Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

All I Would Ever Need


I had always felt like a misfit in school. My friends, although good and true friends, were not in the crowd of popular kids in school. Besides, I was sure I was funny looking. I just didn't fit the mold.

Parading constantly before my eyes was "the fun group" - the popular kids - always laughing and whispering, never sad or depressed, skipping their way through school, the best of friends. Teachers loved them, boys loved them, the whole school loved them. I worshipped them and wanted to be just like them. I dreamed of the day that they would accept me.

My dream came true when I turned fourteen and I tried out for the cheerleading squad. To my surprise, I was chosen. Almost instantly, I was thrust into the "in crowd."

I felt like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. I changed my hair and the way I dressed. Everyone thought the change in me was fantastic - new clothes, a new group of friends and a new outlook on life.

Almost overnight, the whole school knew who I was, or at least they knew my name. There were parties and sleepovers, and of course, cheering at the games. I was finally one of the popular kids. Everyone I had hoped to know, I knew. Everything I had wanted to be, I was.

Something strange was happening to me, however. The more I was included with the "in crowd," the more confused I became. In reality, these people were far from perfect.

They talked behind each other's backs while they pretended to be best friends. They rarely had a truly good time but smiled and faked it. They cared about what I was wearing and who I was seen with. But they didn't care about who I was, what I believed in, what my dreams were or what made me who I was. It was a shock to see them as they really were, instead of as I had "thought" they were.

I began to feel a huge sense of loss and disappointment. But worst of all, I realized that I was becoming just like them, and I didn't like what was happening at all. I had to get my life back in order. I concentrated first on finding out who my real friends were - the ones who listened and who really cared about me.

They were the only ones who really mattered. I stayed with cheerleading because I really enjoyed it. But I stopped hanging around with only the popular kids, and I widened my circle of friends. I found out that my real friends had never left me. They were simply waiting for me to come to my senses. I finally realized that my original friends were all I would ever need.

 

[beensetfree]

Our Turtle

It is amazing to me how a simple summer afternoon, beautiful blue
skies, and no rain for once can turn into an even more magical
experience simply by someone ringing our doorbell.

My son and I had just settled down to our Sunday night dinner
last night and our doorbell rang. Little did I know a two-hour
grand adventure was about to start for me

It was our neighbor advising me that I should shut my garage door
because a twenty-five pound snapping turtle was resting on my
driveway. My son and I stared out in amazement. There she was,
a glorious ancient reptile resting on her journey.

Her journey so far had taken her from a pond to the north of our
home, up a huge hill, and to everyone's amazement across a busy
trafficked road. And she had crossed another street to arrive in
my driveway. Everyone realized she was heading to another pond
that was at the end of our subdivision. However, she had heard
the water in my front yard from my mini pond and was
investigating it in a brief stay.

We all stared in amazement as this creature brought herself up
from her resting position and proudly walked forward ... her
steps were steady and determination was shown in each step as she
marched across my garden. She rested again in my garden, in the
cool shade of the tall grasses. My small garden pond was not the
destination, so once again she pushed herself up and started the
march eastward toward the larger pond.

She changed direction after she left my garden and headed down to
the sidewalk. By now, more and more people were coming out to
watch her progress. Slow and steady, with incredible strength
and determination, she walked forward, never veering from her
path.

As she made her way, more and more children came out to see "The
Turtle." I ran back home to check and see if this migration was
normal at this time of year for snapping turtles. I discovered
while searching the Web that we were seeing a rare occurrence in
August. The turtle knew by instinct where her goal was, the
other pond. And on trust and instinct, she followed her path.
She knew where she had to go and her route.

So for the next two hours, I became a turtle wrangler with my
front porch broom, keeping kids at a safe distance, asking one of
the children to run a get a water can of water to keep her moist
as this journey was drying her out and that was not good for her.
And above all else, keeping everyone out of her path, as that
made her nervous and she would retreat inside her shell.

Our goal became her goal, to help her along the sidewalk. The
kids learned that snapping turtles hiss when provoked, and yes
she will open her mouth and lunge her head forward and snap. Her
long claws, about two inches long, made a louder noise on the
sidewalk than a dog's nails on a sidewalk. They were amazed and
in awe of this wondrous creature. All the children were so
respectful of the turtle, as were the adults and some of the
older teens. Pictures were being taken by cell phone cameras. As
the procession slowly followed The Turtle, more and more children
came out.

