A Season of Thanks

(Halloween 1983 - 4th Grade - that's me in the Witch Mask)

 A Season of Thanks

There is something so majestic about this time of year. Autumn is the season of being grateful and living off the fruits of your season of sowing (Spring) and your season of growing (Summer). I know that my Lord and Savior created each season with care and design, but deep down, I believe Autumn must be his favorite as well.

This time of year, memories are always flooding my mind and they warm my heart and usually give me insight and wisdom. Whether it is the memory of my mom making candied apples for Halloween, or the many years gathering with her family for Thanksgiving, or the setting up and working the Christmas Tree Lot with my stepdad and his parents (Papaw and Mamaw). This is the season of blessing and love.

I know that I wanted to do a deep dive into faith and secular movies, but then CANCER reared its head again and I have been going through radiation. Just like Chemo and Surgery, Radiation has taken a lot from me, but unlike Chemo and Surgery, I haven’t had the downtime, as Radiation is an everyday relentless treatment. My body and mind have been unable to rest on Jesus this go-round. Maybe it is just the exhaustion that has kept me away from my bible readings and my nightly devotionals, or maybe something in me just checked out. I know that this treatment season, I have rested solely on the prayers of those around me, and like my Autumns of yesteryears, I have once again acted like a child, a bit helpless and a bit dependent.

Nothing could be more fitting right now in the month of being thankful than to realize how many people I am blessed to have in my life. Whether it was the countless prayers from my church, the food and financial gifts of my bible study group, friends, family, and strangers, or the generosity of my employer in allowing me the time I needed to recover.

Even though I have not had the mental acuity, time, or energy to be in constant prayer, I know that Jesus has been by my side this entire time. Do you know how I know this? Calmness and no worries! I have not once agonized over whether this treatment will work, or what the outcome will be. I have not been in despair or held an anxious mindset. I have been at peace this entire time. You cannot walk-through cancer treatments with peace of mind, without GOD! I have been appreciative of all the kindness and every morning when I would drive across the James River Bridge at 6ish in the morning for treatments, God would always remind me that he and he alone is on the throne. The morning sky with the sun rising is so majestic that it brings tears of joy to my eyes each morning. Each sunrise was different and each one was just as majestic as the day before. It was always a little ray of hope to start my treatments with. Another reminder that even in my hurt and suffering, I am blessed, and God is with me.

I have so much to be thankful for right now – and to those to whom I owe gratitude– please know that your kindness and generosity got me through the hardest days. I have one more treatment to go to (next Thursday) and then some scans; no matter the outcome or what lies ahead, God knows it is well with my soul!

There are some passages, some words from the Apostle Paul, that have given me comfort in this season:

1.       1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

2.       2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

Have a blessed week!

April

 

Links:

Radiation: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/what_is.html

How to be Thankful – when everything seems crazy: https://denisepass.com/cultivating-gratitude-thankless-broken-world/

How to give yourself a restful break - https://bcbstwelltuned.com/2020/10/02/intentional-rest-what-it-really-is-and-how-to-make-the-most-of-it/

The Freedom in Obedience

 

The Freedom in Obedience

              Wow we made it through to the last of my blogs where I use songs from my past to highlight my faith questions and spiritual needs. I don’t know about you, but for me that has been a long, hot and trying summer. There have been tests, many stumbling blocks, tears and pain, but there has also been a renewal in my soul to use prayer to guide me through these times.

              I feel like everyday this summer, there has been one horrible death after another on the news. The deaths have seemed pointless, senseless, and unjust. Whether it was a toddler dying in a hot bus (Richmond, VA), a man being crushed to death on a bridge (Newport News, VA), a young mother dying in her sleep on a plane (UK), school shooting victims (Texas), etc. etc. etc. Sometimes I wonder if this is just a pre-rapture moment in time – because between you and me – these moments are becoming more and more every day. Our innocence is gone. Our earthly dominion is deeply cracked, and those cracks are decaying us at a rapid rate. I truly believe this is all due to our lack of relationship and obedience with God.

              And of course, there’s this disease in my body called cancer. It is back – still small – but still it is back. I had to give myself a time out last weekend to allow myself a safe intimate space to break down and cry. It took all the way until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday for me to let it out and scream and cry. You know who was waiting for that moment – Jesus! I know he was waiting for me to LET IT GO – because when I did, he stepped right in. He calmed me, he reassured me, he wiped my tears and gave me PEACE. Then he started giving me little affirmations.  I leaned in, I listened to his word and he started working.

              Once I let go of my “me thought” and surrendered all of this to God, I began to once again remember that our loudest call is to OBEY. Sometimes we don’t want to obey God when we are not happy about the situation that God has called us into. But in these places we are reminded of Paul’s words “ To live is Christ, to die is gain”. Maybe these words get lost in translation or through the chaos that is our daily lives. These words simply mean as long as I have breath, I have the opportunity to do work for God and to try my best to guide souls to him and that at death, I gain eternal life. That’s it! That’s our call – obey him where we are, do his work for him, guide his lost sheep and be rewarded in Heaven.

              Once this peaceful reminder hit me – well I had no choice but to let go of my fear and doubt. Because it is a reminder that we all have breath today, because Jesus isn’t done with us. When Jesus is ready to let you rest in your eternal salvation, well that will be your last day on this earth. Until then – you must live to the fullest in total obedience and find Joy even in the pain and chaos.

              We always talk about “free will” and how that is the gift we received from God. How we have the choice to believe or not believe. That free will also is given to us as to whether or not we will obey his word. It is the gift within the gift. For as we believe, truly believe, we are compelled to want to please God. That pleasing comes from our obedience. I know some of you are waking up to hurt, confusion and a sense of loss. You are questioning whether your prayers and devotion to God mean anything to him. I have been there. I walked a very long season in what I called “What’s Up God”. I lost both of my parents, my marriage and was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in just a short span of time. I was truly lost.

              But if I had not walked through that long dark valley, I would not have God. I found him to be just and faithful. I found him to be gracious and loving. I found him to be my rock and my provider. He has never let me down. He has pulled me out of the valley and given me many mountain top moments. Yes, I am going to get treatment again, but that’s just part of life. I recall, and hold dear to my heart, that in the book of Job – God had to give permission to Satan to “touch” Job. God didn’t give this permission because he wanted to hurt Job – but he believed that Job could endure and that through the endurance his relationship with God would be even better.

