we love. We are
repelled by the eternal destruction it causes in those whose lives
are tender, or weak, or wavering. So the very best thing we can do
for those we love is to cling to what is good and stay far away
from evil and wickedness.

PRAYER:
  Loving Father, may my life be a source of goodness and joy in my
family and with my friends. Please give me wisdom to see what is
good and the courage to pursue it with passion. Please protect me
from the evil one and forgive me when I have followed his
temptations. Please protect those I love from the fallout of my own
selfish and evil decisions. Please purify and cleanse me so that my
life may be lived holy, and wholly, to you. In the name of your
Holy Son, Jesus. Amen.

February 11, 2011

Yesterday was a long day, but a good day.  Times of helping students, a lot of that, I took a family with me to school, short on space in the bus, and on my way to Cando took two families home.  At cando I was going to clean church but pastor was having marriage counseling so I did the upstairs and went to visit Jay and Illa Mae, when I came back they were gone. so I could finish the basement.  I went to Gladys and ate pizza with her and came back for women's bible study.  Beth Moore on Esther, adn it is very good.  Not a lot coming but ones who desire to learn.  So when I went to go home train was doing its thing I sat there for a while, finally called dad and he said that Mavis had called, so I turned around and went to their house, got the message she had and she said if I went to the north end of town I could bypass the train, so I did and came home.  Today we go to Bismarck, so you won't hear from me for a while.

VERSE:
  Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but
only what is helpful for building others up according to their
needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
   -- Ephesians 4:29
  

THOUGHT:
  We can use our words to be cute. We can use our words to appear
impressive. We can use our words to win arguments. We can use our
words to defend ourselves. We can use our words to lie and distort.
We can use our words to do many things, but God wants us to use our
words to bless. So when we speak, if our words do not bless and
benefit those to whom we direct them, then we are to simply not say
anything. Grandma was right: "If you can't say something nice, then
don't say anything at all."

PRAYER:
  Give me wisdom today, dear God, to speak words that bless my
family, my co-workers, and those I meet. I want to be truthful,
loving, kind, and merciful when I open my mouth and speak. May the
words of my mouth be used in your service and to your glory today,
dear LORD. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

February 10, 2011

Yesterday school started late(It had been blowing a lot the night before)  so I had a short day.  This semester is a really busy time, but we will do the best that we can. I visited with Frank and Dorothy and after supper just sat and watched tv and sewed on the edge of a quilt I am finishing.

VERSE:
  The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a
deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
   -- Proverbs 15:4
    

THOUGHT:
  Words are powerful. Communicators know this. Negotiators know
this. Deep down, you know this. Words have blessed you and words
have devastated you. The healing that comes from a kind and tender
word is precious. The destruction of a cruel taunt or a well-told
deception is crushing. To have such power is amazing. To use this
awesome power found in our speech is an awesome responsibility.
Words do have the power to give life, hope, and peace when offered
in love to honor Jesus. Let's speak those words today!

PRAYER:
  O Father, I want my words to be a blessing today. I want them to
reflect your grace. I want them to bring healing to the hurting and
comfort to the grieving. I want them to be tender with the broken.
I want them to be honorable and truthful in difficult
circumstances. I want them to be upright when the language around
me is crude. Through your Spirit, use my speech to bless others and
bring you praise. In the name of Jesus, your ultimate Word, I pray.
Amen.

February 9, 2011

Yesterday was a usual day, we are trying to get the glitches out of our online class.  Otherwise just a usual day.  It was really cold and drifting, I was glad to get home and thankful to be able to be there.  School is starting later this morning.  

VERSE:
  Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
   -- Psalm 63:3

THOUGHT:
  Sounds like the words to some modern love song, doesn't it:
"Your love is better than life."? Well, it is a love song; it's
just not modern. While in the desert, David spoke of his longing
for the LORD. He recognized that life would be worthless if he had
to live it without the love of God. When is the last time you've
told God you loved him? When was the last time you sang a love song
to Jesus? No matter how long or short that time has been, today is
THE perfect time to let God know how precious his mercy is to you,
how liberating his grace is for you, and how his love is more
important to you than life itself.

PRAYER:
  Loving Father, you have sacrificed so much for me and you have
given so much to me. I do not have adequate words to express my
thanks, my appreciation, and most importantly, my love for you. But
please receive my words knowing the commitment and passion of my
heart when I say, "Dear God, I love you." In Jesus' name I praise
and thank you. Amen.

