pause 'n ponder

Above All Things

Rebecca St. James

I cannot tell you all the reasons why
Jesus in His wisdom took an interest in my life
It must be endless the boundries of His grace
For He is patient with us and worthy to be praised

For above all things He is powerful
And above all things He is the King
And above all things He is merciful
For above all things He thought of me

I can't conceive it the torture of the cross
The Author of creation gave us life at His own cost
And all those present thought the grave would be the end
But Jesus rose above it and so will I my friend

God is good!

It’s comforting to know that God not only cares for me, but He also carries me.  It’s comforting to know that God knows everything about me, yet He forgives me and loves me just the same.  It’s comforting to know that God is with me when life is happy and good, and He is with me when I’m struggling and discouraged.  He freely gives me mercy and grace, even though I deserve nothing.  He knows my heart, and yet again, He forgives me and loves me just the same.  My God is an awesome God!

 

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.

Nahum 1:7 NAS

who is He?

Jesus.  He is God, the Way, the Truth, the Light of the World, Almighty God, our Deliverer, the Prince of Peace, our Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, our Savior, the Messiah, the Good Shepherd, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Word, the Great Physician, Son of Man, Anointed One, Bread of Life, the Christ, the High Priest, Lamb of God, Morning Star, the Beloved, Everlasting Father, Righteous Servant, our Salvation.

Who is He?  He is Jesus Christ, He is God.  God sacrificed His only Son so I may be saved.  I don't deserve it, never have, and never will.  God freely gave me His mercy and grace.  That’s love. 

  

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 NAS

pause 'n ponder

Within You Is The Strength
To Meet Life's Challenges!

You are stronger than you think,
remember to stand tall.

Every challenge in your life
helps you to grow.

Every problem you encounter
strengthens your mind and your soul.

Every trouble you overcome
increases your understanding of life.

When all your troubles weigh
heavily on your shoulders,

remember that beneath the burden
you can stand tall,
because you are never given
more than you can handle...
and you are stronger than you think.

~ Lisa Wroble ~

who am i?

The question of ‘who am I’ is not easily answered.  I am more than just me...

I’m a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mom, mom-in-law, and nana.  I love being part of a family!

But, more importantly, I’m a child of God, loved, saved, born again, accepted, believer, follower of Christ, and forgiven.  I love being part of the family of God!

Who am I?  I’m a Christian.  A Christian?  Someone who sees they can never deserve it and gratefully accepts and trusts in what God has done in His Son. That's faith.

Jesus Christ is who He says he is: "I am the way and the truth and the life."

John 14:6 NIV

bright light or dim light, there’s only one choice

There’s a children’s song that many may be familiar with.  The title is ‘This Little Light of Mine’.  The chorus and the first line of each verse are below:

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No!  Don't let Satan blow it out,  Let it shine till Jesus comes,

A little song sung by innocent little children.  I sang it many times when I taught the three-year-old Sunday School class. 

As a Christian, do I shine for Jesus?  Do I shine His light for others to see?  Do I share His light in a dark world?  Does my life shine for Him?  Do my words shine for Him?  Do my actions shine for Him? 

These are questions I need to pray about.  These are questions I need to answer.

"You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don't hide a light under a bowl. No. People put the light on a lamp table. Then the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that people will see the good things you do. Live so that people will praise your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16 ERV

all things work for good

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28 NAS

To me, this verse says that I, as a Christian, will still go thru pain and heartache and sadness and suffering and troubles and anxieties and hardships and burdens and difficulties and grief and testing and more.  To me, it also says that God will use each of these things for His own good.  I can’t and won’t escape bad times.  I often don’t understand or know why.  When I became a Christian, God never promised me a happy and carefree journey thru life.

When I look back at some of the most challenging times I’ve faced, I can now see how God used them.  God meant these things for good.  It’s a lesson hard to learn, but God is in charge of every aspect of my life.

I love God with all my heart, but He loves me so much more.

i’ll never be the same

When I hear songs that ‘speak to me’, I often look up the lyrics and note the lines that have special meaning to me.  The songs with the ‘I’ll never be the same’ message are similar.  It’s a simple message.  It is what it is, and it will never change:

God sacrificed His only Son to save us.  Look at the empty cross and the empty grave.  What you see is eternal life.  Jesus is alive, period.  He always was, and He always will be.  There’s no denying that.  He’s the truth, He’s the Messiah, He’s the Light, He’s the Word, He’s the Savior, He’s the Way.  

When I accepted Jesus Christ, He forgave me.  It was a glorious day when He entered my heart.  He loves me, He has always loved me, I belong to Him.  When I struggle, when I’m lost, when I fall, when I make a mess... He’s always there with me.  And, the best place to fall is on my knees.

After loving Him, I’ll never be the same, I’m forever changed, He’s all I need, He’s everything to me.

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Isaiah 41:10 NAS

quick quotes

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.

~Brian Tracy

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

~Willian Arthur Ward

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

~Melody Beattie

stars above

In his ‘second’ senior year, my son lived in a townhouse with three other young men.  The road to it was steep and curvy, just as I like.  I loved the mountain setting and the excellent view of Boone down below.

Hub and I were visiting, and I will never, ever forget what I saw that night.  I sat alone on the steps of the rear deck, with the lights of Boone concealed behind me.  I looked upward and stared in awe at the black sky above.  There were literally millions and millions of stars and a bright, white moon.  The sheer beauty was unimaginable to me. 

It struck me that the God who created this splendor also created me.  He knew how many stars were above me, and He knew everything about me. 

Yes, God knows every single detail of my life...the past, the present, and the future.  The good and bad, the joy and sorrow, the delightful and painful, the peaceful and suffering, the calmness and anger, the hopeful and depressing, the happiness and sadness, the right and wrong...  you get the idea.

That night I saw millions and millions of stars.  At home, I do well to see five stars.  It reminds me that God is always with me thru thick and thin.  Millions of stars or five stars, no matter what.

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 ESV

quick quotes

Nanas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever. 

~Author Unknown

A garden of love grows in a Nana's heart. 

~Author Unknown

Nanas are the people who take delight in hearing babies breathing into the telephone.
~Author Unknown

gifts..............

The greatest gift I’ve ever received is perfect.  It’s Jesus!  And, His Word and His salvation and His love and His grace and His protection and His mercy and His power and His forgiveness and His security...  I received these gifts because I gave my life to Him.  Because I repented of my sins.  Do I understand the sacrifice He willing gave?  Do I ever take Him for granted?  Am I thankful for Him?  Do I realize how blessed I am?  Do I depend on Him?  Am I grateful for Him?  Am I faithful to Him?  Do I worship Him? 

Do I deserve these gifts from God?  NO!  That’s where His grace and mercy comes in.

 

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

James 1:7 NAS

for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Romans 11:29 NAS

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Ephesians 2:8 NAS