Just an Old Pair of Shoes

I went to a Christmas play last night.
Something I heard last night really stuck with me.
Allow me to set the stage

A man has a dream that Jesus will be coming to see him on Christmas Day

Needless to say He speaks to everyone the following day.
After all He wants to meet Jesus.
Just to talk with Jesus face to face.

Oh what that would only mean.
Well in a way that's what prayer is like.
Regardless of whether your in a good mood or not.
That doesn't matter.
Jesus just wants to hear your voice.
Cause He cares
After all He shed His Blood for YOU.
Cause He cares

One person is cold He gives them a cup of coffee.
He proceeds to tell that person Do you know Jesus?
He is coming to visit me today.
The person drinks the coffee and continues His journey.

Next comes an old lady.
He offers her kindness.
After all its Christmas Day.
Cause He cares.
He proceeds to tell that person Do you know Jesus?

Before he can continue.
This old lady tells it exactly how it is.
Son, when you get old, people just discard you as an old pair of shoes.
Just an old pair of shoes.
She says.
That's how they treat you.
Just an old pair of shows I tell you

He asks the question again
Do you know Jesus?
He's coming to visit me today.
Old lady walks off and says
Just an Old pair of shoes I tell you

Upon hearing that I found myself thinking its easy to have that mindset.
After all God gave mankind freewill
God waits just to hear my voice.
Jesus silences all of Heaven to say Listen......

There are 24 hours in 1 day.
7 days a week.
52 weeks in a year.
Yet I do not pray every second.

Then I thought Jesus shed His blood just for ME.
After all He never sleeps nor slumbers.
I'm alive today because of God, Jesus, and the Holy-Spirit.
Jesus knows exactly how many breaths I will actually take.

Yet Jesus still continues to love ME for me
Cause He cares

No wonder this man is so thankful that Jesus is coming to visit Him.

Sometimes it seems like Jesus just continues holding his stick drawing one circle in the sand after another.

Always knowing
Always loving
Always accepting
Always forgiving
Always giving grace
Always giving mercy
Always being there
The list is indeed infinite........................
Cause He Cares

Worth Sharing

I received this as e-mail from my sister.

How can I not share something this good?

Christ Bell

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph.. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom.. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16).

I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God ( Col. 3:3).

I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1)

. I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works

God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14).

I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)

I belong to God And so do YOU May the LORD bless you and keep you;

May the LORD make His face shine upon you And be gracious to you;

May the LORD turn His face toward you And give you peace.'Numbers 6:24-26
AMEN

Hope this ministers to you as it did to me.

'TIS SO SIMPLE

When I read the monthly newsletter.
I felt that this was worth sharing.

SITEL NEWS
DECEMBER 2008

From the desk of Jean Harmon

"I wish everyone a joyous Holiday Season and Health, Happiness and Prosperity for the coming year.

CHRISTMAS GIFT SUGGESTIONS:

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service.

To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

Here's hoping this will impact you as I was impacted when I first read it.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

The following is from the play "RACE TO WIN"

This is a musical play. It talks about where a persons eyes are focused on
God vs World

WE'RE JUST A WRECK

Just when you think you've got it together

And you're really on a roll

Just when you think you've got it together

And sin is under control

Just when you think this time you're gonna win

That when it grabs you and pulls you in

You sin again and again

We're just a wreck waiting to happen

Sins spins us out of control

We thought we had it whipped

Then we make a slip

Flipped upside down in a cloud of smoke..............

Well needless to say the writer of this song has it.

The writer of this song knows the only perfect person that walked the face of this Earth is Jesus.

Hate to tell you this is true for all mankind.

The only exception is Jesus.

The writer of this song also knows that Gods love is for every one.

Simple yet profound.

True of all mankind.

Take heart:

God still loves

God still gives grace

God still forgives

God still welcomes people to His family

God's Mercy is new every morning

God still cares

God is infinite

Get the picture.

Simple yet profound.

