these words...

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For I am convinced

that neither death,

nor life, nor angels,

nor principalities,

nor things present,

nor things to come,

nor powers,

nor height, nor depth,

nor any other created thing,

will be able to separate us

from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 NAS

These words surround me in His love. They hold and protect me. They comfort and amaze me. What a tremendous love! I can’t help but cry in the knowledge that God loves me. Me? To know His love is unconditional, to know His love is perfect, to know His love is complete, to know that He Himself is Love – I can’t begin to grasp the depth of His love. Yet, without understanding a love like God’s, I do believe and accept that He loves me. And, I love Him with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind. Yes, I’m safe and secure in the Savior’s arms...

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quick quotes

Snowflakes are kisses from heaven.
~Author Unknown

A snowflake is one of God's most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!
~Author Unknown

Snowmen fall from heaven... unassembled.
~Author Unknown

the many faces...

Sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, uncles and aunts, grandfathers and grandmothers, brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces...

these are the many faces of those serving in the military. They are stationed here, and all over the world. Some keep records, some are in combat, some maintain equipment, some prepare meals, some care for the injured, some bring aid to those in need, some keep peace, some...

From privates to 5 star generals, I believe they consider it an honor to serve this country, and a duty to make this world a better place. Each one needs our prayers and our support.

Now, switch from military to missions...

to the many faces of missionaries and missionary families. They serve here, and all over the world. Some are doctors, some teach agriculture, some are pastors, some work in orphanages, some are teachers, some construct buildings, some plant churches, some...

From each and every way they serve, I believe they do so with all their heart and soul, and consider it a privilege and a duty to tell the world of Jesus. Each one needs our prayers and our support.

The many faces are a daily reminder of my responsibility to lift up those who serve, and to give as God leads me to, in any way I can.

You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him
Deuteronomy 13:4 (NAS)

"If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
John 12:26 (NAS)

faith

Haiti

When I see the faces of those who have lost everything, it brings tears to my eyes. When I see the faces of those who have lost family and friends, more tears. When I see the faces of those who are children and all alone, tears again. When I see the faces of those who are hungry and thirsty, tears. When I see the faces of those who are rescued from the rubble, tears. When I see the faces of those who are bringing help and hope, yes, tears again.

I may not be able to go and help. I may not be able to organize supplies. I may not be able to do a lot of things. But, I CAN PRAY and pray and pray.

This tragedy reminds me of the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46. Specifically, verses 40 and 45.

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

quick quotes

If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.
~Mark Twain

No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar.
~Abraham Lincoln

Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.
~Thomas Jefferson

what a comfort

I’m comforted when I read John 14:1-10. Jesus knew the time of His crucifixion was near, and He was talking to His disciples about things to come. I can easily picture me, right there, sitting on the ground, listening to Jesus speak these words. His message both reassures me and encourages me. I’m confident in my salvation, and I know one day He’ll come for me. And, I’ll have a new dwelling place.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going."

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."

Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.”

John 14:1-10 NAS

what’s in a name? part 2

God is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The many names of God describe His characteristics and His attributes and His qualities. God is Eternal and Holy and Righteous and Just and Sovereign and Infinite and Almighty and Perfect and Merciful and Faithful. God is Omnipotence (all-powerful) and Omniscience (all-knowing) and Omnipresence (all-present). How majestic is the name of God!




In Exodus, God said “I AM”. In John, Jesus said “I AM”. He is our everything.

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
Exodus 3:14 NAS

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me John 10:14

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; John 11:25

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. John 15:1

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" John 8:58

And, as for me, ‘I am a child of God’.

foto favs

it's a wonderful day

We currently have frigid weather, and I just saw a dead leaf flying in the frigid wind. Made me think of something pleasant (and warmer and brighter): I love butterflies...how they gracefully dance in the wind, how their beauty is spectacular, how they are all colors of the rainbow, how they rest and eat on brilliant flowers, how sometimes they will sit for a photo. Another one of God’s miracles.

These delicate little creatures begin life in teeny tiny eggs. Then they become teeny tiny caterpillars, eating and growing and eating and growing. Next, they spin cocoons and sleep for awhile. After that, they take flight in dazzling beauty. And, the life cycle will begin again. Another one of God’s miracles.

I’ve read several things comparing the life of a butterfly to the Christian life. We begin life from an egg. We are born-again, and grow in Christ. We die, and our bodies are buried. Our souls go up to heaven, and eternal life. Our bodies will be resurrected when Jesus comes again. Another one of God’s miracles.

Even though it’s bitter cold and gray now, I know I’ll see the butterfly when it’s warmer and brighter. Another one of God’s miracles.

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

John 3:3-10 NIV

Another one of God's miracles.....

quick quotes

~ There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things.

~ We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.

~ The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.

Dwight L. Moody
American evangelist
(February 5, 1837 - December 22, 1899)

“Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of East Northfield, is dead. Don't you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now; I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal- a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body.

I was born of the flesh in 1837. I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit will live forever.”

(I say Amen to that!)

what’s in a name? part 1

O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
Psalm 8:1 NAS

Studying the names of God has been a bit overwhelming. There are so many! His Word gives numerous specific names that describe His nature and His character and His attributes. Each name of God shows Him in a different way. Many are hard for me to understand, and hard for me to grasp, and hard for me to learn.

At the beginning of the long list is the Great I AM, and it’s His name forever.

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you ' This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.
Exodus 3:14-15 NAS

God is: He Who was, He Who is, and He Who will be always. I don’t know all of God’s names, but I do know His name is majestic!

And, as for me, my name is Liz, and ‘I'm a child of God’.

one of my favorite verses

foto favs

amazing grace and peace unchangeable

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This was at the end of an e-mail requesting prayer for an injured person:

God is Amazing, full of Grace, gives us Peace that passes all understanding – even in the storms. The winds may blow and the storm clouds thunder, yet, God does not move and never changes. His will is best.

pause ‘n ponder

AW Tozer – who was he?

Aiden Wilson Tozer (April 21, 1897 - May 12, 1963) was an American Christian pastor, preacher,

author, magazine editor, Bible conference speaker, and spiritual mentor.

From his writings, I found these thought provoking statements:

The choices that we make from day to day involve only four kinds of things:

• Those concerning which God has said an emphatic "no."
• Those about which He has said an equally emphatic "yes."
• Those concerning which He wants us to consult our own sanctified preferences.
• Those few matters which require special guidance from the Lord to prevent us from making serious mistakes.

And this quote speaks volumes:

If God gives you a watch, are you honoring Him more by asking Him what time it is or by simply consulting the watch?