My Story

     Each of us have turning points in our lives.  Mine happened when I was five years old.

        It was a Sunday morning.  Our family always went to church; however, today was different.  We had a new pastor.  I cannot remember any sermons up to this point in my life. This one changed me.  The text was John 3:16  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." He went on to explain that God loves everyone--every single person ever!  He loved us even though we had sinned--and I knew even as a 5 year old that I had sinned.  Sin is just doing things our own way, missing the perfect target, or stepping out of the boundaries that God has set.  I knew that I was selfish, disobedient, and sometimes downright mean.  I also knew that I had a problem.

      I was old enough to know that actions have consequences--my sin deserved a punishment.  As the Pastor told us about Heaven and Hell, I knew that I wanted to go to Heaven.  It was so easy!  I just chose God's way:  1. I admitted that I was a sinner  2.  I accepted what God said was true--Jesus died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again to pay the punishment for my sin  3. I trusted His promise to save my soul from Hell and take me to Heaven.  Nothing spooky.  I went from trusting what I did to trusting His Word.

     This Changed My Life!

    It was the starting place of getting to know God.  He has infinite understanding and can relate to my life experiences when no one else can. He helps me to grow into a person that will trust Him and His Word more and more. This takes the pressure off of me--He leads, I follow.  Simple--life changing!

Our Friend

My Friend Needs You

You must love her more than I

For You came to earth to for her die

You see her pain, her past, her cry

Is it really wrong to wonder "Why?"

Why does wrong always seem to win?

Why does a child suffer for another's sin?

Why do lies glow while the truth grows dim?

Why does fear paint dark shadows within?

 Jesus, You also shouted a "Why?"

 As you hung between earth and sky

Bearing each sorrow, each grief, each sigh

Inviting the broken to your heart draw nigh

"Suffer little children to come unto me."

"Father, forgive them." Your unselfish plea

Though we are wounded, we wounded Thee

You offer a gift through faith-Your Mercy free

 The soul is quiet and questions vanish

You care in the past and present and finish

 Your Cross touches with tender completeness

 May she also find this healing sweetness

Life!

LIFE!

Sincerity does not secure our salvation

Self's thoughts do not equal justification

Scripture shows all this simple direction

Jesus, sacrificed, solves sin's condition

Call upon Him in humble contrition

Trust Christ then "No condemnation"

Believe His Word--not fickle emotion

He will redeem you-no condemnation

    His Heart begs you humbly to enter

                                           

His grace freely makes you this offer                                                              New life
                                                          Eternal life
                                                        Abundant life

                                        

The way,   

The truth,

and the life--

Jesus!

Sing!

                                     Speaking 
                                        in Songs

God the Father wrote the composition

Framed before the world's foundation

 Justice and judgment in perfect notation

Holiness and Love

God the Son knew the Father's heart

He played the instrument--each painful part

Hammers strike strings and His hands like darts

Forgiveness and Grace

God the Spirit brings Their melody release

Vibrating heart language of this wondrous piece

 Speaking of the Cross and Christ's increase

Understanding and Faith

We, the sinners, hear the timeless song

The chords echo the love we have searched so long

His Word urges our soul to come, to belong

Will we turn away or sing along?

Romans 5:5-6; Epe. 5:19; Is. 12:2

Impossible...But God

Impossible…But God!

          It seemed impossible. . .

                  

Mary could not understand how God could use

                             her to be Jesus' mother.  According to natural law

                             it couldn't happen.  Her questions and doubts

                             were many, but her surrendered heart was all God

                             needed. "Be it unto me according to thy word…"

                   It seemed impossible…But God!

* * * * * * *

          It seemed impossible. . .

                   The sky opened with angel light. "Peace on earth" was

                             sung to Jewish shepherds whose country was

                             occupied by the Roman Empire.  Their fear was

                             evident but their belief was stronger.  Going to

                             the stable and seeing the Saviour changed these

                             defeated men into boldly joyful witnesses of the

                             Newborn Messiah.

                   It seemed impossible…But God!

