I have been preparing for rain. (See the movie Facing The Giants.)
When I have a certain kind of need it makes sense to me to begin looking for ways to prepare myself for the need to be met. I need to place an ad in the paper offering my service for employment. So while at a yard sale this book about "making great ads" caught my eye. The more I read this book the more encouraged I have become about placing the ad. The author's enthusiasm and confidence is encouraging. His honesty has only helped me to enjoy his suggestions. He has a motive for writing this book . He invites his readers to send their success stories and ideas to him . He's willing to pay for them ,yet he honestly describes how he will use the material to help himself make even more money. The latter has nothing to do with my word of testimony except to point out how honesty can be an encouragement . Detailed honesty.
One of the skills I hope to achieve by sharing my word of testimony is to learn how to share the details . Honestly .
My reason for wanting to give a word of testimony is that I want to be an over comer.
Sharing the details requires more honesty . Just letting you know that I shop at yard sales was not that hard. At the same yard sale I was once again prey to the fast talking seller. I protected myself though this time. After she convincingly told me these magazines were worth so much more than what she was asking for them, I told her the truth. I said, "It doesn't matter if they are not. I figure that if you are having a yard sale you really need the money. I consider what I am giving you is a gift. " What I have to battle against is the resentment that comes up every time I remember that she must have looked them up on ebay herself. She sold them for the exact dollar amount and saved herself the time and fees for selling the same items. (However, in an auction prices can be unpredictable for either side.)
But she didn't know that little book she sold me for fifty cents would be a source of encouragement from the LORD for me. Because of that little book , today I am encouraged to prepare for rain.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Better Is One Day In Your House
I really messed up the other day when talking to another Habitat For Humanity partner family . Someone said, "she really deserves it,"(meaning the house). I said, " None of us deserve such a wonderful thing but it is a wonderful gift . " Obviously what came out of my mouth was how I feel about my gift of a Habitat house . Unfortunately I have come to see myself as a part of the "all of us" and out of my mouth came the evidence of that.
I don't know if my partner friend will forgive me for my social blunder , but if not I hope she will think on things above. One day we will have a huge glorious mansion and we will not deserve it. I see myself as being able to receive as a gift those things I do not deserve here on earth as a preparation for those days ahead when I will be walking upon streets of gold , undeservedly .
I don't know if my partner friend will forgive me for my social blunder , but if not I hope she will think on things above. One day we will have a huge glorious mansion and we will not deserve it. I see myself as being able to receive as a gift those things I do not deserve here on earth as a preparation for those days ahead when I will be walking upon streets of gold , undeservedly .
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
With All Your Heart
Preparing for Rain PART TWO. It is my intent to share my daily life as a word of testimony.
A short introduction would be : I and my daughter are in need . For more clarification of what our need/needs are you may want to read past blogs.
My words of encouragement today came from two stories in the Bible and one in the 20th century. Naomi and Ruth . Jonah. Miss E .
Miss E. told me of a story in her life. At the time I really wondered at her telling me it. The point seemed to be "that God does not always help. " Now I see it in a whole new light. The point is , "to obey God is more important than any other thing."
She was an Agape Land worker. Do you remember those "Bullfrogs and Butterflies" songs years ago ? Well , those people really had a zeal for doing God's will that I admire. ( There are things about every church movement that I could not admire, but why waste time on that ? )
It was made known unto this elderly saint that she was to move to another location. Now she was not only elderly but she suffered from a crippling arthritic condition so she needed help to pack. The way this saint lived her life was to do what ever God told her to do , and if she needed help she asked . She needed transportation to the new site , so she asked. It was worked out that a family was planning on taking a trip to her new location. They were leaving on a certain day and she could ride with them. Next she needed help to pack her belongings. Her hope was to take them to a bus station and have them shipped to her new destination.
Once again , she asked for help and two or three young people agreed to come and pack her belongings for her and take them to the bus station. On the designated day for them to come for some reason they did not. At the designated time for her ride to come , they did arrive.
She went with them.
She left all her stuff !
