FIRST Day 378

Isaiah 50:7  For the LORD God will help me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.

As I have previously mentioned, I have always known about God, but it wasn`t until one of the most difficult times and struggles in my life that I truly surrendered "my will" to Him.  Father God, I just can`t do this anymore, please remove the burdened from my shoulders.  From that moment, my life has continually changed for the better.

Zephaniah 3:17  The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

Indeed, my soul has been quieted by his love and feelings of his rejoicing.  Once I opened his love letter in my heart, a passion of desire for the LORD took root!  Jeremiah 31:33.......after that time, "declares the LORD,"  I will put my law in their minds and write it on their minds and write it on their hearts.  I will be their God and they will be my people.

Yes, there were responsibilities on my part, I made a quality decision to serve Him and be obedient to Him.  I began to walk as His representative with everyone that I met.  Giving your all to God means living as a disciple and picking up your cross daily to follow Him.  As my dear friend Tom Davis says, "you may be the only Bible that someone reads."  Gigantic responsibility, perhaps my addictive personality has finally started to become an asset!

I began the process of putting GOD FIRST!  Ephesians 4:14-16  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  

FIRST---foremost, leading, chief, principal, main, prime, ranking highest, preeminent, supreme and paramount-----is GOD first in your life?  Is He in your top ten?

F-faith--Job 19:25-227  I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.  I myself will see him with my own eyes---I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me.

I-identity--Deuteronomy 26:18-19  And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.  He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD you God, as he promised.

R-restoration--Micah 7:18-19   Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?  You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.  You will again have compassion on us; you will tread ours sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. 

S-strength--Habakkuk 3:19  The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

T-trust--1 Peter 5:5-7  Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.  All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble:"  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God`s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

First, I know how much God loves me, I know that I am a precious child of God, He continues to restore, refresh and renew my soul, all things are possible because He gives me strength and I will trust that He will direct my steps for his Glory!

PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIFE, ALL ELSE WILL FALL INTO PLACE-----RIGHT SUE?   THE BEST ADVISE YOU CAN GIVE .........AMEN

Peel Me Father God Day 377

Ezekiel 36:25-26  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.  I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Ten year ago after I read Rick Warren`s "The Purpose Driven Life," I began to ponder the question, why am I here and what purpose does God have for the rest of my life.  I began to pray that God would direct my steps, that he would put people in my path that I needed to meet.  I prayed that He would allow me to become more like His son, Jesus.  At the time, I thought that might be a little too bold, but I have since learned that is the true destinations for all; to become holy and righteous(right with God).

Granted, God started slow and easy, but recently I feel like Emerald, bam---- he`s kicked it up a notch.  It is as if there is a gigantic onion of sin, embedded in the depths of my soul.  After God brings a new root of sin to my attention, he prepares me for an onion-o-lectomy, ready or not!  Rip, there goes a removal of yet another layer of sin!  1 Peter 5:6-7  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God`s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

So, how did that onion set of sin get there in the first place, it actually began with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Genesis 2:15-17  The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."  Genesis 2:22-25  Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man."  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.  The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Next the deceitful serpent(Satan) has a little chat with Eve----Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD had made,  He, said to the woman, "Did God really, say "You must not eat from any tree in the garden?"  The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, "You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die."  "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.  For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.  When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made covering for themselves.

  From that moment, by an act of disobedience, it allowed Satan and sin to enter the world. Whether knowly or unknowlingly, I too have been deceived by that dreadful snake. 1 Peter 5:8-9  Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.

Some of the most powerful principalities and powers of the devil show up in the behavior of Adam and Eve after they sinned.  We see lying, shame, condemnation, doubt, false accusation, and unbelief.  For the first time, lust of flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life evident.  These are the same root problem that Christian still fight today.(Biblical Foundations of Freedom, Art Mathias)

Hope that explains the onion analogy; back to the massive onion in my gut, and the sin in me. The tiny onion set was fertilized and grew to full and beyond maturity with every sin that I committed..  Think about an onion, that pungent circular veggie(I guess it`s a vegetable, not sure) if we admire it from afar, and don`t remove the outer skin, it`s vilatile gases remain intact.  However, I invited God to restore me to holiness and rightousness and that onion began to sink to high heavens; talk about onion-breath!  One painful transparent layer at a time, the onion has got to go!

Onion-o-lectomy, that my defination of God`s procedure for inner healing.  Wish I could see inside to see just how much of that smelly sinful onion remains!   Guess I `ll just need to be patient and trust God with the scalpel.  1 Peter 5:10-11  And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you make you strong, firm and steadfast.  To him be the power for ever and ever, Amen.

