Breath of Fresh Air

We all have times when we wonder what others think of us.

What do people think when I leave the room? Is there a smile on their face that wasn't there before? Or do they breathe a sign of relief that she's finally gone? Do I leave them happier or more irritated and tense? 

I know what I'd want them to say, but is that really what they're thinking? 

Been pondering about this a lot lately... 
God's given me several opportunities recently to be His hands and feet. It's easy to live life for yourself and forget about all the people surrounding you that need a friend. God's been redirecting my attention and opening doors into people's lives. (for which I am very grateful!) I want those people to feel better when I leave... not because they are glad I'm gone, but because they could sense true joy from God and that has spilled over to bless them. 

My desire is to be a conduit of grace, truth and joy. That can only happen if I am truly filled with the Word of God and his grace and joy has penetrated my soul. Only then can it flow over into the lives of those around me. 

I want even strangers to feel as if they inhaled a breath of fresh air after my departure. They may not know my name but hopefully they know my sincerity and joy. My name is not important, but the name of my Saviour is. And that's who I want them to know. 

Are you fresh air? or stale, stuffy air? 

Finish Strong

A couple weeks ago, I was listening to a 10 year old preaching tape in my car while going back and forth to work and school. Sometimes I get tired of listening to music while driving, so this is a good alternative. Especially since my new car only has the radio and a cassette player. So I had to dig out my old cache of preaching cassettes. 

The sermon was a great message, but I started thinking about the guy preaching. My mind went back to the year he preached that particular sermon.... he was such an on-fire young man. At the time was attending Bible college, serving at church, involved in all kinds of ministries, both at school and at his home church during the summers, greatly interested in missions. He was a likable young man, was passionate about the Lord and great preacher. Humanly speaking, most who knew him saw such a great future lay in front of him.

Now, he is still serving in the church, but his passion has seemed to fade. Still a great guy, but I wonder if the fire still burns in his soul. It is not my place to judge, but it made me examine my own life. 

I go back ten years and think about who I was then..... scary thought. haha Honestly, sometimes I wonder how people could stand being around me. So rough around the edges. And then my mind recollects the years between then and now. I look back at the times God was molding me. Pruning me. Putting me through the fire. All to conform me to His image. Times where I wondered why, and now can see how God used those times to draw me to Him. 

I've decided I may not have started well, but I want to finish strong. I would much rather keep progressing each year and come to the end of my life and know that my passion has grown, my love for God has increased and my service never slacked, then to be a ball of fire in the beginning and slowly fade into ashes. 

In Paul's words: 
            "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)

Alone, and yet Not Alone

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou has filled me with indignation.   Jeremiah 15: 16-17

Ever have those moments (or days), that you feel so alone? Surrounded by people, and yet alone. I am so glad that I may be alone, yet I am never truly alone. For my God is my constant Companion. 

God created us to be social people. He said of Adam, "it is not good that the man should be alone;" We are a people who long for love and fellowship. I do not know a single person who really, truly wants to be unloved or unwanted. Personally, it makes me happy to know that people love me. Compliments make me smile. Friends wanting to spend time with me encourages my heart. 

And the opposite is true as well. A friend stops talking to me and I ask myself what I did wrong. Negative comments hurts my feelings. Having noone to spend time with is frustrating. And no one is exempt. Everyone likes being wanted and loved. 

That's why I'm glad I have something and Someone who remains constant in my life. I never have to worry if God loves me today or not. I never have to wonder if He is listening and speaking to me. If I feel He is far away, I am the one who has moved, not Him. I may have to remind myself of His love, but that does not change the fact His love is consistent and unchanging. 

So today I may be alone. And maybe again next week. But God is still with me. So really I am NOT alone. 

Heart Issues

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."           Matthew 11:28-29

I am a planner and a doer. I enjoy living my life to the fullest. My mind is constantly thinking ahead, looking for new adventures, setting goals, strategizing how I can accomplish everything, scheduling visits with friends, searching for airfare deals, etc. While my mind is whirling with future ideas and plans, I am also trying to juggle work, ministry, online English class, online TESOL class, online training for a 2nd job, books that have to be read, Bible studies to teach, friends and other random projects, all with deadlines, of course.  My mind just goes and goes and goes..... until my heart yells,  "Stop!"

