My Rock

Somewhere along the road of life my Rock changed.  In my time of need I would go to my Rock-my Mom.  In 2010 I was so confused because my rock was frail and crumbled in December 2010.  In January 2011, Danny found a pea sized lump in his chest.  That was the beginning of me finding the real Rock; The rock that Mommy went to when I went to her.  He was the same then for me as He was for her and will be forever.

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever

That Rock never changes.

Deuteronomy 33:27

The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.

When he first found that little tiny knot I prayed to God- my Rock.

Psalm 18:31

For who is God besides the Lord?  And who is the Rock except our God?

As the mass grew so did my prayers.  I always knew in my heart what the doctors didn't tell me!  There is nothing sadder than watching someone you love go through so much and knowing you can't do anything to help them.

1 Samuel 2:2

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

As I look back at the last 2 years, I wonder how I have survived to be 47 almost 48?  I thank god every day for the relationship I now have with my Savior.  I can feel Him near me when I worry about anything.  From the biggest things all the way down to the tiny everyday things. I hear him say, just give it to me!  Don't worry anymore!

Psalm 34:17

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.

Psalm 34:4

I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears!

God is good….sooooo good!  We sometimes forget to give Him all the praise He is so worthy of.  Sunday morning I had an overwhelming peace that nothing mattered except what would be in the end for Jesus Christ; That day when we will go to Heaven if we have accepted Him as Lord and Savior.  I see my life changing every day.  As I pick up the pieces of my life and move on I can't help but be reminded of how faithful my Mom was to her Rock and I know she had to have picked up fragments many times throughout her life.

Hebrews 10:36

You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what He has promised.

Next month will be 3 years that Mommy has gone on.  It was 3 years in March that Daddy went and Danny has been gone 15 months and 3 days.  I know God has many things for me to do; I just have to trust in Him to get them done.  Do I get scared?  Yes!  Do I do it anyway?  Yes!  Sometimes it doesn't make sense to me!  I don't understand it and yes, it hurts!  But I trust in the Lord, because He has been constant, faithful and never failing.

Isaiah 26:4

Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock.

My friend if you are struggling with health, marriage, relationships, grief, addiction-it doesn't matter what!  Just know that the same God, who has delivered me, will deliver you!  We all have trials and tribulations here on earth, that's part of life, and that is what helps us grow. But we have to turn too God and not away from HIM!  Because that's where our strength will come from!

Psalm 18:2

The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God is my Rock in whom I take my refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Got this from Joe!

Michelle and Aleya are back home. Aleya is doing great and back in school. Thanks for the prayers

Hey everyone, Aleya and Michelle made it back to Germany on Tuesday and Aleya is recovering well. They had a very long flight (with layover in Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland) but Michelle said they gave her a cot as well so she was able to get some sleep on the return flight. Aleya was a trooper, did not complain and was walking some as soon afterward as the doctors wanted her to. Julie and I drove back to Florida Saturday and Sunday and I went back to work on Wednesday. Thank you all for your prayers. The doctors did not have to do as much once they began the procedure as they thought they would have to. God was good and her doctors were wonderful. Love you all.

Trish, that is wonderful news to hear for Baby Oakley!!  We will continue to pray.  Has anyone heard from Michelle, Joe, David or Julie?  I was wondering if they are back in Germany (I know they were looking to go back Friday or Saturday)?  How is Aleya doing?

Baby Oakley continues to slowly improve. Lungs are not working on their own yet. Continue your prayers!

My Friends

My friends are faithful.  My friends are true.  My friends are loyal.  My friends are trust worthy.  My friends are not fair weather friends, but friends that are willing to get down on their knees and get in the muck with me if they have to.  They are willing to pull me up when I am stuck in that muck.  They lift me up when I cannot lift myself.  They hold my heart ever so gently when it hurts.  They are a balm for my soul when it cries out.  Sometimes my soul cries and I don’t know why or even who it cries for, but my friends are there to help me cry, wipe my tears and show me compassion.  God has so blessed my life with old friends and new friends; Friends for old hurts and friends for my new hurts.

1 Corinthians 13:7

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Their love has brought me so far and through many dark paths.  Sometimes so dark I could not see.  You know the kind of dark you see when you are in a cave and they turn off the light.  But as a friend reminded me this week there is nothing in the dark that isn’t there in the light-the light of Jesus-I am in peace.  So when I am in the dark now, I still have that peace because I know that Jesus goes with me.  He is that light that lights my pathway.

Psalm 119:105

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

I hear my mom telling me scriptures in my head all the time, scriptures I thought I had forgotten.  And I remember scripture from teaching them to my Sunday school class.  Those words come back to me when I need them.  They lead me, guide me and yes, sometimes, correct me!  I try to stay on the path God has chosen for me, but sometimes it gets weary and on those days I call out to my friends. 