For years, 23 years I owned and operated a Market Sub and Steak, people always told me that I smelled like onions! Oh no, was it the sin in me omitting that onion gas; or did it have something to do with the 50 pounds of onions a week, that we handed chopped, to put on subs and cheese steaks!

Isaiah 3:24  Instead of fragrance there will be a stench..............got onion breath you need to get rid of?

 1 Peter 5:14  Greet one another with a kiss of love.  Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

I Have A Choice Day 376

Romans 8:38-39  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, 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.

This scripture brought needed comfort, as many friends and family gathered on an exceptionally warm January morning to honor the life of Glen Collins.  Glen`s cremated remains sat in an 8" by 10" vessel  front and center for all to witness.  Glen was the last of his immediate family to be buried in the family plot in Bethel Cemetery, Chesapeake City, Maryland.  In Glen`s 56 years on this earth, he buried his mother, his father and only brother, all who`s untimely deaths were claimed by  the dreaded C word, cancer.

No, cancer didn`t bring Glen to an early grave; hopelessness and pain in his heart and soul were the victors.  Just days before Christmas, in the privacy of his bedroom, Glen shot himself.   My sister, Joyce reminded me, that the holidays were always tough for him; the burden was more than he was prepared to withstand.  Glen became a member of the one in a million family; the number of people worldwide that take their lives yearly.   He also joined the 32,000 per year in the United States that commit suicide; 80 people a day.  Not to mention the 1500 unsuccessful daily attempts.  

Glen was a great guy that would always lend a hand where he was needed and friend to many; he was also a lost soul in a cruel world of  bondage, stronghold of lies and addictions.   Many concluded that he just never got over the childhood death of his best friend, his mom.   He just kind of wondered from place to place, person to person, never truly finding happiness or feeling worthy of living.   Perhaps there where coping skills that he never learned because of his mom`s early death, who knows??

By holding onto unmet expectations of  life rooted in pain, trauma, anger, bitterness. rejection and resentment had Glen unknowingly partnered with lies of deceit from the great deceiver, Satan.  Had he grieved the loss and separation caused by death of loved one, or had he denied his spiritual growth and healing. Stuffing the pain deep inside of his tormented torso, creating a ticking time bomb.    Was Glen held in bondage by strongholds and lies that clouded his thinking?  Apparently, he had come to believe that no one cared if he lived or died!  That just wasn`t true! Everybody loved Glen, everybody but Glen!

Glen really never traveled from home, as a child he and his family lived on the north side of a small town separated by the C and D canal.  Today, as a gigantic eagle posted guard atop a naked January tree, Glen Collin`s was laid to rest in Bethel Cemetery on the south side with his beloved family.

Psalm 103:2-5  Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits----who forgives all you sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle`s.

Father God, I pray for Glen`s remaining family and friends, as they struggle to understand why he just didn`t reach out to one of them!  Father God, is that how you feel about us, why don`t they let me help them!  Father, I pray that you will use Glen`s death to bring truth and validity to your saving grace, love and mercy to all; the north side, the south side of Chesapeake City and around the world.  Father God, I pray for all the families of suicide victims.  I pray that if you or someone you love is tormented by suicidal thoughts, please get help.....God unconditionally loves each and everyone of His precious children.  His love will gently restore you to perfection, JUST ASK FOR HIS HELP!

Father God, I pray that you will continue to direct my steps, open my eyes and ears to those who are hurting and in need of your healing mercy and grace.  Father, send me, I will go!  I know the pain of loss, the stronghold of lies and bondage of addiction.  I pray that your are preparing me for your ministry of healing----physically, heart and soul.   Yearly, one million people in this world commit suicide, my heart aches, they need you, Father God!

Romans 8:31-32  What, then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us , who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all----how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things.

I pray that Glen has found peace in an eternal home. Amen

Pruning Journal Day 375

Colossians 2:6-7  So then just as you received Christ Jesus as LORD, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and over-flowing with thankfulness.

What a true blessing it has been to write this blog, oh yea, I could have brushed off the thought of making a commitment to write, but would I have been disobedient in that decision?  I believe so!  As I sit here on the eve of a new year and reflect on the significance of this blog and it`s effect on my life, I am amazed and thankful.  God has pierced my heart, soul and emotions encouraging and directing me to walk in and through chambers of sin and darkness deep within.  As if that wasn`t terrifying and invasive enough, He has me sharing with the world as the author of His blog!   Really, Father God?

Isaiah 55:8-9  "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways  and my thought than your thoughts."

Guess, my little pea-brain just can`t fathom the wonders and plans of His great love!  I recall the day that Pam and I were working on a presentation for an Emmaus talk, when she showed me the stats for this blog, I didn`t even know they existed.   I originally believed that this blog would be an account of praying encounters, as I traveled day by day in this incredible journey of life.   Wrong, the blog soon took on a new life and directions; imagine that my plans weren`t God`s plans!

