In Other Words: Next Tuesday’s Quote ~ Please join us!

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lease join us next Tuesday by sharing on the quote shared below for our weekly, In Other Words. Each Friday a new quote is given here along with who will be hosting that week’s In Other Words. Next Tuesday will be hosted by Miriam on her blog,

Miriam Pauline’s Monologue

Think and ponder on this quote and share about it on your blog on Tuesday. Then, visit Miriam’s blog on Tuesday, leave the link to your blog there and visit the other gals who have also written on it.

“God does not speak simply to be heard.
He speaks to be obeyed.
Obedience is the Alpha and Omega of discerning God’s voice.”

by Priscilla Shirer
Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks

Next Tuesday’s In Other Words

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lease join us next Tuesday by sharing on the quote shared below for our weekly, In Other Words. Each Friday a new quote is given here along with who will be hosting that week’s In Other Words. Next Tuesday will be hosted by Karen on her blog, In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus

Think and ponder on this quote and share about it on your blog on Tuesday. Then, visit Karen’s blog on Tuesday, leave the link to your blog there and visit the other gals who have also written on it.

Love needs to be based on character, if you know and love God you see He has a lot of character we are in love with. The best thing we can do for our spouse is to grow in character as listed in 1 Cor 13. It’s a love of choice. We choose to love God, He chooses to love us. Love of choice is the most powerful love, God calls that agape love, it’s a love that lasts, we should never settle for anything else between us and God and others. It’s a love that grows. Keep fervent in your love, allow it to stretch and strain as you watch it grow.
Wayne Corderio

In Other Words: Caution ~ Road Slippery When Wet

Several times on the way home Saturday night with our five youngest children in our van, my husband noted that something was wrong with the steering.  He thought maybe it was just the black icy roads, yet whenever we came to a curve or turn, the van just did not seem to handle well.  We did not think too much of it once we got home.  Maybe because we did not want to.  This is the slower time for my husband’s business and who wants to think of paying for car repair bills.  We did not go to church Sunday morning since we had sick little ones.  Sunday afternoon we had to pick up our older children from a winter retreat.  Not even thinking of the steering problems of the previous night, we left.  Our driveway has a slight incline, that can be hard to get out of on these long  wintery days, and as my husband turned to steering wheel at the end of the driveway,we stopped.   We weren’t going anywhere.

The tie rod at the front came loose.  One wheel was going one way, the other  turning the opposite direction.  We were so thankful this did not happen when we took our young children out the previous night.   It could have been very dangerous, even life threatening.  Instead, it happened at the end of our driveway.  I am so thankful for the way God protected our family and even others that could have been around us.

We ignored the warning signs.  We just did not want to think about repairing a car.  Sometimes when we do this ignoring, we hope it will just disappear.  Our Christian walk can be the same way.  I think of the little quote someone wrote in one of my Bibles inside the front cover:

Sin will keep you from this Book.
This Book will keep you from sin.

God gives us many warnings and guidelines throughout His Word.  We can become overwhelmed with life, with bills (and car repairs) and neglect going to Him.  The warning signs are there- we become unhappy, more irritable, worried about tomorrow.  We are missing God’s directions in His Word, giving us peace, reminding us He’s not forgetting us, giving us promises for that day for that time in our lives.

What cautions AND promises does God want to give you today?  Have you visited His Word?

This week, Amy is hosting “In ‘Other’ Words” on her blog, In Pursuit of
Proverbs 31. Be sure to visit her site and the links to the other women who have shared on this quote. Then come back here on Friday, for next Tuesday’s new quote for In ‘Other’ Words. Be blessed.

In Other Words: Tuesday’s New Quote

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lease join us next Tuesday by sharing on the quote shared below for our weekly, In Other Words. Each Friday a new quote is given here along with who will be hosting that week’s In Other Words. Next Tuesday will be hosted by Amy on her blog, In Pursuit of
Prov 31

Think and ponder on this quote and share about it on your blog on Tuesday. Then, visit Amy’s blog on Tuesday, leave the link to your blog there and visit the other gals who have also written on it.

“CAUTION: Road Slippery When Wet”

Amy shares why she chose this quote, to help you write about it: It may seem strange but I want to focus on the fact that every action has a consequence and God gives us warning signs throughout the Bible so that we can live by them and avoid “accidents”.