    That’s my hope. That’s my plan. That’s why I choose to Obey HIM today and every day.

    The song for this week, once again comes from God. I was trying to figure out a song that ties together love and obedience, and this song title floated in my head. I dismissed it; I could not remember the words minus the main chorus. Then this morning the song played on the radio and I knew! So this is definitely an early birthday present to me from God – because I LOVED this artist growing up. So much so, that my daughter has “threatened” to play “Purple Rain” at my funeral (y’all are forewarned). I feel Prince is truly misunderstood by many. He was a very active and very devout Jehovah’s Witness and although I disagree with many of their teachings, I do recognize it as a form of Christianity. Prince had an entire album written and recorded based on his beliefs “Rainbow Children” – which isn’t all about God. He has a lot of songs about faith and God. One even titled “God”. Song’s like “The Rainbow Children”, “The Work”, “The Cross” – many songs.

    This song this week is probably one of his more known hits and surprisingly about faith. It was part of the movie “Purple Rain” and the video directors and movie producers took it out of context and converted it into a love type song. But it isn’t. It was actually written around the same time as “God” (which did not make the cut for the movie or soundtrack).

Song: I Would Die for You  - from 1984 – Songwriter Prince

I’m not a woman

I’m not a man

I am something that you’ll never understand

I’ll never beat you

I’ll never lie

And if you’re evil I’ll forgive you by and by, ‘cause

You, I would die for you, yeah

Darling, if you want me too

You, I would die for you

I’m not your lover

I’m not your friend

I am something that you’ll never comprehend

No need to worry

No need to cry

I’m your messiah and you’re the reason why, ‘cause

You, I would die for you, yeah

Darling, If you want me too

I would die for you

You’re just a sinner, I am told

Be your fire when you’re cold

Make you happy when you’re sad

Make you good when you are bad

I’m not a human

I’m a dove

I’m your conscious

I am love

All I really need is to know that you believe

Yeah, I would die for you you, yeah

Repeat

 

    I am not posting a link this week to the video of the song for a couple of reasons, one there is no official video to the song, there is footage of the song via the Movie and since the movie was Rated R – and I don’t know the age of audience, I just feel safer not posting it.  The second is that I really want you to soak in the message of our savior, Jesus Christ, dying for us – I want to end my music and message series with that – after all – that is the foundation of our faith.

    I hope you enjoyed this series. I will take a week or two off (to deal with medical stuff) and then I will return in September with a new series “Movies and Faith”. Until then, enjoy the remaining weeks of summer and keep your heart and mind rested in Christ.

Love all!

Let Your Struggles Be Your Testimony and Praise

 

Let Your Struggles Be Your Testimony and Praise

I started this Blog years ago when I had conquered the beast named Cancer the first time. I wanted to share with everyone how my belief in God allowed me to view Cancer as a blessing. Then I got cancer again and by the grace of God I beat it a second time. Now I write this post today to say  - I will battle it a third time and will beat it a third time.

As I have only ever wanted to be honest with you about the ups and downs of cancer and the strength I draw from Jesus to get through this disease, I continue to promise to be honest, even now when I am not fearful, but angry, I am not in the depths of despair, but determined, when I am no longer seeking isolation but reaching out to many for their strength and comfort. I have learned a lot in these four years with this disease. I don’t honestly know if this “different” approach is going to net me a “different” outcome, but I do know that even if cancer takes my body, it can never take my joy and peace of mind that I have only through Christ.

Two days ago, I opened up a fortune cookie and my fortune was ironic (now that I know my cancer is back). It said, “Your fears will become your greatest strengths soon.” Read that again – is that not the greatest comforting phrase. God tells us repeatedly in the bible that we are not planned and purposed for fear and doubt, that we are designed to have faith and believe that he alone has worked this all out.

I told friends recently that I felt like I was living in the “bonus”. I have seen with my own eyes how God has kept promises to me, promises he gave me when I was battling the cancer the first time and desperate to see things in my daughter’s life. I have seen them. If my “bonus” time ends sooner than I would like, I cannot allow myself to be angry at God (I am angry at Cancer), because he has never let me down.

To any non-believers please hear this out: Yesterday I am sure my report was able to be sent to me early in the day. However, my doctor waited to send it to me at 6:30 p.m. when I was pulling into the church parking lot to have my weekly bible study with my lovely Vessels. I have been teaching (and co-teaching) the Gospels and now Acts the past few weeks and it has been amazing to spread my knowledge and the ministry of Jesus with these ladies. God knew that I was going to be angry, that I would need to process “bad news” and instead of me being alone with this news, he gave it to me at a place filled with hope, love and comfort and most importantly a room full of BELIEVERS that got down on their knees (well some – let’s be honest we are some old gals and that knee thing isn’t always doable) and called out to God for my healing, in my presence and wrapped me up with hugs and encouraging thoughts and prayers. I was exactly where I needed to be. AND THAT WAS ALL GOD!

I can’t tell you that I won’t have moments of fear and doubt as I go through this again, what I can say is that I am definitely more determined, more focused and more hopeful this time. I don’t doubt that this process is meant to teach me something, show me something, teach someone else something. Nothing is by chance or unplanned. I have full faith and belief that God is about to work again on my behalf. The struggle is real, the pain will be real, the physical toll will be real – but I believe in God’s love, grace, will and timing. I don’t have to know the outcome or worry about this anymore, because he’s got this and he's got me.

Even though this disease is a part of me – let me shout it out – this CANCER DOES NOT DEFINE ME. Nope! JESUS DEFINES ME. You see getting to the part of your life, where you count it all as “Bonus” means that you accept death. Finally accepting the realities that are inevitable for all of us, frees me to live completely in this moment, plan for this moment and give this entire moment to Jesus. I live now to spread the joy of the WORD to others. I live now to demonstrate how good our GOD truly is. I plan now for joyful moments. I give nothing to the enemy. I give no time to things that try to steal my JOY. Afterall life is so precious and so fleeting. None of us are promised a tomorrow, but you woke up today and that means God still has purpose for you.

