Born Anew

Do you ever wake up about 3:30am and can't go back to full sleep? It's kind of like 3/4 sleep but in that God puts someone on your mind?

That's what happened to me last night (well technically a few hours ago). It's not someone I really know. I've never talked to this person. I know this person has made some bad decisions in the past- and it affected a lot of people.

But someone in their life offered forgiveness- again, and again, and again.

I was thinking to myself...and yet praying, "God, has this person really changed? So much hurt has been brought by their actions. Do people really change?"

And so clearly God spoke to me, "You did. Have you forgotten what I did for you, and IN you, 18 years ago?"

I guess when you've been a believer so long...maybe we forget that God still is the God of redemption and salvation. For the last 10 years I have taught about the healing, freedom and victory that Jesus accomplished for us through His death, burial, resurrection and ascension. I speak to the believer, the one ALREADY saved- but maybe just doesn't know what this great God of ours, the Lord Jesus Christ, has saved us from!

This morning Jesus reminded me just how FAR He has brought me from. Literally from death to life. For you see, as God reminded me this morning, I, too, was the worst of sinners.

This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am (Greek: am, have been, it is I, was) the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience, as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. - Paul, in a letter to Timothy

To be honest, I do NOT feel like that person I was before. She seems so foreign, so strange to me. Truly, a different person. I think back to her and think, "Really? That was me?"

Yes, and no. It was. But no, it's not now. I was born again, literally "from above". For about 8 years after I was SAVED, I still struggled with the things old Starla struggled with. Oh boy, the struggle was real. Yes, there was fight in me. A soulical fight. A spiritual fight. My mind, will and emotions wanted to be comfortable and live the "old way". But my new spirit in which God, Himself, dwells- says, "No way, old way!" And I had to come to end of my self- and to Jesus.

That's when the change began. That's when I began to really FEEL and KNOW this new creation me. This new innerman Starla whose Source of Life is God.

This morning, God reminded me anew- He is the Source of change. He is. Not just in my mind, my actions but literally, ALL OF ME. Body, soul and spirit. He is the Great Exchange- 2 Corinthians 5:21. Like my Grandpa wrote in his Bible, "He became what we were so we could become what He is."

Oh how I pray for the person God brought to my mind this morning. Oh how I pray they too can look back in 18 years and say, "Really? That was me?" To SEE what God really does do. Key word: WAS.

Jesus came to save SINNERS. Those separated from God by sin. That is EVERYONE born, because we are all born sinners (Romans 5). But because of His great mercy, He makes fully evident, undeniable- His PERFECT, WHOLE PATIENCE- as an example (Oh I am His example!) for those that BELIEVE IN HIM! Oh what Grace! He saved me! From sin, death, satan, the world and temptation! He still does! Ever active and present in all of my life.

I am no longer a sinner. My core identity has been changed! I am new, clean, whole, righteous, holy, a saint, free- a child of God!

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.- John 1:12-13

Oh Father, thank You! Thank You for reminding me this morning of who I used to be- a sinner, a separated from You. But through Jesus- yes, beloved Jesus, I am can now call you Father! Abba! John 14:6. Thank You for reminding me what YOU have done not just IN my life but literally WITH my life. You made me new and gave me YOUR Life, Colossians 3:4. Jesus. I am now the temple of the Holy Spirit, my Counselor and Comforter. What great Mercy, Love, Patience and Grace! Thank You!

Contentment

I tell you.  Living in a "first world" country spoils you.  We have everything at our disposal.  Everything.  We live in super fine comfortable houses.  We drive super fine comfortable cars.  We take super fine comfortable vacations.  We eat rich, unhealthy food.  We pay enormous bills for tv, cellphone, internet- and then complain about the electric or water bill.  We loved to be constantly entertained.  Our kids have no idea what it means to play outside all day with friends, come home to a meal on the table, bathtime and bed.  We have LOADS of food in our refrigerators and pantry's yet we can't find anything to eat so we "go out" to eat.  We get bored easily.  We are tired.  We are anxious.  We are overwhelmed. We live in a driven society.  More more more. 