Practice

This past Sunday our Church celebrated our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner.
While the Adults ate we provided their entertainment.
After I signed 2 songs their musical program began.
Just as they practiced the musical I had to practice also.
One of the kids had brought her cousins.
They arrived while I was practicing the songs in sign language.
As luck would have it they knew some signs.
One of their friends has down-syndrome.
He uses sign language to communicate.
As I listened to their story I couldn't help but feel the Holy-Spirit.
I explained that sign language is not just for the deaf.
People use sign language to communicate that have Autistic as well as Down-Syndrome.
Then one of the girls told me they have been practicing the song"Jesus Loves Me" in sign.
For they want their friend to know Jesus does love him.
Even though they've been practicing the song awhile.
They asked me to show them how to sign a couple of parts of the song.
They just wanted their friend w/Down-Syndrome to know that Jesus does love him.
How right they are.
Then we practiced signing "Jesus Loves Me" together.
What a blessing it was just to hear them talk about the love of Jesus.
I was able to show them the part they didn't know.
If I had not practiced that door never would have opened.
I found myself thinking "Out of the mouths of babes..."
The children performed their musical program.
They did a wonderful job.
As they were performing, I found myself thinking what a blessing they are to the Kingdom of God.
"Out of the mouths of babes..."
Simple yet profound.

Person of the Week

This person got knocked down a lot.

He refused to give up.

Every time someone knocked him down.

He got back up as soon as He could.

He would be the first to tell you

God is His strength.

People continue to read about him today.

I remember it as if it was yesterday

how God used him to impact my life.

One of his most famous sayings was:

"We could be just like them under circumstances."

That saying has helped me so much.

Years later God used him to

stretch my faith.

I must admit that I have fallen back on it a lot.

He had such wisdom.

He left a legacy that still impacts people today.

During one of the most difficult times our Country

has faced He was President.

Yet, he refused to judge.

He would just say

"We could be just like them

under different circumstances."

Then he would walk off.

So simple, yet profound.

God indeed blessed him

with the gift of wisdom

and so many other gifts.

"Every good and perfect gift comes

from above."

I never had the opportunity to meet him.

I did have the opportunity to go to

the Lincoln Memorial.

Person of the Week:

Abraham Lincoln

Words of Wisdom

Regardless of where a person is on their journey.
For life is indeed a journey.
Every journey begins with a step.
This is a passage that spoke to me while I was on break.

Scripture:
Psalm 84
LORD God All-Powerful, your temple is so lovely!
Deep in my heart I long for your temple,
and with all that I am I sing joyful songs to you.
LORD God All-Powerful,
my King and my God,
sparrows find a home near your altars;
swallows build nests thereto raise their young.
You bless everyone who lives in your house,
and they sing your praises.
You bless all who depend on you
for their strength and
all who deeply desire to visit your temple.
When they reach Dry Valley,
springs start flowing,
and the autumn rain fills it with pools of water.
Your people grow stronger,
and you, the God of gods,
will be seen in Zion.
LORD God All-Powerful,
the God of Jacob,
please answer my prayer!
You are the shield that protects your people,
and I am your chosen one.
Won’t you smile on me?
One day in your temple
is better than a thousand anywhere else.
I would rather serve in your house,
than live in the homes of the wicked.
Our LORD and our God,
you are like the sun and also like a shield.
You treat us with kindness and with honor,
never denying any good thing
to those who live right.
LORD God All-Powerful,
you bless everyone who trusts you.

Simple Messages Part 3 cont...

Today at work I noticed one of my friends shirts.

It said the following:

One Message

One Method

One Mission

I found myself thinking how true.

Simple yet profound.

I found myself adding the Following:

One God

One Message

One Method

One Mission

One Saviour

Simple Messages part 2 cont....

"One Birth

Changed History."

Simple yet Profound.

Birth of Jesus continues to change lives.

This has withstood the Test of Time.

Lives continue to be changed by this One Birth.

