Jesus Loves You

We are a hurting world.  We are a sad world. We are a sinful world.

We want peace. We want our politicians to be the hero and make everything ok.

There is only one who can bring peace to our nation.

The One True God.

Do you know Him?

God wants a relationship with each of us.  He wants us to be fully devoted to Him.

He doesn't give us a list of rules and regulations. He wants us to admit our need for Him due to our sinful nature.  He wants us to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He wants us to confess our faith in Him.  He wants us to place Him at the center of our lives and live for Him in each and everything we do.

And yes, that may mean giving up some things.  That may mean a lifestyle change. That may mean the loss of relationships.

But you know what?  God gave His Son for us.  He loves us and He wants us to love Him.

Our world will never know true peace unless every single person on this earth knows and loves and serves Jesus Christ.

Our world will never know true peace until every knee bows and prays to the One True God.

A life lived for Christ is so much more glorious than a life lived for anything else.  We are not promised tomorrow. We are not able to take our possessions with us when we pass from this earth....and we will pass from this earth.  Our bodies are tents for our souls. One day our tents will serve us no more. Our souls will move from our bodies to eternity......either heaven or hell......eternal peace or eternal turmoil.

Jesus loves you so much that He gave his life so that we can spend eternity in heaven, eternity in peace.  Why would we not accept that gift?  If you were starving would you deny the food and water placed before you?  If your house was burning, would you deny the hoses that would extinguish it? Then why would you deny Christ who offers you more than this world ever could?

In June of 2004, 12 years ago, I made a life changing decision. I chose to live my life for Jesus.  I admitted my need for him. I was a sinner. I still am, but now I'm forgiven. I chose to believe that Jesus is God's son, that he died for my sins and rose from the grave so that I would not have to face eternal death in hell.  I confessed my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior in Lord. I told of my salvation, I stood before the church, I followed Jesus in baptism.

Every day I am growing, changing, and learning.  I am not perfect. I am a sinner and won't be perfect until I reach my heavenly home.  But Christ lives within me.  He is my one desire.

Yes, I love my husband. Yes, I love my children.  But I can NOT be the wife and mother they need me to be without putting Christ first in my life.  Jesus loves me and I love Him.

And He loves you too.

Oh, I pray that each of you who read these words would know and love Jesus the way that I do.....

If we all, each of us that walk this earth, if we all knew and loved and shared Jesus......my, what a different world we would live in.

Do you know Jesus? Do you love Him?

Jesus loves you!


If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior,  and you are feeling Him tug on your heart, you've pushed him to the side long enough......don't deny him any longer. Open your heart to Him now!

If you do know Jesus, share Him with others.  God commands us to do so.  We aren't meant to keep Him to ourselves.  When something good happens to us, don't we share it?  Don't we rush to Facebook and Instagram and post away?  Well, why not flood social media with the greatest news of all??? Can you imagine logging on to Facebook and seeing nothing but the love of Jesus instead of the hatred and trickery of Satan????

Y'all, this world scares me.  I think of how it has changed since I was a kid and what my children are witnessing and what they will experience in their lifetime.  But this world will not change unless Christians stand up and share Christ.  We must pray without ceasing instead of praying when disaster strikes. Imagine a world where we are united in Christ.  Right now we've let Satan divide us through gender, race, sexuality, politics, and religion. We need to be united in Christ.  We must be united in Christ.

Jesus loves you. What are you going to do about it?

My Valentine

My Valentine

Does your Valentine give you chocolates and roses?

My Valentine gives me so much more than that.

My Valentine….

Accepts me for who I am.

He gives me unconditional love.

He gives me faith and strength when I need it.

He gives me hope, wisdom, and courage.

He pours His blessings upon me.

With my Valentine, I can share what is deep within my heart and soul.  After all, there is no keeping it from Him because He already knows my innermost thoughts.

My Valentine fills my heart with gladness.

He helps me to see the beauty in my world around me and to cherish every moment as if it were my last.

He has taught me to love.

He has taught me to be patient.

He has taught me to believe.

My Valentine…

I want to give Him all my love and praise because

There is no other like Him.

The most important thing my Valentine has done for me is to give His life for me.

He loves me so much that He paid the ultimate price that I may have everlasting life, and that I may spend all eternity with Him.

That gift is greater than chocolates and roses,

greater than diamonds and pearls.

What did I do to deserve such a Valentine?

Nothing.

The truth is I don’t deserve Him.

But He loves me so much that He is giving me all He has to offer.

What did I do to accept my Valentine?

I admitted that I’m a sinner.

I believed that Jesus is God’s son who came to Earth and died on the cross for me.

