Mary's Song

And Mary said,
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has been mindful
of the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is His Name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as He promised our ancestors.”
Luke 1:46-55

YOUR NAME

The Name of Jesus is a strong and mighty tower. Some trust in chariots and some in horses,but we trust in the Name of the LORD our God.(psalm 20:7)

Nothing to Bring to the Table

Often I live as though I need to bring something to the table in order to be used by God. Maybe a gift or experience that can be used to answer questions and comfort hurting hearts. That is when I forget that my greatest asset is Jesus Christ. I don't have to have been a prostitute to help a prostitute, I don't have to be an orphan to love an orphan. God gives us gifts to help people, but these gifts can only be used if they are fueled by Christ. Lately I've been figuring out that Christ doesn't need me at all.
And He doesn't need my failed attempts at helping someone on my terms, apart from Him.

In Acts 3 there is a story about a lame beggar who sat at the city gates begging for alms. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Peter didn't make that lame man walk, it was Jesus Christ.
Some of you may remember a previous post titled Crying in My Pillow
In that post I talked about a lesson I had learned the hard way. I had trusted in my strength to sustain me and my ability to love others to be sufficient. In the end I found myself burnt out and not really loving anyone.

Apart from Christ, we have NOTHING, nada, zippo, nothing. We have no resources to bring to the table, only Christ. The other day I was talking to a friend. She was hurting dramatically. She wanted answers. I found myself speechless. There was nothing I could think of that would be a comfort or help to her. That was when I remembered Christ. All I have is Jesus and that is all I need. He is the greatest hope and comfort. All I could do was show her the love Christ had for her.
Now don't get me wrong. We are Christ's hands and feet. One of the ways they will know the love of Christ is through us. But when we begin operating apart from Him, trusting in our ability and knowledge then we cease to show His love.
It is only when we surrender to Christ do we begin to truly love others.
And that is when beautiful things happen and when hearts are changed.~

The Right Decision

The right decision is not always the easiest. Actually it is sometimes the hardest and the most painful.
Recently one of my siblings made the right the decision when she chose to have her beloved dog put down when he continually had an issue with biting and had a strong dislike for children and strangers. She acted in love when she decided that her dog was endangering her young nieces and nephews and the other people who came in contact with him. And even though it was very hard, she chose to do the right thing.

I can think of another Man Who knew that the only way the people He loved could be free from sin and death was to lay down His life and die. This was for people that hated, betrayed, abandoned, scorned Him, and ultimately nailed Him to the cross. Yeah, Jesus acted in love. And it was hard.

Love is something most of us have no idea about. It is not an emotion but a choice; a choice to do the right thing if it hurts us; a choice to love unconditionally even if the love is not returned, a choice to stand by someone no matter what.

Another word for it is sacrifice.

True,steadfast, unconditional love will hurt. But I guess that’s what makes it true,steadfast…and unconditional.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:10-11

Nothing Without You

Take these hands and lift them up
For I have not the strength to praise You near enough
See I have nothing, I have nothing without You

Take my voice and pour it out
Let it sing the songs of mercy I have found
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

All my soul needs
Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see
That I have nothing without You

Take my body and build it up
May it be broken as an offering of love
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

All my soul needs
Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see
That I have nothing
But I love You

With all my heart
With all my soul
With all my mind
With all the strength that I can find

Take my time here on this earth
And let it glorify all that You are worth
For I am nothing,
I am nothing without You

~Bebo Norman,
Nothing Without You

Happy Birthday Glenell!

Friday, April 30 was my oldest sister, Glenell's 27th birthday. But she is not here to celebrate it with us. 27 years ago Friday she passed away. That’s right, she died on her birthday. She was born 5 months premature at 18 weeks. And since her lungs were not fully developed, she fought and lived 1 hour.
Glenell had all her organs, she had all her fingers and toes, and she had a finger print and a tiny nose. She had tiny hair that grew all over her, and she could wave her arms and suck her thumb. She was a person.

Approximately 6,000 children are aborted each day. Many like Glenell at 18 weeks; many are younger, many older. Abortionist will tell you that life begins at birth. Before that, the child is a fetus and is just a blob.

27 years ago my parents lost their little girl, they buried her in a tiny grave.
Why? Because her life had meaning.

From 1973 through 2005 in the U.S., more than 45 million legal abortions have happened
In 2005 (the most recent year for which there is reliable data), approximately 1.21 million abortions took place in the U.S.

Their lives all had meaning too.

Happy Birthday Glenell. I know you are loving heaven, see ya soon.

A child in the womb at 19 weeks.