So, I am going to keep smiling about all the joys God gives me today, while laying seeds down for my future tomorrows. I trust completely in the timing of God and he knows that I have already seen my earthly blessings (the things I most wanted) and he knows how thankful I am to him for those and that I see this as the “BONUS – THE EXTRA BLESSING”, and that as stated in Psalms 23:5 “My cup runneth over”.

Don’t stop believing in miracles. Don’t stop believing in the power of prayer. Don’t give up on today, because God has so much planned for you and if he calls you home sooner than you would like, hold on to the promise that is Heaven and Eternal Salvation.

This week’s song is from Poison. LOL – I know this may shock some, especially those that think all heavy metal is bad. But I have to say I understand the song writer’s pain and anguish. The song “Something to Believe In” was released in 1990. Bret Michaels (the band’s lead singer) wrote the song after learning of the death of his friend bodyguard. The lyrics are deep and I think they express our shock and grief when bad things happen. I believe God is always looking for ways to show us “Something to Believe in”.

Lyrics:

Well I see him on the TV

Preaching ‘bout the promised lands

He tells me “believe in Jesus”

Steals the money from my hands

Some say he was a good man

Lord I think he sinned, yeah yeah

 

Twenty two years of mental fears

Cries a suicidal Vietnam vet

Who fought a losing war on a foreign shore

To find his country didn’t want him back

Their bullets took his best friends in Saigon

Our lawyers took his wife, his kids, no regrets

In a time I don’t remember

In a war he can’t forget

He cried “forgive me for what I done there

‘Cause I never meant the things I did”

 

And give me something to believe in

If there’s a Lord above

And give me something to believe in

Oh, Lord arise

 

My best friend died a lonely man

In some Palm Springs hotel room

I got the call last Christmas Eve

And they told me the news

I tried all night not to break down an’ cry

As the tears rolled down my face

I felt so cold and empty

Like a lost soul out of place

And the mirror, mirror on the wall

See my smile it fades again

 

Uh, give me something to believe in

If there’s a Lord above

Uh, give me something to believe in

Oh, Lord arise

 

Sometimes I wish to God I didn’t know now

Things I didn’t know then

Road you gotta take me home

 

I drive by the homeless sleepin’ on a cold dark street

Like bodies in an open grave

Underneath the broken old neon sign

Used to read “Jesus saves”

A mile away live the rich folk

And I see how they’re livin’ it up

But while the poor they eat from hand to mouth

The rich are drinkin’ from the golden cup

And it just makes me wonder

Why so many lose and so few win, ha

 

Give me something to believe in

If there’s a Lord above

Give me something to believe in

Oh, Lord arise

 

Yeah, sometimes I wish to God I didn’t know now

Things I didn’t know then, yeah

And give me something to believe in

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5uamDMoW4o

 

Peace be with us all!

 

I am Beloved by my Beloved

 I am Beloved by my Beloved

Sometimes I find myself in total awe of everything that God has created and done for us. Just this morning my only praise/prayer was “Thank you GOD for EVERYTHING – because you made and created EVERYTHING and because of that I do not have to worry about ANYTHING.” Isn’t that great knowledge, that we have this creator that did it all so that we have it all and need nothing. We do not have to worry, we do not have to fear, we do not need to be weighed down by doubt – because he made everything and made it all perfect and whole.

I know, I know, you are suffering, you are lost, you are full of anxiety and fear, or someone close to you is sick and hurting, and you are saying “did he make this too” or “how is this fair”. If you’ve been reading my blogs than you know my answer is simply “we are the product of a fallen world – and you can’t blame GOD for what we as humans did to his creation.” Trust me when I say we are his BELOVED CHILDREN and HE intended only joy for us.

If you have read the bible than you recall that the world “BELOVED” is mentioned in many different books and verses. You can’t get through the Song of Solomon without reading it at least ten times. The English meaning of “Beloved” is: dearly loved, much loved. The biblical meaning of this word is a bit different, “prefer, long for, breathe, precious”. The word beloved is spoken in the bible by both the believer (Jewish/Christian) and by God (GOD/Jesus). We are his beloved and he is our beloved.

As you go through these turbulent times, I want you to say this in your head (over and over), “I am beloved by my beloved.” You are much loved by the God you long for. You are seen as precious by the God you most love. Someone that sees you as precious, never intends harm on you. Someone that sees you as a vital necessity (like breathing), never takes you for granted. Someone that prefers you (or calls you/separates you from the rest), never mistreats you. You are chosen. You are loved. You are his BELOVED.

If you are having a hard time accepting that God loves you, then close your eyes. Think of a dog or a cat (your preference). If you recall them as puppies, then you remember that they just eat, drink, poop, pee, nap and repeat. Their created bodies are designed to take in, void, rest, repair and repeat. It’s the wholeness of HIS creation. How every function is interlinked and dependent on another function for the whole entity to work – if one thing fails (too much water, too much food, not enough play time, too much sleep) then serious issues start to form. As the bible says (over and over) we are perfectly made in the image of GOD, because he LOVED and WANTED US – our systems were designed to work perfectly – he intended no harm – he saw us as his BELOVED children. Then we sinned and as a consequence, that now perfect creation is “susceptible to malfunction, sickness and brokenness.” But again – this is due to our failure – not GOD’s. And even in our sinful, broken existence, HE STILL LOVES US.

So, stop wallowing in the negative and remember “I am beloved by my beloved.” That’s my message for today. Short and sweet!

Go spread the Good News of Jesus – be a disciple – be a catalyst to something greater than yourself. Remember 1 Corinthians 13:13 “So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Go LOVE! – Song of Solomon 6:3 “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”

There is a song for this week (2 more weeks with songs). I hit up a few friends for song selections and this one was on the list. I don’t know any girl that didn’t want to be Ione Skye during this movie. Who doesn’t swoon over John Cusack’s character holding up a boom box and playing this song to win the affections of the girl he most BELOVED. To be wanted like that – that was every girl’s dream. The reality is that we are indeed wanted like that by our BELOVED JESUS CHRIST.

Song: “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. He wrote the song for a relationship he was in but said that he saw it as also a song about man to his God. Song hit the charts in 1986.