I know , maybe you are thinking that she hoped they would come later on and pack her stuff and send it. As I understood the story , she knew that wasn't going to happen. She left any way !
"But why ?" I said . "Because it was more important to me to do God's will ," was her reply.
Was she down in the dumps about losing her stuff ? I don't know. It seemed to me that she was just stating a fact. She now needed more stuff to replace her old stuff to live. What was constant was , whether she got the stuff to make her life comfortable or not , it was okay , she was going to do God's will regardless.
The other two Bible stories encouraged me today because in each one there were people who did God's will. One did what God wanted her to do but had less than a right spirit about it. One had a totally right attitude, ready to give up all to follow the true and living God. One wasn't going to do God's will , was kind of forced into it but still God was able to use him in a mighty way. It was his own attitude that made it not a joy for him.
Something else about Naomi's story stood out to me.
I think Naomi sensed that she had been chastised by God and did not like it. However, if He wanted her to go back to Bethlehem , well , okay she would go. I think she had decided more than just to go back and do God's will. I think she had decided that He would be her only God. The comfort of having two daughter in-laws she was willing to give up. Having someone love you is pretty comforting , being willing to give that up to do God's will says something about her character. Maybe suffering had produced the good character in her that we read of in Romans 5.
It wasn't until Ruth convinced her that her God would be her God also , and her only God. Then Naomi was willing to receive the comfort Ruth would bring her. She was willing to go it alone if need be , just somehow get back to where she belonged.
I have a love for the people around me , especially those who love me . Yet my God has got to be first . That simply means that I can not hang on to the comfort of getting along with people who love me , rather than do what I feel God wants me to do.
It is hard to do because I know they could be hurt .
They also enjoy the comfort of my love but unless they are like Ruth and willing to put God first in their lives , we will be taking separate roads at some point and time.
Now I have been speaking metaphorically but I also have a daughter who is arriving at the age to be on her own. Just because she moves to a separate dwelling than I, doesn't necessarily mean that she has chosen not to put God first. It may be that for God to be first in her life , she needs to be on her own.
Metaphorically I travel along the road of those whose desire is to worship God and serve Him only. I can be useful there as an encourager and builder up of the body of Christ. If they are not on that road I can let the light of the glory of Christ shine through me and hope they will desire to leave all behind. It is worth the cost, as we who live under the blood of the Lamb , and give a word of testimony and are learning to love not our lives even unto death, know.
A short introduction would be : I and my daughter are in need . For more clarification of what our need/needs are you may want to read past blogs.
My words of encouragement today came from two stories in the Bible and one in the 20th century. Naomi and Ruth . Jonah. Miss E .
Miss E. told me of a story in her life. At the time I really wondered at her telling me it. The point seemed to be "that God does not always help. " Now I see it in a whole new light. The point is , "to obey God is more important than any other thing."
She was an Agape Land worker. Do you remember those "Bullfrogs and Butterflies" songs years ago ? Well , those people really had a zeal for doing God's will that I admire. ( There are things about every church movement that I could not admire, but why waste time on that ? )
It was made known unto this elderly saint that she was to move to another location. Now she was not only elderly but she suffered from a crippling arthritic condition so she needed help to pack. The way this saint lived her life was to do what ever God told her to do , and if she needed help she asked . She needed transportation to the new site , so she asked. It was worked out that a family was planning on taking a trip to her new location. They were leaving on a certain day and she could ride with them. Next she needed help to pack her belongings. Her hope was to take them to a bus station and have them shipped to her new destination.
Once again , she asked for help and two or three young people agreed to come and pack her belongings for her and take them to the bus station. On the designated day for them to come for some reason they did not. At the designated time for her ride to come , they did arrive.
She went with them.
She left all her stuff !
I know , maybe you are thinking that she hoped they would come later on and pack her stuff and send it. As I understood the story , she knew that wasn't going to happen. She left any way !
"But why ?" I said . "Because it was more important to me to do God's will ," was her reply.
Was she down in the dumps about losing her stuff ? I don't know. It seemed to me that she was just stating a fact. She now needed more stuff to replace her old stuff to live. What was constant was , whether she got the stuff to make her life comfortable or not , it was okay , she was going to do God's will regardless.