I confessed my faith in my Lord, Jesus Christ.

Now, He is mine forever!

I don’t want to keep my Valentine all to myself.

I want to share Him with you.

Allow Jesus to come into your heart so He will be your Valentine every day of your life.

written Feb. 2, 2007

Wife to Wife Wednesdays: God Makes All Things New

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

I can honestly say that making the choice to live my life for Jesus was the best decision I ever made. Because of that one decision, God has worked in my life in so many amazing ways.

He has, in fact, made me a new creation.

Before I surrendered to Christ, I never really thought much about my life and the direction it was going.  I like to think I was a good person. No drugs. An occasional drink. No promiscuous sex. My husband is the only man I've ever been with.

Growing up, I basically did what I was supposed to. I dated early (one guy, my husband). I graduated high school with honors and scholarship money. I stayed focused and graduated college with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education in 3 1/2 years.  I was no angel. My parents can tell you that. But I was a good person.  I got my dream job teaching and married my sweetheart. We had our first child. 

I was happy. I was well on my way to my dream: being a wife, a teacher, and a mom to 3 children (my plan was 2 boys and a girl).

But something was missing. 

Jeff and I knew we wanted to raise our children in church. Neither of us were "raised" in church, but we did have a little background.  I knew who Jesus was. I knew you had to believe in him to get to heaven. I cherished every little Gideon's Bible I received and even signed my name on the line in them to show I believed what it said about Jesus. 

In 2004, Jeff and I started attended church after being invited by a coworker.  We were hooked. Shortly after we started attending, we found out that there was going to be a baby dedication. Parents would stand before the church to say they would raise their baby for God.  This was exactly what we wanted to do for Colin. That was our whole purpose in going to church. 

In the coming weeks, I had much difficulty contacting our pastor about participating. Colin was almost 2 years old, not quite the baby we felt they intended the ceremony for, so we weren't sure we would be allowed to participate.  I was finally able to get to church to speak with Dr. Copass about the dedication service, and he agreed that it would be a great idea.  However, he had a question for me. Had I dedicated my life to Jesus?  I immediately began crying. No one, that's right, no one had every asked me about my soul, if I had surrendered to Jesus.  I was instantly overcome with emotion. All I could think was that the preacher must have thought I was crazy, crying like that, dedicating my son to the Lord, not being a Christian myself. 

Needless to say, Dr. Copass knew my answer. We talked and we prayed and that day, I gave my heart to Jesus. 


That day has changed my life.

That day has changed me.

My entire outlook on life is different. My focus is on God. The choices I make are based on what He wants.

I have given up any claim I thought I had over my life. 

Instead of being content in just being me and who I thought I was supposed to be, I have found pure joy in becoming the woman God had planned for me. 

I am involved in my church. I teach Sunday School for adults and children. I teach VBS. I have serve on committees. I lead Bible studies. I serve as nursery coordinator.  I want to do more for the kingdom of God.  I have been blessed to lead children to Christ. I have been blessed to lead an adult to Christ.  I love allowing God to work through me. 

And that is what all of that is.....God working through me. 

I am totally uncomfortable in my own skin. I hate to order a pizza over the phone. I hate to meet new people. I am such a homebody.  But because I said "YES" to God, He is doing some amazing things. I could never do those things on my own.  I break out into hives every time I have to speak in front of grown ups! 

I am supportive of my husband for the the life that God has called him to lead.  After 8 years of marriage and 3 children, it is a bit unnerving to begin serving God and country.  There are so many questions and uncertainty with this thing called military life.  However, we have been able to put our trust in God. 

He had gotten me through difficult times. He has given me peace.  I remember when my grandfather passed away, I felt a sense of peace over come me. I was in the car and upset over getting the news that he was slipping away from us.  I wanted to get to the hospital and see him one last time.  But God was there with me. He let me know that my pa knew that I loved him (that was a fear I had, did he know that I loved him). He let me know that my pa was ok, that He was taking care of him.  I was calm even though I knew in my heart that I would not see him alive when I got to the hospital.  That whole experience was hard. I was his baby girl.  He was my Pa Tootsie.  I had never imagined my life without him. And then suddenly, I had to.

There are so many instances that God gave me exactly what I needed, not what I thought I needed. He has held my hand. He has wrapped His arms around me. He has held me. He has disciplined me.  He has carried me. He has loved me.

God has made me a new creation.  He has changed my attitude, my thinking, my habits, my language, my heart. 

I am NOT perfect. I am still a sinner. I mess up everyday. But I have God's grace and mercy on my side. He forgives me. He loves me.  He wants a relationship with me.