And we are so entitled= believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.

I've been thinking- again, about "being content".  What does that mean?  Does it mean that if everything goes my way, I get everything I want then I will be happy? 

Not according to the Scriptures. 

Paul, beloved Paul- beaten, stoned, whipped Paul- wrote to the church at Philippi: Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. (Philippians 4:11-12)

Paul then wrote to Timothy: If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.  For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

The writer to the Hebrews wrote: Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”  so that we confidently say,“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

I love what Paul also wrote to the church at Philippi:  And God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

A beloved Proverb:

Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
9 That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

So what does all this mean?  Let's look at the word "content" in Helps Word Study.

842 autárkēs  self-sufficient, content in the sense of being satisfied because living in God's content (fulness). This inward sufficiency is as valid in "low times" (suffering) as in "high times" (temporal prosperity).

("sufficiency within") occurs only in Phil 4:11 where it refers to positive self-sufficiency (inward adequacy) – i.e. that comes through the indwelling power of Christ.

[842 (autárkēs) comes from autos ("self") and arkein ("sufficient") meaning "self"-sufficiency, which is entirely God-produced.]

To be content is to be satisfied in God's provision.  A positive, inward sufficiency that comes from Christ within, coming from Him.  It comes from trusting, believing- KNOWING that HE is the One that will supply all our needs.  

Why do we need so much?  The more we have the harder we have to work to take care of it.  And if that's so then what (or who) is being left out?  Because I don't know about you but I am not super woman.  I finally came to the point that I couldn't do it all and be the person God created me to be.  I had to come to a choice.  Believing and trusting God for His plan in my life or trying to fill up my self and my life with the things of this "temporal" world.  

 Peacefilled/ful, Joyfilled/ful, Overwhelmed and consumed by Grace= Content.  

And Paul, really meant and knew with all his heart the truth of the words He wrote to Timothy:

But godliness (God-centered) actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.- 1 Timothy 6:6

You want "great gain"?  You want more and more?

Hebrews 12:1-3

...lay aside....fixing your eyes on Jesus...so you will not grow weary and lose heart.  

Jesus is the More.  Jesus is the Great Gain.  

Serving and Ministering

Last night our youth gave a mission report about their week in Albany,NY.  

I was reminded again- how blessed I am with my children.  As parents we often see their faults- even when they are adults.  But I am learning more and more to see my children as the people (adults) God created them uniquely to be.  

Allison, Ben and Johnie are all youth "workers".  Ben is the youth pastor, Allison nurtures all the youth, and Johnie- his life is so interwoven in the youth that it would be strange if he wasn't a part of it.  He was 11 when he joined the youth group at BBC and went from a boy to a man- and now it's going on 13 years since he's been involved.  As a matter of fact, when he joined the youth some of the youth that are in there now wasn't even born!  

What I find as wonderful and so thankful for- is that all my kids Allison, Ben, Cody and Johnie are in some way involved- serving and ministering- at our church or our community.  Cody, although not actively involved in youth ministry, coaches a homeschool cross country team- and several of them on the team are members of our church youth group.  So- they all kind of work- serve and minister- together.

Thank You, dear Lord.  Thank You.  

10 years

10 years ago August 4, 2007-

The Lord brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Psalm 40:2-3

10 years ago God lifted me out of the pit of "depression", anger and control. I had been in that pit for as long as I could remember and it encompassed every bit of my life- inside and out.

10 years ago I stopped depending on my "happy pill" and God began to work in me that He wanted to heal me of the reasons I took the "happy pill". He wanted to expose the root issues, causes and lies I believed of why I wanted to numb my emotions and not deal with my emotions or be overcome by them- and learn to have healthy emotions and live from truth.

"Your feelings/emotions are real but they are not always truthful."

I am so thankful for this process that God had begun in me. Not only did I begin healing...but my little family did too. I don't want my children to carry on the legacy of "depression", anger, and unhealthy control issues. I thank God every day....that He brought us up out of the pit of destruction my family was in...and set our feet on a rock!

He surely put a new song in my mouth! I praise Him for revelation and healing!

