The Rescue

22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." 29"Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" 32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Matthew 14:22-32 (NIV)

When we read the above scripture we often focus on the fact that Jesus walked on water and calmed the sea but forget that He sent them into the storm to start with. He knew what they were about to face and He knew He would rescue them. Sometimes we are so focused on the storm around us that we forget Jesus is with us. He is saying, “Come” as He reaches out His hand to us. He’s there to rescue us and to calm the storm.

For Moms

I came across the following poem and thought how true is this! I know there have been times in my life that I have put housework ahead of my children and I now look back and ask myself why. If you are reading this and you are a mom-Happy Mother's Day! And may God guide you in all your ways.

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, but have not love,
I am a housekeeper--not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements, but have not love,
my children learn cleanliness--not godliness.
Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh. Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints
on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk. Love picks up the
child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through the trials. Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.
Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside
to let the youth walk into adulthood.
Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.
Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection. Now I glory in
God's perfection of my child. As a mother, there is much I must teach my child,
but the greatest of all is love.—Author Unknown

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30 (NIV)

SOARING

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Isaiah 40:28-31. Every time I read it I can hear Isaiah’s passionate cry to God’s people. I start to feel the meaning of the words and I find myself filled with strength and love for God and I am lifted as if on eagles wings and before you know it I have forgotten everything that was bothering me.

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Have a wonderful week in the Lord!

Who am I?

While Praying One Day A Woman Asked, Who Are You, Lord?”
He Answered, “I Am” “But Who Is I Am?” She Said.
And He Replied…
"I Am Love, I Am Peace, I Am Grace, I Am Joy,
I Am The Way, Truth And The Light… I Am The Comforter,
I Am Strength, I Am Safety, I Am Shelter, I Am Power,
I Am The Creator, I Am The Beginning And The End,
I Am The Most High.”
The Girl With Tears In Her Eyes Looked Toward Heaven And Said,
"Now I Understand, But Lord, Who Am I?”
Then God Tenderly Wiped The Tears From Her Eyes
And Whispered, “You Are Mine.”




Isaiah 45:5
I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God…

Isaiah 49:16
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

Have a wonderful week in the Lord!

God's Love

God's love knows no boundries, He is gracious and full of mercy and His love for us endures forever. May you be blessed with the following scriptures.

Psalm 17:7-8 (NIV)
7 Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
Have a wonderful week in the Lord!

Psalm 136:1 (NIV)
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.

Psalm 145:8,9 & 11 (NRSV)
8The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power,

Verbal Poison

I read the following and afterward I couldn't help but think just how relevant it was. Especially in today's world. What are we teaching our children and grandchildren when all we do is complain, grumble and criticize?

Written by Joanie Yoder and taken from The Daily Bread Devotional booklet.

What a frustrating problem pollution is! Everybody suffers with it, yet everybody contributes to it. Pollution takes many forms, but one type is often overlooked. Charles Swindoll calls it “verbal pollution,” passed around by grumblers, complainers, and criticizers. “The poison of pessimism,” Swindoll writes, “creates an atmosphere of wholesale negativism where nothing but the bad side of everything is emphasized.” A group of Christian friends became concerned about this form of pollution and their personal part in it. So they made a pact to avoid critical words for a whole week. They were surprised to find how little they spoke! As they continued the experiment, they actually had to relearn conversation skills.

In Ephesians 4, Paul called believers to that sort of decisive action. He said we are to “put off” the old self and its conduct that grieves the Holy Spirit (vv.22,30) and “put on” the new self that builds up others (v.24). As we rely on the help of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16), we can make those changes in our conduct, our thinking, and our speaking.
If we want to be rid of verbal pollution, we must choose to change and ask for God’s help. It’s a great way to start cleaning up our spiritual environment. —

Help stamp out pollution—clean up your speech!

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Eph. 4:29 (NIV)

Have a wonderful week in the Lord!

Easter and U

It's Easter and I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted. The following was sent as an email to me and I have no idea where it came from. I hope you enjoy it.

THE U IN JESUS
Before U were thought of or time had begun,
God stuck U in the name of His Son.
And each time U pray, you'll see it's true,
You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.
You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,
For U, He was born; that's why He came.
And His great love for U is the reason He died.
It even takes U to spell crUcified.
Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand
He rose from the dead, with U in His plan?
The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,
and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.
When JesUs left earth at His Upward ascension,
He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.
"Go into the world and tell them it's true
That I love them all - Just like I love U."
So many great people are spelled with a U,
Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?
It all depends now on what U will do,
He'd like them to know, But it all starts with U.

Happy Easter and have a wonderful week in the Lord!