All I have to do is say YES to Him each and everyday.  If I do that, He will continue to mold me, shape me, use me. 

I am excited to see what God has planned for me.

I am so glad I made the choice to live for Him.

What has God done for you? How has he changed your life? 

Join us at Wives of Faith for Wife to Wife Wednesdays.  We would love to hear how God has made a difference in your life. Even if you aren't a military spouse, feel free to leave a comment.

Did you know

Across the street from your church there is a lost mother.

She is spiritually lost.

She has been beaten.

She has been addicted.

She has been raped.

She has been left for dead by those she trusted.

She has never known another life.

Pregnant at seventeen.

High school drop out.

No job.

No car.

She sits at home everyday and takes whatever is dished out by her family and "friends."

She needs love.

She needs acceptance.

She needs hope.

She needs Jesus Christ.

Who will show her?

Who will teach her?

Who will let her know that there is hope, and that hope is found in Jesus Christ?


Did you know that there is a man across the street from your church?

He is a product of his environment.

His dad beat his mom. So he beat his wife.

He works to pay the necessary bills and have a little food for his kids. 

His friends are bad influences.  He's pretty much a follower.

He came to church once. 

He didn't feel welcome so he never came back.

He is lost.  Spiritually lost.

His wife, his children...they need a man of God leading them.

Who will lead him?

Will you wave at him and smile at him when you drive your nice car into the church parking lot as he is working on his broken down junker?

Will you walk over there in your Khakis and button down shirt and talk with a greasy, dirty young man in ripped clothes?

Will you invite him to come to church?

If he shows, will you greet him?

Will you introduce him to your friends?

Will you make a point to find him after the service and invite him back?

When you arrive at church each week, will you look for him in his yard or will you look away?


Did you know there are little children across the street from your church?

They are precious.

They have little to nothing.

They watch your kids get out of your nice car wearing their Sunday best. They look at their dirty, illfitting hand me downs.

They watch you and your husband holding hands across the parking lot.

They probably never saw their parents hold hands.

They wonder what goes on behind that door, in that building.

They ask their parents to go.

Parents say no.  Those people are hypocrites.

They watch each week. They ask each week.

Finally, they are allowed to go to your church.

Without their parents.

They see love. They hear love. They get love.

They ask their parents to go.

They say no.

The children continue to go.  They love this place called church.

Their hungry little bellies are fed.

Their hungry little souls are fed.

No doubt they are different than most of the children their, but they are just as loved.

These children come every Sunday morning, every Sunday night, and every Wednesday night.

Without their parents.


Did you know there is a family across the street from your church?

They are lost.

They are dying.

They need Jesus.

Will you introduce them to Him?

Souls saved and pizza

Its finally Friday
I'm free again
Got my motor running
For a wild weekend


Not really but it sounds good doesn't it!


Well, it has been a pretty awesome week. We just finished up our Amazing Wonders Aviation vacation bible school.

And

I

Am

Tired

There were lots of seeds planted and 4 souls saved (3 kids and 1 mom)! How good God is!


A mom!


At VBS!


Too cool!


I told my BFF that I just don't get how VBS wears us out more than normal everyday life. Pretty crazy.


Can I be honest about something?


It wouldn't hurt my feelings if I didn't see, smell, touch, taste, or think about pizza for a long time.


Pizza for supper Tuesday.


Pizza for lunch Wednesday.


Pizza for baseball party Thursday.


Pizza for VBS celebration today.


Pizza offered to take home.....NO THANK YOU.


I'm afraid I may turn into pizza.



I have to admit that I am looking forward to some good old ball park food at the Hot Rods game! I can guarantee it won't be pizza!

No Longer Going Through the Motions

What six year old does not want to go to heaven?

What sixty year old does not want to go to heaven?

If you ask, I think most people will say they want to go to heaven when they die.  Some will say they think they will. And fewer will be certain they will. 

There is but ONE way, however, to get to heaven.

Through Jesus Christ.

I don't believe in all paths to heaven. I don't believe in many paths to heaven.  I believe in ONE path to heaven. 

I believe in Jesus Christ.

I believe He is God's Son.

I believe He came to earth, born of the virgin Mary.

I believe that He was crucified on a cross for my (and your) sins.

I believe that after the stone was placed over the tomb, Jesus conquered death, raising from the dead Himself. 

Do you believe?

Four years ago, Colin believed.  What six year old raised in church wouldn't?  He confessed Jesus as his Savior and Lord and was baptized.

The night he came to us with his revelation as a sinner, I was scared to death.  Yes, I was happy, but truthfully, I wondered if he really knew what the whole thing was about.  Did he really understand?  Did he really believe?