February 8, 2011

Yesterday I drove Dad's pickup to school, he was working on my vehicle, some light issues.  It was a busy day, the online class is very demanding and sometimes the instructions are not complete, so we don't always know for sure what we are to do.

Here at home I did some bookwork and sewing.  Rather quiet evening.  The deer are eating the bushes by the house, everything is getting trimmed.  I can't imageine that rose bushes are fun to eat.  Dad asked if I took the dish to the garage for the cat, I said no, so I guess the cat took it himself.

The Book of Philippians

"I thank my God every time I remember you. It is right for me to feel this way about
all of you, since I have you in my heart."

--Philippians 1:3,7

When it comes to different styles of writing, the apostle Paul was a versatile author.
When writing to the Galatians, Paul sounded fighting mad as he told them in no uncertain
terms they were way off track. When he wrote to the Romans, he came off sounding
 like a theology professor. When he addressed Christians in the book of Thessalonians,
Paul sounded like a youth leader.

But Paul's letter to the Philippians is different from the rest. Philippians is
not a theology lesson, or a manual on how to solve problems. Philippians is a thank-you
letter and, because of that, Paul doesn't watch his words but writes an endless
stream of joyful remembrances and encouragements. You can tell that he had fun with
his pen and paper.

How poignantly Paul wrote his thank-you letter from a dark, stinking prison cell.
That he can say "be anxious about nothing" and "I've learned to be content" while
in bruising chains makes the book of Philippians all the more joyful.

You may not be in an actual prison, but like the apostle, you may feel chained to
a few unpleasant circumstances.  If so, are you still able to write a thank-you
letter to God? If you need help composing your words, take time to flip open to
the book of Philippians and peruse the finest thank-you letter ever written.

Lord, I want to thank You for every good and perfect gift with which You've blessed
my life. For friends and family... for smiles and sunny days... for the promise
of heaven... for Your grace, which gives joy and peace... and most of all, for the
example of people like Paul, whose example inspires us all.

February 7, 2011

Yesterday was church and Sunday school.    It was really blowing so difficult to see as we drove.  We had a fellowship dinner and then came home.  We enjoyed the day here, with a nap and we actually watched a couple of interesting programs on famous people who had researched for their ancestors. 

We have a world that is struggling right now and Christians are being attacked on every side.  hence the following is appropriate for us:

VERSE:
  I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love
of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.
   -- Romans 15:30


THOUGHT:
  God's people and God's ministries are constantly under attack.
Satan does not sit idly by while his kingdom is plundered. But
those on the front lines of ministry do not need to fight alone.
You can help them. You can "join the struggle" by praying to God
for them. I know at Heartlight.com we truly need your prayers for
protection, for power, and for wisdom. Others you know need similar
prayers. More than money, more than pats on the back, more than
notoriety or success, God's servants and God's work need your
prayerful support.

PRAYER:
  Almighty and Sovereign God, please bless and protect and empower
these servants who are on my heart today... LORD, please bless the
ministries, ministers, and missionaries of your church and please
dear God, deliver your children who are under oppression and
persecution for the name of Jesus. To you, O God, belongs all power
and honor and glory. In the name of my conquering King, your Lamb
who was slain, I pray. Amen.

February 6, 2011

It was a good day.  I was able to do some things here at home.  Granted i still have a mess because I am always sewing during the winter, but it is o.k.  when spring comes I will put things away.  We enjoyed a lunch time with the few seniors that were there.    I appreciated Joni's thoughts, because I know that suffering has been so much a part of her life.  

God Allows Suffering


"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and
 the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the
kingdom; you are exalted as head over all."

--1 Chronicles 29:11

This verse resounds of God's sovereignty and power. God is exalted as head over
all-including peace and war, light and darkness, health and sickness, prosperity
 and calamity.

Someone once said that Satan may power the ship of calamity, but God steers it to
serve His own purposes. And when it comes to God's purposes, we have His promise
 that nothing will be allowed in our lives that is not for our good or that is too
hard for us to bear (Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 10:13).