 Love, I get so lost sometimes

Days pass, and this emptiness fills my heart

When I want to run away, I drive off in my car

But whichever way I go, I come back to the place you are

All my instincts, they return

The grand façade, so soon will burn

Without a noise, without my pride

I reach out from the inside

In your eyes, the light, the heat

In your eyes, I am complete

In your eyes, I see the doorway

In your eyes, to a Thousand Churches

In your eyes, the resolution

In your eyes, of all the fruitless searches

In your eyes

In your eyes, oh, I see the light and the heat

In your eyes, the light, the heat

In your eyes

Oh, I wanna be that complete

In your eyes, the light the heat

In your eyes

I wanna touch the light, the heat I see in your eyes

Love, I don’t like to see so much pain

So much wasted, and this moment keeps slipping away

I get so tired, working so hard for our survival

I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive

All my instincts, they return

The grand façade, so soon will burn

Without a noise, without my pride

I reach out from the inside

In your eyes, your eyes, your eyes

In your eyes

In your eyes, the light, the heat

In your eyes, I am complete

In your eyes, I see the doorway

To a Thousand Churches

In your eyes, the resolution

In your eyes, of all the fruitless searches

In your eyes

Oh, I wanna be that complete

In your eyes

I wanna touch the light, the heat I see in your eyes

In your eyes

 

I bet you never hear this song again the same way. The lyrics are absolutely beautiful. I have to say, that this is not the only song by Peter Gabriel that has “Godly” meaning.  Check out: “Solsbury Hill” “Sledgehammer” – and many more. His lyrics are quite moving.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU8OJAOMbPg

Have a great week!

With love

 

 

 

Gifts from Jesus

 “Gifts from Jesus”

If I told anyone that God picked this song for this week, I’d be laughed at. But in all seriousness, I do feel like God wanted this song for this week’s blog. I generally don’t listen to too much secular music, but last week I was listening to an Amazon curated “Best of Summer” playlist. Most of those songs took me down many memory lanes, some good and some bad. I was singing along and driving, skipping songs here and there. Then, this week’s song came on, and all the lyrics started jumping out of the radio and hitting me - hard, in a way that they hadn’t done previously. I have come to know this feeling – it is the Holy Spirit “gripping” me. So yes, God wanted this song to be the song of the week.

God does that a lot with us, it’s just most of the time we do not see it as “God Winks, God Nods, God Inspired or God SPEAKING” – we just shrug it off as “emotional or coincidence”. If only we would stop ourselves when these moments happen and just pay attention to what it is that God is trying to say, trying to point to, trying to save us from…well then, we would not be in quite the mess we are today.

So, this feeling that this song was supposed to be written about hit last Thursday (07/14) and again it came on yesterday and today. I just want everyone that is reading this to look at the lyrics of the song and iamge Jesus singing this. Jesus wants you to know that he has gifted you love, joy, mercy, and salvation. He gave up his life so that you could have these gifts.

We just finished up studying the Gospels and last night we studied the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John concludes with Jesus forgiving Peter three times for each time Peter failed him. Jesus asks him three times if Peter loves him. The Greek words used are equivalent to “Peter do you love me unconditionally” the first two times. Peter responds that he “loves him like a brother” and then Jesus asks the third time, “Peter do you at least like me like a brother”, to which Peter responds Yes, that he loves him (still like a brother, but with more heart in what he is saying). That’s the thing about my Jesus, he asks so very little from us, he is always willing to come down to our level, meet us right where we are and give us all he has. If you are in the pit, he is in the pit. If you are knee deep in sin, he is in sin with you. If you are on a rooftop about to jump, he is on the rooftop with you – trying to hold your hand. He goes to the ends of the earth to be with us…ALWAYS, IN EVERY SEASON AND IN THROUGH EVERY STRUGGLE. He is the loudest cheerleader when we make it to the Mountain Top and our loudest voice of compassion when we are at the bottom of our valleys.

All he wants is our heart, our kindness, our love, and he wants that to pour out of us and into the people, his people, that we meet. We focus so much of our attention on the hurts, the division, and the things that this world uses to try and divide/separate us from one another. We need to stop! Seriously we need to stop. We need to be kind. We need to be a helping hand, not a dividing knife. We may disagree with some agendas and some laws – but when we die, those political agendas and worldly laws don’t follow us into heaven. My God is going to have a heaven full of sinners, sinners like you and like me. At my homecoming meal, I will be a table with adulterers, murderers, thieves, prostitutes, homosexuals, dishonest people, gossipers, etc – and MY GOD WILL LOVE US ALL EQUALLY. He wants us all. He died for us all. He gave it all up – so that each of us could have OUR UNIQUE STORY. If you accept him into your life, as your Savior, confess it all to him and truly repent – you will be at that table one day with your story, a story that includes valleys and mountain tops and one that is full of love and redemption.

So, take this song – take these words, put them in your heart today and give freely of yourself to those that needed it the most – be a Peter, go tend, feed and care for the lost sheep of God.

Song: “Give a Little Bit” by Supertramp, released in 1977 (covered by the GooGoo Dolls 2004). The song was written by Roger Hodgson (Supertramp’s singer/guitarist) when he was a teenager, but didn’t record it until much later. He says he wrote it during the end of the “peace, love, hope” movement late 60’s early 70’s. He says it’s a song about sharing care and love with your fellow man.

Ooh, yeah

Alright

Here we go again

Na-na, whoa, no, da-na, hey, hey, hey

Give a little bit

Oh, give a little bit of your love to me

I’ll give a little bit

I’ll give a little bit of my love to you

There’s so much that we need to share

So send a smile and show you care

(Alright)

I’ll give a little bit

I’ll give a little bit of my life for you

So give a little bit

Oh, give a little bit of your time to me

See the man with the lonely eyes

Oh, take his hand, you’ll be surprised

Oh, take it

Ah, yeah

Come along

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Come a-long

Give a little bit

Oh, give a little big of your live to me

I’ll give a little bit

I’ll give a little bit of my life for you

Now’s the time that we need to share

So find yourself, we’re on our way back home

Oh, going home

Don’t you need, don’t you need to feel at home?