One Birth Did Change History

Power of Prayer

Being on a budget is not always easy.
I have learned that even when you are on a
tight budget.
It is possible to bless others.

This past Summer we had a Garden.
We came up with our own Irrigation System.
Which proved to be a blessing in disguise.

I remember it as if it was yesterday.
As I plowed in the garden I prayed.
Praying over the seeds and plants as they were planted.
Even when I watered the plants I was praying.
Every step pf the way I was praising God that it was His land.

What I did not realize I was praying out-loud.
Well not until Daddy stopped me and asked if I was Pentecostal?
The answer to that would be no.
However I'm God's Child.

I'm convinced that Prayer was the difference.
As a result many others were blessed from the Garden.
God truly blessed us with so much food.
With the economy the way it was I found myself more thankful.
I'm convinced today everything that came out of the Garden was because of God and God alone.

With cost of gas prices this Summer.
It was not uncommon to see people only buy what was needed.
Angel Food ministries has also been a blessing.

For additional information about Angel Food

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

"Having been poor is no shame,

but being ashamed of it is."

Benjamin Franklin

Simple messages

I first found this message in a Christmas card.
Simple yet profound.
The words on the Christmas card are as Follows:

"He came to pay a debt
He did not owe
Because we could not
pay the debt we owed."

Again so simple yet profound.
This words have withstood the test of time and so much more

On the Lighter Side

As I have mentioned in some of my previous blogs.
I have started a new job.
Brief description I answer questions regarding their Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance policy.
The person that seats beside me has a sense of humor.
As we was learning a new system.
for some strange reason I kept forgetting to click on coverage.
My friend would just say "Yvonne, we just got killed you didn't click coverage."
How right he was in the beginning.
Needless to say clicking on that is one of the first things I do.
Right now I have an A in the class.
Just so you know we have 5 different systems to go between.

But my friend is so right.
I must admit I started thinking of coverage.
Then I realized that God has it all under control.
"And lo I am with you..."
How true that is.
When a person needs comfort.
God has it covered.
When a person is week.
God has that person in His loving arms.
When a person needs to be ministered to once again.
God has it covered.
God is always on time.
Never late, never early but God has it covered.
Don't worry about being perfect.
God has it covered.
God sent His Son for YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Thankful

I was on my way to work when I saw something that made me think.
A SUV changed lanes and had the license plate "THANKFUL."
Once again I found myself thinking about that on and off today.
I have so much to be Thankful for after all God has blessed so much.

Then I found myself thinking "What is God thankful for?"
These are just a few of my thoughts.
Again it is my thoughts.

"God's Thankful for:"
-person that asks Jesus in His or Her heart
-a person that seeks God's face
-a person that surrenders to God
-a person that is obedient to God
-a person that makes the time to study God's word
-a person that takes the time to pray
-a person that chooses to minister to another person
-a person that chooses to encourage another person
-a person that chooses to fast
-a person that longs to hear God's voice

These are just a few that came to my mind that God is thankful for.
Remember God is thankful for YOU!

Sayings that makes me think

Not long ago I started a new job.
I must admit I enjoy where I work.
I'm learning so much.
There are days that it seems like I'm a sponge.

One of the persons training me has a saying that always makes me stop and think.
She just simply says "It is What It is."
I must admit hearing that has really made me think.
Regardless of the words a person speaks or thinks.
God just simply says "I love you."
Regardless of how a person acts.
Jesus says "I shed my blood for you."
Whether you are a blessing to others or not a blessing.
God says "I love you."
God's love is indeed a love I may not always understand.
I guess my trainer is right.
"It is what it is."
Regardless of the situation or circumstance.
God has love for you.
You are the apple of God's eye.
"It is what it is."
God is on His throne.
God is always at work.
God never sleeps.
Mankind has value because God gave mankind value.
"It is what it is."
God's love for mankind is unconditional.
"It is what it is."

Person of the Week

God has blessed me with so many people.
I must admit He is a blessing to so many people.
He has such a love for the Teenagers.
He has gone on Missionary trips back to back.