You see, I couldn't tell him, "Oh, you are too young," or "You think your are ready, but you aren't really."  I had to believe that God would guide him. 

I remember when Jeff was on the phone with our preacher, I grabbed my Bible and said, "Lord, I want this to be real. Please let me have peace about this."  I opened my bible. I read the words, "I will reveal Myself in My time."  I closed my Bible and let it be. 

On his own accord, Colin went before the church to make is profession of faith and was later baptized. 

Still, I remembered that he was six years old. I have secretly prayed for him, for God to reveal Himself to Colin if he just went through the motions.

That was four years ago.

The other night, Colin got out of bed and came to me.  It was late and he was crying, but when I asked what was wrong, he didn't want to talk about it.

He finally opened up to me and said he was worried about the end of the world (thanks to our pastor's good preaching!).  I told him we had nothing to worry about because we would go to heaven.  He knew his little brothers were not saved and was worried that God wouldn't allow them into heaven. I tried to explain to him that God knew that and He knew their hearts, and because they were little He would allow them into heaven. 

Colin then said the word's I couldn't believe, "I'm afraid He won't take me." 

My heart broke and then it rejoiced.

You see, Colin has been having a private struggle with his salvation.  He knew we had talked to him about his salvation. He didn't remember it. I now think he was going through the motions of doing what his six year old mind told him was right. 

God was revealing Himself to Colin. It was His time.  

This morning, Colin, on his own accord, went again before the church.  Our pastor explained to the congregation about Colin's revelation.  Our church rejoiced with him and the courage it took to profess his faith in Christ. 

This time, he is not going through the motions.  God has spoken to him, revealed Himself to Colin. 

With this experience, I wonder how many adults are out there that have gone through the motions as well, adults who "confessed their faith," were baptized, and joined the church because it seemed like the right thing to do....at whatever age....but really truly do no have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

As we spoke with our church family, one of the ladies reminisced about her experience.  She realized at the age of 55 that she had just gone through the motions. She gave her life to Jesus and was baptized.  Another church member praised Colin for his courage and told him that he was a true witness to others in the church who need to do the same thing.

As I share Colin's story with you, I hope that you will consider your own salvation.  Have you truly confessed Jesus as your Savior and Lord, have you totally rejected Him, or have you just gone through the motions and not given yourself wholly to Him?

Please pray for Colin has he willingly embarks on the journey that God has laid out for him.  Next Sunday, he will be baptized by his daddy. 

Overcome

Today, that is what I am, overcome with emotion.

God is amazing. He answers prayers and is just so awesome.

This morning, I walked into a full Sunday school class.  It was so great to have the table full. Much to my surprise, there was a new couple.  When I saw her long, dark hair, I immediately knew who it was. 

Let me back up..

For some time now, we have had a handful of precious children coming to our church.  Either their parents would drop them off at the door, we would meet them in the parking lot, or someone from our church would go get them.  The children would come, but the parents never would.  We always invited them and welcomed them to stay.  Their reply was always the same, "We may come one day." 

Well, they came.

To make a long story short (because I don't know the whole story), they are joining our church through baptism. They had accepted Jesus as their Savior, and their souls were saved, their lives changed forever.

AMEN! 

Now that this is Friday (yes, it has taken me this long to finish this post), I am excited to say that Joseph and Ashley have been two both evening services we've had this week.  I got to chat with Ashley briefly Wednesday. I am so excited to see them grow in the Lord!

So many of us who have prayed for this family can say attest to the fact that God answers prayers. Sometimes He uses our children to open our hearts to Him. 

Josh Hamilton was not a loser

I know the World Series is old news, but I wanted to let you know that it is still on my mind. My household was rooting for the Rangers. We just knew they had the championship in game six! But they blew it.

Regardless of the outcome of the series, Josh Hamilton was not a loser. You see, his victory (and mine) comes from Jesus Christ. If you don't know his story, his amazing testimony, I suggest you read his book Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back.

So many times in our lives we are caught up in winning and losing, being on top, that we lose sight of what is really important and that is our salvation. Without salvation, the gift from our Father, nothing else matters.

So, can you say that you are a winner because you have victory in Jesus?

The High Calling of Motherhood

Set an example of good works yourself, with integrity and dignity in your teaching. Titus 2:7

These past few days I have been reminded about what an awesome responsibility and blessing it is to be a mom.

I think of my children as MINE. However, I have been reminded that my children are HIS.

You see, God chose me to be the earthly guardian of these precious children. It is my responsibility to take care of them and raise them to be Christian men. Ultimately, we are all God's children. When He makes us parents, God is choosing those he wants to care for His children until they are returned to Him.