Physically, my heart can only handle so much. Doing too much, compounded by lack of sleep and too much caffeine causes my heart to act up. There have been times that my blood pressure has been.... well, let's just say one time a nurse friend told me I needed to go to the ER cause it was so high. Add to that the fact that one of the valves in my heart is thicker than it's supposed to be. Not a big deal, they really won't do anything about it unless it gets worse, but it's enough that I can tell when my heart's not right. When I get so busy that I barely have enough time to remember my name and age, it puts undo stress on my heart. 

Not just my physical heart though. My spiritual heart. That's why I love the verses above. I have to remind myself to stop. To be still. To know God. To spend time in His presence. If I don't, my spiritual heart gets out of rhythm. It doesn't matter how many Bible studies I teach. How many friends I encourage. How many missions trips I take. If my heart is not in tune with God, all of it is pointless. 

It's a daily task - reminding myself to slow down so I can enjoy God and life. I want to rest in my Saviour's arms. Want to enjoy His presence that brings joy (Ps. 16:11) Desperately want my life to reflect His light and grace and that will only come as I spend quality time with Him. 

I'm working on my heart.... how's yours? 

The Climax of Scripture

Recently, my brain has been a whirlwind trying to maintain order of all my school assignments, travel arrangements, scheduling of the summer, getting ready for AWG (more info. on that later), staying busy at work, etc. Whew, that's tiring just typing/thinking about it! 

In the midst of so much chaos and activity, I love the blessings God gives. With my English class the past few weeks, I've been brushing up on the fundamentals and structure of literature. Relearning about the plot, setting, characters, theme and literary devices within a story. My teacher has pointed out that each author is the creator of his fictional work. He or she determines what needs to be included into the story and nothing is there by accident. Everything has a reason, even little details and descriptions. He equated it to the author being the "god" of the story. Every plot has a climax, the conflict of it's characters reaching that one pivot point in the narrative that ultimately has the potential of changing the ending.

Couple days after that English review, I was reading in Mark 15 about the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. I came to verse 38. Here was the climax, the pivot point. Now the Bible isn't a fictional story book, it is the true, accurate account of God's creation of earth and mankind, man's sin and God's redemption plan for sinful man. But with all those English aspects of stories flowing through my brain, I couldn't help but connect the two. God's perfect, amazing story of love summed up within one verse. 

Mark 15:38 - And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

That verse may not seem like much to you, but when I read it, it jumped out at me. This is the climax of the incredible story of God's love for us humans. You see, the veil in the temple separated man from God. Beyond that huge, thick veil was the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant and during the ancient days of Israel where God was said to dwell. That veil symbolized the disconnect between us and God. Only one person was allowed past that veil in the temple and only once a year. When Jesus died on the cross, God tore the magnificent veil separating us from Him in half! He was telling us, that no longer would we have to offer sacrifices and go to a priest to get our sins forgiven and to know Him. We could now freely come into His presence! As Hebrews says, we can come boldly into the throne room of God, we do not need a priest to intercede for us. Jesus Christ paid our sin debt with His life, thereby allowing us free access to Almightly God. 

I'm thankful for even English classes, because it has made me recognize in Scripture that I would otherwise pass right over. And even more thankful for God's amazing, abundant love for me that He would choose to die in my place!!

Homesick?

Ever have one of those days when you're homesick? 

I do. Somewhat frequently. And its not for a place you would probably think I'd be homesick for. Truth be told, I've been homesick more in the US, than I am when I'm overseas. 

First time I lived away from home, I was in Arctic Canada and can remember just a handful of days of homesickness. Most of those occurred when I received bad news and wished to be home for my family and friends. Otherwise, my days were filled with loving where I was and making new friends and memories. 

The year after that found me in the vast remoteness of Outer Mongolia for seven months. Seven months in the dead of winter. And I can distinctly remember one day of homesickness during that time. That was my first Christmas not with my family and it didn't faze me one bit. Every day was an adventure and while I missed family and friends, homesickness was far from my mind. 

THEN God had me at home in the States for a while. At home. In my own country. Familiar culture. Language easily understood. With family I loved. Friends I enjoyed. And I was homesick!

Do I enjoy everything about Mongolia? Well, no. Some of their food, I still have a hard time eating. And being so sick you want to die while living in a ger with no running water, an outhouse 30 feet away, smelling animal fat cooking over the wood stove, all in the middle of winter, can't say that's really enjoyable. But for some reason, Mongolia has a very special place in my heart. I still count many of those months as some of the best times of my life. The people I've met, many are still close friends and others will always be a part of the memories of an awesome time of my life. 

And since that first time to NWT eight and a half years ago, I've traveled to several more countries. A few left a less favorable impression than others, but all have had some kind of impact on who I am today. So that, now when I at home in Alaska, I get waves of homesickness for a strange land with weird food, diverse climate, different language. 

