A Moms Love Is Forever and Always !!
 I posted this to my Facebook site this morning, want to share on my blog. My Son would have been 40 tomorrow, he committed suicide Feb 28, 2012.  Has been so hard to know that my child was so unhappy that he took his own life. A healthy happy boy who somewhere along the way became an addict, fought to become clean and sober for many years. Had been so for a couple of years, he was still clean and sober when he jumped from the Balboa Bridge in San Diego. The last conversation we had 2 weeks before he said, He as so tired of the fight to remain so ! There are some things a Mom can not fix for her children!

 December 31, 1974 I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of a baby, back then we did not know what the Baby's gender would be. I only knew I was 8-10 days overdue with the Dr predicted a large baby ! That was oh so correct ! At 11 PM that night we were on our way to the hospital, at 5:08 AM January 1,1975 I delivered a 10lb 4oz , 22 1/2 inch baby boy who I named Jason Dean Runnion, Dean having been my deceased brother's name ! The first New Years Baby in Wayne County, Ohio. This New Years will be much different for me, I know you would be happy for me at this stage of my life with so many changes these last few years ! attempting a new life far away from my Texas home and Family of 37 years, working on a new relationship at my age ! Never thought that would happen, life is so full of pot hole and detours ! There is still an ache and a sadness in my heart for you not being here where I can pickup the phone and here you say, "I love you Mom, don't worry I am fine" ! In my innermost being I know you are fine the hurt is for me now, after so many years of hurting for you ! Accepting your decision has been the hardest thing I have ever endured in my life, there is the promise of an eternity together, this I hold onto ! Love you Forever and Always, Mom

Life Is Full Of Change ! Some Good and Not So Good !

My life has been turned upside down beginning on Feb. 21,2012 when my Son committed suicide. So very hard to grasp the idea that your child was so unhappy that he no longer wanted to live. A few months later in July my Husband was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer, had a successful surgery, then suddenly had a heart attack in recovery. After treatment he was declared cancer free, an answer to prayer. In Sept. that same year my Son-In-Law of 25 yrs had a massive heart attack in the middle of the night and was gone, to be found by his teenage daughter. This was all too much for my Daughter,  caused her to have a mental breakdown she was hospitalized for a short period of time. Today she is working and enjoying being a first time Grandma. Tragedy for me was not over, on Feb 28,2013, 53 weeks to the day of losing my Son, my Husband went to work and 3 hours later he was dead of a massive heart attack ! This brought me to my knees so to speak, calling our 7 children was so very hard, but it had to be done ! Through all of this my Family, Church Family, and close Friends helped as much as humanly possible, but it was my Faith in God and my Relationship with Jesus that ultimately kept me from losing it mentally and physically !
Due to Bobby's health we had discussed what I would do should he die, I had an opportunity to sell our place just a few weeks after his death. I had said I would return to the place of my birth, Holmes County,Ohio. My Sister had a friend who had recently lost an Aunt in the small Ohio town of Killbuck where my Mom and Dad were brought up only a few miles from my Dad, Mom, 2 Sisters, and a Daughter. Closed on my Texas property in May 2013, closed on the Killbuck house on June 15 and headed back to Texas to sort through 30 plus yrs of things. A Family Friend agreed to drive the 26ft U-Haul to Ohio, there was just enough for his small motorcycle which enabled him to have a vacation ride on his way back to Texas. God was preparing me for this big change in my life long before I knew it was coming. I had a Ministry to Victims of Domestic Violence which I had been doing for 15 yrs, I no longer really enjoyed what I was doing. It had become more of a burden than a satisfaction of seeing lives changed by His power. It was very hard to leave my Texas Family,Friends and especially my Church Family, but I had been away from the Ohio Family for 38 years, I was ready to move back. 
On June 23,2013 we pulled into the driveway at my new home, the Contractor was still working on the upgrades, he would return 2 more times in Nov 2013 and Apr 2014 to get the changes finished.My Cousin pulled in the drive shortly after I arrived, she had food, drink, and helpers to unload the truck. So I was once again living in Ohio, with the change of having Family in Texas that I missed. My Daughter said a few weeks ago on her return to Texas after a quick trip for my Dad's Celebration of Life that the two states should be closer together.
I guess the things that have been the hardest is finding a Church, making new Friends which is not easy at 71, I have wonderful Neighbors and am trying to fit into a small  town where most everyone has lived their whole life, I find it is not quite as easy as it was in 1998 when we moved to Buffalo,Tx.
There is 4 good changes that have happened this year, I am the proud Great Grandma of 2 Girls and 2 Boys. Would I have not moved so far away if I had known about them ? That I can not answer for sure, I have made 2 trips back to Texas in 2014, have another on planned for Spring 2015.
Thanks to a hard working Husband I am financially secure, I can travel and see some more of this great Country. Thanks to a loving God that has never left me, I am making my way on this new path of life without my partner of 26 years ! I miss him and often find myself getting upset with him for leaving me, especially when there are hard decisions to make or something needs fixed. Then again I can hear him saying,"I am not a Plumber, Carpenter, or Electrician ! I am a Truck Driver" !
I am attempting to move on without my Son and Husband, I will not lie, it is not easy, many a sleepless night the tears flow and the questions of "Why" ? One day I know they will be answered.
I do want to mention I did do a Grief Share Class of 13 weeks the latter part of 2013, it helped me tremendously to realize the feelings I was having were normal. Grief is a process, it can not be rushed, we each have our own pace, The important thing is to keep moving through it, not get stuck in the middle somewhere !
I am still living, Bobby would want me to live my life to its fullest, he was a friendly loving person, a little rough around the edges, but the heart of a Teddy Bear !
So as I sit here wishing Christmas was over, I am looking forward to the New Year. A part of me is excited to see what it will bring, the one thing I have asked and prayed about is, please God no loss of a close loved one this year. I know Death is part of Life, but for 2015 can I have Life ?