I stop to think about what an awesome responsibility that is. God CHOSE me and Jeffrey to be the parents of Colin, Carson, and Carter. He knew that we are what those children need. Now, we are to care for them and raise them for Him. We are to help them become the God fearing men that He has planned.

Yesterday during Sunday School, we were asked to say something good about our moms.  Then we were asked, "What do you want your children to say about you when they are adults?"

Wow! What a question!

I hope that my children can say that they never had a doubt that I loved them. Everything I did for them was out of love. I want them to say that I did the best I could to raise them in a Christian home, that I taught them about Jesus and helped them to know and love Him. I want them to say I put them above my own selfishness, that I thought of them and their daddy before I thought of myself. I want them to say that I provided for them the best I could, that I knew how to have fun with them. I want them to say I was forgiving and compassionate. I want them to say they saw Jesus in me. I want them to be thankful that God chose me to be their mom. I want them to rise up and call me blessed!

Yesterday at church, Bro. Copass talked about motherhood as a divine calling. We must remember that Christian mothers can NOT do it alone. We need the help of our Christian husbands, church, and most importantly, our Heavenly Father. We must be willing to admit that we are not perfect. We must be willing to ask for help. We must be willing to be a Christian example to our children.

As we sang the hymn of invitation, I got to thinking about the day I received Jesus as my Savior. That was the best decision I have ever made, not only for me, but also for my children. You see, I had gone to see Bro. Copass about dedicating Colin to the Lord before our church. As we talked, he asked me the most important question, a question that had never been asked to me before. He asked, "Have you received Jesus as your personal Savior?" I just knew he thought I was crazy. My answer was no, but here I was wanting to dedicate my precious child to the Lord. But you know what? Bro. Copass didn't think any less of me. He helped me to see that it was just as important for me to be a Christian mother and wife as it was to want to dedicate my son. So that day, Friday, June 18. 2004, I made a decision that affected my entire family. I admitted that I couldn't do it alone, that I knew who Jesus was and believed in Him and his resurrection with all my heart, and that I needed Him to save me and change my life. He promised me He would, and He hasn't let me down.

That following Sunday as we dedicated Colin to our Lord, I made a public profession of my faith in Jesus. Following me down the aisle was my husband. Wow! A month later, we were baptized in front of our friends, family, and Heavenly Father. Since then, God has worked wonders in our lives. We are totally dedicated to serving God. We teach Sunday School, serve as nursery workers, Jeffrey serves as a deacon, and is working toward becoming an Army Chaplain. I teach VBS each summer and have had the amazing opportunity to lead children to Christ, and have invited women into my home for Bible study. My mother and father in law were baptized and joined the church. Colin opened his heart to Jesus and was baptized. God isn't finished with us. I am not boasting about me and my husband. This is not our work, but rather the work of our Lord. This is all HIM.

We each have been blessed with gifts. I have been blessed with the gift of motherhood. With that gift comes responsibility. God used my oldest son to reach me, a lost mother who wanted to raise her child in a Christian home. I owe it to Him to train up these children in the way they should go, so that when they are old, they will not depart from it.


During the invitation yesterday, a young mother came forward and surrendered her life to Jesus.  I was so happy for her as I knew she was making the best decision of her life, not only for her, but also for her family. What an amazing Mother's Day gift she was able to give!

Are You Good Enough for Heaven?

Today, I am working on managing my time a little better, taking advantage of each little nap and sleeping child.  I am starting a  new personal Bible study. I have completed several in this series, but today, I am beginning Receiving God's Goodness.

This morning before Colin left for school (and his big field trip to the Hot Rods game), I told him to be good.  One of the first things I ask my kids after we are apart is, "Were you good?"  I know my children (like me) are not perfect and we aren't always going to be good.  They may color their hands with marker at school instead of doing center work.  I may spend too much time on the computer instead of reading my Bible.  They may not share their toys and fight over them.  I may make too many trips to the candy basket to get a chocolate drop.  They may lose their tempers and hit one another. I may lose my temper and yell. 

Sometimes it is hard to be good and sometimes it is easy.

Regardless, no matter how my kids behave, I love them.  Nothing they do or could do will ever change that. They are mine. God blessed me with them.  I take pride in being their mom.  Yea, I get upset with them and discipline them, but I love them.  I'll forgive them time and again. They don't have to be good to be loved by me.

In the same way, we don't have to be good to earn God's love.  The Bible says in Romans 5:8, "But  God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Jesus didn't die for us because of our goodness. He died for us because we were are sinners. We could never be good enough to get into heaven. 

