Recipe For Rejoicing

Rejoice always.   1 Thessalonians  5:16

One of the greatest Christians ever, the apostle Paul, found it very easy to rejoice even in the midst of trials and suffering.   The Holy Spirit even inspired him to pen the letter to the church at Philippi from a prison cell, and throughout this awesome epistle, Paul continuously spoke about being joyful and having joy.

Unfortunately, everything we encounter in this life is not always joyful. Yet when we are faced with situations that attempt to steal our joy, the Lord does work all things out  together for our good (Romans 8:28).   I thought about having a recipe for remaining joyful in the midst of discouragement, so if I were to create my own recipe for continuous rejoicing, it would have the following ingredients:

Remember. When Christ saved us, He began something wonderful in us; a brand new "me" and a brand new "you" were given birth.   In Paul’s joyful letter, remember what Philippians 1:6 says, " being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ  Jesus.”  God is not through with us yet; that’s good to know when life deals its heaviest blows.

Refocus.   Thinking of others is always a great way to get the focus away from ourselves and our problems.  When we purposely look for opportunities to be a blessing to someone else in the form of perhaps sharing what we have, performing a service, offering  prayer or encouraging words, or just giving a listening ear, we live out what Paul instructed in Philippians 2:4, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Recommit.    Dwelling on or living in the past can hinder us from moving forward after life crashes in on us, and we can get stuck there indefinitely!  When we refuse to allow past wrongs, hurts, decisions, failures, and tragedies to define who we are in Christ, it frees us to recommit our lives to Him, the One who gave His life for us. We cannot change the past, but we can learn from it.   I absolutely love Paul’s directive in Philippians 3:13-14, “Forgetting  what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

After we remember, refocus, and recommit, perhaps then we are set free to experience that unending joy the Lord calls us to when He says in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Shape Me

^{Believe it or not, ladies, it’s hard to fathom that the end of August is upon us, and fall will be settling in very soon.  During this time of year, school routines once again kick into high gear, high school football games bring back a Friday night tradition and fuel old rivalries, tail-gate parties abound during the Saturday college football frenzy, and the days slowly seem to get shorter and cooler.}

^{Transitions occur all the time, so do you ever take an inventory of your life as the seasons change?   Have you made commitments to make changes in your life, yet you find it difficult to follow through with your intentions? Do you ever ask God to take inventory of your heart and soul, allowing His divine probe to show you areas of your life that need a make-over?} 

^{There have been many times in my life when I have asked the Lord to show me myself, my “real self”……..that part of me that is in desperate need of a divine touch from the Master’s hand. When we sincerely ask the Lord, it’s amazing how He will show us things about ourselves that we had no idea needed “fixing”, things we do not want to see, but need to see in order to continue to grow in His grace.}

^{I remember the illustration that the Lord gave the prophet Jeremiah of the potter working on a piece of clay in Jeremiah chapter 18.  The vessel was “marred” in his hands, yet the potter was able to fashion it into what seemed best to him (Jeremiah 18:1-4).  My friends, do you feel that God is working on you, molding you and shaping you into a vessel of beauty for His divine purposes?  The Lord spoke these words through the prophet, “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand……..”   Many years ago these words were spoken to God’s people, the children of Israel, but they also speak to our hearts today.}

^{As the Lord shows us areas of our lives that need a divine tune-up, may we always yield to His shaping and molding because the ultimate purpose of our renovation is to be used for His glory as we become more like our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.}

^{May we all say, “Have your way, O Lord, have your way!”}

Until We Meet Again

The End of Time

Roger and I have been counciling with a "hurting" Christian male lately.  He keeps saying over and over some things that have really made me think.  He keeps saying that his entire life he has had two nice piles.........the Christian Pile and the Unsaved Pile.  The Christians all acted and conducted themselves in one certain way.  The Unsaved Peoples all acted and conducted themselves in another way.  In other words, it was VERY easy to see who fit where...........the Christian Pile and the Unsaved Pile.

However.....that theory does not ring true today.  Today, more and more the PILES are getting all mixed up.  It is hard to tell the CHRISTIANS from the UNSAVED.  It seems like there are no longer any boundaries.

Ladies....this is just another sign of the end of times.  I am afraid that we are just beginning to see the results of this.  The future of America looks bleak.