Then suddenly after one of her rests, she changed direction. She
turned off the sidewalk and she went down a path between the
houses into a backyard. We quickly asked permission of the
owners to follow her there. The owner of the home was enthralled
at her visitor. Then the turtle was headed into the tall
grasses, behind the houses. We knew she had to keep wet and we
could not keep track of her in the tall grasses. So it was
decided that we would try to get her into a box so we could carry
her the last 2000 yards to the pond.

She did not like the box. She hissed at the box on the ground and
snapped at the side of it (that is how the kids got to see the
actual shape and powerful bite of a snapping turtle). A newfound
respect came over the kids.

I kept guiding her from the tall grasses with the broom, and then
suddenly she lunged forward, snapped at my broom, and went into
the box.

It took four kids to carry and run with the box to the pond. Kids
were running after the box, parents were keeping up - all in one
mission to help our Turtle to her destination, the pond. The
Turtle knew when were getting close to the pond; she was clawing
her way up the side of the box. Parents were praying the box
would hold the turtle's weight. They could see the bottom of the
box giving way as we approached the pond.

Then suddenly we were at the pond, the kids gently tipped the box
on its side. and magic happened! The Turtle, after her laborious
two-and-a-half-hour walk on land, glided effortlessly into the
pond, submerged, and was home. The pond that was Turtle's
destination flows into the huge marsh at the south end of Lake
Scugog, which is part of the Trent-Severn water system.

Once the turtle was released, the kids shouted and whooped and
cheered, their mission to help our Turtle complete. As our group
of newly appointed turtle wranglers walked, some skipped back to
the subdivision. They all chattered about how wonderful this
adventure had been, how they wanted to name their turtle, how in
just a short two-and-a-half hours this wonderful ancient creature
captured their hearts. A lovely way to end their summer
vacations and then go back to school to tell of their summer
adventure with our Turtle.

As for me? I saw it s the journey we take in this lifetime. We
move forward, not resisting change, knowing our path in our
hearts and following it by instinct, trusting and believing we
will arrive at our destination no matter what is put in our way.
And once we arrive, we are given the gift of freedom, of what we
love to do, to be who we can be ... and simply glide through the
rest of our journey, with help from special guidance that is
always there for us, if we just accept that we are not alone and
always guided.

Great way to go through life.

 

[beensetfree]

The Other Boot

My Father used to tell my brothers and me a story of World War I.

While a young soldier was praying before bedtime one night,
another soldier told him to stop that noise and threw one of his
boots at him.

The next morning, the soldier who had been praying returned the
boot to its owner cleaned and polished, and asked for the other
one and said he would also polish that one.

My father said the young soldier was never abused again.

I was only a little girl when my father told this story, but I
have never forgotten it.


But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him
have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile,
go with him two miles. (Mat 5:39-41 NIV)

 

[beensetfree]

I Don't Regret A Mile

I've dreamed many dreams that never came true.
I've seen them vanish at dawn.
But I've realized enough of my dreams, thank God,
To make me want to dream on.

I've prayed many prayers, when no answers came,
Though I waited patient and long,
But answers came to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.

I've trusted many a friend that failed
And left me to weep alone,
But I've found enough of my friends true blue
To make me keep trusting on.

I've sown many seeds that fell by the way
For the birds to feed upon,
But I have held enough golden sheaves in my hands
To make me keep sowing on.

I've drained the cup of disappointment and pain
And gone many days without song,
But I've sipped enough nectar from the roses of life
To make me want to live on.

 

[beensetfree]

An Angel Named Howard

Katherine was having a bad day and luckily a good friend and accountability partner of hers, Mary, noticed and wanted to talk about it.

They were talking about her feeling of loneliness. Katherine just really didn't feel special to anyone, but she knew that God was special through her to many people everyday. She knew God loved her, but she just desired to know that someone on earth loved her for who she is.

Then a man came into the room in which they were speaking. He threw some trash away and left. The two women continued their conversation and the man returned to throw more trash away.

