Birthdays - why they should be celebrated.

It is so hard to believe all the ways this life has been.
The roads You have led us on and the ways You  have brought us through personal struggles.

Lord, we seek You.

Growing up with 'kick the can',
catwoman costumes,
playing the accordian and the tambourine,
collecting and caring for baby birds,
Life in the Spirit seminars, helping friends,
attending college, and going places,
and the people that have helped me along the way.

"No one ever sought Me in vain,
I wait,
I wait with a hungry longing to be called upon.
Try to see a Mother preparing birthday delights for her child.
-Will she not love this!  Try to see as plans unfold of My preparing."   -God Calling

Lord show us how to embrace our moments.
Birthdays are milestones of how far You have brought us.
You have brought us so far.

If you want Joy.

You will show us the way of life,
in Your presence is fullness of joy.
At Your right hand are pleasures forever.   Psalm 16:11

Just as the presence of a mother gives a child joy,
so does the simple fact of God's presence make our joy.

The simple fact of God's Presence makes our joy.

There is behind all that changes and can change, the one unchangeable joy of God's presence.

To the children of God, there is behind all that changes and can change,
the One unchangeable joy that God is.

God knows everything, cares about everything.
He loves us.

Birthdays are important.

When we are IN the MOMENTS of our life they can feel to us as though they are the ONLY moments.   They can feel desperate, monotonous,
unfulfilled, horrifying, depressed, painful, joyful, exciting....

we hold on.
...You are the stabilizer that is the link, the thread that joins all our highs,
our low's,
our moments into a life time.
We hold on.
And then I look back and say thank You.

Thank You for so many moments of life that have woven together and brought us to this place of joy.
Contentment in the much,
Contentment in the little.
Peace in knowing You are here.
Thankfulness that You have blessed us with so much love.
Thankful for saving us in times of despair and depression and pain.
Thankful for health and a loving family.
Thankful for knowing life is not just survival, but knowledge that we can thrive in love.
Thankful for the knowledge that the one person we are to 'work on', to change is ourselves.
Thankful that You have said, Do not fear, and as My friend, do not inspire fear.
Thankful that You said to 'Be at Peace, not leisure, not laziness, but Peace.
Thankful that You remind us to guard our thoughts.
Thankful that You have reminded us not point our finger at others.
Thank You that You show me that so often if I am pointing out others faults,
then, I am most assuredly wrestling with similar ones.
Thank You that You have reminded me that the most important thing I can do is spend prayer time,
daily with You.
Thankful to You for the promise that no matter what others say or think about me,
no one can steal my dignity or worth.
You know me from the depths of my heart, mind, and soul and You love me.
None of us is perfect,
all of us stumble.
You love us in it all.
You show me that unforgiveness has no place in my life.
But You give me the grace to be able to forgive-   myself and others.
Thank You for this life.
Help me not to miss out on what is truly important and significant.
Thank You for the hope and significance that You bring to our lives.
Help us not to miss You in it all.

Birthdays are important.

NEVER DESPAIR

You clothe us with righteousness and dignity.

NEVER DESPAIR.

Be a channel of helpfulness for others.
Have more sympathy, more tenderness towards others,
your lives shall not be all care.
My strength is your strength.  -God Calling

Help us to know You and love You.

Give thanks.
Pray.
Obey.
Do not Fear.
Do not instill fear in others.
Do not point at others faults.
Guard your thoughts.
Give.
Be at peace.
Peace not leisure.

Lord Give us wisdom.

MARRIAGE:   A wise person will hear and increase learning and a man of understanding
will attain wise counsel.   Prov.  1:5   Lord help us to accept each other's guidance and direction
to stay on track.

In conflict?
How can we "In all things be more than conquerors through Him who loves us".  Romans 8:37

We can get out of a conflict a spiritual discipline that will greatly strengthen our faith and establish our spiritual character.   Temptation is sometimes necessary to confirm us in the spiritual life.   Our spiritual conflicts are
amongst our choices blessings, and our great adversary is used to train us for his ultimate defeat.  It is possible for us in our spiritual life through the victorious grace of God to turn to account the things that seem most unfriendly and unfavorable.    -Mrs. Charles E. Cowman.

Feeling like a prisoner............ of debt.

Feeling like a prisoner of debt.

Life with Me is not immunity from difficulties, but peace IN difficulties.

My guidance is often by shut doors.

Joy is the result of faithful trusting acceptance of My will,

when it seems not joyous.

My love opens and closes doors.

Joy.

Be calm.

God has promised that His Spirit will  guide us 

and His word will direct us. 

God's word and Spirit serve as guardrails for life's journey.

Lord help us to be easily guided by Your Word and Spirit.

"Lord, early I will seek you.

My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land.

Where there is no water."   Psalm 63:1

"I am with You in this barren place.

I will give you the peace you are longing for.

HERE I will give you spiritual food.

You are always with Me no matter what the circumstances and all I have is Yours.

You cannot live by money alone,

but by every word that proceeds from My Mouth.

When we grow thirsty we learn to cry,

"The light of Your face is my Life!"

Why do we sometimes feel so poor, and needy, and thirsty?

There we learn to seek You.

It is not our achievements but being with You that changes us.

Thank you that you are teaching us to turn to You in everything.

Thank you for teaching us that we don't have to be reactive in self preservation.

Lord,

I lift up our families, 

I thank You for the priests of our homes,

and that You are giving us wisdom to be debt free,

that You will guide us to freedom from debt.

Forgive us for speaking negative words.

Thank You that Your are guiding us to freedom.

Show us the way. 

Both of us are pretty wierd.

When we criticize others and use their shortcomings as an excuse not to love them.....

This is not what You,
Love,
have called us to.
But we can only accept others unconditionally with Your help,
and ONLY with Your help.
Help us to accept other's as You accept us.
Help us to know how to best show You in our service
to our bosses,
our co workers,
our friends and family.
We have to start by reaching who we can reach
and
touching who we can touch.

GOD WILL EQUIP US WITH ALL WE NEED TO DO WHAT HE HAS CALLED US TO DO!
Help us to see this Lord!

"Wait.
Wonders are unfolding.
Silently comes the Kingdom.
No man can judge when it enters the heart of man.
Listen quietly.
Sometimes you may get no message.
Meet Me all the same.
You will absorb an atmosphere.
Cultivate the silence.
Each word or thought of yours can be like a pearl that you drop into
the secret place of another heart,
and in some hour of need, the recipient finds the treasure and realizes for the first time its value.
Do not be too ready to do,
Just be.
Individual effort avails to nothing,
it is the work of My Spirit that counts."   -God Calling

MARRIAGE:
Frankly both of us are kind of wierd,
neither of us is perfect,
but I am sure committed to you.
We take our spouses with full knowledge that we will disappoint each other gravely,
that we will hurt each other deeply.
In spite of this we commit ourselves to love,
knowing each others weaknesses and failures.
Love is an unconditional commitment to imperfection.  - Intimate Moments.

Are you afraid of others?

"The way will open.  
God cares and His plans unfold.
Just love and wait.
Love is the Key.
No door is too difficult for it to open.
What causes have you to fear?
Have I not cared for and pretected you?
Hope on.
Hope gladly.
Hope with certainty.
Be calm.
Calm in My power.
Welcome the training!
Do not worry about others lives,
you must be perfected first in My strength."  -God Calling

Lord help us not to work as to the fear of man, 
but help us to do our job as to You.
Help us to be strong in You,
to turn to You. 

God will equip us with all we need to do,
what He has called us to.

Help us to see this, to see You!