                  

* * * * * * *

It seemed impossible. . .

                   A star, defying the laws of time and space, begged

                             further investigation.  Because they had made

                             the natural world their study, the Wisemen knew

                             this was a miracle. Leaving behind the old way of

                             seeing things, they followed the star to Bethlehem.

                             The Creator was found--just a child!  Devotion and

                             worship were now given to Him alone.

                   It seemed impossible…But God!

* * * * * * *

          It seemed impossible. . .

                   The baby of that manger growing into manhood: all God

                             and all man.  Jesus, bearing our griefs and carrying

                             our sorrows, came to his own, but they received

                             Him not.  Then, the Only Begotten of the Father

                             hung on a cross while angels stood with wings

                             folded in silence.

                   It seemed impossible…But God!

* * * * * * *

It seemed impossible. . .

                   Christ was dead.

                             The Promise of peace and Goodwill toward men

                             was buried in a heavily guarded tomb. For three

                             days and nights hope was gone, but then the

                             Saviour arose at dawn. "I am the resurrection, and

                             the life; he that believeth in me, though he were

                             dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and

                             believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou

                             this?"

                   It seemed impossible…But God!

* * * * * * *

          It seemed impossible. . .

                   God, the holy and just One, reached in Perfect love to me, the sinner, Not by works but by grace through faith, salvation became mine forever.

      This same invitation is offered to all:

                            

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the

                             LORD Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God

                             hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved.

                             For whosoever shall call upon the name of the

                             Lord shall be saved."

                   It may seem impossible…But God!

* * * * * * *

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

The See Saw

                                                                                     The See Saw

The see-saw took me up and down

One moment flung recklessly into the air,

The next seated securely on the ground.

Up and down,

Down and up

Fear

Focused only on "What if?" or "Just in case!"

Faith

Fastened faintly on the Father's Face

Up and down,

Down and up

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

My mind a tortured teeter totter

Sometimes it worries--sometimes it prays

Up and down

Down and up

Fear

Seeks prey with this notorious premise:

"Yea, hath God said?"

Faith

Sounds praise with this glorious promise:

"The LORD is my helper!"

Up and down

Down and up

Choose faith! Then choose it again and again!

Fight fear--Speak God's Truth to the doubt within

Faith finds Christ's Cross a rewarding start

A Friend holding our hand and healing our heart

Rooted in the Sure Foundation of His Presence

Resting in the Safe Embrace of Love's Perfections

No longer

Up and down

Down and up

Feet stand on the Solid Rock

"The Lord is my helper, I will not fear…"

Based on Heb. 13:6; Jas. 1:6-8; Phil. 4:6-8; I John 4:18

A New View of an Old Story

Exodus 14:21, 27
      "And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided."
      "And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea."


I think that I must be very unobservant. This story has been told to me all my life; however, I never noticed some of the descriptions of what was really happening.

1.  I didn't realize that they crossed at night!  So many of the hard things that happen are magnified by darkness.  Sometimes our emotions enter darkness--the good news is that God makes a path in the sea!
The darkness is there at times, but so is His presence--both behind and before us.

2.  They needed to walk into the wind.  When eagles fly, they fly into the wind. To win the victory in life, we need to face the storm.  This was not like a walk in the park--the Israelites needed to trust God.

3.  Some of the Israelites that had reached safety could still see their loved ones being chased by the enemy.  They needed to trust God to bring them across the sea.  Imagine how they must have felt!

4.  Victory came in the morning!  Everyone was safe. The enemy was destroyed in the sea-the very thing that seemed overwhelming.  I can trust God's character to help me grow in the Red Sea crossings that I face. He knows exactly what I need to be a success--mostly it is just more of Him.  So glad He loves me.

5.  The victory song was personal.  God wants a personal relationship--not a show and tell.  Do I praise Him or do I seek praise from others?  So glad that He is MY strength--because I am so very weak, MY song--because I crave  music for my soul, and MY salvation--because I am a sinner who accepted the Saviour.