In the morning Lord

Psalm 5
3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

March sunny daze

Fun to watch Jamie and his friends surf yesterday. it was a beautiful march spring day...one that made you feel as if warm weather were right around the corner. I enjoyed being on the beach with Karen, Kim and the others watching the boys do their things. Kaya came too...she was adorable on the beach and Johhny tried to teach her again how to surf.

Friends in Jesus

Had a wonderful conversation and time of prayer last night with a new friend, one of Jamie's old friends, Hans. Was so glad to be apart of that time together. It is good for God's people to live in peace and be in fellowship with one another. Thank you Lord for the time. Amen.

Also, we were talking about prayer last night and David Jeremiah was speaking about prayer:
He has two sermons, here is one of the two. They are very good.
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Turning_Point/archives.asp?bcd=2009-3-27

This morning as I was getting ready for work at my Mom's house (I am staying with her for the week) I caught a few minutes of Joyce Meyer, who always brightens my day these days. She was interviewing two people whose books are really great and who have been very influential to a lot of people on managing relationships...one very popular book is called Boundaries, which has been out for a long while (maybe it as a new edition.) Anyhoo, what I was impressed most about was the two authors...they seemed like such great, stable, no nonsense, authentic Christian men. Really attractive personalities. That is the kind of person I want to be ...grounded, stable, unwavering, really attractive spiritually. (Maybe I will get there one day! God is certainly always working on me.) But anyhoo..if you want to see the interview, click here:

http://www.joycemeyer.org/ourministries/broadcast/

A new life in Christ Jesus

I graduated from confirmation last night. The event was celebrated in true fellowship with my fellow classmates at our pastor Greg and his wife Meredith's house in sea pines. During the course of the 8 week class we learned how to be and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I found out what is and how to experience God's love and forgiveness, to become like Christ Himself, to strengthen my relationship with God, how to worship, how to have power for living, to understand the church and how to share the truth, which I was asked to do on the spot. I was asked by Greg to share my testimony of how I came to Christ with the class. It is still a strange feeling sharing such a personal experience as that but with God at my side I was able to speak the truth, something I would never do in the past. I would have to say the last 6 months of my life have been incredible. I have turned from being mostly miserable, living for myself and my desires to personally meeting the creator of the universe which has humbled me to the point of crushing my ego. I feel truly loved, able to love others, truly happy and peaceful for the first time in my life. It all began with a simple belief in and surrender to God, His Word and His Son, not much of a cost at all, but the grace I have received is so amazing and far reaching I would have a hard time explaining it here. Grace is God's favor towards us, unearned and undeserved; by grace God forgives our sins, enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts, and strengthens our wills. The spirit behind Grace is what we call the Holy Spirit, it is what all baptized Christians are given. The Bible was written through Jesus' disciples who were guided by this spirit. I have found that my affinity toward god and His Word is also due to the Holy Spirit descending on me. I know this because one day I had no interest or ability to read the Bible and the day after I declared belief and surrendered to God it all made sense and I have been following that path ever since. I have been searching the supernatural since I was young by meditation, yoga, massage therapy, Buddhism, accupressure, taoism, toltec and american indian beliefs among others, but at no time did I discover what I was after. It had been right there all along, churches line our streets. I was just so skeptical and didn't see the truth but all it took was a simple prayer and the truth found me. - Jamie

Puppies for Spring

Puppies make the heart warm--Happy Spring!

Smiling faces...

Jesus sup's too

Revelation 3:20
20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

:0)

Made Alive

Ephesians 2
Made Alive with Christ
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I surrender all

I woke up and am now singing this song in my heart today, going about my work. Thought I'd share...

I Surrender All

All to Jesus, I surrender; All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.

Refrain
I surrender all, I surrender all, All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;Humbly at His feet I bow,Worldly pleasures all forsaken;Take me, Jesus, take me now.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;Let me feel the Holy Spirit,Truly know that Thou art mine.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;Lord, I give myself to Thee;Fill me with Thy love and power;Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Refrain

All to Jesus I surrender;Now I feel the sacred flame.O the joy of full salvation!Glory, glory, to His Name!

Refrain

First boating weekend of 2009

Jamie and I headed out on his boat Saturday and Sunday. We had a wonderful time cruising, floating, fishing and just being together. We headed both north and south, cruising to Harbour Town and adventuring out into Port Royal Sound. We saw our friends Glen & Jesse paddling. We laughed, we talked, we enjoyed one anothers company in quiet. We enjoyed good rations. The water was beautiful, the temperatures were perfect. We had to bundle up a little (I had to) but enjoyed thoroughly being in the sun. The Lord showed off His creation for us and we drank it in. We are truly blessed to live in this beautiful place...God's country. I am also truly blessed to be with Jamie. Thank you Lord for a perfect weekend. Amen.

Galatians 3 - Faith or Observance of the Law

1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? 6Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

This morning as I was reading my devotional a new understanding occured to me about how much faith and love are intricately entwined. Faith means a deep trust in something, a strongly held belief. Without it, love is impossible, because love is freely offered, not under compulsion or duty. God says he is love. He loved us and offered life to us by faith, not by compulsion, not lording it over us. Not begging and pleading that we come to Him, but asking that we do, and enticing us. He is a gentleman. Thus we are made perfect in His love, wrapped up in it, when we have faith in Him. When we trust in Him-deeply. And, this translates to other areas of life. Having faith, trust, these will perfect love. Not rules, or laws or duties. But faith....love.

The gospel is "living and active" - praise Him for always having new meaning to chew on. Lord, please help me to understand you more fully and your Word more fully. Please teach me your ways and help me to continue to grow.
Amen.

Like an eagle

I saw a bald eagle this morning sitting perched high up on a telephone pole. I had taken a morning break and as I was retuning to the office, there he was, perched. Facing the cold winds that were blowing this morning, feathers ruffling in the wind.

What a testimony to me from the Lord.

He says,

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. - Isaiah 40:31

Another passage came to my mind this morning...

Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

We have a dear friend who is sick this morning and needs to be healed. We pray that the Lord would lift her up on wings like eagles. That amidst the cold winds, she would soar.

Lord, the Healer of all things, please come.

Peace,

Amen.