The other two Bible stories encouraged me today because in each one there were people who did God's will. One did what God wanted her to do but had less than a right spirit about it. One had a totally right attitude, ready to give up all to follow the true and living God. One wasn't going to do God's will , was kind of forced into it but still God was able to use him in a mighty way. It was his own attitude that made it not a joy for him.
Something else about Naomi's story stood out to me.
I think Naomi sensed that she had been chastised by God and did not like it. However, if He wanted her to go back to Bethlehem , well , okay she would go. I think she had decided more than just to go back and do God's will. I think she had decided that He would be her only God. The comfort of having two daughter in-laws she was willing to give up. Having someone love you is pretty comforting , being willing to give that up to do God's will says something about her character. Maybe suffering had produced the good character in her that we read of in Romans 5.
It wasn't until Ruth convinced her that her God would be her God also , and her only God. Then Naomi was willing to receive the comfort Ruth would bring her. She was willing to go it alone if need be , just somehow get back to where she belonged.
I have a love for the people around me , especially those who love me . Yet my God has got to be first . That simply means that I can not hang on to the comfort of getting along with people who love me , rather than do what I feel God wants me to do.
It is hard to do because I know they could be hurt .
They also enjoy the comfort of my love but unless they are like Ruth and willing to put God first in their lives , we will be taking separate roads at some point and time.
Now I have been speaking metaphorically but I also have a daughter who is arriving at the age to be on her own. Just because she moves to a separate dwelling than I, doesn't necessarily mean that she has chosen not to put God first. It may be that for God to be first in her life , she needs to be on her own.
Metaphorically I travel along the road of those whose desire is to worship God and serve Him only. I can be useful there as an encourager and builder up of the body of Christ. If they are not on that road I can let the light of the glory of Christ shine through me and hope they will desire to leave all behind. It is worth the cost, as we who live under the blood of the Lamb , and give a word of testimony and are learning to love not our lives even unto death, know.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Preparing For Rain
This word of testimony may lose some of it's impact if you have not watched the movie Facing The Giants. My favorite part in the whole movie is when the fellow tells this story to the coach. He says, "Two farmers were praying and asking God for rain for their crops. One farmer just kept praying and did nothing. The other farmer continued to pray while he started plowing his fields and planting his crop. Which farmer do you suppose had the better crop when the rain came ?"
I can tell you of many times when I was praying for help when it seemed like nothing less than a miracle would help. I can tell you of many miracles that have happened in my life time. I can recall more than a few that happened but because I wasn't prepared , the help that came was less than the glory producing act it was suppose to be.
A classic example of this in the Bible is in Exodus. When their miracle of being released from slavery came they were not ready to be free.
Today I am so thankful to have learned my lessons about preparing for rain. I am so thankful and grateful for the miracles that are happening around me all the time. Still I feel an urgency in my spirit to not stop for long , because I need to prepare for the next rain that is to come.
My daughter and I struggle with some health problems and we regularly approach God for healing and strength. Our LORD has healed us , we know this , we are anticipating that the evidence of our healing will show up any day now. It was shortly after I wrote my last blog about preparing that I realized I had failed to prepare for God to heal us.
Actually the preparing for rain requires a move of God's spirit too. Pretend with me that I could have a time machine that would take me back to the days right before the Israelites left Egypt. If I told them about the need to prepare for freedom and then just left , what good would that do ? Unless they had some idea about how to begin to prepare their hearts , it would be like handing a farmer a book about farming but giving him no tools.
It happens to me often that I feel as though I need to accept the class of kindergarten rather than gain the status of going up to another level. I don't mind a bit. My father can use me here and that is all the joy that I need. As I learn with child like acceptance how to prepare for my healing , I already know that it will help my daughter and others that I share my word of testimony with.
May God grant me the grace and strength I need to share my word of testimony. It takes a move of His spirit , for I alone can not do this.
This is why I become so excited when others share their words of testimony with me. I know that they are being empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so.