                                                  Willis Howard Miller  Aug 11,1921 - Nov 18,2014

                                                
                                                       Bobby Joe Threet Mar 1,1940 - Feb 28,2013

                                                     Jason Dean Runnion Jan 1,1975- Feb 21,2012

Gone       Never Forgotten       Always a special place in my heart      Till We meet Again

Nothing to Fear, But Fear Itself !!

I know this seems like a contradiction of words in my title, but in searching for new things for my 2nd Support Group to work on I kept hearing the word fear in my spirit. Seems lately more than ever people are fearful. Fear of losing jobs, fear of rising cost of every thing we need to sustain life, the news media and the President feed our fears daily. I have found myself not listening to the news as it does nothing to build my inner self. Fear and Faith can not and will not operate in the same place. When we allow fear to enter into our thoughts it pushes faith out. In time if we do not pray through what is causing the fear we will soon no longer be operating from a position of faith. When this happens it will cause a discord in our walk with the Lord. The two most important things that please God is our faith and obedience to His Word. I had a notes for a sermon on this very subject, but at the present time I have misplaced them. When I find them I will go into more detail of the cause and effect that fear plays in our walk with God. If you are reading this and have anything to add that the Holy Spirit may show you please share it with me. On a personal note we finally have some rain for our dry dry ground, so today I mowed and worked in the flower beds. I have finally started my comforter I have had the blocks cut for several weeks, but too busy to start sewing them together. I am determined to lose the 20 lbs I have put on the past 2 years. Please pray I will be faithful to excercise and eat healthier. I need to do this as my BP and Chlor. have both risen, not to mention that the extra weight cause my me back and leg pain when I stand or walk for long periods of time. SO since I intend to live to be a 100 I must take better care of my physical body. I have also learned that when I am lax in the natural it tends to spill over into my spiritual life.How about you out there do you find this to be true ? Until next time, "KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS!"

I Never Got What I wanted !! Or Did I ??

How many of you are always wanting to get something you may not have?
 Be someplace else ?Always wishing it were a different time in your life ?
I spent many years always wishing, often praying that I could be in a different place and time in my life. Today I can say this is the best time of my life !! I have learned to be content with where I am and more importantly WHO I am. Having Jesus as Savior and Lord has had a dramatic effect on my life ! I received the following poem from a Sister in Christ , it addresses what I have been writing. read this with an open mind and heart, let God speak to you, let this time today,tomorrow, and the future be your best time ever !

It was Spring, but it was summer I wanted

The warm days and the great outdoors

It was summer, but it was fall I wanted The colorful leaves and the cool dry air

It was fall, but it was winter I wanted

The beautiful snow and the joy of the Holiday Season

It was winter, but it was spring that I wanted

The warmth and the blossoming of nature

I was a child, but it was adulthood that I wanted

The freedom and the respect

I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted

To be mature and sophisticated

I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted

3 Questions We Ask About Life

Want to share a little of the message from NewPointe Community Church in Millersburg,Oh this past Sunday.

1. Why am I here ?   God had a plan !
     Eph 1v4 (Msg) Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in His mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and Holy by His love.

   God's plan was for us from the beginning of time to Worship and Praise Him. For Him to shower     His is love and blessing on us as we are faithful to Him.
 Psalm 139 v 13-16 (NIV) Tells us He knew us when we were in our Mother's womb. God makes no mistakes we are all here for a purpose. 
So to answer the question of why I am here, God wants me here for His purpose and pleasure.

