Posts

All the World's a Stage

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I recently saw a clip of Hannah Harper's audition for American Idol. There was something about her that stood out and caught my attention. She's a young mother with unique style, extreme talent, and one of the largest fan bases in the show's history. While I don't watch the actual TV show, I have kept up with her progress because there was no doubt she would do well. Not only because of her singing and song writing ability, but because she is true to who she is. When given the opportunity to showcase her talent, she puts the focus on her savior. After her recent performance of Chris Tomlin's, At the Cross (Love Ran Red) , she was asked what was special about singing that particular song on that stage. Her reply was, "an opportunity to give an invitation on this platform is incredible". Hannah knew there was a massive, captive audience and she didn't shy away from using it as a way to share Christ with the world.  My prayer this week is that I will also...

Who Do You Trust?

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Why do we find it easier to trust strangers than to trust God?  Believe it or not, we put our trust in strangers every day. Each day we drive down the road and never question whether the other drivers will stop at traffic lights or stay in their own lane. We just assume they will without giving it any thought. Each time we make large purchases, we hand over money or sign on the dotted line trusting that we are getting exactly what we expected. Yet, we sometimes have issues trusting the very one who created us, sustains us, and never fails us.  When you are facing difficult situations or times of uncertainty, remember that God is not only omnipresent and omniscient, He is also omnipotent. That means He's always there, He knows all, and is all powerful. No matter what you face today or any day, put your trust in The Only One that has the power to save us. And those who know your name put their trust in you,  for you, O Lord , have not forsaken those who seek you. -Psal...

What Do You Know?

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  Simple thoughts this week.  I don't know much, but I know... God is Good! For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. -Psalm 100:5 I KNOW - BIG DADDY WEAVE Click here to receive an email when new blog content is posted. https://follow.it/hallelujahe-we-are-not-alone?leanpub

Unloveable

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I recently saw a shirt advertised with the words  Love Them Anyway  across the front. It spoke to me, so I ordered one. Have you ever come across someone that was difficult to love? Strangers you meet on occasion, co-workers you deal with each day, or even those connected by blood or marriage? Whatever the connection, God placed these people in our paths even if only temporarily. What we do in these situations speaks more about us than it does the other person.  I have many areas of my life that still need improvement, but when dealing with this particular situation, I’ve found that it helps to ask this question… Am I always easy to love?    In Matthew Chapter 5 , Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount by telling us how we can be blessed and goes on to say to let our light shine before giving instructions that we may not want to hear.... love our enemies.  My prayer this week is that I never forget that even through all of my shortcomings, Jesus loved me anyw...

What a cast!

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I was on my way to church one Sunday when I paid special attention to something I pass by almost every day. There's a narrow section of the lake that extends to the highway. Apparently, people think it's a good place to fish, because the evidence is just overhead.  A cable is tangled with many lines and lures from those casting in that area. Just as I drove past it that day, I glanced at my radio and the song playing was Cast My Cares . Immediately, my thought process took off.  How many times do we cast our cares and our burdens in areas that lead us to nothing but a tangled mess? The song, Cast My Cares , was written by the lead singer and a few friends, but the original idea came from David. Psalm 55 is considered an instructive psalm and was written during a very difficult time in David's life. His son was rebelling against him and his close friend had betrayed him. David said that he even wished he had wings so he could fly away from his troubles. Yet in the end, he kn...

A Change of Heart

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I went grocery shopping at Aldi on Friday. I made sure to grab a quarter from my change jar before I left. If you aren't familiar with the store, you have to pay to use a shopping cart. The carts are attached by a chain and when you insert a quarter, the lock releases. When you return the cart and lock the chain, you receive your deposit back.  I approached the long row of chained baskets and prepared to insert my coin but found that someone had left one unlocked . After paying for the groceries and loading the car, I went to return the cart to its rightful place. Since it wasn't my quarter to begin with, I didn't feel right taking one in return. So I parked it just as I had found it, unlocked and ready to be a blessing for someone else that needed it. (If you're considering giving me a pat on the back at this point, don't. There's more to the story.) As soon as I stepped back and headed toward my car, the lady waiting behind me locked both my cart and hers then...

Help! It’s Taking Over

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A few years ago, Rusty and I spent some time trimming the many overhanging branches and shrubs from the fence-line on my mom's property. I recently noticed how all of the branches we had cut back were once again reaching across the fence and encroaching on the property as if we had never touched them. I dreaded tackling the task again but knew if we didn't tend to it soon, the job would be more than we could handle. It would be overwhelming.  Have you ever felt like your life was becoming the same way? You may have job related pressures, lengthy illnesses, or family stress that creep in on you like over-reaching branches needing to be pruned, but feel like you no longer have the strength or energy to handle them.  The psalmist David knew where to seek help when he became overwhelmed.    In Psalm 61 , David knew that he had no strength on his own, but remembered how God had been his refuge and strength in times past. He began the psalm by asking Him to hear his prayer...