Then there are those days when I get homesick for my Real Home, the one I haven't seen yet. Heaven. One word that encompasses SO much! Longing for the day, I'll meet Jesus face to face. Sit in His presence. Sing His praises. Hear Him audibly say my name. oooh, gives me the chills just to think of the Great, Awesome, all-Powerful Almighty Creator of the universe speaking my name! 

To be surrounded by those loved ones who are already with my Saviour. I'll see Michael again. And Denise. And Grandpa Jim. And so many others. I miss them. But the sure hope of seeing them again one day reminds to keep my joy and my smile. 

So when the homesickness hits, I remind myself to be grateful that there are places I miss. It means I've had a full life. Wonderful times remembered. Important lessons learned. Close friends made. Families formed. And one day, homesickness will no longer be in our vocabulary when we reach the other side of Jordan. 

Until then..... Embrace Life. Live to the Fullest. Even if that means accepting homesickness. 

Trusting

Do you trust me? 

Yes, came the reply. 

But why? 

Because I know you. 

The above is a snippet of a conversation I had somewhat recently with a friend. I was attempting to show them that in order for one to trust God, they must know God. Who trusts a total stranger with anything important? Not me! 

God wants us to know Him. Not just to know about Him, but know Him personally, like one does their friends. How you say? Well, but spending time with Him, talking to Him, reading what He's wrote to you. Thinking (it's called meditating) about what you know regarding Him.

Isn't it funny how you share something with someone to encourage or challenge them and then it turns around on you? Not long after the conversation about trusting God with my friend, I was in the midst of comparing myself to others I know and feeling like I came short in every area. My blog isn't as cool as theirs. Wish I was as pretty as her. She has all the cool stories. blah blah blah. 

Then God spoke to my heart -

Barrie, do you trust me?  

Yes, of course, I do. 

Well, I'm the One who made you, correct? 
I chose your looks, your strengths and weaknesses, your talents and personality. 

Thank you Lord, for reminding me that we are all individuals. And that you didn't intend for me to try to be like someone else, but instead just to be me. 

It's easy in a world of social media to feel inferior, like everyone else has it all together. But honestly, they don't. Not anymore than you do. So, just trust God.

Singleness

I have been following this blog for a while. Never met Grace, but every time I read one of her posts, I can SO relate to it! Many times, it is the exact echo of my own heart. Here are two posts in particular that spoke to me. It is Grace's words, but I could have been mine. (tho' she writes better) :)  

Thankful for others who understand!

http://gracefortheroad.com/2013/09/26/sojourning/

http://gracefortheroad.com/2013/11/26/we-can-find-you-one/

Sun Rising

The shorter days allows me to experience the magnitude of an incredible sunrise. During the summer months, I occasionally see the setting sun at 1am or midnight... (thanks to my night job) But sunrises, yeah I don't usually see those during the summer. I'm not one to get up at 3am to see the sun rise. :) 

But wish you could have been with me this past week on my drives to work. One day last week when I turned from my dirt road on to the main road into town, the eastern sky was just beginning to come alive. I drove west into town, so the horizon before me was still a combination of blues and grays. But glancing in my rear view mirror, light flooded my eyes. As the minutes passed, the blue began to be tinted with pink, then more pink and orange. Pulling into the parking lot, the entire heavens were ablaze with color. The sun was just cresting the horizon, but the world was overwhelming alive with color and light. 

I thought of John 12:32 - "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." 

As the sun that morning (and again today) rose higher into the sky, no part of the heavens were not reached with it's light. Clouds that once appeared blue and gray were now pink and eventually white. If we lift Christ up, He will do the drawing of sinners to Himself. His Word does not return void, so we must share His Word. 

Not only do I enjoy a sunrise for the awesome, inspiring beauty which magnifies my God, but it is also a wonderful reminder that my job as a child of God is raise Him up. I am to bring Him glory with my life; every aspect of my life. 

sun rise from last year, viewed from my front porch

Betrayal, Pain, GRACE

Gut-wrenching heart-ache - that's how I would describe deep betrayal. 

Have you ever thought about how Christ felt when Judas betrayed Him? 

Sure, He was God and He knew it was coming and even that it was needed for Him for be crucified. But that doesn't negate the fact that He was betrayed. Betrayed by one of those closest to Him. A person He had worked with, laughed with, traveled and lived with. A man He had taught and mentored. 

And then. 

