Tag Archives: Faith

February 19, 2014 · 12:26 am

Don’t Look Back!

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Is there a pillar of salt in your past?

In Genesis Chapters 18 and 19, we read about God’s appearance to Abraham in the form of a man, along with two other men who are actually two angels.  They come to declare to Abraham and Sarah that in a year their son Isaac, the promised child, will be born.

Then God shares with Abraham that He is about to set judgment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous” Genesis 18:20

Abraham, concerned for his nephew Lot and Lot’s family who live in Sodom, tries to bargain with God not to destroy the city if there are at least 10 righteous people there.

In God’s eyes, Sodom and Gomorrah’s wickedness is so vile there is no other option to do but destroy it.  He cannot even find 10 righteous people in the entire city of Sodom.  God is gracious with Lot’s family for Abraham’s sakes.

The two angels are sent to Sodom to rescue Lot, his wife, and two daughters from being destroyed along with the city. Continue reading →

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February 5, 2014 · 3:05 pm

Are We So Different From the Children of Israel?

In Exodus, God has shown the children of Israel that not only He’s there with them, but that He is a Mighty God. Because of Pharaoh’s rebellion, He has steadily pummeled Egypt with unbelievably supernatural plagues. Here are a few: all water is turned into blood, their homes and land are obscenely overrun with frogs, locusts devour their crops, boils afflict them, and finally the death of their first born sons.
Throughout the ten supernatural plagues that ravage Egypt, the children of Israel go untouched. And though some of Pharaoh’s magicians duplicate the first few plagues, they cannot remove them or duplicate the rest.
If all of their water is turned to blood and the place is overrun by frogs, why on earth would the magicians cause more grief upon themselves by adding to the problem?  Hmmm. Just curious. Continue reading →

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January 28, 2014 · 11:42 pm

Reap From His Strength

imageWe have a very mild winter so far in the northwest. It seems all our snow and frigid weather has moved east. We have hardly had any snow at all in the month of January and that is quite rare. Some of our days this month have been spring-like, with only a bearable chill.
The leader at the Bible study I went to today was talking about some trees she noticed that were beginning to bud.
“Oh, no!” she said. “Don’t do that.” She got to talking about how this was the time the roots needed to grow deeper into the soil.
I got to thinking about how winter is a time for trees, shrubs, and most plants to recuperate from the hard work of bearing and growing fruit in the summer and fall months. Continue reading →

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January 22, 2014 · 12:26 am

God Is Working, Please Be Patient

imageI saw this image on Facebook today and was quite touched by it. I decided to share it not because I want people to Type Amen, but because I am hoping anyone who sees it will be encouraged by what it represents, like I was when I saw it.

So often we feel like God is slumbering on a tropical island somewhere sipping Mai Tais, and has just left us to struggle on our own.   But what we don’t see is that God is working in our lives, He’s constantly laboring behind the scenes to bring out the best in us.

Sometimes, if feels like we are prodded, squeezed, shoved, kicked, knocked around, and fired up till we are about to dissolve into nothingness.  At least I do.

But we really must keep in mind that because God is not finished with us yet, the work must go on and on. Continue reading →

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Filed under Everythingelse, Following Christ Has Changed My Life, Inner Sruggles and Heartache, Life with Chronic Pain

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January 17, 2014 · 1:26 pm

When it Comes to Meds, Study Suggests You Feel What You Believe

Knowing I suffer from chronic migraines, my neighbor dropped off a newspaper article on a recent study titled,

“Study: Thinking positive helps migraine drug work,” by Lauran Neergaard AP, a medical writer.

The article is about a study that proposes that what a patient expects out of a migraine medication will make a huge difference in the results that patient gets from their meds.

Sixty-six migraine patients were recruited for the study, some were given placebos (dummy meds) in an effort to measure the amount of real med related pain relief vs. the amount of relief from patient’s confidence because of their doctor’s positive comments about the meds.

In the article, Ted Kaptchuk, a Harvard professor, suggests that each word the patient is told about their medication is just as important as the actual prescription.

After over 450 headaches were analyzed, researchers concluded how essential it was for doctors to prudently select their words to their patients when subscribing a powerful drug; as the doctor’s message could make or break the medicine’s benefits. Continue reading →

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January 11, 2014 · 12:57 am

Unwelcome Doggy Surprise

Oliver (white) and his sister Sofi

Oliver (white) and his sister Sofi

Oliver has been one of the best dogs I have ever had.  I knew immediately he was the right one when I saw him.

If only finding a human life companion was that uncomplicated.

It was a terrible time of my life then, and I was desperate for a buddy. I knew a puppy would help chase the blues away.  I drove—one hour, one way— for the puppy I wanted at a semi-affordable price.  I wanted a girl puppy, and planned on naming her Olivia.

When I got to the pet shop, there was a litter of five white, adorable, eight week old Peekapoos.

The only girl was too yappy.  She yapped in her high-pitch bark anytime anyone got near the kennel, and would not shut up until they walked away.  Continue reading →

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Filed under Animals and Pets, Awed by His Love and Grace, Following Christ Has Changed My Life, Hope, Humor, Seeds of Inspirations

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December 28, 2013 · 12:00 am

Trust God No-matter What

God loves you and has your best interest at heart.

Often, the world makes no sense at all,

that is why it is so important to trust God completely, especially then.

imageBelieve it.

We don’t always see it at the time,

but as time passes and we look back, we can usually say,

“Oh yeah, now I see why that happened!

Thank you God for looking out for me!” Continue reading →

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December 23, 2013 · 11:10 pm

Rejoicing in Jesus’ Birth

imageHow Much Does God Love the World?

God So Loved The World That He Gave…

HIMSELF

in the body of a frail newborn named Jesus.

But…why would He do that?

He came in our form so that we could better relate to Him.

So that He could teach us about Himself.

So that He could show us what real love looks like. Continue reading →

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December 21, 2013 · 4:20 pm

Does God Celebrate Christmas?

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Well, seeing how Christmas is a mixture of pagan and Christian traditions, I don’t believe God has a Christmas tree decorated with lights and cherubs.

I don’t believe He adorns the halls of Heaven with twinkling lights and bows of greenery.

I don’t believe the heavenly host rush around their kitchens making millions of divine delights for their annual cookie exchange.

I don’t believe God has shopping requests, or naughty or nice lists. (Though He does say all the names of those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb have been written in His Book of Life)

I don’t believe December 25th is highlighted on God’s calendar.

God certainly is not a Santa, swooping down as earth sleeps, dropping gifts into chimneys. Continue reading →

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December 12, 2013 · 9:34 pm

Jesus Came to Earth to Bring Life

imageI find the amaryllis to be an enchanting flower of Christmas, though it is technically not a Christmas flower.  Surely you have seen the six-by-eight inch boxes at your local stores that come out around Thanksgiving.  The pictures on the boxes display a flower that looks much like the one above.  These unique and beautiful flowers have the ability to bloom indoors.  They come in white, pink, pinkish-yellow, red, orange, and variegated colors.

The box is quite inexpensive, about seven dollars, and it includes a five inch plastic pot, plenty of dehydrated soil, and of course the bulb.  It also includes weeks of joy as you watch the dead bulb give birth to beautiful flowers. Continue reading →

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