I can tell you of many times when I was praying for help when it seemed like nothing less than a miracle would help. I can tell you of many miracles that have happened in my life time. I can recall more than a few that happened but because I wasn't prepared , the help that came was less than the glory producing act it was suppose to be.
A classic example of this in the Bible is in Exodus. When their miracle of being released from slavery came they were not ready to be free.
Today I am so thankful to have learned my lessons about preparing for rain. I am so thankful and grateful for the miracles that are happening around me all the time. Still I feel an urgency in my spirit to not stop for long , because I need to prepare for the next rain that is to come.
My daughter and I struggle with some health problems and we regularly approach God for healing and strength. Our LORD has healed us , we know this , we are anticipating that the evidence of our healing will show up any day now. It was shortly after I wrote my last blog about preparing that I realized I had failed to prepare for God to heal us.
Actually the preparing for rain requires a move of God's spirit too. Pretend with me that I could have a time machine that would take me back to the days right before the Israelites left Egypt. If I told them about the need to prepare for freedom and then just left , what good would that do ? Unless they had some idea about how to begin to prepare their hearts , it would be like handing a farmer a book about farming but giving him no tools.
It happens to me often that I feel as though I need to accept the class of kindergarten rather than gain the status of going up to another level. I don't mind a bit. My father can use me here and that is all the joy that I need. As I learn with child like acceptance how to prepare for my healing , I already know that it will help my daughter and others that I share my word of testimony with.
May God grant me the grace and strength I need to share my word of testimony. It takes a move of His spirit , for I alone can not do this.
This is why I become so excited when others share their words of testimony with me. I know that they are being empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The Hearts of Children and Fathers
As I share my word of testimony today I will be laying out some scriptures for you.
This is to help you understand my testimony. I live under the blood of the lamb and by the word of my testimony . There is a perfect love that is being perfected in me that will one day manifest itself as my being able to love not my life even unto death.
How easy is it to be a Christian ? Oh easy, all you have to do is love the LORD your God with all your heart , soul and mind , and love your neighbor as yourself.
My heart , yes , well ..........I want to talk about my heart today.
2 Chronicles 11:16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 20:33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Now we could talk in great length about the spirit and power of Elias. Much has been written about him . What has stirred me today is that I want my heart to be prepared for the LORD .
John the Baptist went about in the the spirit of and power of Elias. His job description was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; and to make ready a people prepared for the LORD.
Now I have found that a teacher who has experienced what he teaches can actually teach. The spirit of the LORD has taught him what he learned through what he experienced . The spirit of and the power of the LORD is upon him when he can teach in the spirit of love.
I think in these last days I ought to share my words of testimonies with others as often as I can.
For everytime I share what the spirit of the LORD has taught me . I believe I am allowing the spirit to grow within me . My hope is in God's word. Romans 5 says that through the suffering I have done I have the hope of the love of Christ being shed abroad in my heart. This of course is if I have persevered and had good character worked in me.
Do I sound as if I think there is nothing wrong with me ? Please LORD how do I give this word of testimony so that people will understand ?
My heart was not turned back to my father, my children's hearts were not trained to have a heart for their fathers and now that I find it is time to be worshipping in spirit and in truth, I still have high places that have not been brought down.
Yet I believe that the spirit of Elias still lives on. My heart is open , and I am seeking and I will not be ashamed.
I will worship in as much of the spirit of truth that I can as it is a work that is being done in me.
I will not despair for the best is yet to come.
This is to help you understand my testimony. I live under the blood of the lamb and by the word of my testimony . There is a perfect love that is being perfected in me that will one day manifest itself as my being able to love not my life even unto death.
How easy is it to be a Christian ? Oh easy, all you have to do is love the LORD your God with all your heart , soul and mind , and love your neighbor as yourself.
My heart , yes , well ..........I want to talk about my heart today.
2 Chronicles 11:16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 20:33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Now we could talk in great length about the spirit and power of Elias. Much has been written about him . What has stirred me today is that I want my heart to be prepared for the LORD .
John the Baptist went about in the the spirit of and power of Elias. His job description was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; and to make ready a people prepared for the LORD.