2. Does my Life matter ?   Do I have Significance ?
    Of course we do ! Ask your Children if you matter ?
   Most of all we matter to God ! In Matthew 10v 29-31 Jesus talks of sparrows and how the Father knows if one of them dies. How much more he cares for us, so far as to have the hairs on our head numbered.  We are valuable in His eyes !  How do we see ourselves ?

3.  Is there a purpose for my life ?  What is God's intention for me ?
     Jer 29v11 (NIV)  He has plans for us, to give us a future and a hope
    Eph, 1v11-12 (MSG) It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for
 
 As Christians we must come to the conclusion that we are a special and called people to bring Glory to God who in return, blesses us and gives us Eternal Life if we Believe !

Now we have to choices !
1. Speculate on the above questions and answers !
    Are the true ? Yes/No/Maybe

2. Surrender !
    Stop trying to do it your way !
    Give God control of your Life, see what happens.

You may say I am a Christian, I know Jesus as Savior !
My question to you > Is He Lord over all ?

Only you know the answer, God sees and knows your heart !

Until next time, "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus"

Merry Christmas ! Ready Or Not ?

Christmas is 19 days away and will soon be here ready or not, in the natural I am prepared.  Tree is trimmed in Turquoise and Silver with white lights, very pretty. Decorations are scattered throughout my home, every room has its own Nativity Scene, but my emotions are not ready ! One more Family member missing this year, my Dad passed over to the other side on Nov. 18th. He saw many changes in his 93 years on earth, he was not much for "change", very set in his ways ! I see myself becoming more like him in many ways, not so much the change part, but organized almost to a fault, do not like waiting on someone, you best not be late in picking him up, he would be sure to tell you to the exact minute how late you were. After he received Jesus as Savior, his life did a complete turn for the better, he seldom had an unkind word to say about anybody. He was quick to tell you how Jesus had changed his Life for the Good.
Getting back to Christmas, I do tend to wander, I have decided no shopping this year ! I have 50 plus immediate members in my Family, I told them a couple of years ago, "Stop having  Babies" ! Lol   They did not listen, 4 Great Grands this year and Grand # 22 will be here in April !  So I had a "Light Bulb" moment a month or so ago, in place of Christmas Presents this year I am going to the Bahamas in April !My present to myself !
Besides the fact that for the most part all of us have gotten away from what CHRISTmas is really all about. Oh yes we say Merry Christmas and get upset when others say Happy Holidays ! That should not take anything away from how each of us "Christians " of how feel about this time of year that has been set aside to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child !  Yes we know He was not born in the Winter, the 3 Wise Men arrived months after His birth, the time was set to con side with the Pagan Holiday celebration of that time. Does all this really matter ? Is not what is in our Heart and Spirit that matters most. No one can take away this precious time of year unless you give it away.
 This is my third year in a row to have lost a precious Family Member, no I do not feel like celebrating, but I will celebrate the birth of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. There is sadness and sorrow in my heart over the loss of my Son, Husband, and Dad, but Death is a very real part of Life. Wish it did not hurt so much, grief has a way of taking us to a place we really do not want to go.
My Prayers are for all who have lost a precious one this past year, the Holidays, Birthdays, and Anniversaries are tough for us !
Life for us left here does go on, so this Christmas will be different for me as the past two have been, but God knows my heart !  There may be tears in my eyes, but my heart is ever so thankful that God gave Mankind the very best Gift ever, His only Son, Jesus Christ  !!

                                              The Day After Turkey Day !

Another Thanksgiving Day in the book of my life, leftovers in the frig for today and tomorrow. Spent the day with 20 plus members of my Ohio Family, great to be with them, but also miss my Texas Clan ! My Daughter said this week after the long trip back to Texas from Grandpa Miller's Celebration of Life she wished the two states were closer together. My sentiments for 39 years. On to get ready for Christmas, I am making a few changes this year, little to no shopping. There are now 50 plus in my immediate Family, I am taking my Christmas money and going on a cruise to the Bahamas in the Spring. Today on my "to do" list, putting away Fall Decorations, dust, move furniture in preparation for the tree. I did little Christmas decorating last year as I left for Texas on the 26th to spend the winter. I am attempting to brave the cold snowy winter in Ohio this time except for a couple of weeks in Florida with Family and Friends.We had a light snow during the night, all is bright white out this morning, so pretty !

 The Turkey below leaves us with this message for the upcoming Christmas Feast !!

Thanksgiving Morning !


A little sad this morning, missing my Husband,Bobby and Son, Jason Dean Runnion ! Praying for all those who will be celebrating this year with empty places around their table.We will have an empty chair at our table this year, Dad is celebrating his first Thanksgiving in Heaven !  Cherish every moment with your loved ones, for we are not promised tomorrow. Make each day count and be thankful everyday, not just at Thanksgiving ! We take so much for granted never realizing how fragile life is, eternity is just around the corner. Are you prepared to meet God ? Have you sent your RSVP to reserve your place ? I know this is not the normal Thanksgiving message, but this is on my heart today !
There is always something to be thankful for !

