MY WORD FOR JULY 31ST IS HEAVY!

My word for July 31^st is HEAVY

My heart is heavy today.   We received the news that a friend, who is very ill, may be on the last leg of life.  It saddens me for family and friends.  My heart is aching for the children that will have to experience the next phases of their lives without their mother.   I pray for this family and for others, with whom I don’t even know, that are struggling with letting someone they love go.  Death will ease the pain for the loved one who has been suffering, but the family’s pain is just beginning. 

It is difficult to understand the ways of life and death in certain situations.  Why do young parents have to die?  The separation of a loved one is hard to bear.  It is very painful for those left behind.   We know that death is a part of life, but it is hard to comprehend when it is someone that has many years left.  However, we must not fear death.  Death isn’t the end it is the beginning.  Because of what Christ did for us we will live forever.  We must rejoice in the victory.  He has promised,” I will never leave the, nor forsake thee”.  (Hebrews 13:5)  The key to this scripture is the word never.  As long as we keep our eye on Him He will never desert us.  Remember when Peter took his eyes off of the Lord he began to sink.  Don’t take your eyes off of Him.  When you stay focused on the Lord you will be filled with an unfailing strength. 

At the time of death the Lord has taken the soul to live with Him forever in heaven.  Our family or friend is now an angel, a guardian angel for us.  Hovering over us every minute of everyday, guarding us from danger and loving us from above. 

Matthew 11:28(NIV)

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Dear Lord please help us through difficult times such as death.  We press our hearts close to You when our hearts are heavy.  We understand that after death there is a joyous reunion with You.  Lead us to You to ease our pain and give us rest and strength during our time of sorrow.  During 2012 we will keep our eyes on You.

  http://www.myonlycomfort.org/Scripture/dying.htm

HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU!

MY WORD FOR JULY 30 IS GRATEFUL!

My word for July 30^th is GRATEFUL

This weekend we had a fantastic time.  We haven’t had that much fun in a long time.  Many of us, who had grown up together, gathered this weekend for the purple monkey’s birthday.  After six hours of visiting and tubing everyone was exhausted.  Between twenty something adults and thirty kids we demolished twenty six hamburgers, twenty hotdogs, two chicken strip trays, dips, chips, beans, corn on the cob and of course cake and ice cream.   There were several missing from the crowd this weekend, my other two girls being two of them, but it is a reminder of how blessed we are to have family and friends.  These are the friends you can sit with for five hours and never run out of things to talk about.  These are the people you can count on any day any time.  They are beside you through it all, thick and thin.

I don’t think people become our friends by coincidence.  I feel that God places people in our lives for a reason.  Some may be good for us and some may not be.  Some leave us with a smile on our face and some betray us.  Even though some friendships don’t end well, there are lessons learned from a deceitful friend.  1 Corinthians 15:33 do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”  My dad always would say, “no one ever brings you up, only down”.  Proverbs 13:20 whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.  Lesson learned, choose your friends wisely.   

Just as I wrote yesterday, angels are with us.  My friends are my angels.  They are here to comfort me and protect me.  They lead us down the path of righteousness.  Proverbs 17:17 a friend loves at all times.  Friends love you when you are mad, sad, and even crazy.   Friends share happy times and sad times.  Friends are there beside you crying with you when you are devastated.  Friends are with you through it all, so you can reminisce and say, “remember when”. 

Dear God thank You for friends.  We are grateful for the troublesome friends and the fabulous friends.   We know that we learn lessons from all types of friends.  We thank You for knowing what our needs are and placing people in our lives to strengthen us.  During 2012 remind us how blessed we are to have friends that are angels by our side. 

WHY GOD GAVE US FRIENDS

GOD knew that everyone needs

Companionship and cheer,

He knew that people need someone whose thoughts are always near. 

He knew they need someone kind

To lend a helping hand.

Someone to gladly take the time

To care and understand

God knew that we all need someone

To share each happy day,

To be a source of courage

When troubles come our way.

Someone to be true to us,

Whether near or far apart.

Someone whose love we’ll always

Hold and treasure in our hearts

C.S. Lewis Friendship Quotes

“Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?

Read about friends in the bible:

Ruth 1:16-17 Ruth and Naomi

Samuel 18:1-3 David and Jonathan

Job 2:11 Job’s friends

2 Kings 2:2 Elijah and Elisha

MY WORD FOR JULY 29 IS ANGEL!

My word for July 29^th is ANGEL

When I think of what the definition of an angel should be, I think of a person or a spirit that has your heart in mind.  In the dictionary it is a messenger, especially of God.  There are angels that walk this earth today and those that are living in heaven.  The Lord chooses who has the qualities of a true angel.  The Lords angels are “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14).  The Lord declared that they were spirits that had no flesh and bones (Luke 24:37-39).  Angels can take bodily forms.  That is how we can entertain “angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2) Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 in the New Testament. 

An angel can be an ordinary person carrying a message (Job 1:14; Luke 7:24; 9:52).  I feel that angels are caring and loving, they are here for us in good times and bad.  They have big shoulders to carry any burden.  You may have your own personal angel.  They may be a friend, a loved one, an acquaintance, or maybe someone you don’t even know.  An angel may be someone who has had a life changing experience.  Some situations alter personalities to make those who have changed become angels.   They walk their life everyday making people feel special. 

 When someone I love dies, I have found comfort in thinking that after death they are angels in heaven.  They are our own personal guardian angels that are here for all of us.  They watch out for us from above.  We can’t physically see them, but we can feel their presence.  We find comfort in knowing that our angels wait for our arrival in heaven. 