Judas turned on Jesus and betrayed Him.

Stabbed Him in the back. 

There's no way you can tell me that Christ was not hurt. 

Perhaps the knowledge of Judas' betrayal added to the enormous weight He carried in the Garden when Christ prayed. The betrayal by a close friend is not an easy boulder to scale and then just continue on down the path of life unaffected. 

Sometimes the hurt and pain remain in your heart for many months afterward. It will never be completely erased from your memory. 

The boulder of betrayal may be blocking your path. There is no way around it. It cannot be brushed aside and not dealt with. If you are to press forward in your spiritual walk, it must be ascended. You can choose to let it defeat you so that you no longer have the energy to travel the upward journey of faith. But you are the one who loses, if that is your choice. 

I understand to a small extent the anger, frustration and pain that accompanies a friend's betrayal. Not the kind of pain that stems from a friend who perhaps no longer speaks to you or speaks evil of you behind your back. Not an elementary school betrayal.

But the heartache caused by a close confident and mentor who has spurned the Truth of God's Word, the Truth they have proclaimed for many years. The pain generated when the choices this friend made severely injures numerous loved ones around them.

Hebrews 4: 15 - "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Christ is our High Priest. He understands our weaknesses, our emotions, our trials. He knows how betrayal feels! He can comfort and give grace, because He has been through it already. Only He can give sustaining grace and peace in a dark time of life. What a comfort it is to rest in the knowledge that my Lord loves me, He understands the anguish of my soul and He will carry me over the hurdle of betrayal.

Betrayal is only one of many dark trials that a person can encounter in life. But my God is the Sustainer and Peace-Giver for each one of our trials - whether it be the death of loved one, the betrayal of a dear friend, the kidnapping of a child, sickness, financial loss. Each of our circumstances may be different, but...

God is the Constant.

You can look to Him and He will never let you down. Men will fail us. I'm thankful for the good, godly friends God has allowed me to meet, but none will ever replace the Lord and what He can do for me.

His Strength is made strong in my weakness, His Grace sustains me when I don't have the will to go on, His Peace comforts my heart when I am burdened, His Word refreshes my soul when I am down, His Love embraces me when I feel alone.

My heart still aches as I write this, my stomach still churns and tears threaten to flow, but my trust is in the God of Heaven. By allowing Him free access to my life, yes, I will endure trials. But those trials will make me stronger, more confident in my Saviour - in the end, I consider it a blessing.

I am today closer to my Father because of this trial.

and I am willing to accept this trial and others in the future if my God will be glorified. 

Desires

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

Psalm 37:4

The above verse has been a close companion for the past ten years or so. I have claimed the promise in the second part of the verse time and time again as I strive to delight myself in the Lord.  He has fulfilled that promise many times; providing many of the opportunities that I desired. 

Over the years this verse has taken on new meanings for me. At one point I realized that not only does God give us the desires of our heart, but as we delight (ie, spend time with Him, get to know Him better, seek His ways, obey His commandments, love what He loves, etc.) in Him, He actually puts desires in our hearts and then gives them to us! As we love Him and seek His face, our heart changes. Our desires change to be more aligned with His desires for us. 

Recently, this verse has been in the forefront of my mind. But for a little different reason. You see, I have a desire (yes, I have more than one, but I'm talking about one in particular) in my heart. It's a good desire. But it is a desire that God has not yet given to me. I find myself now evaluating my heart. 

Am I truly delighting 100% in the Lord? Am I seeking His desires or my own made up desires? Am I okay if the Lord never gives me this desire? Am I willing to give up this desire to bring God glory? Am I willing to accept and desire what He desires? 

A friend and I were talking about this the other day. We know that God directs our steps if we follow Him. At times though, it seems tough to distinguish between our heart's desires and what God is actually trying to teach, show and direct us. I think it always comes back to the first part of this verse. It does not say that when God gives us our desires, we will love Him for that and in return delight in Him. No, we are to first and foremost, delight in Him!

I am confident that as I delight in the Lord, He will make my path clear. It may not be tonight or tomorrow or even this year. But He will continue to guide and direct my steps. And if I delight in Him completely, I will understand what the true desires of my heart are because He will have given them to me. And will be able to let go of my selfish desires for His glory!

I Know!

In this life, it can be so easy to be discouraged and dismayed. At least for me, I find that I can go through several emotions all in the course of one day. I experience joy, sadness, peace, anger, happiness and discouragement all in a day's time. I have to remind myself that I am God's child and He Loves Me! 