My Grace IS Sufficient for you!

I guess you could say the last decade of my life has been the best.

And it had nothing to do with the circumstances of my life.

It all has to do with the words Jesus spoke to Paul, "My grace IS sufficient for you."

Grace. I still can't define it. I've tried. I've not found any earthly words rich in depth to express grace. Well- one. Jesus. Jesus IS Grace.

In this decade I still feel like I've only stepped a foot in the ocean of grace when I want to be so fully immersed, experiencing of Grace, Himself.

From Streams in the Desert:

"Lord, make Your grace sufficient for me."

His answer was almost an audible voice that said, "How dare you ask for something that IS? I cannot make My grace any more sufficient that I already have. Get up and believe it, and you will find it true in your life."

The Lord says in the most simplest way: "My grace IS [not will be or may be] sufficient for you." The words "My", "is" and "you" were from that moment on indelibly written upon my heart. And thankfully, I have been trying to live in the reality of that truth from that day to the present.

Never change God's facts into hopes or prayers but simply accept them as realities and you will find them as powerful as you believe them.- H.W. Webb Peploe

Get Out of That Pit August 4 2007

Starla Ellison

August 4, 2012 · Spartanburg, SC · 

August 4, 2007! 5 years ago today I picked up a book a friend had given me a couple of months before entitled, "Get Out of That Pit" by Beth Moore. I thought, "Well, I'm in a pit- might as well read it."

So, coffee and book in hand I went to the pool deck to read some of it. I read the whole book that day. I couldn't put it down. God spoke so clearly to me. It was time to get out of the pit of depression, anger, fear and control.

I sit here 5 years later- just finished reading my journal from those days. WOW God! Thank YOU!

God revealed to me that IT WAS TIME. Depression had engulfed me. I couldn't function without antidepressants. They numbed my racing mind. My emotions were never on an even keel. They were erratic, great highs and lows. Thoughts would swirl constantly. I told Nick that my mind felt those poor mice that constantly spinned on their little wheel.

I hated living that way. I hated never feeling calm, at peace. I hated being angry. I hated feeling like I had to have control over every situation. I hated being so very very fearful of everything. I hated my self. I hated my life. I hated my past. I hated my present.

BUT GOD.

But God was at work around me. Through our youth pastor at the time, God was doing a great work in his life- and he began to teach what God was doing in him.

And God was at work IN me. Through others teaching the Truth of Who God is- speaking the Truth of Him to me. Reading "Get out of that Pit", was just another way of God telling me it was time to lay Starla (past Starla, present Starla and future Starla) aside and fix my whole self on HIM.

Within one month- I was off all antidepressants! Why? Because God has orchestrated it that the BRAND NAME antidepressants was the only kind I could take. My insurance would not pay for BRAND NAME only the GENERIC. I was allergic to the generic. So, there was God saying- "No more dulling your emotions Starla- I am going to heal you."

And He did!!!!!
He did!

5 years ago God pulled me out of the pit of depression! And has revealed Himself to me in such a way that I don't NEED a pill to control my emotions. I need Jesus. He is Sufficient.

What a journey I have been on since! Oh, the things He has spoke into me. Stripping away layers and healing me.

Thank You, my Jesus-my Healer!

Hello again....

Well, it's been awhile.  A long while.  Not that I have done anything much this year.  I say that...but the truth is when I teach Sunday School I do put in a lot of time and study to writing the lesson.  I have taught quite a bit this year and I do love it.

I've decided to go on a 48 (my age) day Facebook fast.  I admit it.  I am addicted to looking on FB a hundred times a day.  I will have to have Nick log on on Sunday's to put the Sunday School lesson video and notes on, so I can't really deactivate my account because of that.  It's easier when I do deactive, I don't know why but it is.   

I've said often since I've had FB that is overwhelms me.  It's too much.  I see too much of other peoples lives.  I put too much of my own life on.  It makes me have all kinds of feelings I don't want to have.  

So, I need to focus on other things.  I just need a way to get my thoughts out.  So,here I am back to my blog.  I also want to write more in my journals.  I want my life simple but full.