1. Spending the day with my Family
2. Finances that enable me to travel Ohio to Texas
3 . 4 Healthy Great Grand Babies this year
4. Getting settled in Killbuck,Oh, making new Friends
5. Especially thankful that God has been with me through all the changes these past 2 1/2 years

Want to share this writing from my beach vacation at Pine Knoll Shores in North Carolina this past summer. I hope this ministers to you in that place in Life that you now find yourself. I have returned to this little piece several time since writing it and it does lift me each time. I pray it also does you.


After a restless night having a nightmare from my Domestic Violence Marriage of many years ago, I woke early and had an urge to walk the beach alone as everyone but my Nephew was still sleeping. So tea mug in hand I started out, it was just as high tide was going out, still some pretty strong waves coming in. The Holy spirit began showing me how the waves coming in from the ocean are so like our lives. I walked along a few paces in the smooth sand where the waves had rolled out, suddenly a larger wave swept in and would have knocked me off my feet, IF I had not dug my feet into the sand. God said this is how life is, you are going along everything is going fairly well and suddenly something in your life tries to knock you down, IF you do not stand firm in me you will be swept a place you really do not want to go. When you stand firm on My Word, trust and look to me life will smooth out, You may get tossed around a little but, you will remain upright. There are several places where large deposits of shell have been deposited when high tide is coming in, God said these are graveyards of shells that have become stranded on land, you will see some that are crushed or broken, then you will find one that has little damage, once in awhile you will find one almost perfect. These shells are likened to my Children's lives, some are battered, bruised, and broken while others are deposited on the shore still beautiful with little outward showing of there time of being tossed and rolled in the waves for years. What makes one shell more resilient to the waves I do not know, but in my life I know my relationship with Jesus Christ has changed my life for the better. Yesterday as we walked on the beach I mentioned to my Sister, Kathy I had never found a large Conch Shell in all my years of beach walking and shell hunting, as I walked this morning in the middle of one of the “Shell Graveyards” there was a top of a Conch sticking up surrounded by piles of broken pieces of shell, I almost walked on by thinking it was most likely a broken one as nothing very large had been seen deposited on our walk yesterday. Tiptoeing across the broken bed of shells I reached down and pulled out a large Conch shell, tears came to my eyes as I looked at it. It was not quite perfect but it was a whole shell, there is a piece of the outside layer peeled away, there are a few cracks , chips and crevices, but it is a whole intact shell. I turned it over and on the inside it is beautiful. The Holy Spirit spoke these words to me in my spirit, “This shell is like your life, on the outside you have a few layers missing from being, battered and bruised by life, but on the inside where My Spirit resides you are beautiful”. This has ministered to me so much this morning, the last 2 years have put some cracks and crevices in my shell, but on the inside I am trusting that I will continue to look to Jesus and remain faithful to the calling on my life. I was deposited on the graveyard of life for a time, not swept away. I dug my feet in and stood firm even in the greatest time of loss in my life. God has been faithful, given me the time I needed to heal, I thank Him for His Grace and Mercy that keeps me standing in the sands of Life ! 
 

Can not believe I have not posted here since July 2011, so much has changed in my life since that time. Just a couple of the life changing happenings, my Son died in Feb. 2012, Husband in 2013, moved back to my birth state of Ohio in June 2013. Life is so full of loss and sadness, but God will walk it out with us if we allow him to. Not saying it is easy ! This past week I lost my 93 year old Dad after declining health for a couple of years ! He lived a long life, had an awesome testimony of the Power of a Living God to change a Life for the good !  I am going to attempt to begin posting on here again, I no longer have a Ministry or a Husband to care for. More time to do a few things, I have been traveling back and forth between Ohio and Texas. Weddings and new Babies give happiness along with the sadness, attempting to make a new life for myself at 71 has not been easy, but then Jesus told us life would not be easy. Until next time, "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus" !