Oh, yeah, we gotta sing

Ooh, yeah, gotta get a feeling

Ooh, yeah, come along too

Woo

Come a, come along too, yeah

Come a, come a ,come a, come a long

Cha-ka-doom, yeah

Ooh, yeah, come along too,

Yeah, come along too, yeah

Sing

Come along too

What along ride

Come a long way

Oh sing it tonight

Ooh, yeah

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_leMA3_maBU

SIDE NOTE: I started writing this blog yesterday, but felt a heavy darkness in my soul and just couldn't finish it. I find myself weighed down sometimes over the ugliness of the world we live in. I often find myself asking “why” or “where” in situations. I must remind myself, or have others remind me, that we are not meant to know some of the why’s and where’s about things in this world. Everything that is happening has been seen by God (at the beginning of time) and nothing surprises him. We (I) have to learn to truly surrender to God’s will and let what is happening – happen, for I trust completely in the fact that “ALL THINGS ARE WORKED FOR THE GOOD AND GLORY OF GOD”  - THAT THERE IS BEAUTY EVEN IN THE PAIN AND UGLINESS.

Have a blessed and joyful week!

 

Links:

Great study on the Gospel of John: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BS60dqqlFE

 

Support your local Christian Bookstores (and not Amazon):

Suffolk, VA “Christian Bookstore” 757-539-4150  https://www.facebook.com/The-Christian-Bookstore-of-Suffolk-VA-149949019023/

VA Beach/Newport News: Heaven and Earth: https://www.heavenandearthonline.com/

Colonial Heights, VA “Rainbow Bookstore” https://www.rainbow.parable.com/

 

Support Christian Media:

The Journey Music Station (operated in Virginia): https://www.myjourneyfm.com/

Pureflix - Streaming for Christians: https://www.pureflix.com/

Christian News: https://www.christianheadlines.com/

 

 

 How to Repay God’s Grace and Mercy 

Ever eaten something that was mind-blowingly amazing, or witnessed a summer sunset that encompassed all the colors of the rainbow, or held a newborn child and immediately felt all the excitement and hope that is “newness”? I’d like to think that these experiences are moments that we are intimately connected to our creator. It’s in these moments that we experience awe at the masterful creation of God.

Seriously, slow down your mind and remember the first time you tried a strawberry (or other fruit) and you tasted the simple, god created, sweetness. Think of it this way, God created everything you eat (minus the GMO foods) and he did so with the main purpose of sustaining our existence, providing us with nourishment. Look at the foods you feed your pets, they most likely aren’t flavorful, but they are sustaining. So, for there to be a food that is sustaining that is also packed with flavor, is nothing but miraculous. It’s God’s “happy” gift to us. He gave us flavor.

When you think of everything that God has given us, freely given us, you probably question, “How do I repay him for these gifts?” I know I ask that all the time in my prayers. I often find myself feeling unworthy or just overwhelmed at the gracious heart of God. Do you know he asks very little from us, as a form of “repayment”? He only asks for our heart, mind, and soul to be rested on him, to be reflective of his words and his love. You can tell by the beauty that is creation that he always only wanted the absolute best for us.

I recently overheard someone liken cancer to things that are demonic. As a cancer survivor (again read my blogs – my survival is “remission” and I live in the shadows of a disease that can strike at any time) – but I don’t sweat it because of God. When this person said that I instantly got sad and let doubt enter my head. Thank the Lord Jesus for instantly coming back to me and saying – nope! Disease isn’t demonic – it isn’t a creation of Satan. He is not a creator. He is a Spin-Doctor – he spins truth around so that we are confused, mislead and heartbroken – but he cannot CREATE. That power rests solely with God. Disease (all kinds) are the result of our exodus from Eden. When we fell, we inherited a broken world. Yes, Satan is the “puppet master” of the fallen world, but the disease that we have is our “punishment” for being a sinful and fallen creation of God. God never wanted us to suffer (again think of that beautiful sunrise you saw), but we had evil and wicked hearts and turned away from God. As a result, we suffer the consequences.

That said, there are many among us that will suffer a disease, even though they themselves live a dutiful and faithful life. But the consequences of the fallen world fall onto all of us. The reason we fear and cry at the word “cancer” is because our modern-timed self has seen medicines and cures that have made some diseases less lethal (heart issues, high blood pressure, diabetes) – keep in mind that years back these diseases were just as lethal as cancer. We just haven’t found the remedy for it like we have for other diseases. But let that give you hope today. If you had a diagnosis of cancer in the 1930’s or 1940’s, you died a very horrible and painfilled death. Today we have medicines that prolong our life with less pain and give us a quality of life that we would not have had less than 100 years ago. Today, a child born with Type I diabetes will most likely live into adulthood, 100 years ago, they barely survived childhood. Medicine and those that discover them – well those people have a blessing by God and have shared that with the rest of us.

Look at all those ingredients that are in modern day medicines (think Penicillin), those ingredients are mostly found in the created world of God. God has given us everything we will ever need; all we have to do is seek it out and make use of it.

So back to that question “how do I repay God?” You can’t. We can never repay in equal portion to God what he has given to us. We never will. He gave us and sacrificed his son, so that we may have salvation and eternal life with him.  What we can do is, to tell the world about him! Now while you can! Even in your suffering show God’s mercy and grace to others. Don’t stop reflecting God’s love to others.

Usually, I start this series with discussing the song choice (halfway through with this series), but this week, I needed to speak from my heart. The words I overheard about a disease that has changed my entire life upset me, not because I was fearful that there was some sort of demonic creation inside of me, but because it simply isn’t true (for me). If I had not been diagnosed with Cancer and made to suffer through a grueling course of treatment, and been thrown into a bottomless pit, I may not have found Jesus and I may not have been redeemed and made new. Cancer was not a curse to me – it was my rescue story. I am so sorry that people suffer this disease, but I must continue to believe there are reasons for it (God given reasons) that we humans will never know, and I am okay with that.

This week’s song is a “hidden gem, or deep dive”, it was only out for a short time and by an artist that is only known for this song. I was a full-fledged teenager when this song came out and can tell you that at the age of 15, I took the meaning of this song to be about a crush. Today, I am letting it be my battle cry to all my fellow Christians. It is time to tell the whole wide world about Jesus.

Song “Whole Wide World”, sung by A’me Lorain, released in 1989, written by Elliot Wolff and Amie Roman.

I always want a little mystery, but now the tension’s killing me

No place left for words to hide

I never thought it could be quite so tough, lips once sealed are splitting up

There ain’t no secrets to outshine, Father Time

Whispers in the dark don’t do, let’s hit the lights

Now I just got to spread the news

So what are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

I don’t have any fears, I am positive

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

We’re never gonna be alone, our love is stone

Don’t Stop!