So to remind myself, I was challenged to think of what I KNOW -

I KNOW that my Redeemer liveth! Job 19:25

I KNOW that God is for me! Psalm 56:9

I KNOW that my salvation is secure in Jesus Christ! Titus 2:11

I KNOW that God directs my steps and He has led me in this direction! Psalm 37:23

I KNOW that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world! I John 4:4

I KNOW that God protects me and my life is in His hands! Psalm 118:6

One thing is sure and that is the Word of God. His Truth will last forever. 

When I get discouraged, I need to remind myself that He is with me and will never leave me. He is the same yesterday, and today and forever. :) 

Leave a comment with what encourages you when you're down. 

Well, that time has come and I am about to set out on another adventure. In a few short hours, I'll be boarding my flight plane of many. Soon, I'll be in the great continent of Asia. 

Ready or not, the time is here. 

I and my new traveling buddy are ready for this adventure! 

Next post will be from a different country! :p

Bruce the Moose ready to travel! 

Increase my Faith

This week I had to put my faith to test and really trust in the Lord and He came through once again! 

A few weeks ago, the opportunity was presented to me to go to India to help out a missionary. When my decision was made to go, I had to get an application for a visa done ASAP. I already have tickets for leaving the country and of course need my passport to do so. At the time the decision was made, I had 3 weeks to send in my passport and visa app. and have it returned before my departure. 

With the days usually required to have the visa processed at the consulate, I thought I would have my passport back maybe two days before I left. That was cutting it close and I was nervous about it. But I thought - if this is of the Lord (which I was sure was) then it's no problem, He'll make sure I have in time. 

So, the application was sent. The first week went by. 

Then the second week started and I began to be concerned. I told myself that God was in control and I am doing His work. I reminded myself of Psalm 37:5 and committed to trusting the Lord. 

Sometimes though with our flesh, trusting is hard to do. 

Yesterday morning, I was praying specifically about my visa. I asked the Lord to increase my faith. 

My prayer was that my visa would be approved this Wednesday- which meant it would have been processed in 5 days. The normal is 7-9 business days. 

Not even 10 minutes after I prayed that specific prayer, I checked my email. 

I had an email from the Visa Co. and my visa had been approved! 

It was processed and sent back in 3 days!!!

today's sunrise thru the trees

My God is an Amazing God! 

He delights in me!

and He answered my prayer - before I even prayed it and much more abundantly than I asked for!!!

Thankful and in Awe of the God I serve

Pieces of Life

Ever had one of those days that did not start out right? 

Yesterday was a crazy day. 

First thing I did yesterday morning... 

spilled my freshly poured cup of coffee on my desk at work.

My keyboard was very wet, sticky and coffee flavored. 

thankfully I didn't spill in on myself and only on my keyboard. 

I was able to take all the keys off, clean it up and put it back together. 

Worked just fine! 

I attempted to put my keyboard back together with no help. I've been typing for years now, so I should know where all the keys go, right? 

I did pretty good by the way - only had trouble with the bottom row of letters. 

But it made me think about how I view life sometimes. 

I look at my life and all I see are a bunch of pieces, just like the keys waiting to be put into the board. 

I wonder how things should go and what I should put where, what to do first. 

Every day we need to be reminded that the Lord knows best and He DOES have a plan. 

My job is trust Him and follow His leading. Trusting is hard to do sometimes, but that's where real peace comes from. Knowing that it's out of my control but the One who formed the universe has it in His hands. 

"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

Psalm 37:5

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Psalm 104 is one of my favorite Psalms. 

This summer I've been amazed over and over again at God's greatness!

His handiwork displayed in Creation is incredible. 

I have no idea how people can look at the world around them and deny there is a God. 

There is no logical explanation for our world being here by evolution. 

Bless the LORD, O my soul. 

O LORD my God, thou art very great:

thou art clothed with honour and majesty. (vs. 1)

Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: 

who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: (vs. 2)

He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.  (vs. 10)

He appointed the moon for seasons: 

the sun knoweth his going down. (vs. 19)

O LORD, how manifold are thy works!

in wisdom hast thou made them all:

the earth is full of thy riches. (vs. 24)

I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live:

 I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. (vs. 33)

I want to praise the Lord for His continued goodness in my life! 

He works even when my days are long and tough. 

He gives peace and provision when I don't see how I can make it. Thank you God for saving my soul! for all Your daily benefits!

God Delights in Me!