The Vision and The Dream

I have been hearing and reading a lot lately about the Vision and the Dream. The Word says without a Vision God's people will perish. For many years I served the Lord, so to speak in The Wilderness. Like the Israelite , I did much murmuring and complaining, this was due in a large part because I was always trying to do things "MY" way. After many years of frustration, seeming to be going around in circles, I began to REALLY search the Scriptures for the "Truth". Did not Jesus say that the truth would set/make me free. I had been freed from sin, did I need to be free of myself, the answer was yes ! My Spirit was changed the day I met Jesus in a little Baptist Church. Being raised in another Denominational Church that did not really explain Salvation and the Work Of The Cross, I realized I was Religious, but had NO Relationship with God The Father or His Son Jesus and certainly did not know WHO the Holy Spirit was. Thus began a search that was to take several years of Study, Prayer, learning to Praise and Worship, to allow Jesus to become The Lord of my Life. Romans 12 v2 , John 15 v4&5, and Jer.29 v 11, these verses became a life saver so to speak to begin my journey into "Truth". I learned that each of us are called to some kind of service, to be used by God, to enrich the lives of others. To give each of us a dream and a vision to follow, to let the light of Christ shine in a dark world. I came across a statement of Oswald Chambers, taken from his book, "My Utmost For His Highest". I am going to share a short passage for you. He says, "God gives us a vision, then He takes us down to the valley to better shape us into the shape of His vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every vision will be made real if we will have patience." I believe therein lies our problem, "patience". It takes time for God to develop our character We must change the way we think,(Rom 12v2), then we can begin to change our actions, (John15v4&5), finally we begin to believe there is a hope and a future for us,(Jer 29v11). The Vision and The Dream are not fairy tales, they are very real if we have faith and put our trust in God and His Word. The dream and vision given to me many years ago is being fulfilled today. The calling on my life was put on hold for some of those years due to me seeking to do things my way. Today I often wonder how many more lives could/would I have touched if I had only not spent so much time in the valley that Chambers spoke of. i know God has forgiven me for stumbling along the way, the hard part was learning to forgive myself. So here I am today, MY Spiritual Birthday, 40 years ago today I knelt at the altar in that Baptist church, I asked Jesus to come into my life, to wipe away the sin and regrets of my life. There have been many times since then I have had to ask his forgiveness for a wrong deed, a harsh word, a judgmental attitude, yes He always forgives. i can stand before Him with a clean heart and continue on this path He has set before me. My questions for you are, what is your dream or vision ? Are you walking out the service to your fellowman that he has called you to ? Has there been a time that you asked Jesus to forgive you and make you a clean heart ? Today is the day ! What are you waiting for ? Come up out of the valley and join Jesus on the high plain of your life. It is never too late, you are never too old !! Until next time,"Keep Your Eyes On Jesus" !!

Catch Up !!

Wow, can not believe it has been over 3 months since I have posted here. I feel like the George Bush billboard, "Do you miss me yet ?" I know many of us do miss the wisdom and truthfulness of President Bush, when Jesus was welcome in the White House !! Has been so much going on i do not know where to begin, as always Jesus is Lord, and most all I do revolves around Him ! In March I went to the Elim Convocation in Houston, I believe this was my 8th year. I had the privilege of inviting one of my Survivors to go with me.This was a first for her, to see hundreds of people of all races and denominations come together to praise and worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. as I say every year this was the best year ever. April was a busy month with new clients, meetings, speaking engagements, and as always lots of calls for prayer. The Women's Conference at MCC had a row of former Victims, now Survivors giving Praise to The King of Kings and The Lord of Lords ! I serve an Awesome God ! I am another year older since my last posting, those of you who follow me on Facebook know I have completed another task on my "Bucket List". I climbed The Enchanted Rock near Fredericksburg, Tx on my 68th birthday. It was a beautiful cloudy, misty, cool morning, a great day for climbing. You can see miles from the top, scenery that is God's in all his glory. As I moved into May I thought this year has flown by, I had several books started from Jan,still not finished, 2 sewing project s to complete, which I now have finished on have the other over half done , then started on a quilt top this week. Then I look around at all the unfinished things and ask myself, "Why do I start so many things at the same time ?" My answer, "b/c I get tired of working on the same thing all the time. I can switch off every week or so. " I guess that is good reasoning ! This past week I have spent much time in prayer for crisis situations. If you do not know about Brittany Matthews , pregnant with twins, severe liver problems, babies still in danger, Layne Wiley, local soldier in Army, wounded in the skirmish in Afghanistan earlier this week,he has had two surgeries on his legs, now in German Hospital awaiting transport to the states. You can follow the updates on these two on Prayer Warriors site on Facebook. It is an open group I set up earlier this year, if you are a believer in the power of prayer I invite you to join this group. We are dedicated to praying for the situations posted on this site. We have seen many answered prayers, including the two miracles this week. As we move into this Memorial Day weekend I am so grateful to the brave men and women in uniform who are serving our country in hopes of keeping America Free. I know this Earth as we know it will never see complete Peace, Why ? Because Jesus said it would not be so. There will always be war and rumors of war. The Good News is you can have peace in your spirit when all around you is in chaos. Jesus paid the extreme price that each of us might be assured of life eternal we need only confess we are sinners, believe that Jesus is the Son of God that He gave His life on the cross for our sin, arose on the 3rd day and sits at the right hand of the Father making intersession for you and me. It is that simple, ASK, BELIEVE, RECEIVE ! Then get into the Word , (Bible), learn how to live a successful Christian life, become a witness of what He he has done in your life. God gave that we might receive, then share with others ! Then you can shout out as I often do, "LOOK what the Lord has done in Me !!" While you are eating BBQ, visiting with family wherever/whatever you may be doing this Memorial Day weekend, STOP long enough to say a prayer for all our Men and Women who are fighting the natural battle for our Freedom, then thank God for the Supernatural gift of His Son Jesus. Until next time, "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus !!"

