Month: June 2017

Soaking Up God’s Word

When our son Xavier was a toddler, we took a family trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. As we entered the building, I pointed to a large sculpture suspended from the ceiling. “Look. A humpback whale.”

Xavier’s eyes widened. “Enormous,” he said.

My husband turned to me. “How does he know that word?”

“He must have heard us say it.” I shrugged, amazed that our toddler had soaked up vocabulary we’d never intentionally taught him.

In Deuteronomy 6, God encouraged His people to be intentional about teaching younger generations to know and obey the Scriptures. As the Israelites increased their knowledge of God, they…

from USA

God saw fit to create me with a genetic brain disorder. I was born in February 1973 missing a critical part of my personal computer, my brain. The part of the brain that separates it into 4 sections so that it can operate each part of your body, your left side, right side, lymphatic system, memory center, central nervous system and basic living functions. Cerebral spinal fluid builds up inside within ventricles of the brain that is pressurized. My optic nerve is too small as well. It is called Optic Nerve Hyperplasia. It is a spectral disorder like autism, in that, some people function better than others. It is extremely rare and only in the last 10 years has it been studied. Most cannot see, do not grow over 5 feet tall, are barren and suffer from being unable to fight off infections, ending up in wheelchairs. I am 43, the oldest known surviving female diagnosed, I had 20/20 vision most of my life, gave birth to 2 great children and grew to 5'4.5" tall. That in of itself is miraculous. My grandfather, the child of a minister in Western New York, collected Daily Bread devotionals since 1956 and was an avid listen to the radio broadcast since the beginning. He died in 2010 after raising us to know the Lord intimately. I was baptized as an adult in May of 2009 at my church in Louisville, Kentucky. That is when my life took a dramatic turn, as I was bestowed with gifts from God after baptism that unlocked my potential to have a purpose driven life beyond what I had known. As a direct result of domestic violence, I was forced to relocate to another state for my safety far from my church home and signed a lease in Illinois, June 1st, 2009. On June 13th, I was brutally raped in my home, the devil attacked me, basically, the entire year and I grew despondent, depressed and withdrawn. I had a new church home, however, my fears would not let me leave the house, because, the alleged rapist was never brought to justice and lived 4 blocks from me in this small town. I grew suicidal, questioning God's plan and prayed for him to take me home willingly, he did not agree, so, I silently planned to take my own life. On October 28, 2009, I drank 25 ounces of anti-freeze, climbed into bed at 10 pm and fell asleep, alone, welcoming the end to my turmoil. God had a plan, though, I knew not the outcome. I was rescued by a neighbor who found me the next morning at 9 am. I received 4 blood volume replacement transfusions and had dialysis 3 times, was in a hospital induced coma for 10 days, the doctors told my family after they arrived from across the country on the 3rd day, that I would not survive. A prayer page went out on Facebook, by my Aunt, receiving over 5,000 prayers, my parents stayed by my bedside and I awoke on the 11 day, without any damage at all, like nothing had happened. They're was photographs, pictures of Angels and Jesus, on every single wall of my room, a stranger had placed an expensive bracelet made of turquoise, copper and silver on my wrist with blessed cross bangles all over it. All I remember of that first night was the smell of burnt roses and Amazing Grace playing on a piano that was never there. My grandmother played the piano in church and died in 1993. One of my doctors a neurologist who had practiced for over 30 years was from Germany, originally, Grandma was born in Sweden, so I recognized his accent, stated that in all his years he had never seen a soul survive that type of poisoning. To survive without any physical damage is unheard of. Several doctors agreed in my room, that my recovery defied any scientific explanation. The translation of my christian given name literally means 'Fruit of Life' I believe in the Almighty, Omnipotent, All knowing Christ Jesus, after that brief time in my life, coming through potential death, my direction has been restored, my mission has been renewed and my focus on living life to it's fullest, has been preordained. I won't give up give in or deny the power of a miracles. If you believe that God is a silent God or that your on your own, just look to your neighbors, your fire department, your hospitals, your science, your planet or your dog. If you can create a life like that, maintain life and endure it, you should not deny it. Praise God for granting me just that. The power to know that I am small in his eyes, lets me live large. It has never been about my destination in Heaven, I know my place is next to his throne, today is all about the journey I take to get there, what I have left behind and who I have invited to join me in his Kingdom. We must encourage lost souls to seek God, any way we can. Come against Satan when he is trying to get a foothold and he will never get a strong hold. Matthew 26:41, Thank you for reading my story, for information on how i am giving back to the community, find me on Facebook. Go to www.facebook.com/kompleteabandon