When was the last time you were amazed that the Creator God who holds this world together, 

Who provided a way of escape for eternal condemnation, 

Who thoughts and ways are SO far above ours, 

LOVES you!

and DELIGHTS in you!

This past year I've been trying to focus more on my Saviour. 

This truth that God delights in me still amazes me every time I think of it!

"He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me."

II Samuel 22:20

Not only does God delight in me, but He also has accepted me as one of His own! Only by His grace. 

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

Ephesians 1:6

I challenge you this next couple days -

take some time and just meditate on the Lord and what He has done in your life. 

He has truly changed my life and I owe all to Him. 

When was the last time you thanked Him for what He's done in your life? 

Rock Crossing

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul. 
For He alone is worthy!

I am SO grateful that I have a relationship with the Creator of the Universe! 

His love for me overflows my heart. His peace encompasses my soul. His strength enables my body. His grace renews me!

The past two weeks I spent out at Rock Crossing Bible Camp, out on the Tanana River. It is one of my favorite places in the world. The first week of camp was for kids in villages. We had campers from Selawik, Pt. Hope, Ft. Yukon and Fairbanks. We had an awesome group - had some sweet times of prayer, made lots of memories, took tons of pictures, heard powerful preaching and the sweetest part of all - saw souls trust in Christ alone for their salvation! God gave me the opportunity to witness to several girls. One prayed to receive Christ and two others prayed the next day to accept Him. 

There is NO greater thrill than to see someone release their trust in themselves and place in Christ's hands. For Only thru Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross can one truly know they are born again and on their way to heaven. 

on the Tanana River

The second week of camp was for kids from Fairbanks, particularly those from my church. Another good week. Actually had less campers the second week than the first which normally doesn't happen.

I want to praise God for His constant working in my life. No matter how much one learns and grows, there is always so much more to learn. The past two weeks God worked on my heart countless times.

God's Promises

This past weekend I heard from a friend that a young man I knew in California had gone to Glory Saturday night.  A few years back, he had had some heart problems, but all seemed be well for quite some time. Then Saturday night while he was out walking, he had a heart attack and died. He was just 22 years old. It was a little bit of a rough weekend to say the least. But I am comforted by the fact that I will see him again. For God's Word say that all those who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their personal and only Saviour will live forever. Michael had done this, so I am confident that one day we will meet again up in heaven.

over the school building

God's promises are sure. I was reminded of that fact just this past Tuesday. I left the school building thinking of Michael, when I looked behind me, I saw the most vivid, vibrant rainbow I think I have ever seen. The rainbow is another of God's promises to mankind and it reminded me of all God's promises. Course I didn't have my camera with me that moment and be the time I walked to my house and got it, the rainbow wasn't as vivid. But here is a picture of it anyways. Within 15 minutes the rainbow had completely disappeared from the sky. But God's promises never fade!!! 

One Day at a Time!!!

The Lord has been impressing on my heart lately the fact that I only have today to live. I am such a planner. I love looking ahead in life and planning out what I want to do in a month or 6 months or even a year away. While there is nothing really wrong with that, sometimes it takes my focus off living today the way I should. 

I am not promised tomorrow, so I need to focus on living today in such a way that it brings glory to my Saviour's name. So many times, I think of things I want to accomplish in a new year, but big things are accomplished by doing little things first. For example, I am still working on a quilt that I started, oh about 6 years ago... That quilt as much as I'd like it to, is not completed all in one day. It takes many small steps to put it all together.

So, my verse for this month is Isaiah 28:10 - "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:"

And my goal is to accomplish thing I've wanted to do for a long.... by simply LIVING TODAY!

some pics from last years trip to Lithuania

"as a tree planted by the river..."

God's Daughter

God is good. It never ceases to amaze me how He continues to work in my life. Through thick and thin, He is there. He guides and leads when I have good days and even when I have 'bad' days. It is so easy for me to get wrapped up in my own little world and get focused on myself and my needs. But He always reminds me that there is a greater purpose for my life. That purpose is to glorify Him!

This week, I have been meditating on the thought that I am God's daughter and what that really means. (thanks, N) First of all, of course, God loves me! such a simple, yet profound thought! That the God of the world, the Creator of the universe, the all-powerful Lord loves sinful, little me! May I never get over that! Not only does God love me, but He provides for me. He says that He will supply my every need and He always does! I am His daughter! He is my Father, my Dad, my Daddy. He hurts when I hurt. He comforts me during that hurt. He protects and strengthens me. Its so easy to forget all that. This week has been a good reminder. I challenge you to think this week, what is God to you? What are you in Christ?