His wife has indeed been nothing but an inspiration.
Her insight has indeed been profound.
She is indeed a Proverbs 31 lady.

God has used the Associate Pastor to lead many youth to God.
After all is that not what its all about.
Person of the Week
Associate Pastor Tim Owns of Pinnacle

Just like Jesus

Got a story for you.
When Jesus received word that John the Baptist had been beheaded. He was hurt.
Jesus just wanted to go and pray.
Once again the crowd spotted him.
Instead of Jesus praying to his Heavenly Father.
He did the Sermon on the Mount.

The Senior Pastor reminds me of that where I go to church.
His wife is in a lot of pain.
Still they minister.
Now it is the Church's turn to minister to them.

Visionaires

The founding fathers had a vision.
They had a dream
It was a dream they wanted to share with others
After all that is how the US Constitution came about.
I found myself thinking about the founding fathers today.
I went to vote this morning.
This year I did early voting.
I saw many signs for both sides.
As people got in line to vote.
Whoever the person was going to vote for was "The Candidate."
After all they were right.
Then I found myself thinking once again about the founding fathers.
To be such visionairies, follow their dream.
Yes to even write a document that's simple yet profound at the same time.
For that document to withstand the hundreds of years.
Yes I found myself saying outloud the founding fathers had such profound wisdom.
Then I voted for McCain.

Who am I?

This morning as I was driving to work.

I heard a song "Who am I?' from Point of Grace

I must admit I kept thinking of the words off and on all day.

In the song it talks about "Who am I"?

That God would love me?

That Jesus would shed His blood for me?

To be given the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Not to mention the written word.

"Who am I?"

How right there are.

Then I realized that my value and worth does indeed come from God.

I may not always understand it.

One thing is for sure I'm thankful for God.

Grateful for the gift of Jesus.

Thankful for the gift of the Holy-Spirit.

Grateful for the written word.

Pictures

The Hand of God

As I was getting ready to make a call on my cell phone.

I couldn't help but notice the picture.

Come on let's face it most of us have pictures on our cell phones.

The name of the picture on my cell phone is called "The Hand of God".

It has 1 hand reaching up and 1 hand reaching down.

As I went back to work.

I couldn't help but think of the hand that is always reaching down.

Then as much as I might like to admit that my hand is always reaching up. In all honesty I can't say that.

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."

Romans 3:23

"for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever would believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

"Every good and perfect gift is from above...."

"Greater is He who is in me than he that is in the world."

Then I found myself thinking of the picture once again.

God's hand reaching down, and my hand reaching up.

I must admit there is not one area in my life that I measure up to.

In fact I fall short in all areas.

Whether I deserve it or not one thing is for sure God's hand is always reaching down.

Okay sometimes he carries me.

All I know is I'm thankful that God's hand is always reaching down to me.

Perservance

As a child of God I must admit there's been rough times along the way.
I can remember when I wondered would I ever see a mountaintop again.
After all it seemed like I went from one valley to another.
Would I see a mountain?

Recently God has been using a very special lady to teach me.
Regardless of how she feels she just continues to minister to others.
This lady rarely asks for anything.
She just goes around encouraging everyone else.

This special lady is the Senior Pastor's wife.
Her right hip causes her a lot of pain.
Yet, she hardly says anything.
Instead of saying much she simply says "Call me anytime".
She will be the one to call you and see how you are doing.
Yet, she needs a hip replacement.
Even when she is in a lot of pain she continues to minister.
She allows people to leave before her.
In fact she will even try to help you.
Yet, she needs surgery.
The most important thing to her is God.
She treasures her relationship with God very much.
She married her high-school sweetheart and the rest is history.
He stands by her side faithfully.
Praying that she was not in so much pain.
Just to see how she ministers to others has taught me so much.
Then again I have been blessed to have her as a sister.
Grateful for her wisdom.
Wanting her to have the surgery.
Wishing that she was not in pain.
Yet this brave lady continues on.