Love me til you drop, it’s alright with me

One sharp arrow through my heart, it’s alright, it’s alright

Now listen!

To many words, too much a crowd, I wanna spill ‘em or they’ll leak out

I’m so glad to get the chance

I kept it secret till I knew for sure

So not to pick my heart off the floor

Now, it’s time to take a stand, heart in hand

Whispers in the dark don’t do, let’s hit the lights

Now I just got to spread the news

So what are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

When I drop a tear you are always here

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

I’m looking at a living dream, don’t wake me up

I’m gonna tell the whole wide world I will never give you up

I’m gonna tell the whole wide world you’re my one and only love

Whispers in the dark don’t do, let’s hit the lights

Now I just got to spread the news

So what are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

What are you telling me?

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

I don’t have any fears, I am positive

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

We’re never gonna be alone, our love is stone

What are you telling me now?

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

I wanna tell everybody you’re my cup of tea

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

Your love never shakes, you don’t alternate

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

Smoke gets in my eyes, I don’t see other guys

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you

Our love will never tumble down, it’s built on solid ground

I wanna tell the whole wide world about you… 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rktXEdp0hg&list=RD6rktXEdp0hg&start_radio=1

 

Links for this week:

How to help someone going through cancer (and other diseases)

https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/19-ways-to-help-someone-during-cancer-treatment.h00-159223356.html

https://www.cancer.org/treatment/caregivers/how-to-be-a-friend-to-someone-with-cancer.html

 

Verses to help you appreciate God’s creation

https://dailyverses.net/creation

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God~s-Creation

Two of my favorites:

1 Timothy 4:4 “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude.”

Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him.

 

Organizations to give to – that truly help those suffering with cancer

https://www.cancer.org/ (for the patient and research)

https://standuptocancer.org/ (for the research)

https://www.cancerresearch.org/ (for the research)

https://dancingwhilecancering.org/donate/ (children’s cancer)

https://rmhc.org/ (for the families)

*Please also know that each individual cancer has it’s own forum – and many of those charities and forums are excellent sources of inspiration, information and treatment options for that particular cancer)

For me: https://www.foundationforwomenscancer.org/

I pray each of you has a blessed and joyful week!

 

 

Gratitude During the Storm

I hope everyone had an amazing Independence Day and your celebrations reminded you of how fortunate we are to live in this country where we can be so different and still so blessed.

This week’s dive into musical lyrics and my biblical questions and thoughts was always a topic that I was going to write about, but I am slipping it in now, because my Uncle Joe made a song request. I felt like it was the 1980’s Top 40 Countdown and it was a “Long Distance Dedication”. Those were always a fun spot on a Sunday afternoon. The song for this week is so simple that is nothing but beautiful.

Natalie Merchant in her solo days and as part of the band 10,000 Maniacs was background music to my post high-school days when I was aimlessly pinging from one thing to another. The song “Kind & Generous” came out in 1998 which was my year of my greatest blessing from God. I had my daughter Brittany in 1998 and with all my female related health problems, I can look back and say, “that was a miracle”. The songwriter has only said one simple thing about the song and the inspiration thereof, “I’m proud of the song because I always wanted to write a song that had an extremely universal, simple sentiment, GRATITUDE.”

Well let’s look at the lyrics and then jump straight into how we are to be giving daily thanksgiving to God, even when we are knee deep in the depths of the valleys.

Song: Kind & Generous, 1998, written by Natalie Merchant 

You’ve been so kind and generous

I don’t know why you keep on giving

For your kindness I’m in debt to you

For your selflessness – my admiration

For everything you’ve done

You know I’m bound – I’m bound to thank you for it

Lalalalala

Hey, hey

You’ve been so kind and generous

I don’t know why you keep on giving

For your kindness I’m in debt to you

And I never could have gone this far without you

For everything you’ve done

You know I’m bound – I’m bound to thank you for it

Lalalalala

Oh I want to thank you for so many gifts

You gave me love and tenderness

I want to thank you

I want to thank you for your generosity,

The love, and the honesty that you gave me

I want to thank you, show my gratitude,

My love and my respect for you

I want to thank you

Oh I want to thank you, thank you

Thank you, thank you

Thank you, thank you

Thank you, thank you

Thank you, thank you

Thank you, thank you

Thank you

I want to thank you, thank you…

 

I want you to STOP – GO BACK AND READ those lyrics. That is nothing but pure gratitude. It’s like a scene from Psalms, where King David is thanking God and acknowledging God for everything and even thanking him in advance for pulling him out of the mess, he was in or was about to be in. We need to stop and give thanks like David! We need to be humble and thankful before the Lord in all things.

There is so much chaos going on in our world right now, so many distractions and ugliness. We could get lost in the darkness and despair; it would be so easy to give up and let the chaos overtake us. But as Christians we cannot give in to those thoughts. We must refocus, regroup, and reprioritize. Look up from where you are, or kneel where you are and give thanks to Jesus for:

1.       You are breathing.

2.       You are not hungry.

3.       You have a roof over your head.

4.       You have pain in your body (pain means you are alive).

5.       You are struggling in something (means you are trying).

6.       You feel blessed.

7.       You feel like you are in a tough season (God only tests those that believe in him); etc. etc. etc.

God loves us. He loves us so much that he gave his only begotten son, Jesus, to come to this earth and walk with us, teach us, be rejected by us, and be crucified by us – and to die for us!

So, we have a lot to be thankful for and we owe God more than a prayer on a Sunday. God calls on us to be thankful in all things and at all times, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. It may sound impossibly hard to give thanks to God when your life seems like it is falling to pieces or when you turn on the news and there is one mass shooting after another.

I struggled with this during my season with cancer. It was during my second bout of cancer that I was stumbling into despair with the “woe is me” attitude and I remember coming to this verse Joshua 24:18 “…Yes, we will worship and obey the Lord, because the Lord is our God.” It hit me that even when I suffer and feel fear and isolation, he is with me, and I am to give thanks and worship him. He is my only provision, my only salvation, and my only healer. In him, I have all that I will ever need.