But when we say that God allows Satan to do the things he does, it isn't as if Satan
twists God's arm and God hesitantly grants permission. Nor are we to imagine that
once God grants permission, He then nervously runs behind Satan with a repair kit,
patching up what the Devil has ruined. The Lord is never forced into a corner. The
Lord is never backed against a wall. Not only is God not frustrated or hindered
by Satan's schemes, but God actually uses the Devil's deeds to advance His kingdom
and bring glory to Himself.

"Suffering is... an opportunity to experience evil and change it into good,"* quotes
Saul Bellow. We can do that when we trust our sovereign God who works all things
 for our good and His glory.

I bow before Your sovereign majesty, O Lord, praising You that all power and glory
and splendor is Yours. Only You can reach down into what otherwise would be evil
 and pull out of it good for Your children and glory for Yourself. So be it!

February 5, 2011

Yesterday was the last day of the week at school.  After school I went to Devils Lake and got my hair cut and did other errands.  It was a beautiful day, I am thankful I could be out when it was like that.  Then I came home, we ate and I didn't do much for the rest of the evening, just some reading and I am making caps out of the left over yarn.  Oh, I remember I fixed a piano bench for at church, I put an new seat cover on it.

VERSE:
  Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!
   -- Proverbs 21:4
   

THOUGHT:
  "We're number one!" is the cry today. However, the scripture
above tells us that the wicked light their own way with their
haughty eyes and proud heart. In contrast, God lights the way for
his people with his word (Scripture) and with his Word (Jesus); the
wicked light their own way with haughty eyes and proud hearts. But
arrogance, pride, "uppity-ness" -- or whatever name you want to
call it -- is called sin by God. God is number one and all the
other numbers are important only because of him. It's just that
simple.

PRAYER:
  Holy and righteous Father, help me place you and your character
in the place of most importance in my heart, in my life decisions,
and in my influence. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

I appreciated these thoughts because God is most important and wants to be most important in our lives.

February 4, 2011

Yesterday was another busy day at school.  We took grades 7-12 to Cando to hear a motivational speaker with students from Cando and Rock Lake.  He was really good and encouraged our youth about the choices they make.  The rest of the day was busy helping students with their studies.  I came home took a nap and fixed us supper and afterwards I went to Cando for a Bible study at church.  It is a Beth Moore study of Esther.

Empowerment

"When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all
seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of
 those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds."

--Acts 19:17-18

Power is let loose when Christians start living out the Gospel on a grass-roots
level. Just read Acts 19. The early church unlocked the power of God's Word as they
turned upside down their local communities. Neighbors in Ephesus were gripped with
an awesome fear of God as they gathered to openly confess their waywardness. It
even says they held the name of the Lord Jesus in high honor. Can you imagine such
a thing in your community?

Because first-century Christians lived out the Gospel on a local level, God got
people's attention. And the same can happen today. The Lord wants to use this time
of social unrest and political change as an unprecedented opportunity for the local
church to demonstrate the power of God to change a situation, to change peoples'
 lives, to change a community.

Empowerment involves the people closest to a problem learning how to solve it themselves.
Need a few ideas? Just open your eyes. Elderly people in dilapidated houses. Suicide
among teenagers. Lonely widows in busy neighborhoods. Abused wives and battered
children. Girls with unwanted pregnancies. Disabled people needing housekeeping
help. Drug abuse in schools.

These are the problems you live close to. And when believers begin living out the
Gospel on a grass-roots level, God will get people's attention.

God's life-changing power shakes a community when a church directly addresses the
needs in the streets, schools, and homes. The Gospel is best declared when it is
 demonstrated toward the people closest to you.

Empower my church, Lord, to make a difference in my community. And please begin
with me!

February 3, 2011

Yesterday was another busy day at school, and after school I went to Cando and cleaned the church, visited with Illa Mae and Jay, stopped and visited with Matt and Mavis and then went to Bible Study.  We were talking about end times, and frankly I believe that there many signs evident, but I don't really get into whether it will be this way or that, but rather that I need to be ready and that there is ministry for me to do right now and right here.  

Thoughts from Joni

"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with
fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution he will come to save you.'"

--Isaiah 35:3-4

I don't know much about interpreting dreams, but I do know that the Lord used a
few weird and wonderful dreams in days gone by to reveal His plans for the future.
Take the prophet Isaiah. He lay down one night and had a very strange dream. He
found himself in the middle of a desert with nothing but sand stretching to the
horizon. He felt depressed in the dream, just like the bleak landscape. He felt
hungry and thirsty and very unsatisfied.