What Does God Want From Me?

As most of you know I am a Christian Counselor with a Ministry to Victims of Domestic Violence. I have many questions asked of me, one of the most recent was, "What does God want from me ?" This statement has been whirling around in my mind for a couple of days, I have prayed and I am going to attempt to answer the question. God made us in His Spiritual image, He gave us a body to carry the Spirit and a soul that has feelings and emotions. Thus we are Spirit speaking beings. God made us for fellowship and relationship with Him ! Our time here on earth is meant to be spent as time getting ready to spend an Eternity with Him in Heaven. God's goal for our life is not our comfort, He wants to develop our character. To grow us spiritually to become more like Christ, to develop Christ's attributes not our own selfish fleshly desires. This is a process that begins the day we asked forgiveness of our sins and our spirit is "reborn" and continues the rest of our natural life here on earth. Life here will be difficult, with many trails and storms, this enables us to grow into the mature Christian He desires. Some are satisfied to just get into Heaven, but His plan is for us to become more like Him to empower us through the Holy Spirit to do His will here on Earth. Our time here on Earth is to be spent equipping us to be a Witness for Him. Life here is difficult because of the sin factor, started by one man Adam taken care of be one God man Jesus. John 10v10 Jesus promised us an abundant life, we being natural minded think of this in terms of natural wealth, Jesus was speaking of the abundant life He has for us in the Spirit not only in Heaven, but here on earth. He said," Thy Kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven." If we will seek Him first we will have our daily "NEEDS" met, not our wants and the lifestyle American Christians think we must have or God is not with us. He wants to supple us with Abundant Life of Love, Joy, Peace, Grace, Mercy, these are the attributes that make us more like Him, "Christ Like". When we are continually filled with His Spirit on a daily basis the problems of life here and now will not seem so big, because we are in relationship with a BIG God who helps us walk out the situations that come our way. God is NOT our Servant, We are to serve Him ! It is not be all about "Me", it must be all about "Him". We exist for His purpose and pleasure, not our own. Jesus paid a high price for our freedom ! I repeat he wants to develop our character ! Our character consists of our habits, our lifestyle, our thoughts, what we speak, I believe these are the most important. They make us who we are ! All of these things can be changed, we can choose to become more like Jesus, or we can continue in our own selfish agenda, a sign of a mature Christian is when we begin to put others needs ahead of our own desires. Self discipline is doing the right thing when you desire to do the wrong thing ! This is a choice ! We can not produce Christ like character in our own strength, this is the job of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said The Comforter would come and He would lead, guide, and direct us in the Truth and the Truth would make us free. This freedom comes when we learn how to apply the Word to our lives. We must cooperate with The Holy Spirit by listening for His voice, His nudge to follow Him, He said His sheep would know His voice and follow no other. We must begin to develop Godly habits and a lifestyle that is pleasing to God. We must begin to think differently, Rom 12v2, we are in the world, but not of the world, we must be transformed daily by the renewing of our mind to the Word of God ! We should be different, others should see something different in us. Only our Spirit was reborn when we asked Him into our life, we have control over our body and our soul,(mind), they will always be in opposition to His Word and His will for us. We must allow our reborn Spirit to take control of our life, this is a CHOICE ! When we try to control our circumstances, our future and people around us we are trying to be a god. He is the Creator ! We are the Created ! He formed us from the dust of the earth, He breathed His Spirit into us and gave us a soul, we are Spirit speaking beings. We like Him are a 3 part being, like Him but not Him. So to answer the question, What does God want from me ? Your life, living for Him ! Until next time,"Keep Your Eyes On Jesus !"

Praise and Worship The Lord Our God !!