Here to Serve

It was time for our church to commission a new group of leaders. To symbolize their roles as servant-leaders, the church elders participated in a memorable foot-washing ceremony. Each of the leaders—including the pastor—washed each other’s feet as the congregation observed them.

What they did that day was modeled for us by Jesus Christ, as recorded in John 13. In that incident, which happened at what is called the Last Supper, Jesus “got up from the meal, . . . poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet” (John 13:4–5). Later, as Jesus was explaining to His…

God is far more concerned with your heart

Today on Discover the Word, we conclude the series titled, “Why, Jesus?” When Jesus came to earth, He caught a lot of flack from the religious leaders of His day. But what if we’re more like those religious leaders than we think? Today the team discusses how God is far more concerned with the heart than the […]

Is Dressing Modestly Overrated?

I’ve always felt uneasy about the topic of modesty. Growing up in church, I heard many different rules and principles about modesty. However, I often had difficulty accepting some of them—something I know other Christian girls have dealt with as well.

Playing in Concert

During our granddaughter’s school band concert, I was impressed by how well this group of 11- and 12-year-olds played together. If each of them had wanted to be a solo performer, they could not have achieved individually what the band did collectively. The woodwinds, brass, and percussion sections all played their parts and the result was beautiful music!

To the followers of Jesus in Rome, Paul wrote, “In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Rom. 12:5–6). Among the gifts…

Discover how God is making all things new

Something new is coming. And in fact, it’s already here. Today on Discover the Word, we will share how God is making all things new and He’s starting with you. It’s an encouraging and life-changing truth from Mark chapter 2 in the series titled, “Why, Jesus?” Listen right here on  Discover the Word!

Silence

Skittish chickens scattered as relief trucks clattered past the weathered huts of the village. Barefoot children stared. Traffic on this rain-ravaged “road” was rare.

Suddenly, a walled mansion loomed into view of the convoy. It was the mayor’s house—although he didn’t live in it. His people lacked basic necessities, while he lounged in luxury in a distant city.

Such unfairness angers us. It angered God’s prophet too. When Habakkuk saw rampant oppression he asked, “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Hab. 1:2). But God had noticed, and He said, “Woe to him who piles up stolen…

Why I Went on a Social Media Fast

About two years ago, I decided to delete or deactivate most of my social media accounts for a while.

Silence

Skittish chickens scattered as relief trucks clattered past the weathered huts of the village. Barefoot children stared. Traffic on this rain-ravaged “road” was rare.

Suddenly, a walled mansion loomed into view of the convoy. It was the mayor’s house—although he didn’t live in it. His people lacked basic necessities, while he lounged in luxury in a distant city.

Such unfairness angers us. It angered God’s prophet too. When Habakkuk saw rampant oppression he asked, “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Hab. 1:2). But God had noticed, and He said, “Woe to him who piles up stolen…

A message of love

When it’s said someone was born on the “wrong side of the tracks,” you’d probably want to avoid them! But today on Discover the Word, we find that Jesus’s mission was entirely different from what His disciples expected. It’s a message of love for those society deems unlovely. Listen today to Discover the Word!

Sharenting: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

You must have seen it: Parents sharing photos, updates, and other information about their children on social media platforms. It’s a practice known as “sharenting” (a portmanteau of the word “share” and “parenting”).

Sharing a Cup of Comfort

A friend mailed me some of her homemade pottery. Upon opening the box, I discovered the precious items had been damaged during their journey. One of the cups had shattered into a few large pieces, a jumble of shards, and clumps of clay dust.

After my husband glued the broken mess back together, I displayed the beautifully blemished cup on a shelf. Like that pieced-together pottery, I have scars that prove I can still stand strong after the difficult times God’s brought me through. That cup of comfort reminds me that sharing how the Lord has worked in and through my…