I want to get back to love running.  Right now, I don't know so much.  I haven't in awhile.  But now that I don't have Sebastian here with me...I miss him.  I miss running with him.  I just never thought a year ago that I wouldn't have him this year.  But I don't.  


Jesus, my whole heart wants to be so intimately connected with yours at all times.  Show me the way of letting go of all that hinders me, even good things (FB in its own way) and bad things (FB in its own way) so that I can more and more experience Your abiding Presence within me.

Yes

"It is hard for self-centered creatures to realize that there are some souls that are really and truly passionately in love with God. But this should not be so hard to understand; he who loves the light and heat of the candle should surely love the sunlight even more." From Peace of Soul

Day 2

Yesterday went pretty well with the "detox".  Although after reading several articles I probably should call it a "reset".  Either way...no meat, no bread, no sugar.

I did supplement though. I am still drinking my morning coffee.  I use fat-free half and half and stevia so I didn't think that is a big deal.  I had two hard boiled eggs, and a dark chocolate/almond sweet and salty bar.  It's the not chewing food!  It's weird!  I do feel good though. And I have lost 1.5 lbs!  Yesterday I bet I had to "pee"-  I hate that word it sounds so crude LOL- URINATE about 50 times!  

I am doing the Dr. Oz 3 day cleanse:
http://www.doctoroz.com/article/dr-ozs-3-day-detox-cleanse-one-sheet

I got EVERYTHING at Aldi's!

I love love love the hot epsom salt/lavender baths!

Detox

de·tox

-a process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances.

Here I am again.  Detoxing.  In more ways than one.  A friend mentioned to me that she was going to do a 3 day cleanse.  I thought maybe, just maybe, a 3 day cleanse would help me lose the weight I've been carrying around since Christmas.  I just cannot lose these pounds.  My main problems is late-night snacking and too-big portions.  I am almost 48, and I am in perimenopause.  My body, my metabolism, is not that of an 18, 28 or even 38 year old.  Two years ago I was the healthiest I've ever been.  Lately, I don't feel like that.  My running isn't what it was.  My body feels sluggish, heavy and unbalanced.  Therefore, so does my running.  

I know that some things are going to change.  I also know that I am going to go with the flow of that, while also trying to be the healthiest I can be...and yet not making it an obsession.  My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  He lives in me.  That's why I want to take care of it, for Him.  

I am also, again..and again..and again...detoxing from Facebook.  I still have Messenger so I can keep in contact with my friends.  But lately I don't like ME and my reaction to things on Facebook.  

I don't like me right now for several reasons to which I am not going to share here...but I have talked to God about it.  

I want to like me again and live rid of unhealthy substances.  Things I have allowed in my mind, will and emotions keep me hindered.  

Oh Father, all those things that I am allowing to hinder me, encumber me, enslave me- once again. My flesh.  Yuck.  I hate it.  And I want to exchange it for Your Life.  Jealousy, resentment, self-pity, lack of genuine love, grudges, criticism, being judgmental...and on and on.  And Lord, the situation with that certain person, I FEEL like I've done that person wrong.  Nick and others's say I haven't but...then why am I feeling like this?  I have my reasons why I didn't do that thing.  But still it will hurt that person and I just can't stand that thought.  Now, I've let it get so far.  Should I tell them?  I am afraid it will open a whole bag of hurt when more hurts are shared.  I feel as if I am living a lie, being deceitful, of having to keep a secret of my own making.  Either way, when that person hears about it, they will be hurt by my actions and the reasons seem so feeble and self-centered.  I know You've given me a new heart but I don't feel like I live from it.  A kind heart.  A generous heart.  A loving heart.  I have become a noisy gong, a clanging symbol.  The Holy Spirit has convinced me of my righteousness from You, and as I choose to not live from that righeousness, You bring me back to it once again: "Starla, you are not being who I created you anew to be."  I want to be ME.  The real ME.  Not fake, Starla.  Not anymore.  Not again.  I know now who I really am.  And I know the conflict that arises within me when I am not being the real me.  Oh Dear One.  Help me to know what to do.  I need Your voice to speak to me.  Please Lord, detox me.  