Now I have found that a teacher who has experienced what he teaches can actually teach. The spirit of the LORD has taught him what he learned through what he experienced . The spirit of and the power of the LORD is upon him when he can teach in the spirit of love.
I think in these last days I ought to share my words of testimonies with others as often as I can.
For everytime I share what the spirit of the LORD has taught me . I believe I am allowing the spirit to grow within me . My hope is in God's word. Romans 5 says that through the suffering I have done I have the hope of the love of Christ being shed abroad in my heart. This of course is if I have persevered and had good character worked in me.
Do I sound as if I think there is nothing wrong with me ? Please LORD how do I give this word of testimony so that people will understand ?
My heart was not turned back to my father, my children's hearts were not trained to have a heart for their fathers and now that I find it is time to be worshipping in spirit and in truth, I still have high places that have not been brought down.
Yet I believe that the spirit of Elias still lives on. My heart is open , and I am seeking and I will not be ashamed.
I will worship in as much of the spirit of truth that I can as it is a work that is being done in me.
I will not despair for the best is yet to come.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Hour Now Is (Added on to.)
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Yesterday I was talking about high places.
High places came to mean for me , those places that I thought I had reached God's approval.
A place that God approves of is not bad.
As a child I was raised in a church that worshipped God. I mean worshipped God for hours. The services called worship services were "worship services." And the intent was to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
At twenty two I realised my life was pretty much a mess and the only hope I had was that God might do something to make it better . So out of desperation I committed my life to Him. You read that right. (Much , much later did I learn the truth about receiving His forgiveness .)
So out of a sense of commitment , I set aside "worship times." I am realizing now , here in the Bible belt that others have this same kind of understanding , but it is "read the Bible." Some have the "prayer time, or quiet time."
Mine was the "worship time " and unlike the "Bible time" or "quiet time" , it can only be done with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. I am assuming my readers know there is a difference between "praise " and "worship."
To attain a "worship time" I had learned it helpful to first have a "praise time." Sometimes I finished my time set aside for worship , having only praised the LORD. But I felt good about what I had done. As I now look back upon what I did back then , I in a sense went up the mountain to worship God in high places. Yet , because it was all about "what I was doing," the HOLY SPIRIT was quenched . The Holy Spirit or the accuser of the brethren , ( I am not sure ) would tell me that I was building a tower of Babel , and that God was not pleased with that.
Then I would quit my worship times. Then I would become sad and defeated . Then I would decide that maybe what I was doing , even if wrong was better than nothing at all. So I would try again.
When the woman at the well spoke to Jesus about , some say we are to worship in the mountain and some say the temple , I think she was referring to the high places up in the mountains. I think that it had become okay to build altars and worship God up in the mountains . Now I hope I have not stepped on some historians toes and he corrects me. Even if I am wrong about that as a historical fact , the truth is I still can climb the mountain to worship God.
I try to believe God is pleased with me in my low places but , wow , give me a high place and I can take off.
Did you notice the words "can" in the last two sentences ? I can means , I can make a choice to do those things , or I can make a choice to do something else.
I rejoice today in the Truth that has set me free to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
There is no need to attain a sense of satisfaction that I have adequately carried out my commitment to please God.
I have been released from that prison cell and I am dancing with my Father God in fields of grace !
Yesterday I was talking about high places.
High places came to mean for me , those places that I thought I had reached God's approval.
A place that God approves of is not bad.
As a child I was raised in a church that worshipped God. I mean worshipped God for hours. The services called worship services were "worship services." And the intent was to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
At twenty two I realised my life was pretty much a mess and the only hope I had was that God might do something to make it better . So out of desperation I committed my life to Him. You read that right. (Much , much later did I learn the truth about receiving His forgiveness .)
So out of a sense of commitment , I set aside "worship times." I am realizing now , here in the Bible belt that others have this same kind of understanding , but it is "read the Bible." Some have the "prayer time, or quiet time."
Mine was the "worship time " and unlike the "Bible time" or "quiet time" , it can only be done with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. I am assuming my readers know there is a difference between "praise " and "worship."