We all need angels.  You may ask why do I need an angel?  1 Peter 5:8 is the perfect scripture that explains to us the answer.  We need angels because the devil is always seeking someone with whom he can devour.  The enemy is always present waiting to provoke you into sinful behavior.  Believe in angels, don’t let the devil pounce on you and win. 

Exodus 23:20-23(NIV) God’s Angel to Prepare the Way20 

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23 My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.

Dear Lord thank you for angels watching over us.  Allow them to wrap their wings around us and protect us from the evils that lurk in the shadows.   We understand that many times angels are unknown to us, but you have placed them beside us to guide the way.  During 2012 lead us in praying this guardian angel prayer:

Guardian Angel from heaven so bright,

Watching beside me to lead me aright,

Fold thy wings round me, and guard me with love,

Softly sing songs to me of heaven above.

Amen.

- Prayers Angel

Great article:

http://christiananswers.net/q-acb/acb-t005.html

What does the Bible teach about angels?, Christian answers.net

MY WORD FOR JULY 28TH IS WORRY!

My word for July 28^th is WORRY

Katie is driving back to college this morning after celebrating Tyler’s birthday.  Yes, I worry about the drive.  I am a natural born worrier and I hate it.  I worry about my kids every time they are in their cars driving on the highway.  I worry if I can’t get one of them on the phone.  Lauren always calls me many times a day.  Last night I didn’t hear from her.  I started to panic.  I text her roommate and her boyfriend to see if they knew where she was. Of course she told me I was crazy.  I know I am.  Thank goodness Anna is still at home and I don’t have to worry about her as much.  But soon I know she will be leaving home and I will worry more about her also. 

The word “worry” means ‘anxiety, care, that which divides, distracts the mind and draws a person away from God.  There are several reasons why we shouldn’t worry.  We shouldn’t worry because God says we shouldn’t.  When we worry we are being disobedient.  Worry does us no good at all.  All worrying does is lead to physical and emotional problems.  In Philippians 4:6 The Lord says, “do not worry about one thing, worry about nothing.”  In Matthew 6:25-34 The Lord Jesus gives instructions.  It simple says that worry is disbelief.  Trust and worry cannot live together.  The minute we worry trust and faith have left.   Psalm 14:1 states that if we worry we are saying that there is no God to take care of us.  In Matthew 6:25-26 Jesus illustrates how senseless worry is.  Matthew 6:27 the Lord Jesus is saying worrying does us no good.  Worry never helps anyone. 

Worry about nothing pray about everything. 

1 Peter 5:7(NIV)

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Dear Lord all of us worry, but this doesn’t mean we want to.   We know that with faith comes trust and with trust comes turning everything over to You.  Help us to hand all worries over to You letting You take care of all our worries and anxieties.  When we begin to worry lead us to pray, pray for your help.  During 2012 assist us in handing everything over to You.    

Website where I found scriptures about worry.  This study can be printed and used for Sunday school or Bible Study.  Go visit to read the whole study on worry:

 http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/worryfea/worry1.htm, Chapter 1 The Problem of Worry,

MY WORD FOR JULY 27 IS MONKEY!

My word for July 27^th is MONKEY

Today is my purple monkeys, Anna’s, birthday.  All I can say is that her life has been a journey of flips through the forest.  Her birth was the one that I probably remember the most.  The girls were so excited about their little sister.  Little did they know that they were going to receive an “Anna-mal”. 

When Anna was little all she wanted to be was a purple monkey.  She even got mad at the photographer at pre-school because he called her a princess.  She was not a princess she was a purple monkey.  You should see her face in that yearbook.  She began flipping, literally at age 1.  She flipped everywhere she was always upside down.  She started life with her legs bowed and her feet turned in.  With much work they straightened out, but this enabled her to run just as fast as her forest friends.  She ripped the end of her middle finger off when she was 16 months old, had to have two surgeries and another surgery when she was 11.  Even that didn’t keep the monkey down.  She went at life with one hand free and one hand bandaged.  She flipped one armed.   Like many animals she doesn’t have fear when it comes to running, jumping, tumbling, or trying new tricks.   When she works with her cheer coaches she is thrown many feet in the air and flips on the way down.  Even surviving the hanging of a rope swing, I think being part monkey helped her with that one.  My little purple monkey is growing up. 

Everyone is different the Lord made us that way.  You may not be a purple monkey flipping all over, but that is ok.  The Lord gave us all strengths and weaknesses.  I found a great poem about how each of us is different and unique.  The author is unknown. 

To Each His Own

I cannot change the way I am, 
I never really try, 
God made me different and unique, 
I never ask him why. 
If I appear peculiar, 
There's nothing I can do, 
You must accept me as I am, 
As I've accepted you. 
God made a casting of each life, 
Then threw the mold away, 
Each child is different from the rest, 
Unlike as night from day. 
So often we will criticize, 
The things that others do, 
But, do you know, they do not think, 
The same as me and you. 
So God in all his wisdom, 
Who knows us all by name, 
He didn't want us to be bored, 
That's why we're not the same.

None of us are 100% alike that is what makes the world a unique place to live.  God made each of us to be special in our own way.  No one is better than the other everyone is extraordinary to God.  He made all of us for a purpose.   Find your strength and go with it.   

Romans 12:6-8(NIV)

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Dear Lord thank You for all the children in the world.  We are blessed with children that were made special in Your eyes.  Thank You for protecting all the children from harm.   We appreciate You and all Your glory.  We may not understand at times why our children go through hardships, but we trust in You to always take care of them no matter what the situation.  During 2012 guide us to those parents that need more patience and understanding with their children so that we can open their eyes to You and Your guidance.   

REACH OUT TO GOD!