You know that what I am saying is not an easy mindset. It’s still hard sometimes for me to “let go and let God.” When I do quiet my mind and let him in and take over, he never fails, and he never disappoints. He is my only “forever”. Understand this please, Jesus is your only “forever” anything. He will never leave you. This is what I cling to when my fleshly and worldly mind wonder to dark thoughts. I am a two-time cancer survivor, with an underlying diagnosis of Stage IV-B (the worst) Uterine Cancer. My lymph system is like a dormant land-mine. I take medications that keep it quiet and there are times (like right now) when something triggers my inner most fears. All day long I have been repeating “I am a child of God”. It comforts me to know that no matter what, my God is awesome and can work good things out of bad situations. And for that I am bound to say, “Thank you.”

It’s not just people like me with illness that find it difficult to have a heart full of gratitude. It is everyone in every situation – because our world is fallen. You know it isn’t going to get any better here on earth. That is not how the story ends. The world is going to progressively get worse until the day Jesus returns for us.  And that is okay; we are not meant to be bothered or worried about this. We are told to stay focused on Jesus, to continue to do the work of God and to witness and testify to others of the greatness of God.

Your heart should be full of love, joy and gratitude every day. There is something in your day that you can be thankful for – START there. Each day give thanks for that and watch it grow into a heart full of joy and gratitude.

So in the beginning of this blog, I mentioned that the song this week coincides with the birth of my only child. She is more than just a gift from God, she’s my blessing and promise from God. She is my miracle. Right now, in my life there are things going on, that I am sure I will talk about in the coming weeks. Those things are the fruits of those prayers and response from God. I feel like I am living in the “bonus”. When I am so joyful of the fulfillment of the prayers that I prayed over her, for myself, for my family. It is such a blessing to see fulfillment. Even if my life ended today, I would die happy. I am happy because I have seen that prayer works, that God does fulfill his promises and that he does work all things to his glory. It has been a pure privilege to witness this. I feel undeserving of this honor, and I pray for each of you that God presents himself in a way that leaves you with no doubt that he exists and that he is a Good Good God!

This song’s lyrics just make me smile! Jesus is kind, he is generous, he is selfless, he is a tender and loving God, he is honest. He has given me everything, he continues to give me everything, he has blessed me with gifts, he has been there and the best one is he left the 99 to come after this soul!

So, thank you Jesus for everything. I don’t know why you keep on giving all for this sinner, but I am forever indebted to you for the peace and restoration you have given my soul and for being my salvation and way to an eternal life in heaven.

That is all my fellow sisters and brothers in Christ – I pray you have a peaceful and fulfilling week.

 

Here are some ways to express your gratitude or share your gifts and blessings with others.

Gratitude:

https://www.bethesdagardensmonument.com/blog/5-ways-to-show-gratitude-daily#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20truest%20ways,to%20convey%20appreciation%20to%20God.

Gifts:

https://www.gcu.edu/blog/spiritual-life/weekly-devotional-using-your-god-given-talents

 

Look these up this week and marinate in the joy of being grateful:

Psalms 103:1-4                Colossians 2:6-7                             Isaiah 12:4-5                          James 1:17

 

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAwyIad93-c

 

 

How Can I Be Bold In My Faith?

Hello friends. It’s time to journey with me this week and look at how the songs of my youth can help me through my faith questions. This week I am trying to understand how to be bold in my faith and what it means to be bold in faith. The world would have me fear even trying to understand this let alone act on it. To be bold in faith, is in truth a complete rejection of the way the current culture is trending. However, I am not afraid. To be bold is to stand firm in faith and to not bend.

My song this week brings me so many memories. I remember watching this band with my dad, and he buying me a drum kit, so that I could one day be rock star. We both really enjoyed the music of The Go-Go’s, that and our affection for the Smokey and the Bandit are some of my sweetest memories of my biological father, Steve.

This song, “Our Lips Are Sealed”, is a very fun up-beat song that brings back feelings of happiness, love, summer fun and just being able to relax and be a child. I honestly think that is what God wants for us, to have peace in our relationship with him. That said, once we are saved and a member of Jesus’ family, we are part of the greater “warrior team” of spreading the Gospel and living a life that resembles that of the core tenets of faith.

The song was written by Jane Wiedlin, guitarist for The Go-Go’s. The song was inspired by her relationship with a married man, that she needed to keep quiet, as the band was just starting out and they were an all-female band. Their public relations department needed them to appear “available” to attract fans (ie: men) to their shows and to buy their albums and since they were an all-female band, they wanted their image to appear clean with an edge. The song is about keeping secrets and being gossiped about. I think we can all relate to being a secret holder and being a gossip spreader. 

    “Our Lips Are Sealed” , 1981

    Written by Jane Wiedlin and Terry Hall and performed by The Go-Go’s

    Can you hear them?

    They talk about us

    Telling lies

    Well that’s no surprise

    Can you see them?

    See right through them

    They have no shield

    NO secrets to reveal

    Doesn’t matter what they say

    In the jealous games people play

    Hey, hey, hey

    Our lips are sealed

    There’s a weapon

    That we must use

    In our defense

    Si-lence

    When you look at them

    Look right through them

    That’s when they’ll disappear

    That’s when we’ll be feared

    It doesn’t matter what they say

    In the jealous games people play

    Hey, hey, hey

    Our lips are sealed

    Pay no mind to what they say

    It doesn’t matter anyway

    Hey, hey, hey

    Our lips are sealed

    Hush, my darling

    Don’t you cry

    Guardian angel

    Forget their lies

    Can you hear them?

    They talk about us

    Telling lies

    Well, that’s no surprise

    Can you see them?

    See right through them

    They have no shield

    No secrets to reveal

    Doesn’t matter what they say

    In the jealous games people play

    Hey, hey, hey

    Our lips are sealed

    Pay no mind to what they say

    It doesn’t matter anyway

    Hey, hey, hey

    Our lips are sealed

    Our lips are sealed

           Today’s culture demands everyone conforms to the farthest edges (just because), even if it is by extortion, lies, misrepresentation, smearing, canceling, or diminishing anyone that stands firm in the truth of their faith. I cannot and will not speak for anyone else. For me, to be bold in my faith, means I will stand firm in the core tenets, I will not cower (even if it means I am canceled or bullied). I will answer any question about being a Christian with an honest and loving biblical approach.