Katherine noticed the man this time. He was about 6'4", with crystal blue eyes, and golden curls on his head. She remarked that she really liked his hair. The man laughed and then he told Katherine of how much he used to hate his hair-how he permed it straight once, and by 24 hours it was curly again...Katherine laughed with him because she also struggled with her wavy hair and freckles. He commented that he liked her freckles and her eyes.

Katherine asked her new friend what his name was. He replied that it was Howard. He was just visiting the area for the day and he would soon return home to England. Katherine told him that she used to live in England and they began to speak of how the cultures differed. He remarked that most English people were introverts and that it took a while for them to be comfortable talking with strangers.

Mary watched this whole conversation and she and Katherine were sad to see Howard go when his friend came down to find him. Howard said he was glad to have met the two ladies and he gave them each 2 kisses-one on each cheek, as he parted.

Katherine and Mary giggled about this "chance" encounter and then Mary really spoke to Katherine's heart....She said, "Katherine, don't you realize that was exactly what you needed? (Katherine was beaming and obviously in a much better mood than before she met Howard)...Howard did not even know you, yet you took the time to tell a total stranger that you liked something about him. It was your spirit he was attracted to and that led the two of you into a conversation...all those little things (the things God has blessed you with to make you the unique person that you are) Howard noticed and complimented you on.. He also touched you and God knows that touch is special to you....He spoke of how introverted British people are, yet look at how un-introverted he was....Katherine, Howard was a gift from God."

Katherine felt a warm smile creep up from the bottom of her heart as she realized that Howard looked just like what she always pictured angels to look like, he did give her an innocent kiss (and she hadn't been kissed in a long time), and he did really make her feel special and loved for who she is, and so she thanked God right then and there for her friend, "Howard the angel."

Call it coincidence, or call it a spiritual encounter...I for one, know that angels are among us....God sends angels to work through people who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose to those who are sensitive to the Spirit, and I am SO glad He does.

 

[beensetfree]

Anyway


People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

You see, in the final analysis, It is between you and God.
It never was between you and them anyway.

 

[beensetfree]

Baptism


I was a day care provider & there was a child in my care named Jason-that God used to continue my journey with God. Jason was only 4 years old-but he knew how to pray. Jason started praying for me & asked his dad to pray too.

I can still remember the phone ringing & Jason saying, "Kim will you come to church with me?" Of course I agreed to go. Jason asked me to church every Wednesday & Sunday.

One day Jason asked me, "Have you been baptized?" I explained to him I was baptized as a baby. Jason told his dad & his dad made arrangements to study with me. For the next 4 weeks Greg (Jason's dad) rode his motorcycle over to my parent's house to have a Bible study with me. After several scriptures were read on babtism; I told Greg I wanted to be baptized. Mathew 28:19 "Therefore go & make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, son, & of the holy spirit". (NIV)

I was to be baptized in a small pond in Claremont, IL. As I went down into the water-I can still remember the beautiful singing of the people as they sang:"I will follow Jesus - No turning back".

As I came up out of the water-I knew my sins were forgiven & buried-to be held against me no more. I was a complete new creature in Christ. I don't know how many people were saved by Jason's prayers & willingness to share Jesus with others. We as adults need to hiumble ourselves & become like a child. Pray for everyone & use every opportunity to share the message of the gospel.

 

[beensetfree]

Be Satisfied With Me


Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone
To have a deep soul relationship with another
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively

But, God, to a Christian says: No, not until you are satisfied, filled and content with being loved by Me alone with giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me alone discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found will you be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you.

You will never be united with one another until you are united with Me. Exclusively for anyone or anything else Exclusively for any other desires or longings I want you to stop wishing and allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing

One that you cannot imagine I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you.
You must keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things. Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am, keep learning the things that I want to tell you. You just wait, wait. That’s all.

Don’t be anxious.
Don’t worry
Don’t look around at the things that others have gotten or that I have given them
Don’t look at the things you think you want

You just keep looking off and away to Me, or you’ll miss what I want to show you , and when you are ready I will surprise you with a love more beautiful than you could dream of. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready, You will never be able to experience the great love that is waiting for you (I am working even at this very moment to have both of you ready at the same time)

Until you are both satisfied with Me and the life I’ve prepared for you, you won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and this is the perfect love.
And dear one, I want you to have the most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me and enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, and perfection and love that I offer you with Myself.