In Other Words: First Step in Faith

I invite you to participate in the drawing
for a wonderful child’s book below.
~

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t’s that first step with so many different parts of life, that is just so hard.  It starts early in the morning getting out of bed.  The snooze button is hit one too many times, until the kids start banging on the door wanting breakfast NOW!

I love watching my little ones take their first step.  They pretty much trust mom or dad, knowing we’d catch them if they fall.  But they test us – to make sure . . .  They wobble with hands out, barely taking that first step as they land in our arms.  Everyone is joyful and praises the child, who then again tries it, maybe a full step this time.

Isn’t our walk with God so often like this?  We stumble and fall on our way to Him.   We know He is there, but how much do we really trust Him with?  He proves Himself over and over again to us that He will never leave us, or forsake us, and yet, we try so often to do it on our own – and then maybe trust Him for a bit – and then take it back – because we think we can do it better – or God is not answering soon enough.

I love what Corrie ten Boom said about faith:

” Faith is like radar that sees through the fog. “

God sees through the fog even though we cannot see clearly what is happening in our lives.  He knows the outcome.  When that prompting is on our hearts to make a call to someone we need to reconcile with, to tell our children we are sorry for blowing up, for that test we need to take at the hospital or instead of throwing our hands up and totally giving up – put your hands out and give it to God.  Yes, easier said than done, but take that first small step in trusting Him – with giving yourself completely to Him and allowing Him to put the puzzle pieces of the rest of your life together.

This week, Denise is hosting “In ‘Other’ Words” on her blog, ShortyBear’s Place . Be sure to visit her site and the links to the other women who have shared on this quote. Then come back here on Friday, for next Tuesday’s new quote for In ‘Other’ Words. Be blessed.

Be sure to join my book drawing for a wonderful child’s book.

In Other Words: God is the Ruler yet

Verse 3 of the hymn, "This Is My Father’s World" by Maltbie D. Babcock

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oday history is being made.   It  will be etched in our minds forever.  I remember clearly when  President Ronald Regan left office,  waving as he entered the plane, and then the plane circling around the White House, as if to say, good-bye.

There is a lot of fear, especially among Christians with the entering of our new President.    These are uncertain times, and there is indeed need to be on our knees praying for our country AND our president.  Obama’s choice to have a gay bishop (another article here) to pray before the inaugural address to the “God of our many understandings”, is so sad.  Does  the one and  only God weep over our nation today? Tomorrow I will be sharing more on FOCA, the Freedom of Choice Act, which President-Elect Obama wants to be on the top of his list to pass.  It’s scary.  It will affect our stand on abortion if it passes.

This picture hangs in the Capitol. May it be a reminder to pray.

Yet, despite all the uncertainties and fears, God is still in control.  He is sitting on the throne, and knows what our future holds.  If God can make the world, throw all the stars in the skies, have my daughter at the hospital just when she went into heart failure, keep a friend safe whose tire went flying off her car while driving on slippery roads, He can and is still in control of our country and our president.  It does not mean we not do anything.  We have battles to fight.  We need to let those in government positions know of our concerns.  We need to pray for God to heal our land. Jesus died on the cross for President Obama just as He did for you and me. He wants his soul as He wants ours.

Though the wrong may seem so strong,
aren’t you thankful
GOD
IS
the Ruler yet?

Today I am hosting In Other Words.  If you have written on the above quote on your blog, be sure to leave a link with Mr. Linky below to your blog and visit the others who have also joined.

In Other Words: Tuesdays New Quote

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lease join us next Tuesday by sharing on the quote shared below for our weekly, In Other Words.  Each Friday a new quote is given here along with who will be hosting that week’s In Other Words. Next Tuesday will be hosted by Susan on her blog, Forever His.

Think and ponder on this quote and share about it on your blog on Tuesday. Then, visit Susan’s blog on Tuesday, leave the link to your blog there and visit the other gals who have also written on it.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak,
but their echoes are truly endless.”

~ Mother Teresa

In Other Words ~ Come Join Us!

This post is going to stay second from the top
until the end of December.
Please read my recent posts below.