A friend is one who strengthens you with prayer, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope-unknown

I am blessed with many praying friends.  I can call upon them day or night when I am burdened to pray with me!  And I have!  There is just something about taking things to my Father God with a friend or friends.  I know He hears all our prayers but when we gather together as a group of believers to worship,  pray or just fellowship it’s like a slap in the face to that devil saying, “See we CAN get along-we LOVE each other!”

Hebrews 10:23-25

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the day approaching.

My praying friends know what is important to me and to my heart.  They help me fulfill my visions!  I struggle sometimes with things that God asks of me!  Do I do it?  How do I do it?  Can I do it?  My friends are there just like a cheerleading squad. Without God I can do nothing-I am nothing-and without my friends I don’t enjoy it near as much.  God created us for His pleasure, to glorify Him.  But He also wants us to enjoy life.  He gave us all these things in life that provide so much pleasure and ways to enjoy them.  He wants us to FEEL!  To see a beautiful sunrise or sunset;  To feel the warmth of the sun on our face on a beautiful Fall day;  To smell an apple pie while it is baking;  To hear a baby giggle, to taste a salty tear as it slides down your face as you cry and feel things all the way down to your bones.  These are the things God created for our pleasure.  Because He created us in His image!  He wants us to experience these things, just like He has these feelings!

Psalm 149:4

The Lord takes pleasure in his people

Revelation 4:11

You created everything and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.

Friendship, relationships is just another one of those things God has given us so that we may enjoy life and not just endure it.  When we get to Heaven, we will have nothing to do but Praise God 24/7 and in Heaven there won’t be a 24 or a 7!  Time will mean nothing to us.  We will sing praises standing with our Heavenly family and yes, friends, those same friends that we stand/kneel here with on earth.  We will be together forever!  So how can one be sad when another goes a little early?  They should be shouting for joy and saying save me a little spot in Heaven.  I think that’s all we’ll need, is just a little spot.  I used to sing this song:

A Little Spot in Heaven

I don’t ask you Lord to lighten up my burdens,

 I don’t mind the trials on earth that I go through.

  Bein down, I want to prove that I am worthy

 Of a little spot in Heaven close to you.

Precious Lord forget me not, don’t pass me by,

Though there must be others worthier than I,

If you can then Lord, here’s what I’ll have you do

Save a little spot in Heaven close to you

Romans 14:19

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another

Peace and harmony, that’s how I want to live out my days, that are left for me here on earth.

Romans 12:14-21

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[c]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good

Oh sure, I know there will be trials and temptations.  But I also know Jesus knows our every weakness.  So I grab a friend and say, “Hey lets pray!” We can’t go wrong.

Psalm 121:1-2

I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

Living out of love for God and pleasing Him should be our hearts desire.  Every day I live, I want to do it for the love of God.  For without His love there is nothing.  There are no friends.  And that is just SAD.  Every day I live I expect something!  I know it’s going to happen I just don’t know when or what it is!  But God has promised me so much and I know He is faithful so I can’t be surprised when these things happen, because He said He would.  So I expect!  That’s how I approach strangers- they are friends I haven’t met!  They are no longer strangers but friends!  Who knows it may be someone that needs to know Christ that I can help them or may be one of Gods angels sent to help me!  But I always expect…and He never fails.

Hebrews 13:1-2

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

 

 

Fragile

Life is fragile, handle with care. We have all seen this bumper sticker. When someone we love dies we remember how fragile life is. I was reminded of that yesterday as I sat through the funeral of a gentleman I had never met. As I listened to the sermon and eulogy of this man I heard of what a great testimony he was to life. The great marriage he and his wife shared. I began to shed tears for this family for I know what they are going to feel in the months ahead. I know how they are going to miss him around the holidays how nothing is going to be the same. And I thought why can't we treat each other every day the way we would treat folks if we knew today was their last! If they have fears we would try to help them overcome them; if they are sad we try to cheer them up; if they have a burden, we pray with them. Instead we ignore their fears, add to their sadness, and talk about them when they are burdened, wondering what did they do. Life is fragile and its hard to go alone. Thats why He gives us friends. Friends to talk to and confide in when we are afraid. Friends to laugh with when we are sad and friends to pray with and share our burdens.

Galatians 6:2
Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

I remember a particular instance of a friend who so willingly cried with me! My problem, my burden- but they made it theirs and that lightened it for me! Christ is like that! He wants to do that for us.

Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

Jesus is the only one who can change your sadness into joy
weakness into strength
and your fear into faith

So instead of life is fragile handle with care, it should be the other bumper sticker we've seen.
Life is fragile handle with prayer!
My Mom used to sing this song:

This world is not my home, I'm just a passin through
my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue
the angels beccon me through Heavens open door
and I can't feel at home in this world any more
Oh Lord you know I have no friend but you
If heavens not my home Oh Lord what will I do
Angels have taken me to Heavens open door
and I cant feel at home in this world anymore.

I feel like the angels are calling me to Heavens open door! My home here on earth is looking more temporary than before! It even feels temporary. I know in the blink of an eye that can change! Or even faster than that. As Dean Braxton said, he was in Heaven before the eyelid touched the bottom of his eye! Thats how fragile life is "blinking fragile" . We don't have time to tear people down in our temporary home. We have a full time job just doing for others if we follow Gods word!

Leviticus 20:7,8
Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be hold, for I am the Lord your God. And you shall keep my statutes, and perform them. I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

And we don't have to search far away to find those in need. God has placed people in all our lives-we can name them- who needs help. They may need a kind word, a hot meal, a warm coat, 10$, or they may need you to share the bible with them. This is how we need to handle this fragile life, as caretakers- using care and prayer!

Psalm 39:4
Show me, Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.

Psalm 119:19
I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide your commandments from me.

I believe God is working with this little girl. Came through the procedure yesterday. Kidneys and lungs are not working but a machine is keeping her levels normal. Please tell those you know to pray for Oakley Kirkpatrick.
Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prayer request from my pastor Vince

Gentleman please pray for a fellow law enforcement brother Charlie Kirkpatrick from Lewis County Sheriff's Department. He and his wife Carrie have a 20 day old little girl whose name is Oakley. She is in critical condition at the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital. I spoke with him this afternoon and assured him that we would be praying for his little girl. The need right now is that her kidneys would begin to function which would buy them some more time to work with her. Thank you for your prayers

Well Done

God I am tired.  I am ready to go home.  I want to go.  Life is hard.  It’s painful.  It hurts.  Death.  Destruction.   People hurting people.  Lack of love or even kindness makes daily living challenging.

Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen

But I have to press on because when I come to the end of my life I want to be like Paul and be able to say:

2 Timothy 4:7-8

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

I don’t want to get to Heaven and hear God say, “Well you started out pretty good but what happened?  Your life was wasted with regrets, what  ”ifs”, and “poor me” stories.  I want to live my life with everything He has to offer.  I want to look for ways to do for others.  I want to listen and obey!  Do I do enough?  No!  Do I read the Bible enough?  No!  Do I volunteer?  Not enough!  Can I do more?  Yes!  Can I do it in my own strength?  No!

Ephesians 6:10-17

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Stand firm!  That’s what we need to fight the evil we see every single day!  Bad things happening to good people are the way the devil gets his foothold in your life.  We have to keep our faith and hold tight to Gods promises and know this:

Philippians 4:13

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me

Whatever we do, we do it in Christ.  His spirit dwells within us.  I often wonder why He picked me to do anything for Him.  I am so inadequate.  I have many faults.  First of all I’m lazy and I talk too much!  I procrastinate!  Danny always told me not to volunteer because I would start something but never finish it…and he was right!  But the good thing about this is we aren’t doing anything.  If we live in Christ, He lives in us, and we can do anything He wants us to do through Him.

John 15:5

Apart from me you can do nothing.

If we listen to Him, let Him guide us, our life will be so fulfilling.  All that feeling of pain, helplessness and hopelessness will fade away; and it will be replaced with a feeling of gratitude and an over whelming desire to do more in his name.  You will want more Him and less you!  We will become content to matter what our circumstance, whether we are on the top of the mountain or down in the valley.

2 Corinthians 12:9

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

When we ask his guidance for everything in our life He so gladly responds.  We just have to be still-listen-and then DO!  Do in His strength not our own! 

Galatians 2:20

It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me

And when I get to Heaven I am going to anxiously wait to hear Him say

Matthew 25:21

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

Easy as ABC

This week has been like many others for me.   God talks and I listen…then I usually write.  But this week He talked…I listened…but I didn’t write.  I know what He is telling me and I get it, but I wasn’t quite sure what I was supposed to do with it.  So I did nothing.  Well, as you can guess, it was the wrong thing to do!  I have been getting this same verse over and over and over!  At one point I actually said, “OK God!  I get it.  I know this and I do it…but apparently He wants me to share what I already know!

John 1:1

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

That, we all know! It’s pretty straight forward.  But here is where things start to get tricky.