Know that I love you utterly
I am God ………
Believe it and be satisfied.




"Be Still and know that I am God" - Psalm 46:10

 

[beensetfree]

I'll See You After The Movie

It was one of those eclectic movies so I went to the theater
alone. My wife doesn't care for oddball movies. I went because it
had a Go See rating on MovieFoot.com.

I was the only one in the theater. An older couple entered. The
husband sat on the row in front of me on the left side. His wife
sat on the same row but on the right side.

"Join me here," he said. "I like the view from the left."

"But I like the view from the right," she said.

They both stayed where they were separated by several empty seats
between them.

"I'll see you after the movie," he jokingly remarked.

A few minutes later before the start of the movie, she got up and
moved to sit next to him.

On the left side.

It appeared that they had been married a long time.

It appears they will remain married, whether they sit to the
left, right or in the middle.

Marriage and life are not about where you are, it's about the
direction in which you are moving.

Are you moving closer to unity, harmony and Divine destiny
or closer to separation, dis-ease and destruction?

 

[beensetfree]

Be Still


Be Still, and Know that I Am God,
My Father said to Me,
And I will fill you with My Peace,
And set your Spirit Free.

You are my Own; I've Chosen You:
You are Precious in My Sight.
Give Me your Heart and I Promise
You I'll be Your Guiding Light.

My Love for you will Never Fade
By your side I'll Always Stay.
My Joy will be your Strength and Shield,
If you'll let Me have My Way.

I'm Standing here with Arms
Outstretched I want to Touch and make You Whole.
Of My Living Waters, Come and Drink,
And I will Quench your Thirsty Soul.

Peace! Be Still! I am with You now,
And no-one could Love You More.
My Love for you will never Die
Of that You can be sure.

That's what my Father said to Me
And I know His Words are true.
I know that He has Set me Free
And He'll do the Same for You.

So just Reach Out, ask Him to Forgive
And Pardon all your Sin.
Ask Him to be your God and King
And He will take You In.

(Psalms 46:10)

 

[beensetfree]

Change


I sit and think of what I used to be.
It wasn't me it was what everyone else wanted to see.
I had to change to fit in the crowd.
My kindness and unbroken rules were not allowed.


Soon drugs were my only option to be cool.
But now I can only think that I was such a fool.
I was a fool to not do what I knew was right.
I gave-in to soon and thought that I had lost the fight.


But now I realize that the devil didn't win!
For I have repented of every sin.
I did what is good again when I turned to the Lord.
He became exactly what I wanted and changed my whole world.


I choose now to not follow but to leave.
I have found what I truly want in life, everything I need.
With the Lord's helping hand I have now found a way.
And I truly know that if lean on him, I can conquer all the battles that I face every day.

 

[beensetfree]

iPod at The Gym

I have to tell you how much I enjoy AirJesus.com.

Every morning that I go to the gym, I listen to sermons that I
have downloaded onto my iPod. It still amazes me how the Lord
knows what I need to hear.

I've battled a weight problem all of my life and the sermons
that He gives me relate to just that. "The Battles Within" and
"Pull The Trigger" are just a few that have motivated me
to keep trying and to not give up.

Thank you so much for Air Jesus and MountainWings!!!
~Nancy Stanaland~

The Battles Within http://www.theonlineword.com/mp3/5333.mp3
Pull the Trigger http://www.theonlineword.com/mp3/5315.mp3

FAT2Fine at www.HitBooks.com

Note: You can download hundreds of sermons FREE at AirJesus.com.
Just enter a keyword for whatever you are dealing with or need to hear
and there is usually a sermon on it. You can also click "Category" for the
categories of sermons.

AirJesus.com "A Website for The Soul"

 

[beensetfree]

Cleaning Out


Whew! It was tough, but we got it done. Instead of waiting till Spring, we launched into cleaning out the garage and the attic. It seemed like a good time -- it was the right temperature, we were going to have to put away the Christmas stuff anyway, and all of us were home. Sure, it was a big, dirty, ugly job, but we launched into it.