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or the next two weeks, we are going to do something a little different, to give our hostesses a break, and yet still share some special quotes with you. I invite any of you who read the In Other Words memes and those who host, to share what your favorite quotes were or a specific post shared by a hostess that touched you, encouraged you, etc.

So, this gives all of you a chance to write on a quote you wish you would have, rewrite on a quote you wrote on but wish you shared it a different way, share about how another’s post blessed you, or anything you wish to write about. Just leave a little blurb on your blog, and then leave the link below in Mr. Linky. If you do not wish to write about it on your blog, but want to share something anyway, just leave a note in the comment section above.

Thank you!  

In Other Words: Mama Praying

“My Momma prayed, and momma cried, and momma laid awake at night.  She would fight my battles while I slept away.  Cause momma knew life is hard without somebody on your side. I don’t know how, but there is power in the way,
The way my momma prayed.”

Words & music by Jeremiah Olson of
40 Miles North
Listen Here

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imagine like many other moms, we probably more often replace the word “prayed” with “worried”.  How often do we worry, lying awake at night, worrying about the wayward child, the child out late at night who has yet to call home, or the just the plain “what ifs” of our children’s future lives.  I am one who can easily get caught up worrying about my children’s lives – from the spouse they will marry; how they will support a family; to how am I going to continue homeschooling another 20 years?   It’s almost like panic attacks when I begin worrying – and then, that still small voice says, “I AM still here”.  The same God of when “Mary pondered all these things” to, today, is here, listening. 

There’s another song I like the words to that Chris Rice sings:

Mama prayed and Jesus stood beside us
Daddy prayed and the devil had to run
God looked down, and His angels guarded through the harder days
‘Cause Mama prayed and Daddy prayed

Do our children know we are praying?  I have little reminders throughout the day to pray for specifics with my children.  When I hear my son’s loud truck muffler warming up in the morning I remember to pray for his safety and sticking to his convictions in our crazy world.  The alarm goes off for another child to take her heart medications, and I am reminded to pray not only for her physical heart but her spiritual heart.  A song may come on that reminds of another child, or a fight between two young siblings is another reminder.  But, I do forget, and worry . . . and I am thankful how the Holy Spirit intercedes for me.  I wonder of the things God protects our children from we are not even aware of that were “close calls”. 

How do we as women and as moms pray?  Do we worry more than we pray?  Do we pray without ceasing – while doing the dishes, laundry, picking up clothes or putting schoolbooks away (again).  When we set the table or pick up towels off the bathroom floor (again) – all these items are things our children use, and at times I can be irritated for them not picking up after themselves (which yes, they need to do) but it also gives me opportunities to pray for them as I fold their shirts, or scrap off a plate of uneaten food. 

I read this prayer from Darnelle, that touched me greatly a few weeks ago of things that touched her life, that has helped her to remember to pray.  Please read Darnelle’s “Pray without Ceasing” post.  It’s helped me to remember to pray more throughout the day.

 

~

This week, Heather is hosting “In ‘Other’ Words” at her site, Titus 2 Woman. Be sure to visit her site and the links to the other women who have shared on this quote.
Be blessed.

Death Threats Can’t Stop Me Being a Christian, Says Imam’s Daughter

From The Times Online – December 10, 2007 by Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

 Death Threats Can’t Stop Me Being a Christian,
Says Imam’s Daughter

An imam’s daughter whose family threatened to kill her after she converted to Christianity at the age of 16 has told The Times that, because of her faith, she is not afraid to die.

But Hannah, now 32, has been forced to live under police protection for the past month since her brother told her that he could not be responsible for his actions if she did not return to Islam. Hannah, who hopes to marry a fellow Christian next year, uses a pseudonym and has moved house 45 times since her conversion.

She said: “Yes, there is a possibility I will be killed, just as there is for anyone that they can get run over by a bus. My faith means that I am not afraid to die. If I was to focus on that, I would spend my life at home, trapped. I am not going to let it stop me being who I am, from being a Christian.” She said that her freedom was made possible by living in Britain. “We are protected by the law in this country, which means I should be free to live the life God has called me to live.”