The last statement in the introduction to this week's study in Receiving God's Goodness is "Salvation isn't a matter of being good enough. It's a matter of God's goodness."

That statement is so true.  Time and again I have told you that I am not perfect (shocker, right?). If God expected me to be in order to spend eternity with Him, I'd never get there.  I try hard not to stuff my mouth with chocolate drops, but sometimes I fail.  I try hard not to lose my temper with my kids, but sometimes I fail.  I try hard not to get caught up in gossip, but sometimes I fail.  When I fail, it doesn't mean that God loves me any less.  He expects me to confess these sins to Him, to ask for forgiveness, to look to Him for the strength and wisdom of how to not fall to these sins again. 

He is teaching me how to make better grab and go choices throughout the day when I want to eat something yummy.  He is teaching me how to pick my battles with my kids (ignoring whining and complaining worked wonders over the last few days).  He has allowed me to surround myself with Christian women who are not interested in gossip and only interested in pleasing Him in our actions and words.  Are these the only areas I am weak in? Not at all, but God is helping me.

I'm not saying that we don't need to strive to be good. Please don't think that.  All I am saying is that we are going to mess up. We have to admit when we mess up and ask God to help us get better.  We are a work in progress.  God will reward us for our goodness only after we become His.

I am absolutely in love with the book of Romans in the Bible.  There are so many wonderful passages that show us God's love for us.  None of them has to do with being good enough, but they deal with God's goodness and love for us, especially when we receive His son, Jesus Christ. 

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1

"Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:24-25

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God." Romans 8:28

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:37-39

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10


Father, I thank you for Jesus, that He came to earth to die for me.  Lord, I know that if salvation was based on my deeds, I'd never be good enough to spend eternity with you.  I thank you for those who taught me about Jesus and the path of salvation. I know in my heart that there is no other road to You, Lord.  I pray that if there is someone trying to "work their way" to you, that you would stop them in their tracks and let them see that they will never be good enough to do that.  I pray that they would see the light in Jesus and by faith, open their heart to Him. Amen.

Why would God become a man?

I got this as an email today and wanted to share it.




There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to
let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays, like
Christmas.

His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have
faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments. One snowy
Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve
service in the farm community in which they lived. She asked him to come,
but he refused. "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower
Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!" So she and the
children left, and he stayed home.

A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a
blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding
snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he
heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window.

Then another thump. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet.
When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have
been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of
wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they
got caught in the snowstorm and could not go on. They were lost and
stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their
wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A
couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.

The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would
be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It is warm and safe;
surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked
over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited,
hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just
fluttered around aimlessly and did not seem to notice the barn or realize
what it could mean for them. The man tried to get their attention, but
that just seemed to scare them and they moved further away. He went into
the house and came back out with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread
crumbs trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Now he was
getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the
barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction
except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn
where they would be warm and safe. "Why don't they follow me?!" he
exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive
the storm?" He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't
follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he
said out loud.

Then he had an idea. He went into barn, got one of his own geese, and
carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild
geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight
into the barn-and one by one the other geese followed it to safety. He
stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes
earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save
them! Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier. "Why
would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!" Suddenly it all made
sense. That is what God had done. We were like the geese - blind, lost,
perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and
save us. That was the meaning of Christmas, he realized. As the winds and
blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful
thought. Suddenly he understood what Christmas was all about, why Christ
had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished like the passing storm.
He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer: "Thank You,
God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!"

An Invitation for You and Yours

You Are Cordially Invited To A Birthday Celebration.

Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ

Date: December 25th

Time: When you're ready, ( please don't be late, though; or
you'll miss out on all the fun!!! )

Place: In your Heart...He'll meet you there ( you'll hear Him
knock )

Attire: Come as you are...grubbies are okay. He'll be washing
our clothes anyway. He said something about new
white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the
last.

Tickets: Admission is free. He's already paid for everyone..( He
says you would not have been able to afford it...it cost
Him everything he had! )

Refreshments: New wine, bread and a far-out drink He calls
living water, followed by a supper that promises to be
out of this world!!!

Gift Suggestions: Your Heart. He's one of those people who
already has everything else. He's very generous in
return though; just wait until you see what He has for
you.

Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth, Light, Life, Love, Real
Happiness, Communion with God, Forgiveness,
Miracles, Healing, Power, Eternity in Paradise, and
much more!
( All rated "G" so bring your family and friends )

R.S.V.P. Very important! He must know ahead so he can
reserve a spot for you at the table. Also He's keeping
a list of His friends for future reference. He calls it the
( "Lambs Book Of Life" )

Party Being given By His Kids ( That's Us )
Hope To See You There!!!

got this in my morning email devotion and wanted to pass it on.

