Please believe with me. Father, I come to You in praise for Your mercy, patience, guidance & understanding. I thank you for loving me just the way I am. Praise You Lord, that nothing is impossible to You & that You continue to strengthen my faith in the face of negativity & adversity. I believe, Lord! I believe that this is the year of new beginnings; a season of Your favor. I believe that 2007 will be the year of deliverance/salvation for our Tim L. & restoration (& marriage) for us & all faithful standers. I believe that You will provide a job for me that will be prosperous & a glory to You & that my children will turn from their ungodly lifestyles to You & follow You this year & always. Thank You, Lord, that You will breathe life into every dead area of my life & the lives of those I love & care for; that we will live in a season of Your favor & blessings. I continue to pray for professed believers who judge as to who is worthy of Your presence in their lives & elicit condemnation on those who they’ve decided fall short. Thank You, Father, for pulling those believers closer to You & opening their hearts & eyes that we are all Your children; even in imperfection. Strengthen & encourage me Lord, to wait upon You & Your timing; for I know that I have what I’ve asked for according to Your word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right. Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true. Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it. When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment. Have a productive day people.. GBWUA= God Be With You All
Ruth 1:16-18 "But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her."
Friend to Friend
Friendship is the catalyst for every other love and the foundation of every healthy relationship. In his book, "The Broken Heart", Dr. James J. Lynch shows that lonely people live significantly shorter lives than the general population. In other words, God created us to need each other. We need friends.
I have been a woman in ministry – forever! My best friends have always been with women in the church where I ministered. Have I been burned? Yes. Have I been betrayed and disappointed? Yes. Has it been worth it? Absolutely! I believe many friendship problems arise because we don't fully understand and accept three basic facts about friendship:
Fact 1: Friendships have many different levels. There are friends we see occasionally and then there are soul-mates with whom we share everything! There is a place for both in our lives.
Fact 2: Friendships may change with the seasons of life. We are naturally drawn to women who face the same problems and share the same dreams.
Fact 3: We all need friends. Friendship is part of God's plan for our lives.
Jesus placed great value on relationships. The Bible tells us that He spent much of His time deepening relationships with a few - not the crowds! His teachings are filled with practical suggestions on how to be a friend and how to have healthy relationships. One of most beautiful portraits of friendship is found in the book of Ruth. It is the story of Naomi, a godly woman, a wife and the mother of two married sons.
Naomi's husband and sons died, leaving three women alone, Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. Because they had neither food nor money and no certainty of what the future might hold, Naomi chose to return to Bethlehem, her homeland. On the way, Naomi suddenly stopped to tell Ruth and Orpah that they should return to their homes in Moab because there, they would have the chance to marry again. Both Ruth and Orpah protested but Naomi was insistent. Finally, Orpah gave in and returned home, but Ruth would not leave Naomi, her mother-in-law and friend. Noami was amazed at the loyalty Ruth offered and together, they made the trip to Bethlehem. Interestingly, it was there that Ruth met and married Boaz. They had a son named Obed, who later became the grandfather of King David. Ruth, a gentile from Moab, became part of the family line of Jesus. Why? Because Ruth was loyal! Because Ruth was a friend! Wouldn't you like to have a friend like that? Wouldn't you like to be a friend like that? The lives of Ruth and Naomi offer nine keys to healthy and vital friendships. Over the next few weeks, we will explore each one.
First Key: Time
Ruth says, "Where you go I will go. Where you stay I will stay". Ruth was willing to commit her life and time in friendship. Friendship doesn't just happen. True friendship takes consistent investments of time! Time spent together in friendship creates a memory bank from which we can make withdrawals when tough times come and we need encouragement. Time is a priceless gift and one of the most powerful communicators of love. When we are willing to give 30 minutes of time, we are actually giving 30 minutes of life! Ruth was willing to sacrifice her entire life agenda for the sake of her friendship with Naomi.
We live in a "quick-fix" world that often fails to understand or address the relationship truth that it takes time to build a friendship. It is so easy to fill every time slot of every day with activity, leaving little or no room for friends. The waters of life are often difficult to navigate. True friends are willing to get in the boat and ride out the storm with us.
We tend to reside in time instead of investing it. The depth of the friendship depends upon the investment of time we can make or the investment of time we are willing to make. I have a friend, Michelle Johnson, who is the perfect example of a friend who was willing to invest time in our relationship. Michelle and I first met at a church where she and her husband, Jay, were small group teachers while Dan was the youth pastor. We were not especially close because our paths rarely crossed, but when Dan was called to be the pastor of a nearby church, Michelle and her family joined us in ministry. Our children were in school together and we were both involved in women's ministry. As our paths crossed more frequently, we became friends. Then, during a two-year battle with clinical depression, we moved into the neighborhood where Michelle and Jay lived. Michelle made a choice. She chose to invest large chunks of time, walking with me through those dark years. As a result, her friendship is beyond measure in my life. Friendships take time!
I know many of you are lonely, struggling to find encouragement, someone who understands and is willing to invest time in your life. You are not alone. We are many. My heart is so burdened for the woman who feels as if no one cares. It is time for us to reach out to each other. Take the time to cultivate friendships. Be willing to invest time in others, knowing that God will redeem it in your life as friendship.
Let's Pray
Father, I recognize the truth that I need to be a good friend before I can find a good friend. Help me learn how to invest time in relationships with other women. Give me the courage to risk rejection as I seek friends. Remind me that time is invested – not spent – and that one of the greatest investments I can make is in other people – friends. Amen.
Now it's your turn
~What is your greatest fear in cultivating friendships? Why?
~What changes in your daily schedule do you need to make in order to have time for friends?
~What are the qualities you long to find in friendship?
~Read the story of Naomi and Ruth in the first chapter of Ruth. Jot down insights and new perspectives about friendship.
More from the girls
It's not like it used to be, when my mom was growing up. Friendship was a priceless commodity in her day. Time was taken to sit and visit. Schedules were gladly altered to fit in time for a friend. Not so in today's world. I wonder how our lives would be impacted if we made friendship a priority? I suspect that we would look more like our Father, the greatest Friend of all.
December 26, 2007
Christian MySpace Graphics The Lord Will Lead You Now that you're celebrating Your graduation day, Your whole life is ahead of you, And the Lord will lead the way. Just trust in Him to guide you In His divine and perfect will. If you'll pray and read His Holy Word, His plan you will fulfill. Whatever happens in your life, On the Lord you can depend. There's nothing you can't handle With Jesus as your best friend. Congratulations, and may the Lord bless you always! By Joanna Fuchs
December 15, 2007
Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com
December 11, 2007
The Real Meaning of Christmas
Christmas season is upon us. Lineups are long and parking lots are full. The race is on to find that perfect Christmas gift. It is the time of year when the attitude is you buy me a gift and I’ll buy you a gift, and heaven forbid if you spend less than me. It has become a real insult to people if big bucks are not spent.
With all this running around in search of the perfect gift the real meaning of Christmas has been lost.
Christmas is a time to celebrate God’s love.
When the time was right God sent forth His only son to be born of a virgin.
Christmas is a time for us to reflect on God’s love for us. Jesus was born in a stable not some four star hotel. Our King humbled Himself in order to redeem us back to our Father in heaven.
Christmas is not about finding that perfect gift. We already have the perfect gift. Jesus Christ, He saved us all. Salvation is a free gift to anyone who chooses to receive it and so the question remains have you received or are you willing
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