Hannah was speaking to The Times after the Right Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, launched a new charity last week called Lapido Media, which aims to improve “religious literacy” about world affairs. Dr Nazir-Ali said that although the Koran did not specify the death penalty for apostasy, the four main Sunni and two Shia schools of Islamic thought agreed that this was an accurate interpretation of the hadith, or the oral tradition.

However, two of the world’s leading Islamic scholars suggested recently that the death penalty was intended to be carried out only in the next life.

Hannah, who was born in Britain but whose father is from Pakistan, said that she had a strict religious upbringing. She prayed five times a day and wore the full hijab from the age of ten.

Although she attended a Church of England primary school, 80 per cent of her fellow pupils were also Muslim. She learnt to read Arabic and had read the Koran by the age of 8. “I did not really know what was beyond that Pakistani community.” When she started secondary school she became more aware of the outside world – and when, aged 16, she overheard her father on the phone arranging her flight to Pakistan to marry a cousin whom she had never met she was shocked into action. “I went to college and did not go home,” she said. “I had nowhere to go. Everyone I knew was Muslim and knew my dad. I was on the street for about a week.” She slept in bus shelters until her religious education teacher offered her a bed. Against the teacher’s wishes, she started going to church.

“I watched everyone and saw how they lived their lives. I heard about God’s love, about how Jesus died on the cross. I was totally blown away by it. I asked someone how I could get to know Jesus. They said, ‘Ask him to come into your life. Ask for forgiveness’. So I did and that night I became a Christian.”

Hannah was still in contact with her family but they did not take her conversion seriously. Three years later she was baptised and invited them to the ceremony. They told her she was bringing shame upon them and the death threats began. At one point, 14 men with stones and knives came to her door and shouted at her to come out. When the threats became more serious a month ago, she went to the police. She said: “I pray that one day there will be a reconciliation with my family. But I have no regrets, not one.”

From The Times Online – December 10, 2007 by Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

In Other Words: God’s Agenda vs Our Agenda

"One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy."

~ Elisabeth Elliott ~

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ast week we were blessed with a deer that was given to us.  It was wonderful, but we had to can 48 jars just a few days before Thanksgiving.  It wasn’t in the plan (for me), but we got it done (with LOTS of help from the kids).  I wanted to get a lot of baking done before Thanksgiving, but with the venison canning, I had to do some of it on Thanksgiving day.  I got up early Thanksgiving day and got the big ole’ bird in the oven early and went back to bed for a few hours.  When I came back up the stairs later, I should have smelled that wonderful bird.  Nope.  The oven stopped working.  This oven has been a lemon for awhile and seems to have a mind of its own.  We put the turkey into a big electric roaster but, I had several other dishes that  had to go in.  I was not in the best mood.  Yet, when we sat down at the table, even with soggy runny, sweet potatoes, and stuffing that was warmed up in the crockpot instead, we had food.  We had MORE than enough and beautiful dishes to put them on.  We have ten healthy children including our little 9 month old baby sitting around the table.  So, when my husband began to pray in thankfulness, it was time to delete what was not worth worrying about and being thankful.  I could have continued fretting over what I wanted the meal to be like, and my frustration that I could not bake fresh yeast rolls, or bake the dessert I always do. 

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25,33-34

With December just around the corner, our calendars can quickly fill up from church programs, to school and band programs.  There’s caroling and Christmas cards and letters to write.  Decorations need to be put up and more cookies to bake and extra special menus to plan.  We worry about how we are going to get it all done and what we failed with days before.  For some, it’s visiting numerous sides of the family, work parties, school parties and of course the unexpected whirlwinds that are thrown in the midst of it all.  Christmas day arrives, and we have not prepared our hearts and instead of celebrating the greatest Gift ever given, it’s a day to crash and becomes too materialistic.   

Imagine, if we had been those shepherds over 2000 years ago, in the busyness of our lives today, would we have missed the angels’ announcement?  Or if we had been too busy of wisemen, would we have had other things to do instead of bringing Him gifts? Maybe we need to plan now, in these final days of November, to cross things off our calendar for December, and re-evaluate what God really wants us to do to celebrate His Son’s birthday.

This week’s, "In ‘Other’ Words" host, is Sarah at her site, To Motherhood and Beyond  along with contributions from the other gals who are participating. Be sure to visit. You will be blessed!

