Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! Such wonderful news that Jesus died and rose from the dead. That is my hope and my salvation. He died to save me from my sins. My part is to accept Him as my Lord and Savior, confess my sins and turn away from them and follow Jesus. I invited Jesus into my heart forty years ago and my only regret was that I didn't do it sooner! Following the Lord isn't always easy, but it is the way to peace, love and joy. He is my source, my inspiration, my everything and comes first in my life. My husband comes next and then my family. The other things follow, such as being obedient to the tasks the Lord has called me to do, like spread the Good News by the way I live and speaking up if it is needed. My task this year has been to get my book "Living Waters: Writings from the Heart of a Christian" out into the public so others may experience the beautiful messages God has given to me in prayer. It has helped many people already and the messages will speak to the reader if one allows God to do so in the silence of their heart. May God richly bless you this Easter Day and may His graces abound in your life. Jesus is Lord and has triumphed over death!

The wind has been strong the past two weeks and it always feels so good to get home and out of it. Come to think of it, I always love to come home. I even love a good snowstorm that keeps me from leaving the house for several days. Just something about one's home that is comforting and cozy. How blessed I am and probably everyone else that is reading this post to have a nice home that is warm and comfortable. So many people the world over can't say that and even if they have a home aren't as warm as they would like to be. The economic crisis is affecting people in so many different ways and keeping the heat turned down is one of them. Eating less and eating inexpensive foods is another way some people have to budget. In these difficult times it is easy to become worried and afraid and wonder what is next, yet God loves us and wants us to have his peace, love and joy. God's word tells us that he will never leave us or forsake us, so no matter what you are going through you can turn to him and trust that he will see you through. So if the turmoil of life has you feeling like you do on an extremely windy, cold day, come into the Lord's house and rest awhile and let him speak to you and comfort you.

Gossip

Have you been affected by gossip? Have you been the gossip-monger? The dictionary definition of gossip is: "Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature. A gossip is a person who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors." I think two key words in all of this is rumor and habitually. So beware when you are tempted to gossip or listen to gossip that is a rumor and designed to ruin the person that is being gossiped about. Jesus was a victim of gossip and accused of many things, yet he went about doing the Father's business. He also says that if we follow him we also will be persecuted and in my opinion being gossiped about is persecution. So stop and think when someone is relishing in revealing some juicy, intimate news about another, is this of Satan and designed to harm one of God's little ones? Also, be bold and speak up and say this sounds like gossip to me and stick up for the person that is being gossiped about. I am thankful for a friend that recently did just that!

In my book "Living Waters" there is a message on page 48 that is titled "Love not as the world" and so it is good to remember that love will show others the way to Jesus!

Change

It seems to me nothing ever stays the same. I go along for quite sometime and things are the same and I get used to it, then I notice a store I loved to shop in has closed or else no longer carries the brand that I liked. People change too! We not only grow older but we sometimes grow wiser and change some of the stupid things we once did. Sometimes we even discover that we need to grow closer to God as He is our helper and our shield. This often happens in times of stress, sorrow or perhaps even just being discontent with life. I love the scripture that states: We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who have been called according to his decree. (Rms 8:28) When things happen that I don't understand I can recall this scripture and know that God is in control and he will bring good from it. Have a good week!

Importance of cousins

My first cousin, who is five years younger than me, died this week. He died in his sleep and was found by his son when he didn't answer his phone. We will be going to his funeral in a few days and I was pondering if I could work it in because of other plans. Well, I began reflecting on scripture and remembered how Mary, who was with child (Jesus) went to the hill country to visit her cousin Elizabeth who also was with child (John the Baptist). My answer was to go to the funeral and it was in that reflection that I felt it was important to go. It would have been difficult for Mary to go, but her cousin meant a great deal to her and God was directing her to go. I feel now that God is directing me to go to my cousin's funeral and to be with my other cousins that will be there. Cousins were important in scripture and are still important. Time and distance often prevents us from seeing our relatives very often and we lose touch, however, the fact remains they are still family and should be treated as family. In my book "Living Waters: Writings from the Heart of a Christian" the third chapter is all about family and how important they are to us and how to love them with God's love. So now I am wondering why I even had a fleeting thought of not going to the funeral as other plans can always be changed, but a funeral is only once. Have a great week!

Yielding to God's will!

Yesterday (Thursday) I was on the Public Pulse radio program here in Sheridan. The interview went really well and by the end of the 30 minutes I was so amazed at how it all turned out. I had certain things in mind to talk about and the interview seemed to go in a different direction, God's direction. I was very pleased, but pleasantly surprised. God knows who was listening and what needed to be said! We can be his hands, his mouthpiece, his feet, etc. if we yield ourself to him and allow ourself to be his instrument so that his plan comes about. I have a book signing tomorrow morning at a bookstore here and hopefully my talk will be what God wants and not what I want! Have a good week.

Lent

Lent begins this Wednesday, March 9th and lasts until April 23rd which is a period of six weeks. The ashes I will receive on my forehead on Ash Wednesday is a reminder that I am dust and to dust I will return. It also reminds me that it is time to do some special things and to get started right away because six weeks goes by extremely fast! Matthew 6:1 states that we should take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them. So it can be tricky in my estimation to do good things and not boast about it or let people know you are doing it for lent. It is a good idea to start thinking about some ways you can make a good lent and then begin on Ash Wednesday. I will share with you some ideas that came to me in the mail recently as I feel they are good and helpful. "Do something kind and anonymously for someone; Read the scriptures daily; Fast and pray during a mealtime that you have given up; Pray for the unfortunate; Resist temptation; Help a homeless person; Make peace with a family member that you are estranged from; Confess your sins; Ask forgiveness from someone you have wronged. Offer words of encouragement; Donate to the less fortunate; Give up eating between meals; Make Jesus the center of your life." There are so many others things a person can do, but hopefully these few will help you get started and on Easter Sunday you will feel like you too have risen from your old way of life and new things are in store for you. Happy Lent!