To attain a "worship time" I had learned it helpful to first have a "praise time." Sometimes I finished my time set aside for worship , having only praised the LORD. But I felt good about what I had done. As I now look back upon what I did back then , I in a sense went up the mountain to worship God in high places. Yet , because it was all about "what I was doing," the HOLY SPIRIT was quenched . The Holy Spirit or the accuser of the brethren , ( I am not sure ) would tell me that I was building a tower of Babel , and that God was not pleased with that.
Then I would quit my worship times. Then I would become sad and defeated . Then I would decide that maybe what I was doing , even if wrong was better than nothing at all. So I would try again.
When the woman at the well spoke to Jesus about , some say we are to worship in the mountain and some say the temple , I think she was referring to the high places up in the mountains. I think that it had become okay to build altars and worship God up in the mountains . Now I hope I have not stepped on some historians toes and he corrects me. Even if I am wrong about that as a historical fact , the truth is I still can climb the mountain to worship God.
I try to believe God is pleased with me in my low places but , wow , give me a high place and I can take off.
Did you notice the words "can" in the last two sentences ? I can means , I can make a choice to do those things , or I can make a choice to do something else.
I rejoice today in the Truth that has set me free to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
There is no need to attain a sense of satisfaction that I have adequately carried out my commitment to please God.
I have been released from that prison cell and I am dancing with my Father God in fields of grace !
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Those High Places !
Hab 3:19 The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' [feet], and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
As I have mentioned before , spiritual warfare is about believing that God LOVES us. This LOVES is far beyond what I can comprehend , yet even though I can not count the stars , I appreciate their beauty.
When God does something wonderful for me I must believe that this high place will not entertain spiritual wickedness. That pride or anything that would exalt itself would be immediately confessed as sin and that the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus would wash it away.
Surely the rich man who desires to walk humbly with God realizes that only because "with God all things are possible," he can enter the kingdom of God.
I once caught a glimpse of how pleased our Father is to have given us the victory over spiritual wickedness. Had I not caught that glimpse I probably would not have started the "by the word of my testimony blog" . Had I not caught that glimpse of God's delight in giving us life and life more abundantly , you would not be reading this word of testimony . Just think about that !
My victory is in JESUS , my saviour , how I love Him ! He sought me, and He bought me, with His redeeming blood.
That says all of my testimony today. All my sins have been washed away. I can live today as though I'd never sinned because He has washed my sins away.
I am so thankful for the people who are willing to agree with God that I am forgiven. It is such a blessing and a comfort to know that there are people who have the good news to share with me , not just by their mouths but by their willingness to convey it in so many ways.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
As I have mentioned before , spiritual warfare is about believing that God LOVES us. This LOVES is far beyond what I can comprehend , yet even though I can not count the stars , I appreciate their beauty.
When God does something wonderful for me I must believe that this high place will not entertain spiritual wickedness. That pride or anything that would exalt itself would be immediately confessed as sin and that the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus would wash it away.
Surely the rich man who desires to walk humbly with God realizes that only because "with God all things are possible," he can enter the kingdom of God.
I once caught a glimpse of how pleased our Father is to have given us the victory over spiritual wickedness. Had I not caught that glimpse I probably would not have started the "by the word of my testimony blog" . Had I not caught that glimpse of God's delight in giving us life and life more abundantly , you would not be reading this word of testimony . Just think about that !
My victory is in JESUS , my saviour , how I love Him ! He sought me, and He bought me, with His redeeming blood.
That says all of my testimony today. All my sins have been washed away. I can live today as though I'd never sinned because He has washed my sins away.
I am so thankful for the people who are willing to agree with God that I am forgiven. It is such a blessing and a comfort to know that there are people who have the good news to share with me , not just by their mouths but by their willingness to convey it in so many ways.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
We Got A Date (approx) and We Got A Place (approx)
THE INFORMATIONThere is a wonderful organization called Habitat For Humanity that's logo is We Offer A Hand Up Not A Hand Out. After filling out an application I waited patiently to see if I was one that they would want to give a hand up to. They did ! I found this out in Jan. 2009 .