We've gotten rid of a bunch of junk that we were saving for no apparent reason. Anything that hasn't been used in several years is now gone. We either threw it away or set it aside for a resale shop. No more tripping over it. No more arguing about it. No more letting it clutter up our lives. Our garage and attic are neat, clean, and uncluttered. It's a minor miracle.

Now comes the hard part: cleaning out the junk in my heart and head that I've been saving for no apparent reason! It's one thing to get a new start on a new year, a new day, or a new life, but for it to be really new, we've got to put down the old bags of garbage and junk. As Rich Mullins put it in one of his last songs, it often seems "we can't see what's ahead and we cannot get free of what we've left behind" (from the song "Hard to Get").

But we can get free. We can clean out the clutter. We may not know what's ahead, but we can let ourselves go free from what's behind. It's not easy. We're not like God who can forgive the past and then forget it. In fact, the more we try to forget something, the more we seem to remember it. But we can quick picking it up and looking at it.

We can set it aside and make room for new things. We don't have to keep tripping over the same clutter. We can clean it out by giving it up to the Lord -- let him forgive it and take lordship over it. But we must give it up -- stack up the bundles of our past regrets, mistakes, sins, and hurts and give them up. It may mean writing all our regrets down on a sheet of paper and burning them or burying them. Or it may mean mentally jotting them down and visualizing Jesus taking an eraser and removing them completely. But we must give them up for us to get on to something new!

I'm not suggesting we simplistically pretend our mistakes and sins didn't happen. We can't stop consequences from our past from sometimes reappearing. But we can quit picking up the problems and "what iffing" them to death! We can quit going over them again and again in our minds. We can clean them out and if we re-find them, or they re-find us, we can consciously give them up again!

Peter denied the Lord three times in his most needed hour. Paul persecuted Christians before he knew the Lord. Neither could completely escape his past. But they chose to set them aside and not live with them. Instead, they chose to live for the Lord and let him take care of the past. As Paul put it, "Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above." (Philippians 3:13-14)

So how about the clutter in your heart? Is there anything you need to clean out and throw out so you can go on to the Lord's future for you? Then clean it out and let him help you start fresh and finish strong

 

[beensetfree]

Colors


By: Rebecca Grant


Black and yellow, red and white,



All are precious in God's sight.



All the colors in the sky,


And every color in each eye.




We see the beauty all around,



Why not in all who walk on the ground?



For green is not better than red,


But together create beauty instead.





For every color in God's sight,



Was made and formed, each just right.



For God loves all, just hates our sin,


After all He's our next of kin.



When love is shown from one to another,



A multitude of sin it shall cover.



Each one was created equal in God's eye,


To love one another is the reason why.





So look upon each other with love,



For we all came from God above

 

[beensetfree]

Come Quickly King of Majestic Glory



Ever since the beginning of time,
You longed to hold me close.
From the very first day
I called You my King,
I have been only yours.

I come to the mountain alone,
I want to be near You.
To hear Your soft, sweet voice.
You hear every word I whisper,
And I long to run away with You,
From the valleys to the highlands.
My eyes, they cry out to see
Your Majestic Glory!

King of Love,
I am Yours & You are mine.
Hold me in Your arms,
Keep me in Your Spirit.
Gather me into Your wings,
And with the speed of hinds feet,
I will runaway with You!
Over the mountains of spices,
You make my heart sing!
You take me into Your secrete places
With waters gushing like deeps goes to deep,
You baptize me in love.

So I long for the time
when I hear my Beloved say,
"Arise, now is the time,
Come quickly, I'll take you away.
Come with me from Lebanon,
Descend from the crest of Amana,
from the Senir, the summit of Hermon.
You are my garden and I am your fountain
My bride, Streaming down from Lebanon."

Awake, north wind,
And come, south wind!
Blow on my garden,
That its fragrance may spread
As perfume in the air.
Awake Holy Spirit and blow
On my garden, that all may
Taste choice fruits of You.

I long for the Holy Day,
When You take me away.
Now I hold small drops of rain
Of Your love & Mercy..
One day I'll see You come
Like lighting for me..
I have Your Comforting Hope here
But I long for Majestic Glory. A
ll hope may seem gone
But you remain strong
Sending Your love rays.