Experiencing the Reality of the Resurrection of Jesus

As we move into Spring there is signs of life and resurrection every where.

The flowers, the trees, the grass, the birds, the fields, the sunrise, the breeze- oh even this creation that bears the image of her Creator.

Spring announces Hope.

I don't know where I would be without Hope. This life would be nothing but trying to live the best I can day after day. I tried that for 29 years and 345 days. It turned out my best was a broken, angry, depressed, manipulative, filthy-mouthed, self-centered mess.

Unfortunately I spend the first 8 years of my life as a believer STILL trying to live the best I could- but this time I was trying to be the best Christian I could be- with the same results. Broken. Angry. Depressed. Manipulative. At times filthy-mouthed. A self-centered mess.

And then the grace and knowledge of Jesus went from my head to heart. A divine explosion happened with in me. I was letting go and getting lost in Jesus. My heart became open wide to receive- all that He wanted to speak into me. My heart went wild. It was Spring in me.

Flowers began to spring up inside of me. I began to experience the love, the nurturing, the nourishing- the revelation of Jesus, Himself.

I've been on this journey for going on 10 years. HE has always been faithful. Me, not so much, no so always- but when that used to happen I would feel like a failure and condemnation would set up in my mind. Now, I know that the accuser and condemner has no hold over me. And I turn back into Jesus and allow Him to hold me close into Him. I run into Him not from Him.

This life I am living. This perpetual Spring in my inner man, my spirit, is experiencing the REALITY of Jesus Christ's resurrrection from the dead. How can this be?

Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.- Romans 6:3-7

Yes, He took my old sinful inner man to the Cross with Him. When He died, my old sinful inner Starla died also.

Yes, When He rose from the dead, new righteous holy Starla rose with Him- IN HIM.

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.- Colossians 3:3

Spring Eternal for this new creation conformed to the image of God's own Son.

Hope. Life. Resurrection. Healing. Wholeness.

Johnie

"Like sands through the hourglass so are the days of our life."

Only yesterday you held that baby, all 5 lbs and 11 ounces.

You looked into blue eyes and wondered where the world would carry him.

He grew in stature, became a man through the process of time and love and care and hugs and jokes and kisses and many many prayers- some discipline, some having to say "I'm sorry" to him because you blew it as his Mother.

Then one day he is up early, fixing his coffee- now 5 foot and 11 inches and you tell him to "have a good day at work and be careful."

Your last child, the baby- the college years are over and the third child off to work, off to 40+ hours a week, off to another new beginning.

Enjoy Johnie. Don't just work, enjoy!

Healed

Just because things aren't going our way, or we feel under pressure- does NOT give us the right to blast anyone- especiallly the people that love us the most or want to help us.

We should never ever take our frustrations out on anyone. We wound others when we do it, just like we were deeply wounded when someone spoke to/ treated us that way.

I've been there. I've learned how to wound deeply by being deeply wounded. I was spoke to in anger and frustration and made to feel stupid and worthless. And I spoke to those I love the most in anger and frustration and I made them feel stupid and worthless.

Someone has to break the cycles of abuse. Let it be me, O Lord.

Psalm 30:2 O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me.

Psalm 41:4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

Proverbs 3:7-9
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.

Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

Mark 5:34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

Simplicity

Do you feel like your life is too- complex? Maybe you feel like your life is too layered?

Sometimes I do. Sometimes I feel like I've got too much on my plate. When I was a lot younger and my children were little I told Nick that I just couldn't work a fulltime job, be the mother I wanted to be and keep our house/yard like I wanted. There's just so much a person can do. I just didn't have it in me to be Superwoman. I still don't.

I like simplicity. I like a simple life. That's just me. I like to get up early and spend a little time with the Lord. I like to read and study the Bible. I like to write and teach. I like to work in my yard. I like to hang out in my She Shed. I like a clean house. I love having my family over for family dinners. I like being with our friends. I love being with Nick. I like things orderly and neat.

Complexity messes up my mind. Which in turns gets my emotions all off track.