THE NOT A HAND OUT
I was not sure how I would do my part . I believed that God would guide me and strengthen me and prepare me for what would lie ahead. I learned that the Habitat For Humanity volunteers truly were willing to help me with my part. Not only did they cheer me on every time that I tried to do my part , I was encouraged by them that they appreciated my being there trying. There is a requirement of hours to be worked and a certain amount of money that the Partner Family must contribute to the organization which in turn is applied to the building of ones house. In other words I have been helping (in a small way, but the best I can ) with the building of other Partner Families homes.
THE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
THANK YOU ! THANK YOU ! THANK YOU ! To all my friends who have been praying for me. To all my friends that came out to the builds and worked. To all of my friends that offered to help in any way they could . Just as I have been working toward those needed hours my friends have also been doing what they could to help me reach the required goal. I want to note here that the persons who gave one half day and the persons who gave several days are equally appreciated by me. I think we all have been doing what we can, and just like Jesus said , about the widows mite , it meant more because it was all she had. And it is not over yet ! The half way mark has been reached or has almost been reached! This is what is required before Habitat For Humanity says, "Okay, we will be making plans to start your house on this date."
THE MONEY CAME IN
The LORD surely wanted to lift the burden I have had to raise the money for the down payment.
It has all come in and He also gave a hand up with my groceries a couple of months ago. Trying to manage my bills and save a little back each month turned out to be more than I could handle and my Tuesday night support group gave me what they call a Pounding. When other friends heard about it they joined in and pounded me to. ( It's suppose to be a pound of this and a pound of that but they didn't stick to the rule !) Ha , Ha. Now for the fun part, I can continue trying to raise money for additions for my new home, like a new washer and dryer or other things like that.
THE DATE HAS BEEN SET
They will begin building a home for me and my daughter in Feb. 2010. The weather can be pleasant in Feb. here or it can still be snowing so the exact date will be determined by the weather.
THE LOCATION
Look up there at that picture . Somewhere in that general area our house will be built to look just like all my other Partner Families homes.
I hope all who read this will rejoice with me as I and my daughter are being the recipients of a generous flow of God's love through very many individuals. As I force myself to open and receive His love I find that I in turn have a love to give. Even if for some reason the house build was cancelled I would have no problems because it is not about the house. It has been about me being able to let God love me and I finally have , more than I was before.
So when was the last time you let God love you ? Go ahead and let Him. You may not need a house . Dare to believe that what ever you need , if God agrees with you , and He can find a few willing vessels to use to help get that need to you , He will, He will go ahead and love you , yes He will !
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
A Sweet Savour
Happily I find that many of my friends are encountering the same kind of experience . They are willing to give a word of testimony from where they are . This shows me that there is a hope of the love of Christ being shed abroad in their hearts .
My hope is that I will learn to savour the things that be of God .
Not everyone that I know has this desire and so I can not always listen to their counsel .
The thing I seek more than counsel are others who are willing to share with me this is where they are. Their willingness to share their word of testimony with me accounts for the strength I now have in Christ Jesus. The Word is Christ and sharing their experiences in His Word is like sharing Jesus with me.
I praise the LORD for those who are not afraid to share where they are in the word.
I praise the LORD that I can look into His Word and see His love to me become clearer.
I rejoice that I am in a process of learning to savour the things that be of God.
Blessed am I for the grace given me during this time of learning.
Matt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
My hope is that I will learn to savour the things that be of God .
Not everyone that I know has this desire and so I can not always listen to their counsel .
The thing I seek more than counsel are others who are willing to share with me this is where they are. Their willingness to share their word of testimony with me accounts for the strength I now have in Christ Jesus. The Word is Christ and sharing their experiences in His Word is like sharing Jesus with me.
I praise the LORD for those who are not afraid to share where they are in the word.
I praise the LORD that I can look into His Word and see His love to me become clearer.
I rejoice that I am in a process of learning to savour the things that be of God.
Blessed am I for the grace given me during this time of learning.
Matt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
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