Jeremiah 29 11-14  For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you," declares the LORD, " and will bring you back from captivity.........

I  looked at this blog as my personal journal and knew that a few friends and niece Mandy, checked it out occasionally.  In less than two year of compliance to this commitment to write, over 4700 people around the world have viewed my journal;  on a regular basis people from the United States, Russia, Germany, China, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, Slovenia, Australia and India check in on my journey, as I walk hand-in-hand walk with JESUS!  I know that in accordance to Internet stats, 4700 views is not astronomical, but for a 60 year old wife, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend in Earleville, Maryland USA, it`s over the top incredible, thank you, God!

Isaiah 44:3-4  For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessings on your descendants.  They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.

Father God as we approach the year 2012 of our LORD, I pray that you will continue to allow me to witness for your glory, as I am strengthened and rooted deeper into an intimate( IN TO  ME) relationship with you!  Thank you for the pruning and the in depth healing; you are the potter and I am the clay, mold me and shape me.!  I pray that you have mercy and forgive our ignorance.  Father God, please bless your people......my family, my friends, my neighbors and the world. AMEN...

 May God Bless and strengthen all who visit His blog, HAPPY NEW YEAR, AMEN........Linda

Making Christmas Candy Day 374

Proverbs 10:4  Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.  Yesterday, I felt the riches of Jesus, as I helped my dear friend Rose.  For many years Rose has gifted many loved ones and friends with homemade candy at Christmas.  Due to the crippling arthritis that has taken residency in her aging body, she needed my hands and feet to continue her Christmas tradition. 

 Rose directed my steps from the comfort of her chair, as I delighted in the instructions and the conversation! While the chocolate slowly and precisely melted to perfection, we where serenaded by a 1940ish style In The Mood Christmas CD.   For hours,  Rose flipped through pages of memories, as I hung onto every treasured memento that she shared; stocking filled with fruit nuts and pennies in the toe, gifts of love and compassion that warmed the soul.   A love filled home with one daughter, 2 sons, a hard working father and an Italian speaking mother, surviving in a county embarking on the wings of a world war. A life of simplicity and a place at their family table for all, strangers welcomed and fed.  A cadet nurse dancing outside with a young friend that would soon experience the devastation of the impending war.

I thank God, for the time that I have to provide assistance to Rose; the gift of time and ones self is the most precious gift that we can give during this season of love, in honor of our savior Jesus Christ!   The hours that Rose and I spent together was priceless, thank you God.

Candy is done, off for another special visit.  I first met 87 year old Dorothy, when she walked into my new and exciting facility, Curves an exercise program for women, in 2003.  At the time, Dorothy was a mere babe of 79 years young; she showed up on opening day ready to sign on the dotted line to become a member of this new exercise program. 

Her excitement and enthusiasm were contagious, she was joining to improve her health and to prove a point to family members.  You see, Dorthy had recently visited with nieces, who had offered her a wheel chair.  Imagine that, they thought that I couldn't`t walk on my own, she was appalled!  What a joy to witness the strength and stamina that Dorothy`s dedication acquired, not to mention the encouragement that she provided for women of all ages.

My Curves franchise is now a memory, but Dorothy is still going strong.   Once I closed the doors, she transferred her membership to another location.  With pride and dignity she shared that she now has 1320 workouts under her belt; I created a work-out diva!   Linda, I`m in pretty good shape, except for a little swelling in my ankles, what do you think?  Dorothy, I think that is amazing and that I am truly blessed;  God provided the perfect opportunity for us to meet!  Thank you, Father God!

Psalm 139:14  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made: your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

 You go Dorothy, use it or lose it!  Before leaving Dorothy, I knelt in front of her chair, joined hands and together we prayed and thanked God for his mighty blessings.

Two days later as Rick and I were scurring  around to finish our Christmas shopping,  I ran into another dear friend, Tom Walmsley.   Tom and Eleanor have been friends for decades, I went to school with their son, David, we were good buddies.  However, through marriages and divorces Dave and I have lost touch, but not the case with his mom and dad.  Over the years I would always just happen to run into the two of then, rarely seeing one without the other.

Today Tom was traveling alone, when I inquired about his side-kick, he said she`s at home.  As I stared into his eyes, I hear much more than he shared, I asked if it would be alright to stop in.  Today was the day, I put actions into my concerns for my life-time friend, and pulled in the drive way!

 Still in her night clothes and a warning me not to get to close, I was greeted with a smile of love and compassion.  My visit was short but packed full of love, as we reminisced and brought one another up to speed about our families!   The Walmsley`s have been a very low maintenance friendship that has been a blessings for more than forty some years.  I remember, the first time that Eleanor met Rick, she told him that she always wanted me to marry David; Rick was at a loss for words, I took it as a compliment!

