God carries His children

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“In His love and mercy, He redeemed them; 

He lifted them up and carried them

all the days of old.” 

Isaiah 63:9b

God is faithful to keep His promises.  His love is unfailing.  In our weakness, He is our strength. 

When you don’t have the energy to put one foot in front of the other,

or when you don’t know the next step you should take,

believe that God will carry you through any “desert” or “valley” in life.

Rest in His loving arms.  Feel the peace of His presence in your life and know that He is holding you

…and carrying you through the toughest times.

Godly Guidance: A Revelation for the New Year

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In your unfailing love you will lead
   the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them… 
   Exodus 15:13

A Revelation for the New Year

I begin this new year with tremendous uncertainty in my life.  A medical crisis has impacted our home which leads to many concerns about my family’s future.  Each year, instead of New Years’ Resolutions, I prayerfully choose a Bible passage which I call my “Life Verse” for the year.  I call this verse my “New Year’s Revelation.”  It serves as a “theme” for my entire year, and God uses it to teach me new and wonderful lessons.    For 2011, I have chosen the above verse.  It reminds me that God’s love never fails.  Through His unfailing love, He will lead me and guide me.  He will give me strength when I have none left.  He will give me wisdom for the many decisions that I must face.  I am redeemed as His child, and His love will sustain me.  I’m trusting in His promises and believing that He will provide for all of our needs.  He knows every detail of my life, and He has a wonderful plan, even in the midst of this trial.  He will use everything for good, and He will never leave my side.  His is my Rock, my Fortress, my Shield and my Shelter.  His love never fails!

Rest for the Weary

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

 

Are you carrying a burden that seems to heavy to bear?  Do you need “rest” in your life?  The above verse offers hope to weary travelers in life.  Your burden may be financial, health, relational or work related, but in any case, you can find rest in the arms of Jesus Christ.  At this moment you may feel worn out in strength, energy or zest for life because of a battle you are facing alone.  You may be exhausted and all your pleasure may be drained.  You can find peace in the midst of your troubles by praying to Christ and laying your encumbrances at His feet.  He may not remove the trials from your life, but He will give you strength to face each moment, and He can provide a refuge from the storm which is raging all around you. 

His peace is the only true rest we will ever know.  With Him, you are never alone in this life.  Seek Him today…

God’s Gift to Us

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Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors though Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither life nor death, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35, 37

~During a time when we celebrate Christ’s birth, let’s also celebrate the very thing his birth and life and death made possible. If you are a child of God, it is impossible to be separated from His unfathomable love for us and Christ’s constant presence in our lives. No matter what…!

This is God’s gift to us!!

Gifted

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Let Your Light Shine

"Let Your Light Shine" by cbcooksey

When someone has been given much,

Much will be required

in return;

And when someone has been entrusted with much,

Even more will be required.

Great gifts mean

Great responsibilities;

Greater Gifts,

Greater Responsibilities!

Luke 12:48

 

The Bible tells us that we are each uniquely equipped with gifts and talents.  These abilities are placed within us in order to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives.  Can you think of the capabilities that you possess and see them through the lens of God’s vision?  If we listen to God’s prompting, He will direct us in exactly the way He desires us to use our gifts.  The more we are blessed by Him, the more He requires of us.  The beauty of this is that the more we are obedient, the more His blessings will flow to us.  How have you used your gifts and talents for God’s glory lately?

New Horizons

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by cbcooksey

Presidio Park Overlook, San Francisco

 

 

 

You’ll never discover new horizons if you are afraid to leave the shore.

Pull up your anchor and set sail into your future.

Optimism

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Lately it seems all you have to do is turn on the TV or read the headlines in the newspapers to feel a tinge of pessimism. However, I”ve always believed that optimism is one of the most valuable qualities you can possess. I’m drawn to those folks who see the glass half full. I’ll admit it’s challenging to always find a rainbow in difficult circumstances, but you can’t have a rainbow unless you have some rain. I love how Winston Churchill put things in perspective for us when he said that a Pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity and the Optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty. If what he said is true, then we are embedded in one of the most opportunistic times of our lifetime, and that’s something to be excited about!

So cancel those negative thoughts. Imagine the possibilities. Look for the silver lining in every “cloud.”  Follow your dreams. Don’t focus on the obstacles. Think instead about the potential you possess. Think of all we have to be thankful for! Live optimistically!

Inspiration for Fathers

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Happy Father’s Day to all the “Dads” in my life!  Thanks for your unselfish devotion, enduring strength and excellent example…

“God sends children for another purpose than merely to keep up the race – to enlarge our hearts; and to make us unselfish and full of kindly sympathies and affection; to give our shoulds higher aims; to call out all our faculties to extended enterprise and exertion and to bring round our firesides bright faces, happy smiles, and loving, tender hearts. My soul blesses the great Father, every day, that he has gladdened the earth with little children.”  (~Mary Howitt)
 
  •  “And you, my son, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you…

                                                                  1 Chronicles 28:9

 

Rainbows in Your Soul

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The soul would have no

Rainbow

If the eye had no

Tear.

 

~anonymous

 

Take the time to see God’s touch in your tears and look for the rainbow that He has provided.


 

God’s Provision for His Children

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Nehemiah 9:15 (New International Version)

15 In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.

God will provide for the needs of His children. Nothing is impossible for Him…His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His solutions to our problems are divinely inspired. When His children were hungry in the desert, He rained down manna from heaven. He also provided quail for them to eat by stirring a wind which drove massive numbers of the birds from the coast into the desert, where they fell right in the camp of the Israelites. They were thirsty…He brought water out of a rock!! None of those solutions would have been possible in the mind of a human, but God, our Creator, has His own way of solving problems. He will provide for us in unimaginable ways that will meet our specific, individual needs, but we must trust Him as our Father and provider.

Lay your requests at His feet.

Many times we pray for God to intervene in a situation, but before we allow Him to answer our prayers, we try to force our own solution with our limited human ideas. If we simply lay our requests at His feet and allow Him time to answer our prayers, we might be amazed at the “water springing forth from a rock,” or the “bread raining down from heaven” in our behalf, or a “directional wind” blowing favor our way.

Pour out your heart and soul to your Heavenly Father, and prepare to be amazed at the events He will orchestrate to meet your needs in unique ways. God is the Master of thinking “outside the box.” Trust Him to provide for you in your time of need. Anything is possible with Him!