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

This is the verse that I have seen constantly this week.  And I know that is the only way I am going to Heaven.  I already have my ticket; I asked for it, Jesus paid for it.  There is nothing we-us-me-I-you-can do to get there.  Jesus died on the cross for our sins and it’s so simple- our part!  Ask him into our hearts and have faith.

Romans 10:17

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 3:16

God loved us so much that He gave His only so that by believing in Him we could have everlasting life

There are a lot of good people in the world!  They do all the right things; give to charity, help the homeless, take in kids from shelters, and some may even go to church, but without Christ in your heart-and He is just waiting to be invited in-you are still going to Hell!

Acts 16:31

And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

It’s so easy, and trust me, there are so many benefits; the greatest being able to live with Jesus eternally.  The love and joy you experience while here on earth is so good and when you have Jesus in your heart you always have a best friend.  He is never too busy, never over commits himself, always knows just what to say and never judges you!  No matter how dark your path He is always there to go with you lighting the way.  My path has been very dark and scary.  Often times I couldn’t see to put one foot in front of the other, that’s how dark it was.  But Praise God I had a glow stick that when bent it glowed even more!  That light was Jesus!  And He can shine for you too!

 

John 8:12

Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

After receiving that verse numerous times this week and just kind of “ignoring” it, God started putting the story of Jonah upon me.  Not just once but several times.  So this morning I just asked Him, “God, what am I running from, what am I not doing that you want me to do?” That’s when I got that verse one more time and I finally got it!  So I implore you, if you are reading this and don’t know Jesus, this is for you!  He cares enough for you to burden my heart so much that I write these bible verses so that you know He cares for you!  Don’t wait until it’s too late!  Ask him into your heart today!

Ask…Believe…Confess… Easy as ABC!

Blessings

I have dwelled on my problems all week to the point they are making me physically sick.  It’s so easy for me to tell others they need to turn over their problems to Jesus and let him handle them but when it comes to me taking my own advice…I don’t.  I remember my Mom telling me, when I was old enough to understand about the Holy Spirit, that when she prayed about something she could tell what the answer was according to her spirit.  Well my spirit has been “uneasy”.  That’s the term she used.  I just don’t know what to do with an uneasy spirit!  I can hear my Heavenly Father saying “Come and cast all your cares at my feet and find your rest in ME!  Under my mercy come and wait until we are standing face to face!  You’re beautiful to me!  I will hide you in the shadow of my strength.”

Psalm 36:7

God your love is so precious; you protect people in the shadow of your wings.

Nehemiah 8:10

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

He is such a loving God!  How can we not go to Him?  It matters not to Him what we are.  Only that we love Him and include Him in our life.  He wants to be with our every breath, every tear, and every step we take.

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience that race that is set before us.

When we make bad choices He wants us to know He will forgive, forget and move on.  He even helps us up!  We learn from our mistakes.  We aren’t perfect, but we are made in His image so there is always hope for us.  Hope in Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 5:57

But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Corrie ten Boom said: “This is what the past is for!  Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see”

He knows what it’s all about; our struggles, our fears, our failures.  “Wait upon the Lord” is one of the hardest things I have ever done, but while I am waiting; I am growing, learning, listening and yes-hearing.

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength-always ready to help in times of trouble.

He does help me!

I can’t imagine life without Him in it.  How do people that don’t have Him to lean on get out of bed every morning?  If you are reading this and don’t know Jesus I would really like to know how you do it.  Our life after death is going to be one of two things; heaven or hell!  How is that a hard decision?  People can be scared “to Jesus” by all of the horrific facts of what Hell is going to be like.  But the treasure of Jesus is so great and you don’t have to wait til you die to enjoy Him and all of His goodness!  We have that showered upon us every day.  All we have to do is lift our head and speak from our heart.  We pour out our troubles to Him and He gets right on it because He wants to give us the desires of our heart. 

Psalm 37:4

Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

All we have to do is ASK!

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. 

I have the luxury of great friends who are eager to help me, listen to me, cry with me, laugh with me and most importantly, pray with me!  No matter what I need they are there!

Galatians 6:2

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

I was reminded to count my blessings, even name them one by one!  Sometimes I forget until I start looking for them!  So if you haven’t counted your blessings lately do that today!  Take a minute out of your day to just say thanks and get lost in worship with your creator!  You won’t be disappointed!

Job 37:23

He is excellent in power.

Ephesians 6:10

Finally be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Psalm 18:46

The Lord liveth and blessed be my rock and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Philippians 3:14

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Joe said probably be ready to go home to Germany on Friday:)

Trish, About how long do they think she will be in the hospital there?

Praise the Lord!!  That's wonderful news :)

All went well out of surgery and in recovery more later

Praying here

My doodlebug