I have heard You at my heart's door,
Saying, "Open to me, my darling, my dove.
Place me like a seal over your heart"

You are watching over Your gardens.
You are like the dawn,
Fair as the moon,
Bright as the sun,
And as majestic as the stars.
Come away, my King of Love
and like a gazelle w
e will runaway on
the spice-laden mountains
Take me away with You,
Into my Kings chambers.
I will runaway, runaway with You!
When You come quickly
To take me to Your wedding feast

 

[beensetfree]

Comfort and Power


A child was telling her Father that her Brother had just saved her life. Her Father was very pleased and her Brother smiling said, "Sister, I have a gift for you. He will be with you forever." And He gave her a horse who was magnificent. Her brother said, "I have named Him Comfort and Power."


Her Father looking on said, "Here is a book of instruction. Go and tell everyone what your Brother has done for you. Whenever you want you may return and refresh yourself and also Comfort and Power. Then we can visit."


The child in her excitement, quickly grabbed a bit for Comfort and Power and led Him with the reins. She thought I can go in any direction, left or right or straight ahead. She would miss Father and Brother but she had Comfort and Power to accompany her.


She chose the left path. Her heart was so full of joy that she felt very powerful. The further she went she noticed that Comfort and Power grew weaker. It was a struggle for her to control Comfort and Power. However, she wanted to please Father and Brother by doing what they had asked.


She saw a group of people ahead gathered in a field. So, she ran toward them dragging Comfort and Power with her. When she started to speak her words were all mixed up and she was sorry she could not express the joy she felt in her heart. The child managed to tell what her Brother had done for her and wanted the people to come and see Father and Brother for themselves. But, the people looked at her with confusion and no enthusiasm. She and Comfort and Power left.


By this time it was getting dark and the child was very tired. She did not understand why the people did not receive her news with great joy. Comfort and Power was weak and she remembered what Father had said, "Come and refresh yourself along with Comfort and Power whenever you like."


The child missed Father and Brother. Comfort and Power did not seem very comforting or powerful just now.
She looked around and realized she had forgotten the instruction book Father had given her. Suddenly she felt so alone. But, a small still voice who thought was her Brother said, "Release control of Comfort and Power. He will lead you home."


The child climbed on Comfort and Power's back and let go of the reins. Suddenly, He was very powerful and took the child straight to Father and Brother. It was so effortless that they seemed to have wings.


At once she saw Father with His arms open wide and Brother on His right praying for His sister. She saw the instruction book still in Fathers' hand and realized how foolish she had been to think she could go and tell without it.
They ate and visited together and the child and Comfort and Power were ready to go and tell as Father and Brother had asked. Father said, "Child, you cannot do anything by yourself and in your own strength. This is why Brother saved your life and gave you Comfort and Power. Trust in Him. He will empower you for your task."


The child was very happy and started the second day of her new life with Comfort and Power in control which she received from her Brother and the instruction book that Father had given her.
Suddenly, she found herself on a mountaintop. There she soaked in the book Father had given her. Oh how wonderful and nourishing the words were.


At times she experienced much sadness over faults and failures of hers pointed out in the book. But, it was not long until waves of forgiveness swept over her and a new understanding developed in the child's heart.
Comfort and Power was helping the child understand the book and they would talk about it and visit Father and Brother often.


Days turned into weeks and weeks into months as the child prepared to serve others as the book instructed. Comfort and Power was teaching and empowering her just as Father had said.


There was a continued longing and desire to go and tell others about Brother. She knew that Father had placed it there in her heart. The desire to tell others became stronger and stronger each day. It was like an aching in her soul that would not go away.


The child looked down in the valley and noticed people wandering around as if lost. She and Comfort and Power went to see Father and Brother and discuss what she should do.


Holy, Holy, Holy. The child had not noticed before the holiness of Father and Brother. The light shining forth from them was so bright she found herself on her knees in worship. She started to sing like she never knew she could and soar as if one in flight. Father God, Holy, Holy, Holy. Brother Jesus, Savior, Friend, Lord, Alpha & Omega, Bright and Morning Star, Holy, Holy, Holy. Comfort and Power was giving the child new understanding, a new language, and new sight of beings in the heavenlies.