Last week my Bible study was based on the importance of Praise and Worship. We can not rely on our feelings, our flesh will not and does not want to praise God. We often tend to think, "I will praise God when the trouble passed, when the problem is over, when I feel better" ! These are the most important times to be in an attitude of Praise and Worship, to know and believe our God is BIGGER than any and ALL our problems. We must continue to Praise and Worship no matter how we feel, I have found at the time I am the sickest, have the biggest problem, I always feel better after a time of thanking God for His goodness, praising Him for His mercy and worshiping Jesus for the sacrifice He made so that I might have life eternal and a better life here and now. God is still God no matter how we may feel ! Circumstances DO NOT change God's character, Gods grace is sufficient. We must learn we can not let our fleshly nature rob us of Gods Love, Joy, and Peace ! I often hear I do not feel His presence with me. I have found that during these 'Dry' seasons, if I will continue to Praise and Worship Him, this is often a time of testing and growth, becoming more mature in Him. He does not leave me, but maybe takes a step back to allow me to grow into the full potential He has for me at that particular time in my walk with Him, a deeper walk, a stronger relationship. Praise and Worship is so much more than going to church on Sunday, singing a few songs, perhaps raising your hands or clapping to the music, if this is your style of Praising Him. Praise and Worship should be a lifestyle for you, no different than prayer or reading your Bible. It should be an everyday part of your life. The Psalms 150 v6, "Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord !" I ask are you breathing ?? You may be saying, "I have a hard time Praising and Worshiping, focus on WHO He is and ALL He has done for you. God gave His Son, that our sins might be washed away. Jesus gave up everything that we might have everything !! That alone, if He never did another thing for you or I, that is more than enough reason to Praise and Worship Him. God is real no matter how you or I feel, He is there, Heb 13 v 5 in the Message Bible, God assures us, " I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you." I urge you this very day , IF Praise and Worship are not a part of your daily life, begin today for, This IS the Day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it !! My Pastor preached on Praise and Worship this past Sunday, God always confirms His Word. I want to leave you with a couple of high point of his sermon. # 1 Do not allow your Praise and Worship to be governed by your emotions ! # 2 To delay your Praise, may delay your answer ! # 3 Be consistent in your Praise and Worship, let it become a lifestyle ! # 4 Your Praise releases Power in the Spirit realm ! # 5 The enemy can not stop your problem from moving, unless he hinders your Praise and ! Until next time, "Keep your Eyes on Jesus !"

Prayer

Websters defines prayer as an earnest request, supplication, an humble entreaty to God. My definition of prayer is communication with God, making my wishes known through praying in line with His book of instructions, the Bible. I believe I am a person of prayer, I am not alone in this belief as I get many calls and emails on an almost daily basis from others asking for prayer. I have a few questions for you, I will give you my answers. If you disagree or have positive input please leave a comment. What do I/You pray about ? Everything, God is concerned about every aspect of our life and longs for us to ask and seek His guidance for our lives and those whom we pray for. When do I/You pray ? Paul said pray without ceasing, I believe he meant for us to be in an attitude of prayer at all times. Of course there may be a specific time of the day that you pray, I pray each morning before my feet hit the floor. To stay in tune with the Spirit, so when needed I am ready, willing and able to pray, not only for my own needs, but especially for those who may not be as confident that God hears their prayers. Those who feel the need to have agreement from another when they pray. I believe if we do not have an active daily prayer life, when crisis time comes we will not be able to pray effectively, James said the fervent prayer of one in right standing with God has tremendous power. When we have a crisis we see our need as BIG and NOW, God see the overall picture. He is all powerful ! We must see Him as such and realize NO problem we face is bigger than our God ! When I/You pray IF we allow doubt to creep in, doubt that He will hear, doubt He will answer ? Faith can not work where there is doubt. This is another reason why an active daily prayer life is essential, you will believe He hears and know that in line with His Word He will answer. Prayer should be a daily activity, not waiting till a crisis looms over us. Matt 6v 9-13, we call the The Lords Prayer, but it should be our prayer, praying for daily needs, spiritual guidance, forgiveness for self as well as others, that we will avoid the evil and temptations of this world. I pray now that if you are reading this and realize you do not have an active daily prayer life, you will begin now to change this area of your life, I can not express how important it is for you to become a person of prayer, it will change your life ! You say I do not know how or what to pray. You need only pray in line with his Word, He said He would prove His Word, if you have doubts as to how to pray, pray His will over the situation, you will never be praying wrong, remember delay in the answer is not denial. Galatians 6v9, Paul said DO NOT grow weary, in DUE season you will receive. Until next time, "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus !"

The Seasons of Life -- Then It Is Winter !

I received this in an email, wanted to share it with you. . The Seasons of Life, Then It's Winter.........!

Time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years' It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all... And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.... But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise.... How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go? I remember well...seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like... But, here it is... my friends are retired and getting gray... they move slower and I see an older person now. Lots are in better shape than me... but, I see the great change... Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant... but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be. Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit! And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last... this I know, that when it's over...its over.... Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done.... things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime....! So, if you're not in your winter yet... let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life... so, live for good today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember....

hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!! 'Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.' LIVE IT WELL!!----ENJOY TODAY!!!!-----DO SOMETHING FUN!!!----BE HAPPY!!!----BE THANKFUL!!!!!