I also find when my life is simplified- by my own doing- I find greater rest and truthfully it is easier to abide in Christ. Now, I know there will come times when life will get complex and complicated, there was nothing I did to bring it on and there was nothing I could do to prevent it.

When Paul was writing to the church at Corinth he wrote, "But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your mind should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3

I looked up the word "simpliticy" in Helps Word Study. Basically it means "not fold". Like a piece of cloth unfolded, not compounded or over-complicated (needlessly complex).

I know this for sure. The more complicated, folded, my life becomes the more my mind is led astray from the simplicity and devotion to Jesus. Why? Because my mind becomes focused on what I think is lacking in my life. And I want. I want things of this world, what others have, more than I want simplicity. I move from a life of faith in Jesus who IS Simplicity to being corrupted by the craftiness of the enemy who wants me wrapped up, twisted and overwhelmed by complexity. Complexity messes up my mind, which in turns sends my emotions on a totally different track- the track of doubt and unbelief.

So I'm choosing, in the moment, the simplicity of Jesus. And my mind and emotions rest which lead to experiencing joy and peace- which is now, because of my new birth in Christ truly normal and natural for me. It is unnatural for a believer to not rest, or abide, or yeild, or surrender. It unnatural for a believer to not have joy or peace.

So believer, you new creation in Christ you- choose Simplictiy.

Is there life after death?

What happens when we die?
What happens to us; a person, an individual when we die?

Have you ever thought about it?

Is there life after death? Is this life all there is?

And how do we really KNOW what happens after we die? I mean, all the different religions have their idea of life after death. Cults have their idea of life after death. Even Christianity is so mixed up at times. I get on facebook and read what some Christians put, and although I am no Bible scholar a lot of what they put I've yet to read in the Bible, where are all these "Christians" getting their idea of life after death? So who is right? Is there more than one right?

And where do I start to know?

My heart is truly that you come to know truth.

First, seek God. If you truly want to know the answer to these questions then God will truly reveal Himself because you see, He is the answer, the only answer to these questions.

Although God is speaking to the Israelites in these words they have long-reaching implications, because ultimately, God's eternal purpose is that we come to Him and He gives Himself to us.

The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you. There you will serve gods, the work of man’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell (false religions and cults). But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.- Deuteronomy 4:27-31

And these words from once a religious fanatic, even to the point of murdering Christians to one deeply in love with the One True God:

So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”- Acts 17:22-31

It helps to actually READ the Bible : )

Just to clarify.  When people die they do not become angels, or angles as I've seen some post : ) nor do we gain wings.  Never is that said in Scripture. 

Today!

Today I am thankful for 29.5 years of marriage. Yep, why not celebrate half anniversaries? It's 9 degrees, I wonder what it will be when we celebrate our 30th 6 months from today? 😀

I am also thankful for a husband who can thaw out frozen pipes so we can have water!

I am thankful for this 15 year old heat pump that loudly keeps chugging along.

I am thankful for gas logs throughout the house that supplements the heat pump.

I am so thankful for God's faithfulness to us in 2017 and I am confident of His continued love, faithfulness and guidance in 2018.

As I look out on the frozen earth I know that there are seasons in life, just as on the earth. Years ago I was complaining to my Dad, the farmer, about how much I hate winter. How I dread the cold, being stuck inside- kind of like being caged in, and need the sun. I'm telling this to the man who has to get up early, dress in coveralls and warm clothes head to toe to tend to the animals- and he told me, "Yes, me too but we need the seasons."

We do, you know. We need seasons in life. Life isn't about sunny, 70 degree days. We need the frozen days, like it or not, just as much- if not more- than we need the sunny, birdsong, warm breezy days.

Rejoice in today! Rejoice is the outflowing of inner grace and joy.
Grace is God freely extending Himself to me, freely giving Himself to me- His tendency is to be near me.
Joy is the awareness and recognition of God's grace to me.

So to rejoice is the outflow of the inward awareness of God giving Himself to ME.

THIS- cold, frozen and beautiful in it's own way- is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it!- Psalm 118:24