How Great is Our God

My family appreciates the prayers you've sent up to our Heavenly Father for my cousin Jason. HE IS HOME! Although he has experienced some complications due to all he has been through, Jason is doing quite well. God still performs miracles, and He is the Great Physician!

You may remember when I had asked you to pray for my cousin Patrick, his wife Melissa, and their unborn baby girl. Melissa recently gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Isabella Faith, and they are both doing well.


It is amazing that with the advances in technology and medicine, that some doctor's give up hope on the sick. Yet, our Lord works miracles and heals. What He has done in the lives of my cousins is proof.


A little while ago, I went into the bedroom to find some clothes hangers. I always have to have the TV on something good while I'm digging throught the closet so I started flipping through the channels. I saw Chris Tomlin's name appear on the screen so I stopped. He started singing How Great is Our God (song 29 on the playlist below). As I sang along with him and the thousands of other people at the Harvest Crusade in California, I began to think how great God really is.


I look back at my life and the miracles God has performed in my life, the ways He has watched over me, protected me, guided me, and loved me. He has blessed me in so many ways. I can see where He has had His hand on my life. I see how He placed people in my life for a reason: those that prayed for me and those that challenged me, those that tore me down and those that picked me up.


When I first become a Christian, I would compare myself to others. I wanted to be that type of mom or that type of woman. I would feel inadequate, but I soon came to realize that the best I could be was me. I wasn't these other Christian women that I was coming to know. I wasn't supposed to be like them. I was supposed to love like Jesus loved. That's what God wanted for me. He placed those women in my life to teach me, to fellowship with me, to encourage me and for me to do those things for them and others as well.


You know, I am not perfect (shocker, uh), but the One who is perfect is in control of my life. Why should I allow fear and worry to rule my heart? Whatever He puts before me, I know He will be with me. I can count on God. He has never let me down and I know He never will.


The best decision I ever made was to open my heart to Jesus Christ. I'll never forget that day. I know God had His hand on my actions that day, but I also know that ultimately, it was my decision. God calls us, but we don't always respond.


How Great is Our God that He did not give up on me when I didn't answer His call in a revival.


How Great is Our God that He gave me another chance; He sent Dr. Copass to Calvary Baptist Church to walk me through the sinners prayer.


How Great is Our God that He sent His son Jesus Christ to come to earth, humble himself, die for my sins, and rise 3 days later defeating death.


How Great is Our God that He has prepared a place in heaven for me.


How Great is Our God that I can always depend on His love, comfort, and peace regardless of what is placed before me.


How Great is Our God!

Can you say that?

If not, I pray that you would come to know Him, that you would search out His will for your life.


I pray that you would be able to sing with me, HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!

I approached a crossroad with two gates....

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14

On Sunday, Bro. Copass preached a message that is very dear to me this week. He talked about being at the crossroads. Five years ago, I was at a crossroad in my life.

You see, I didn't grow up in church. I knew about God and Jesus. I knew the common Bible stories. I remember in high school I found out that a friend of mine had asked her Sunday School class to pray for me. I was furious. There was nothing wrong with me. Or so I thought.

A little more than 5 years ago, my friend Holly and her husband invited Jeffrey and I to the last night of their revival where she would be singing. I had never been to a revival before and had never heard her sing, so I was looking forward to going. Their church was a small country church in Allen County....way out in the middle of nowhere. I can't tell you what the preacher spoke about that night, but I do know that God was talking to me. During the invitation, Holly sang Amazing Grace. It was beautiful. Tears flowed down my face and I wanted so badly to go forward. As I cried, I saw the preacher look at me. I felt so stupid. I told myself that I would be an idiot to go up there. After all, I had never been there before and didn't know those people. So, I didn't. I stood right there in my pew. After the service, Jeffrey asked me why I was crying. I said I didn't know.

After that night, Jeffrey and I started going to church a little more often and finally we were going to Calvary just about every Sunday. It was a great place. My friend/coworker Wanda had told me about their wonderful interim preacher who said he would not stay and then decided that that was where God wanted him. She said we just had to come hear him preach. So, we did and were hooked. Jeffrey had gone there with his family as a child, and we were married there.
Right before Father's Day in 2004, Bro. Copass announced there would be a Baby Dedication. We thought that was what we needed to do for Colin. It was so important to us to raise Colin in church. We never once thought about ourselves.