She did not want to leave. Oh what bliss. This was her future. Comfort and Power told the child there would be many visits like this but she was needed back in the valleys and yes even the mountaintops where she could tell other. Remember, Go and Tell.


Still the child did not want to go back. She wanted to please Father and Brother though, so she asked Comfort and Power to give her the strength and wisdom to go back and tell others about Brother.


Brother said, "There are others like you. I want you to go and encourage them. Visit and fellowship with them as you do with Father and I. We are all One. There are some on the mountaintops and some in the valleys. Share with them My message of go and tell to the remotest parts of the earth. Time is short. The time is now. Hurry new and Comfort and Power will show you the way. Just ask and it will be given unto you, seek and you will find Me always."


The child felt the longing in her heart again, just like before. She knew it was the same longing as Father had in His heart. Allowing Comfort and Power control of her life, the child set out to find the others as Brother had asked.

to be continued.....
Father - God
Brother - Jesus
Comfort and Power - Holy Spirit
Field - world
Instruction Book - Bible

 

[beensetfree]

Lost in the Darkness

Johanna had lived her entire life in the dark cave, deep underneath the earth’s surface. She’d never seen light—not pure light, anyway. There were little glimmers of light that reached her here and there—a fish that glowed, a glimpse of the outside world if she wandered too close to the edge, and an occasional traveler with a headlamp.

Johanna, and the thousands of others who lived in the gigantic cave, passed their existence in darkness. They stumbled along, making their way as best as they could in the blackness, often falling to their deaths in huge drop-offs, getting bitten by poisonous creatures, or twisting an ankle on a rock—all because they couldn’t see. They daily walked right over incredible crystal formations and jewels, only they didn’t know it, because they couldn’t see them in the darkness. They remained oblivious to the breathtaking colors and dazzling designs.

As odd as it may sound, these people lived in the darkness by choice. I know that sounds crazy—who would choose to stumble in the fearful darkness? Who would choose not to see? And why would they choose that?

Well, although very few admitted this was the reason, the people chose the darkness because they didn’t want to see themselves as they really were. In the darkness, they’d convinced themselves they were clean and healthy, and they didn’t want to admit that wasn’t true.

Light showed them things as they really were. It showed them the dirt all over them. It showed them the dried-up blood covering their bodies, and puss oozing out of uncared for wounds. It revealed the sores and disease that ravaged their bodies. It showed them their mangled hair and weak eyes. In short, it showed them that they were a mess.

Had they only realized the healing and life that could be theirs if they were only willing to step into that light, they wouldn’t have hesitated for one moment. Had they only really understood that their present life in the dark cave ended only in death, they would have raced into the life the light offered to them. But instead they refused, living in darkness—loving it actually—rather than in the light of life.

“Then spake 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.” John 8:12

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 3:19-21

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:5-9

Light is an amazing thing. Without it, we don’t know how to walk safely…nor can we see the beauty surrounding us. Light shows things as they really are—it reveals the truth about ourselves and the world around us.

God is light and truth—and He reveals Himself in His Word, the Bible. Are we willing to let God show us the truth—even if it’s not initially pleasant? Are we in His Word? Are we letting His Word light are path?

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” Ephesians 5:8

 

[beensetfree]

Crossed Beams


Dream cast to deed
Bird carried seed
To Earh falls to breed
Majestic wooden steed

Spring thaw to sapling
Gave whispers to grapling
Mercy's perfect yielding
Green timber sin forgiving

Self-lifted twixt Heaven and Earth
Decires His mortal Birth
Forgiveness their sin of Mirth
Saves mankind in funeral Dirth

Perfect Adam so sublime
Comes as one like us in time
Announced through Angel rhyme
To Mary, virgin mother thine

King of word and King of Wood
Carpenter artist of handmade good
Speak life to objects inanimate
By skills learned by gift incarnate

When Fathers' Call upon your heart
Drove you from shop to stream
Began ministry in this simple start
Ends as your life makes the Father beam

There upon the cross so cruel
You, my Lord, won the duel
For lives of each and every sinner
From Adam, Eve, who trusted sin beginner

Now the timbers from the tree
Grown and felled for epiphany
My Savior chose to set free
My soul He won in destiny

Timbers creaking beneath the load
Of the word's sins so long foretold
Things that keep us out the fold
For pleasure brief our joy we sold

Christ chose to give to me
Another chance at Eternity
restored, forgiven by this Love
Through the seed carried by the Dove

 

[beensetfree]

Do You Ever Feel


Do you at times feel helpless
Like a ship against the tide?
You feel the darkened waters
Constant crashing 'gainst the side?