This has a special meaning to me, as I just lost two people from my life that were not in the winter of their life in years, BUT it was winter for them. They will see no more seasons here with us, they left us with good memories, we go on without them. I believe they would tell us, Live, Love, Laugh, Forgive, makes for fewer regrets.

Until next time, "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus !"

Life Goes On -- It Really Does !

It is only 12 days into the New Year and I have had to face two tragic deaths, on Jan. 3rd. I lost a dear friend in the prime of her life, 45. She had a vibrant personality and never met a stranger. On Fri the 7th. a cousin's wife died suddenly at 40, leaving 2 small children. already emotionally upset from my friends death, I went into a period of sadness, sorrow, and minor depression. I could not get past the usual question, "WHY GOD ?" This continued for several days. Thank God I realized by Sunday what was happening and asked my partner in prayer to pray for me. She laid her hand on my mid section and began to bind the spirit of depression over me and pray peace in to my spirit. I could feel the warmth of the Holy Spirit and immediately I felt the sadness, sorrow and depression lift from me. It was gone ! I was free from the oppression that had tried to overtake me.This led me to once again realize how important it is to, " KNOW WHO GOD IS AND WHO I AM IN HIM !" To understand I was on shaky ground spiritually, if the enemy can get us focused on the problem God seems far away. I had to take my own counsel and seek prayer from one who I know is connected to the Father. We are all vulnerable at times, most important is to recognize we need help ! This is wisdom on the part of the one who sees themselves on that shaky ground to call for help from the Father who loves us so unconditionally. Has Grace and Mercy mixed with peace and love to give us all we need in times of trouble and turmoil, often not directly affecting us, but still is devastating to our spirit. So I am taking some of my own counsel this week, seeking prayer and counsel from another who is prayed up and ready to help me through to the light of Jesus. it has been a long time since I have found myself in the dark tunnel, but I thank God he drew me to the Light of the Son ! I dedicate this posting to the memory of Laura Cox St John and Lori Schafer Clark, may you live on in the thoughts and memories of those who knew and loved you. Until next time, "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus ! " He truly has EVERYTHING we need !!

Out With The Old -- In With The New !

Here we are ready to close out another year, 2010 has passed in a blur. I guess what Grandma said is so very true, the older you get the faster it goes. Some thoughts as we leave 2010 and start 2011. Our lives are not set in stone, lives like flowers continue to unfold. We have options and we have choices along the way. I believe as we approach a new year we often tend to look back, not just over the past year, but even further back into our lives. Perhaps thinking about wrong choices and thinking what IF , or reflecting on times that were good the right choices that were made. Either way we can not go back ! I believe for most of us we do not want to go back, certainly we have been influenced by our past, things that happened to us in childhood that we had no control over. Still we do have the ability to alter our present and our future. Life moves fast and if we are not careful we get left behind ! The most important part of life here is to prepare for life after. To know who God is and who we are in Him is the most important choice we will ever make. IF you make but one resolution for this New Year, make that choice to serve Him. Allow God to get involved in your life. hopefully you have already made that choice and He is not only your Savior, but also your Lord. Life is so much better with Jesus as your pilot, when God participates in your life you can soar above the problems and storms that life brings your way. Believe me they will come to all of us at one time or another. How we respond will depend on what is in our heart, the love of God, or the hate that the world has to offer. Out with the old and in with the new can have a two fold meaning for you, if you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. Out with the old man of flesh and in with the new spiritual rebirth ! You will never be the same when you meet Jesus face to face, He comes alive in your inner most being and changes you from the inside out. Life is in the living, the living is in Jesus !! Until next time, "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus !"

Sharing Jesus: A Special Day

Sharing Jesus: A Special Day

A Special Day

This poem was written by my Pastor, Lloyd Lane. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do ! A Special Day

We celebrate it on the twenty-fifth of December,

How often do we get too busy to remember?

The reason that we celebrate was announced very long ago,

A baby to be born of a virgin, a man she did not know.

How could this be, Mary proclaimed, how can this happen to me?

The angel said, by the Holy Spirit, believe and you will see!

Mary said let it be according to Your Word,

Hundreds of years have passed and the story is still being heard.

A baby was born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes they say,

They called His Name Jesus, meaning the Truth, the Light, the Way.

He lived a life like most men would, except He knew no sin,

Though only guilty of love and caring, He faced a cruel end.

He was placed on a cross until death and laid in a borrowed tomb,

But the end of this story is a happy one, it doesn't end with gloom.

He rose again on the third day, God rolled away the stone,

Jesus returned to the Father, He went back to His Home.

So it tis the season to be jolly when you understand the reason,

We have so much to be thankful for in this time called Christmas Season.