Let us NOT get caught up in the norm (which for me is not hard, since I am rarely considered normal...smile.).........let's make sure when folks watch us, they ALWAYS know which PILE we belong in.

PRAYER REQUESTS & PRAISES

Matthew 18:20 -  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Our daughter, Kacie and her unborn son.  Pray for a healthy pregnancy, easy birth and healthy baby.
• My husband, Roger.  He has got to have some more test run the end of next month.  Pray for a good report.
• My co-worker, Glenda.  She has cancer.
• The Rose family in our church.  They are going through a nasty divorce.  Especially pray for the protection of their children.
• We have a small church and in the past two weeks, we have had three deaths of family members;  a lady lost her husband, a lady lost her sister and a man lost his son.  Please remember their families.
• Pray for our church.  It is really beginning to grow.  God has sent us help.  When God's people committ themselves, satan is standing by to try to discourage us.  Pray that we will stick together and not give satan a chance to tear down what God is building.

PRAISES:

• Our son-in-law, Chase had been transferred to Dyer County Tennessee.  Our daughter's job and doctor were in East Tennessee.  He got transferred back to Bradley County and given a promotion.  Praise the Lord.
• Our daughter-in-law got a job in Gallatin where they live.
• We have been at our church for almost 16 years.  Over the years, God has sent us many, many wonderful folks.  Recently, God has sent us some young, grounded couples that are on fire for God.  Praise the Lord!!! 

Thank you for your previous prayers and thank you in advance for the prayers you will pray.  I truly believe in the power of prayer!!

Time Marches On....

In July I attended my 40th Year Walnut Grove Junior High Class Reunion.  Back in the dinosaur days, we went to 1st (Romper Room was our Kindergarten) - 9th grade in the same school.  In 10th grade, we were split in half....one group went to Buchhorn High School and the other group went to Hazel Green High School.  I am writing all of this to let you know why having a Junior High Reunion was special.  This was our first.

It was so exciting seeing everyone.  I was surprised to learn of some of their health problems and disabilities.  It was sad to learn that seven of our classmates had passed away.  All and all, after everyone got over the initial shock of the physical change in everyone.....we soon realized that we were still basicly the same people.

Not one person in that school cafeteria could BELIEVE that 40 years had actually passed us by.  It seems as if yesterday we were marching down those halls.  However....time does march on.  God only placed us on this earth a very short time.  We are not promised another tomorrow....or even a moment as far as that goes.  My classmates and I all looked at each other as we were hugging goodbye and making promises to not wait another 40 years......and it was sad.  Realisticly, the next time we meet, all of us probably will not be there.

In the mist of all of the fun, laughter, sharing, etc., I met the wife of a former classmate.  We wound up eating across from them at lunch.  She was a shy lady, but kept following me around.  Before we left, she came up, began crying and asked if she could have my address and phone number.  She said....."I have needed someone to talk to for a long time and I just feel a connection with you.  I want what you have....I want that inner peace."

I would love to tell you that I sat down and lead her to the Lord right then and there.....but that is not what happened.  During the day, she shared that she was a Christian but that they did not go to church.  We live three hours apart.  We have since written "snail mail" several times to each other and the conversations are getting deeper and more personal.  She is hurting but really seems to be opening up and is even making plans to drive the three house to spend some time with me in person.

I am sharing this to seek our your prayers.  Pray for guidance for me and pray for God to somehow use me to reach out to this lady that is hurting.  Pray that God will heal her hurt.  I am not sure why she reached out to me, and not sure how I can help....but so far, just "being there" seems to help her.
Time marches on.......and sometimes we get so caught up in our every day tasks that we do not realize that there are hurting folks all around us.  My prayers are that we ALL keep our EYES and HEARTS open to others.

Baby Hicks

Baby Hicks is a BOY!!!  Continue to remember baby Cameron Lee Hicks and mom in your prayers.  They are both doing very well.  Baby Cameron was scheduled to make his appearance the first of December, but because he is growing so fast, the doctor is now saying the end of November.  Thank you for your continued prayers.

You might want to pray for me too....or at least everyone that comes in contact with me.  Baby Hicks is not even here and I am already carrying around two photo albums with pictures.  (Kacie is taking a picture each week.)

Thank you for the continued prayers.