Thursday, June 22, 2006

Life's Unknowns

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God
~Corrie Ten Boom~
If we are truly honest with ourselves we will admit that life,even our carefully planned lives,are still full of unknowns.Questions about the future gnaw at our minds night and day.Will my job still be there tomorrow?What does the future hold for me?Will I marry?Have children?Will I stay single?What about my health?Life is full of unknowns.And that's why faith in God is so important.The strongest of us can crumble under all the weight of life's unknowns if we do not have a vital and growing faith in God.Yes,that faith can be sorely tested at times.We can experience unknowns in life even when walking with God.Many of God's choicest saints in the Bible faced times of not knowing what the future held.But in the midst of all the unknowns,all the questions,God proved Himself faithful time and time again.Sometimes we have to continue following Him into the great unknown of our future with our questions still burning in our minds unanswered.It is then that He makes Himself known to us and says trust Me with all your unknowns.
Blessings,Sharon

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Good Medicine

The Bible in Proverbs 17:22"A merry heart does good,like medicine,but a broken spirit dries the bones."(NKJV)I can't think of a better medicine than a good chicken joke.:-)This was sent to me by a friend today.Here's to your health.Enjoy!
Blessings,Sharon



Barnyard Literacy

So this chicken walks into the library, and she walks up to the librarian and she says: "Book." The librarian says: "You want a book?" "Book." "Any book?" "Book." So the librarian gives the chicken a novel and off she goes. An hour later the chicken comes back and says, "Book-book" The librarian says: "Now you want two books?" "Book-book." So she gives the chicken two more novels. The chicken leaves but she comes back soon. "Book-book-book." "Three books?" "Book-book-book." So the librarian gives the chicken three books, but she decides she'll follow the chicken and find out what's going on. The chicken goes down the alley, and out of town and towards the woods, into the woods and down to the river, down to the swamp, and there is a bullfrog. The chicken sets the books down by him, and he looks at them and says: "Reddit...Reddit...Reddit."

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Happy Father's Day

I just want to wish all you Fathers out there a Happy Father's Day!Enjoy the love lavished on you this day by your wives and children.And don't forget the LOVE of your heavenly Father either.Spend some time thanking Him for being your Father,always there for you,always loving you.
For those of you who feel more pain than joy today my heart goes out to you.Maybe your Father has passed away and you miss him.Maybe,like me,you never knew your earthly father.Or worse yet,you knew him and he abused or rejected you in some way.I have good news for you from God's word,the Bible.Psalm 27:10 says"Though my Father and Mother forsake me,the Lord will receive me."(NIV)Though today may be a sad day for you never forget that God is ready and willing to listen.And He is a Father that will never fail you.
Blessings,Sharon

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Be Still

"Be still and know that I am God..."Psalm 46:10

Recently Steve and I rented a marvelous DVD from our local video store.It was called"Be Still."It was a DVD about contemplative or listening prayer.I eagerly devoured it as we watched it.It had people such as Max Lucado talking about their experiences with contmplative prayer.They also discussed historical contemplatives such as Teresa of Avila and Julian of Norwich;names that were familiar to me due to my own study of this type of prayer.We often grow up with the idea that prayer is simply about asking God for things.Bless this.Provide for that.Heal this person.Let me win the lottery.Please give me a new car God.Those types of things.But prayer can be so much more than our lengthy list of requests.It is so much more.Though God has a listening ear when one of His children has a need He also has much He wants to say to us.Through His Word.And from His heart.We just need to learn how to listen.To put our list aside and trust Him to meet all our needs.The following is what I was inspired to write as I watched this DVD...
BE
Cease all your striving.
Cease all your activity.
Cease all your doing.
And simply be,my child.
STILL
Still your heart.
Still your mind.
Still your spirit.
For it is in stillness that you can truly hear Me.
AND KNOW
Know that I love you.
Know ME and MY will for your life.
Know that I am all you'll ever truly need.
THAT I AM GOD
I am God in the good times.
I am God in the bad times.
I am God when you awaken each day
and I am God when you close your eyes each night.
I am God and I am with you.
Any good relationship involves both talking as well as listening.It is my desire that I will really continue learn to listen to Him as well as talk to Him.To be still and know that He is God.
Blessings,Sharon