Just then, the dream took an exciting turn. Out of the sand pushed one small flower
and then another. Soon grass sprouted and then trees loaded with fruit. Immediately
upon awakening, Isaiah hurried to write down a fantastic description of the abundant
paradise blooming and budding all around him.

You can read about this strange and exciting dream in Isaiah 35. It's a marvelous
chapter for anyone with a fearful, faint heart because it talks about going from
 gloom to glory, from depression to ecstasy. The good news is that Isaiah forecasts
this for all of God's people! So...

Is your spirit dried up like a parched desert? Has the joy and singing gone out
of your life? Then ask God to replace the endless stretch of your dry days with
the Living Water. Soon, out of the sand in your life, will push the beautiful Rose
of Sharon.

Lord of Joy, strengthen my feeble hands and steady my fearful heart so that I can
praise You today. Come soon, Lord, to open the eyes of the blind, to make the burning
sands a pool, to crown our heads with everlasting joy, and to make sorrow and sighing
flee away.

February 2, 2011

We had school, and it was a good day.  I stopped to see Frank and Dorothy after school.  It was really cold, but not blowing.  We are getting some high 'cuts' along the side of the roads.  When I got home, Dad had the wall off behind the bath tub.  I had talked to him about the problem in the bath tub, and he was fixing it.  I don't like to ask him to fix things like that, he gets frustrated with them, but he didn't want to spend the money to hire someone to do it.  By night everything was back in place and now it works.  That is good.  I suppose it rusted out or something, but then we have been using it for close to 50 years.  I am still sewing for Nicaraguan trip next year.

A Cure
"The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome
by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: 'O Lord, save me!'"

--Psalm 116:3-4

February is a time of year when many people suffer from depression. Whether it's
 the cold, damp days or the long, dreary nights, this seems to be a season when
people are easily overcome by trouble or sorrow. And what better words describe
the living death of deep depression that Psalm 116?

There was a time during the early years of my paralysis when I could not even bring
myself to talk about the depression that overwhelmed me. I did nothing, I said nothing.
The look on my face was one of sullen, numb despair. I felt strangled by the cords
of a living death, just as it says in the psalm. I didn't even care if there was
 a cure for my depression.

Thank God, there was a cure. Several friends met with my church youth leader every
week to pray specifically and committedly for me, asking God to push back the darkness
in my life. Changes did not happen overnight, but slowly my countenance began to
 brighten. God was using the prayers of my friends to sever the cords of deathly
 despair that entangled me. Praise God for friends who are willing to call on the
name of the Lord on my behalf.

If you are feeling slump-shouldered today, call on the name of the Lord and ask
Him to save you. Remember, you may feel overcome by trouble and sorrow, but He who
has overcome the world can deliver you.

Gracious Lord, I praise You for offering peace and hope in the midst of depression.
Save me from deadly feelings that entangle and pull me down into a grave of defeat
and despair. Your powerful name saves!

February 2, 2011

February 1, 2011

yesterday was a busy day at school. I drove around via #17 to school because I didn't know if the road was open.  I guess an other car got stuck and the person that helped them, got his snow blower and opened the road, but it is drifting again.  No news, I have been sewing in the evening, more clothes for Nicaragua for another trip there.

VERSE:
  O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your
servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering
your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in
the presence of this man.
   -- Nehemiah 1:11
   

THOUGHT:
  God takes great delight when we pray asking for his guidance and
help! This is especially true when the focus of our prayers is on
building up his people and his Kingdom. Nehemiah comes as God's
servant. He's not giving God a "go do" list using prayer to make
God his servant. Instead, Nehemiah's heart burns with the needs of
God's people. The rest of the book of Nehemiah is proof that God
loves for his children to pray when the desires of their hearts are
on his people and his will.

PRAYER:
  Precious and righteous Father, please use me today as your
servant. Take my words and use them to bless, encourage, and
comfort. Take my influence and use it to mend and inspire. Take my
time and fill it up with your concerns. May the glory and honor of
all I do ultimately bring glory to you. Your grace has saved me;
please now use me to share that grace with others. In Jesus' name I
pray. Amen.