Facts on abortion sited from abort73.com

He is Near

My family has been going though some hard times lately. It has been times that have tested us and are making us.
As human beings living in a fallen world, we all go through hard times, times of hurt, loneliness, grief and struggle.
There are lots of emotions you feel in these times. I can hardly describe the wide range of things I have felt. I have felt deep, deep sorrow and it has struck in areas I didn't know I had and has gone so intensely deep that at times nothing has been able to comfort it, nothing except Jesus. He has been so very near. He has been surrounding me. I can truly say He has carried me in His big arms. He has given me rest for my soul.
If you are hurting, know that Jesus is faithful. If you call on Him, He will answer you. He is near to the broken hearted. He loves you and me so very much, I have learned. He will not abandon you, He has never abandoned me.

“The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

Honeymoon Night.

Note: I wrote this story a few years ago but recently stumbled upon it again. The meaning still runs true.------












The moment had finally come. Jestina paused one last time before the mirror. She dabbed at her nose with the last drop of foundation and gently twirled her rogue brush across her cheeks bones. Her freshly curled hair hung long and loose in crisp fine curls about her shoulders. She glanced down; it had been a hard choice between the two equally beautiful new nighties. The Satiny Pearl with its adorable pleats, had fit to perfection around her every curve; and the Ginger Rose which was of such a rich color, had such a lovely way in the gentle, lazy straps that fell loosely over her shoulders; so finally now after much consideration, she had settled on the Ginger Rose.

She now stood ready. Her heart beat wildly as she slowly cracked open the door and stepped softly in the bedroom.
Her eyes flickered up to meet the eyes of her new husband. Sean flashed her understanding smile.

He was so right for her, the perfect match. He was a man of integrity, honor and gentleness. They had bond close in a beautiful way. Never before had Jestina ever felt so accepted and loved by a man. Sean was her dream come true, her gift from God.
She smiled nervously back, her stomach fluttered with butterflies.
Sean sat, propped up against the headboard on their bed; the bed where they would soon unite in a totally new and graceful way.
Jestina's mind flashed back to the past. This bed; the place where she had yet to be physically, but was the place she knew she had mentally visited many times, each time with a different man. Her body had been touched and caressed by many other hands. Twas harmless flirting they said. She had been kissed many times. It was what "everybody" was doing, the dating thing. Her eyes came to rest upon her husband, yes her husband, the one man in the entire world that had deserved it all. But she had thought she enjoyed it; the playful touches, kisses and all the emotions swirled at the time. She couldn't count the number of times since Jr. High that she had lay awake fantasizing about every guy she had set her eyes on. Oh, she had loved it, it had been so satisfying she thought.
But now, all the bits and pieces from her short time pleasures came back to testify against all she had given away.

A single tear rolled down her cheek.
Sean's eyes took in every detail. "Jess" he implored, “What is it?"

Jestina raised her eyes to meet his, "I'm sorry" she whispered, "I only saved you this much."

Crying in My Pillow

I awoke from my sleep, I lay, not ready to face the day. I was overwhelmed by life itself. A constant knot of tension had resided in the pit of my stomach for days.
I couldn't take it anymore. I cried out to God. "Lord, I don't have the the strength to bear this burden anymore. I have no more love to give!" I sobbed. And in the quiet after the storm as my tears melted away I heard within me that still small voice gently question me, "So have you come to the end of yourself yet? Have you run out of your limited store of strength and your ability to love others? Are you ready to accept My boundless strength and endless love? You don't have the capacity, Anne, to love and to give endlessly apart from Me."

I rolled over and cried again, but this time it was because I knew God was right. I had once again trusted in my ability to love others, and had counted on my strength to sustain me. Yet another lesson learned the hard way.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.

Luke 10:27

Another Year From Now

Another year from now
Where will life find us?
Will it make us or will it break us?
What will be our passions?
What will be our fights?

Another year from now
Some will be given in marriage.
Will it be you or I,
How many times will our hearts be broken?
And many times will we have cried.

Another year from now
Some will forever fall asleep,
their life on earth determining the heavenly divide.
How many children will be born?
How many children will die?

Another year from now
How many more times will
The government lie?
When will their pride
become their fall?

Another year from now
How many times will
We say goodbye?
Who will we still call friend?

Another year from now
How many times will man
Spit in the face of God?
How many lost and wondering
Hearts will be saved?

Another year from now
A great mystery remains.
God alone knows the coming of the days
The story is still being written,
The future is in His hands.

~Anne

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

A Mighty Fortress

A dear friend introduced me to this song. It is powerful.
The lyrics are at the bottom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4H-iWayY5M

Our God is, a consuming fire,
A burning holy Flame, with glory and freedom
Our God is, the only righteous judge,
Ruling over us with kindness and wisdom

We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You

A mighty fortress is our God
A sacred refuge is Your Name
Your Kingdom is unshakable
With You forever we will reign

Our God is, jealous for His own
None could comprehend, His love and His mercy
Our God is exalted on His throne
High above the heavens
Forever He’s worthy...

We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You

We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You
So we can set our hearts on You
Lord we will set our hearts on You!

Written by Nathan and Christy Nockels
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