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In Other Words: Growing Pains

"The purpose of Christianity is not to avoid difficulty, but to produce a character adequate to meet it when it comes. It does not make life easy; rather it tries to make us great enough for life."

~ James L. Christensen ~

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am thinking back to 1996 when we were determined that any more children God blessed us with would be born at home.  It was not that I had horrible hospital experiences, but "we" were done with all the hospital and doctor protocols.  With our 7th child I had a very good pregnancy, and a wonderful home birth.  I could not have asked for it to be any better, and it was a special bonding time for us.  Little did we realize how real-life giving my husband’s prayer would be when he held our little baby girl, just a few minutes old, dedicating her back to God.  Later that day our pediatrician friend came and checked on our sweet little girl and found a heart murmur.  That avoiding the hospital and doctors ended ten days later when we learned our daughter had serious heart defects.  We were at first said she may live a few days, then maybe weeks, then "if" she could gain so much weight then surgery was possible – if she survived.  With God nothing is impossible, and at 13 months of age, she had two open heart surgeries and a long ten week ICU stay, many of those weeks at death’s door.  Today she amazes her cardiologist with how far she has come.  God is not amazed. 

No, this is not a "woe is me" post.  The interesting part with all this as we tried to avoid the doctor and hospital visits, God also placed several people in our lives that became special friends and their occupation is . . .  M.D. or DR!  And not just everyday country doctors.  One couple we met on an e-mail list for large families. The husband is a cardiologist, the wife an ER doctor.  This couple helped us find a wonderful Christian cardiology doctor.  They also helped us tremendously giving us more information on our son’s death and being available to us.  God has woven other friends in our lives – also in the medical field (But God, I really don’t like doctors, don’t you remember?)   Now, I won’t say has God totally changed my heart on loving hospitals and doctors, but He has shown me it’s not my dependance on who will take care of us, but who HE places in our lives to take care of us!

It’s kind of the same way with our Christian walk.  We can pray for peace, for more patience and understanding, and God allows things to come into our lives that bring about tremendous growing pains for patience and understanding. If we allow, God uses us through the difficult times and though we may not understand always the character He is building and the "whys" of it all, many times God just gives us the opportunity to "rejoice with those that rejoice, and weep those that weep" (Romans 12:15).

This week’s, "In ‘Other’ Words" host, is Allison at her site, Simple Christian Living along with contributions from the other gals who are participating. Be sure to visit. You will be blessed!

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In Other Words: Love is Beautiful ~ Love is Terrible

"Love is beautiful,
but it is also terrible–
terrible in its determination to allow nothing blemished
or unworthy to remain in the beloved."

~ Hannah Hurnard ~
author of
Hinds’ Feet on High Places

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his week’s quote comes from a book I just read. The story is of a girl named "Much-Afraid" and her journey through life to reach High Places. She is from the Family of Fearings, brought up by her aunt, Mrs. Dismal Forebodings and has cousins named Gloomy, Spiteful and Craven Fear.  Her Shepherd talks to her, and wants her to go to His High Places, but tells her she needs to changed completely and needs a new name, and plants a seed of True Love into her heart, but it needs to grow, and it is this growing journey you take reading through this book. During this journey she meets many along the way, especially, Suffering and Sorrow.  I think one of the parts I loved the most about this book is that when she does reach the High Places, and the Shepherd has her open a bag of stones she has collected along her journey.  Instead of the ugly stones of her journey, they are beautiful sparkling stones – saphires, emeralds, rubies and gold.  God took the times she thought were worthless and dark, times that she wanted to give up and go back to the valley and instead as she continued on, God turned them into beauty, glorifying Himself.

I mentioned this verse last week, yet this quote reminds me of it again.

"But He knows the way I take;  When He has tried me,
I shall come forth as gold."  Job 23:10

The growing pains of life we go through, can be terrible, and the utmost painful.  As we follow Him, call out for Him, and even when we stumble and fall, allow Him to pick us up, and though it may seem that load of stones is heavier and heaveier upon us, someday we can see the beauty it will bring and along with the songwriter, Esther Kerr Rusthoi, we will be able to sing:

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

If you have not read this book, Hinds’ Feet on High Places, it’s definitely one you want to put on your "to read" list. 