You're in tumultuous waters
You have been tossed to and fro
Your thoughts are turning frantic
And the tides too strong to row

You're out in the great open
At the mercy of the sea
And suddenly you're feeling
All your inadequecies

Feeling so awfully helpless
Forces out of your control
For they are so much bigger
Without help, affect your soul

There is one force that's greater
That is stronger than the rest
It is our Lord Almighty
For solutions, He's the best

When you're feeling tossed about
And your future's looking bleak
May it be God you call for
And the first one that you seek

For He's the greatest calmer
Greatest peace you'll ever find
When our own understanding
Leads us in these waters blind

He is always there for us
We need give control to Him
And let the Lord take over
When you're just too tired to swim

For He is your protector
Safely carry you ashore
So call on Him and trust Him
Let His love for you outpour

 

[beensetfree]

Doing It Right The First Time


There was a little girl who had parents that loved her very much. They raised her to go to church and serve the lord with all that she had. She went every time the church had a service and any events that took place. She enjoyed the worship and praising the lord and speaking in tongues and dancing the isles.


Then one day she got old enough to think for her self (at least she thought she was) and she decided to leave the church scene and go out into the world and try some of the stuff that if offered. She went to the pool halls to play pool. Hung out with friends on the street walking up and down through the traffic all day. And she even went to the bars as she got older to have a drink with her friends that she walked the street with all her teen life.

Then one day she found some stuff called drugs. And these drugs made her feel like she was strong and able to do anything. She began to see things in a different light (a light that was dim). But to her amazement she found that this dim light was taking over her life and she could not stop it from shining on her.


Then one day she found herself in a rut. This was a rut that made her feel dirty and lonely. She found herself without real friends and no one who really was there for her. And then as the story goes, she met a man that she loved in her heart. And she wanted to marry him. And he wanted to marry her. But the dim light that was in her life still kept her from seeing clearly. So she could not see the man in the way that she wanted.


And time went on and this girl finally got to marry her man that she loved from her heart. And the marriage was bad. They fought all the time and cheated each other out of things. And made each other learn to hate. And still this girl could not get rid of this dim light.


Then one day as she was being a house wife. There was this light that came to her kitchen that day. It shined so bright that she forgot about the dim one. This light looked familiar to her, she had seen it before. But she had not seen it in a long time. It made her smile and feel warm.


She began to look at it and study it. She noticed this light showed more than the dim one. She began to get into the brighter light each day. It drew her into it. And she finally went into the light so deep that she could see clearly.


She saw her husband in a brand new light. He was loving and compassionate. She saw herself in a new light. She became loving and compassionate. She became soft at heart and learned that this light she was in was the light of Jesus Christ.


He is the light of the world. And when she got into him, she could live life freely and learn new ways that she only missed during her walk in the dim light.
She saw her life was going no where and this bright light gave her a chance to see where she was headed. She noticed she was headed to a place called hell. And this place was real hot. And it was for eternity. And then the bright light led her to another place. A place of peace and joy and comfort. And all this is what she was looking for to begin with.

But she had gotten side tracked for sometime, with this dim light,( fifteen years to be exact ) she followed this bright light and then she began to see that she could do things right. Where she was doing drugs, in this bright light she did not have to do no more. In this bright light, she did not have to hate any more. In this bright light she did not have to cheat and argue any more. And her life got better and better each day. She lives in the bright light each day of her life. And it is the right light.


Six years later and she is still walking in this bright light. She says now, "that she should have done it right the first time and stayed with this bright light." But now that she is back. She is never going to leave it again. She is going to follow this bright light all the way to heaven, that is doing it right the first time.