The week before Father's Day, I tried each day to call Bro. Copass at his office. Each day he was unavailable. That Friday, June 18, 2004, I took Colin to daycare so I could run some errands. With my cell phone in hand, I contemplated calling the office again while on my way to the post office. I literally argued with myself. Part of me said to call because he wouldn't be there anyway while the other part encouraged me to go by the office. It was just a block away.

I passed the post office and headed to Calvary.....in more ways than one!

When I pulled in the parking lot, I saw Bro. Copass's car and knew I was in luck. He would let me know if we could participate in the Baby Dedication with Colin. His secretary showed me to his office and I waited patiently, um nervously for him to come in. I couldn't figure out why I was so nervous.

Bro. Copass and I discussed the Baby Dedication, what it meant, what we would do, and yes, we could participate. Then he asked me if I had ever received Jesus as my personal Savior. When I said, "No," I began crying. What is up with me and this crying every time someone asks that question???? What does he think of me? A mother wanting to dedicate her son to God when she doesn't even have a relationship with Him. But you know, I was done. I was done caring what people were thinking of me.

Bro. Copass walked me through the plan of salvation. There in his office, I admitted that I was a sinner. I confessed my faith in Jesus Christ. the Son of God that died for my sins, and received him into my life as my Savior. I floated out of that office. I had never had such a peaceful feeling in my life. What an amazing time. I got into the car and called Jeffrey at work to tell him what happened. I went to my grandmother's house and told her, my mom, and my cousins who were in visiting. I couldn't figure out why I had waited so long to make that decision.

That Sunday, we dedicated Colin to the Lord. We promised there in our church that we would raise Colin in a Christian home, teaching him about God and the love He has for us. We would be sure that he would attend church to develop his own personal relationship with God. Then during the invitation, I finally came forward. I walked before my church and professed that I had received Jesus as my Savior. My final gift that day....My husband followed me down that aisle. I tapped him on the shoulder so that I could get out of the pew. He said that God pushed him along behind me. There was no stopping him. What a proud moment for our family. We followed through in baptism during another service.

Recently, I sent my friend Amy a note. I apologized for becoming angry with her when she had her Sunday School class pray for me. I admitted that there was something wrong with me at that time, I was not a Christian. I love Amy for praying for me.

You know, people talk about their personal testimony and I am always amazed at how God works in their lives. I am SO AMAZED at how He has worked in mine. I look back to what I was before June 18, 2004. The old me. The one Satan tried to steer clear of Bro. Copass. He knew what God had in store for me that Friday afternoon. But God had the victory!!!!
I am thankful Amy prayed for me.

I am so thankful that God had me and Wanda having the same lunch schedule.

I am thankful that God led Bro. Copass to Calvary Baptist Church.

I am thankful that Bro. Copass announced the Baby Dedication.

I am thankful Bro. Copass was not in his office those days I called.

I am thankful for not turning in to the post office that day.

I am thankful Bro. Copass asked the right question.

I am thankful God touched my heart enough for me to realize which path to take.

I am thankful God did not give up on me that night I walked away from Him at that revival.

I am thankful for what God is doing in my life.

I've been able to lead children to Christ during Vacation Bible School. I've been able to lead my own son to Christ. I am able to minister to people in so many other ways. I never knew the joy of being a Christian until I allowed God to be the center of my life. He's taken my unforgiving spirit and has helped me to open my heart and forgive people who have hurt me. He has shows me the log in my own eye when I acknowledge the speck in the eyes of others. He has provided me with children who keep me grounded and yearning for their faith. He's given me a husband who is my best friend and a wonderful father. A man who provides and cares for our family. A man who serves others before worrying about himself.

God has indeed changed my life. For that, I am truly thankful.

Now, I ask you. Have you allowed God to be at the center of your life? Have your stood at the crossroad and chosen the narrow gate of the straight and narrow path? If you haven't, please don't waste another minute. I can help you do that. The READY? button at the bottom can lead you to that. If you have, will your share your testimony here? Will you share how God has worked in your life?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

***just added 6-18-09***
I got this in my morning email devotion. Thought it was fitting and wanted to share.

Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning, For in You do I trust;Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.
Psalms 143:8 *NKJV

As you may know, when we invite God into our life, and ask HIM to take control of our "life and will," we start on the journey to become the person that we were meant to be. For it is written; If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

This is because God begins to reshape us into that person. It is written; O Lord, You are our Father; We arethe clay, and You our potter; And all we are thework of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8

Now as we become that new person, God will lead us to the path that He chosen for us to walk. It is then that we become filled with the Holy Spirit, as well as; The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

So, why not ask God to take control of your "life and will" today, if you haven't already? Also say to Him; Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation. Psalms 25:4-5