This week’s, "In ‘Other’ Words" host, is Bonnie,  from her blog, Ink It Blog,  along with contributions from the other gals who are participating. Be sure to visit. You will be blessed!~

In Other Words – My Mosiac

"In our lives the darkest times,
the days that are bleak and black,
add depth to every other experience. Like the dark bits of color in a mosaic, they add the contrast and shadows that give beauty to the whole, but they are just a small part of the big picture."

~ Amy Grant~
Mosaic: Pieces of My Life so Far

~This quote has led me to think of the following Scripture verse:

"But He knows the way I take;  When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."Job 23:10

The process of being shined up like gold can be painful.  I know as many of my readers, we don’t always understand God’s plan.  The dark times can bring us close to God; these times when we are alone, pleading out to God for His love and mercy, for His relief and understanding.  One of my verses of hope in the last several years has been,

"Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning."
Psalm 30:5

That night can be long.  But finally, after a lonely, long, dark night,

"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings."
Psalm 40:2

I never thought of my life before like a mosaic, but it got me thinking.  Imagine when we get to heaven, God showing us His many rooms He has prepared for us, and in each room there is a mosiac of another person’s life.  Then we walk into a room, and there’s our mosiac.  He could show us the brilliance that came from the dark times – the rainbows of colors, and the beautiful gold outlining it all.  Then, we may understand the full picture of the life we lived on earth, and we will see why He allowed the dark times and how the dark times shined us for the glorious days in heaven.~This week’s, "In ‘Other’ Words" host, is Elisa, hosting for her first time from her blog, "Extravagant Grace along with contributions from the other gals who are participating. Be sure to visit. You will be blessed!~

In Other Words: The WHOLE Word

"The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection.  And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian."

~ A.W. Towzer ~

~As Christians one question that can be asked of us is "what is your favorite verse?" or "what is your life verse?". I have never really had a "life verse" and had not really thought about why until now.  There have been verses in different seasons of my life that have been very important.  When verses really touch my life, or is something I want to claim for that season, I will date it.  My Bible is somewhat a journal as I mark and remind myself of something.  Here’s a little peek into it.

"Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord which He spoke to us; thus it shall be for a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God."  Joshua 24:27

I noted by the above verse, "1-23-05 – After Stephen & Jayson’s truck accident".  If I could have afforded it, I would have loved to have bought a billboard (instead of a stone as in the verse) to put as a proclaimation at this accident scene my two boys were in, just  5 weeks after the death of our other son.  God protected them. The man that hit our boys knew he was going to no matter what, and purposely swerved to avoid hitting the door.  We go by this road to and from church several times a week.  No, there’s no billboard there, and thankfully, there are no memorial crosses there either.  But, there is that reminder, written on my heart, from this verse that reminds me of God’s faithfulness.

"To give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."  Luke 1:77 – 79

I noted by the above verse, "Read this at Bible Study after visiting Nancy Short 2-4-03".  I had just gone to the hospital to visit a close friend before going to a Bible study.  I knew she was dying.  It was her second bout with cancer.  For the next several months until she died about three months later, I prayed that God would shine in her shadow of death.  I remember it so clearly reading that verse just after seeing her, knowing THAT verse for THAT time was for me.  It was not a favorite verse, but a seasonal verse.~As you can imagine, I have many verses of hope and encouragement, promises of joy after grieving,  that I marked in my Bible after Matthew’s death – some marked "5 months"; this verse’s notation "This was written in Matthew’s Bible that he was buried with."  I have this verse marked "Jessica" for our daughter with serious heart defects and is a reminder so many times when I dream up all the "what ifs" of her condition.  I have verses I have marked as a struggling wife and mom and as a daughter without parents.~I am thankful for God’s WHOLE Word.  I am thankful for how God speaks through His Living Word.  I may skim over a verse at one time, and later, that verse strikes me for that season.  I need His whole Word, for my whole life to build me into a whole Christian.` IThis week’s, "In ‘Other’ Words" host, is Debbie at Chocolate and Coffee along with the other gals who are participating. Be sure to visit. You will be blessed!~