Father God, I thank you for the gift of free-time!  As I grow older and perhaps wiser, I thank you for the love and friendships that have knocked on the open doors of my heart.   Thank you, for your never failing love, your daughter, Linda.

Now from Mom`s favorite--Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.  Amen!

Bring it to the Light Day 373

Psalms 36:9  For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.  How often do our feeling and emotions keep us in the dark, feelings of guilt, shame, brokenness, rejection, fear, anger and lies!   Jesus Christ paid the debt in full for all of these lies, strongholds and our sins; do you believe it, or is it just head knowledge?    Grace is not only God`s undeserved mercy and favor, it is also unearned and can never be repaid.

Romans 13:8  Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

Recently I shared the struggles that my family is dealing with as we seek to help my niece Kim, with her relapse into drug addiction.  For weeks and weeks my brother, Ernie and my sister-in-law, Peggy kept Kim`s relapse a secret from me.  Where they holding on to the guilt and shame for Kim, hoping to pay her debt?   Not possible, however exposing the secret to the light and truth begins the healing process.  John 8:32  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Addiction is addiction is addiction, all based on lies that opens the door for Satan to control our thoughts and actions.  Drawing us away from the truth of God`s love!  Temporarily, I was sucked into the drama, of Kim`s addiction.  What can I do, how can I help her; the pain, sadness and disappointment were overwhelming.  Could this relapse lead to her death?    Should I fly to Kentucky to offer love and support for the family?  God says no, stay home and trust me to handle it.

Friday evening I attended a healing service, offering and receiving prayers on Kim`s behalf, trusting God!  This prayer service allowed me to stand firm on the promises of God the Father.    Romans 8:28  And  we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Hebrews 4:16  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Romans 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble of hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword.   2 Timothy 1:7  For God did not give us the spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.  Colossians 3:2  Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.  Ephesians 3:12 In him through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Father God your timing is impeccable, just received a phone call from one of my Emmaus sisters, Marcy, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you........my heart is pounding with the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT.......Isaiah 55:8-9  "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."  Father God, thank you for the love by which so faithfully drench and penetrate our souls!  God, please bless Kim and Marcy`s daughter Amy, AMEN! 







 

Excuse Me, I have To P Day 372

From today`s title you might think that I was scurrying off to relieve myself, but not the case.  On the contrary `I`m purposefully filling myself with some vital "P" words.    Pray, proclaim, peace, praise, purpose, priority, perseverance and patience; what do you think, a pretty impressive list.

For several days I`ve been scratching and scribbling notes and scriptures references everywhere in preparation for this post, leading me to believe that this message is of signicants for yours truly!  Perhaps, God has lots for me to  ponder and procure. 

For weeks "prayer" has occupied my focus, have I finally preceded the urgency and value of prayer; oh yeah!  James 1:5-6  If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all  without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  Thank you Father, as for me, I prefer to stand on your promises,  I will pray without ceasing!  Philippians 4:4-7  Rejoice in the LORD always, I will say it again; Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The LORD is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I will "proclaim" the good news; Luke 2: 9-11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the LORD.  This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.   Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rest."

The "peace" of the earth will rest upon Jesus!  John 10:27-30  "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they fellow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father`s hand.  I and the Father are one."

I will " praise" the  The LORD,  Nehemiah 9:5..........."Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting." "Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.  You alone are the LORD.  You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them.  You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. 

Our "purpose" is to love and praise the LORD; as God inhales our praise His exhales his presence!  Think of that next time your singing a praise song, your thoughts will erupt into a full blown smile of delight and joy!  Keep a song of praise in your heart and smile in your soul, perhaps someone will inquire, opening the door to witness for the LORD!    Matthew 22:37-40  Jesus replied;  "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it;  "Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandment."

Our "priority" is to focus first on God then all things in our life will fall into alignment!  Luke 11:27-28  As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."  He replied,  "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."    Luke 16:14-15  The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.  He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts.  What is highly valued among men is detestable in God`s sight."   Father God, thank you for so many years, I focused on things of the flesh, rejecting your grace and mercy!

 Father,thank you for your "perseverance," knowing that someday the scales would be removed from my eyes!  Romans 5:1-5  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into his grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

As needs and struggles arise I will "patiently" wait upon the LORD.  Philippians 4:10-13  I rejoice greatly in the LORD that at last you have renewed your concern for me.  Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Lots to ponder!    Psalms 86:11-13  Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.  I will praise you, O LORD my God, with all of my heart; I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.  AMEN.....thanks Father, for all the extra  "P" word that you added to your message!