          This was not what was supposed to be this week’s message. Today I was going to explore a totally different topic in being bold, but God has weighed on me how displeased he is. To all the haters out there, no, that does not mean God speaks directly to me, but he does nudge me. In that nudging he has shown how when we cower in faith-based questions and accusations, when we seal our lips, when we tell half the truth, when we choose to hide from a biblical question instead of being honest, we ARE NOT SOLID IN FAITH. WE ARE MISLEADING. WE ARE ACTING LIKE WE ARE ASHAMED OF OUR FAITH.

              Examples:

              1. Christian Singer -  being asked about “is homosexuality a sin”. The singer didn’t answer the question. The singer did refer them to the bible, but chose not to answer a biblical question.

              2. Top Hollywood Actor refusing to speak up for self because the actor was so fearful of the topics thrown their way by the a “multi-lettered group”. Seriously, this person has been viciously attached online because people assume things about the actor due to him calling himself (shh! A Christian).

              3. Biblical Study Book authors, have come out publicly for abortion rights. They have decided that they (humans) can bifurcate the commandment “Thou Shall Not Kill” and being a Christian. Or Biblical Study Book Teachers and Leaders that denounce their church (as an whole) instead of just calling out the individuals. Statements and actions like this cause DIVISION.

              4. “Some” Mega-Church Preachers - (and MANY OTHERS) that cherry pick things out of the bible to preach a “EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE PERFECT FOR YOU” message. Seriously have these folks read the bible?

              Here are examples of those being BOLD in faith:

              1. Candace Cameron Bure making a huge move from Hallmark (which recently broke away from it’s family-oriented movies) and becoming a content developer for GAC (which has promised to be only family-friend and faith-lead). She has ignored all the “haters” comments and has proven that you can live a bold faith-filled life and still do what you love. She hasn’t hesitated to talk about her faith, her beliefs. She is even helping guide fellow actors (Danica McKellar “Wonder Years”) into a relationship with Christ. She does it all with grace and love (spiritual gifts). When asked the questions about homosexuality, abortion, and other “hot-topic” items, she states “This is what I believe, it’s who I am. I don’t hate anyone or judge anyone.” 

              “My Christian faith is so meaningful to me, and it’s the foundation of who I am. It always goes before me, and I’ve never been shy to talk about my faith.” Candace Cameron Bure speaking to Woman’s Day magazine.

              2. Mark Wahlberg. LOL – that’s right I said it. He has turned his entire life around. Instead of just talking the talk of claiming to be a Christian, he is now showing us all what it is to be bold when we act on our faith. He is more mindful of the roles he plays (check out the new movie Father Stu), he has time reached out and shown humility and grace to fallen actor Mel Gibson, he has a very biblical approach to how his family operates and he puts Jesus front and center of his family. He isn’t perfect and his past life is full of flaws (JUST LIKE ALL OF US) – but he has reformed, refocused on Christ and is now acting bold in his faith.

              “My faith and my family are the most important things.” Mark Wahlberg speaking to Relevant magazine.

              3. Chip and Joanna Gaines. What could I possibly add to their bold actions. Well they opted to leave a very lucrative deal with HGTV (due to heat that HGTV was getting for the Gaines’ association with their church and their pastor’s position on homosexuality).  Instead of adding to HGTV’s hefty profits, when HGTV would not defend them or “decline to comment”, the Gaines informed HGTV that after that season, they were done. The waited a year and a half, introduced their own network, which runs on streaming platform owned and operated by the parent company of HGTV. HGTV attempted to replace the Gaines with another great show Home Town (Ben Napier and Erin Napier). It still is a bit representative of the values that the Gaines stand for, just not as prevalent. Not once during all of this did the Gaines ever stop supporting their church, the pastor or their values. They were bold and stood strong in their faith. 

              I am not here to call anyone out, or to say this way of living is better than your way of living. I am not a Judge. I am here to say AND SAY IT LOUD that the path to salvation is one way (JESUS) and that path is narrow, winding and sometimes very lonely. I saw a meme about the right-winged Jesus and left-winged Jesus. Even though it was meant to divide, it was basically stating truth. If we look at truth as neither left nor right, we see the entire picture. Yes we need to minister to the lost. Yes we need to have compassion for the sinners (because we all are). Yes we are supposed to love our enemies. BUT PLEASE STOP QUOTING ONLY THIS. Jesus came for all of us. He died for all of us. He sat with the sinners and told them about grace, love, forgiveness AND WAIT FOR IT…..REPENTANCE. How are we forgetting to teach this. Jesus said that in order to follow him you must:

1.       Deny yourself (stop being selfish, stop living for just yourself);

2.       Take up your cross (are you ready to die for your faith?);

3.       And FOLLOW HIM (he was without sin).

A    A note as to my lengthy time away:  

I was supposed to post this almost a month ago, and I am sorry for the late post. Life happened. Nothing I can share right now, just know that life the past 30 days has been a constant storm of chaos. Also in that time, there have been some legal decisions that have/will cause another summer of protest and anger. As a woman, I wish I could stand with the pro-choicers for “women’s rights”. But I cannot because my first allegiance is to God, my creator. As a Christian, I am happy someone made a law protecting “babies’ rights”. I could leave it there – but I am not, because our God is merciful God. Jesus is going to love and forgive a woman (no matter what choice she makes) if she believes in him, confesses her sins, forgives others and leads a repentant life.

Me being bold in faith – is me getting real about what is and isn’t acceptable to God and to stop pretending otherwise.

Have a great and blessed week!

 

Some links for you: 

Crisis Pregnancy Center - https://www.ecfa.org/MemberProfile.aspx?ID=31655

Adoptions from the Heart - https://afth.org/pregnant/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=Vici&gclid=CjwKCAjwzeqVBhAoEiwAOrEmzTubTKzsV_FB9RPapNgB6m_hRfWfeTKWIC2HKLDWKvCleB4fishMbRoCOWMQAvD_BwE

Christian Counselors – if you need to talk to someone (from the 757)

https://www.google.com/search?q=christian+counseling&rlz=1C1GCEV_en&oq=christian+counseling&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i457i512j0i402l2j0i512j46i175i199i512j0i512l4.2528j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Read more about following Jesus:

https://www.openbible.info/topics/following_jesus

Youtube video for the song for this week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3kQlzOi27M