WFW for October 26: Unless you have the faith of a child...

Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Mark 10:15 "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

There are several passages in the Bible where it is mentioned that Heaven belongs to those who are like children. What does that mean? Does that mean we are to behave like children? Children often are extremely selfish, "MINE!", or throw temper tantrums when we tell them, "No!". Obviously those are not Godly qualities, or qualities at all, that we are to mirror.

So what then is God saying? Children have the greatest ability to completely trust and have unwavering faith and belief in something. Have you ever seen the face of a child on Christmas morning, convinced that Santa has been there the night before? Nothing you could say at that point could ever get them to believe otherwise. Have you ever seen a child pray with all their heart and put everything they have into that prayer? Eyes squinched up, hands folded tightly and the fervent requests that they send to God with the full and utmost belief that God is going to answer their prayer?

Ah, now you have an idea of what it means to be "like a little child". Unwavering belief and faith that the impossible is real, that God answers prayers, the uncompromising love that they have for their mommy and daddy and all things wonderful in their eyes.

If we can’t fully believe that God is going to do what He says He will, if we don’t have faith that He is really, truly real and that we are saved, by Grace, through Faith, then we are as lost as one who has let go of the innocence of their youth. When we lose the purity of our hearts to worldly pursuits and see things through the world's eyes instead of God's eyes, we no longer have the faith of a child. Faith the size of the mustard seed can move mountains. Do you know the size of a mustard seed? It’s about ●<= that big...if even that big. Yet, how many of us truly have even that tiny amount of true faith?

Children are marvelous and miraculous in their faith. My mom still tells the story of when I was about 5 and we were driving home in a horrible rainstorm. It was raining so hard that you couldn’t really hear each other speak for the din of the rain pounding the small car and forget even trying to see more than 10 feet in front of you. To top it off, it was rush hour traffic on a very busy major thoroughfare. My mom says that I suddenly closed my eyes and (yell) prayed (to be heard over the noise, I guess), "Dear God, please make the rain stop. In Jesus' Name, Amen". No sooner had I said "Amen", then the rain immediately stopped. Not a single drop more fell from the sky and we made it home safely.

Oh, to have that pure faith again! To trust absolutely that God will take care of us, no matter how big or how small. That’s why I have prayed over and for my two precious children since before they were even born, that they would accept Christ at an early age and stay firmly on that path that He has set before them. My daughter accepted Christ just 3 days shy of her 5th birthday. My son, 23 months, is not old enough to truly understand, but sometimes when we go outside, he will point up to the sky and say, "God".

Unless we believe in God like and have the faith of a child, we can never enter into Heaven because then we rely on outside forces, people, actions, etc. to get us there instead of the one thing that can actually get us there. The one thing that seems improbable and impossible, but is very real and did happen...Christ’s death on the cross for the sins of the world. Your sins. My sins. All sins past, present and future. Unless we absolutely and completely believe and have faith that His death and resurrection alone is enough for the payment of our sins, then we are lost indeed.

The faith of a child is a beautiful...and necessary thing for everyone to have. Even grown ups.

For other Word Filled Wednesdays please visit the Internet Café Devotions or drop by “The WFW portion of the Internet Cafe” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

WFW for October 20: I know the One in Whom I trust

One of my friends posted this beautiful prayer in a forum for someone who has been not only a cherished friend but also a spiritual mentor of mine for a long time and who is currently undergoing some major health issues that could possibly be very serious.

I felt like this painting perfectly illustrates the point of the prayer that she posted of just letting go. Of reaching the end of yourself and entrusting yourself to God and to His will for your life.

It especially spoke to me in light of all of Oscar's back problems that the doctor's can't find the cause of, even after 3 MRI's, epidural steroid injections, etc. He's finally scheduled for a CAT scan on November 2 – election day. Appropriate. In the meantime he works as he is able to and we pray for God's provisions for us and are very thankful for His grace and mercies toward us.

We, as a people, worry about so much in our lives because we take on the burdens of life that we were never meant to carry. We often forget, in our busy days, that God is to be the sole sustainer of us. We are to be completely dependent on Him and often times when we get to where we completely forget that and try to do it on our own, He will put us in a place where we have no choice BUT to depend on Him for ... everything.

Prayer of Release
I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return. 2 Timothy 1:12 NLT

Heavenly Father, I release to you the burdens that I have been carrying, burdens that You never intended for me to carry. I cast all my cares upon You—all my worries, all my fears. You have told me not be anxious about anything, but rather to bring everything to You in prayer with thankfulness.

Father, calm my restless spirit, quiet my anxious heart, still my troubling thoughts with the assurance that You are in control. I let go of my grip upon the things I have been hanging onto, with opened hands I come to You. I release to Your will all that I am trying to manipulate; I release to Your authority all that I am trying to control; I release to Your timing all that I have been striving to make happen.

I thank You for Your promise to sustain me, preserve me, and guard all that I have entrusted to Your keeping. Protect my heart and mind with Your peace, the peace that passes all understanding. Father, may Your will be done in my life, in Your time, and in Your way.

Scriptures:
Psalm 55:22: Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
Philippians 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Matthew 6:25-34: 25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the Gentiles run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Isaiah 26:3: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Luke 11:2: So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.

Thy will, oh Lord, NOT mine, be done...

For other Word Filled Wednesdays please visit the Internet Café Devotions or drop by “The WFW portion of the Internet Cafe” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

Word Filled Wednesday for June 23

Psalm 121. What an amazing chapter in the Bible. It has been rolling around in my head this week for some reason. I think it has to do with all the stresses in my life. We're going through FPU – for those of you in who aren't "down" with the lingo, it's Financial Peace University. This will be our third week . . . the week of the dreaded "B" word. BUDGET! Going through the quickie budget of the first week made me realize that we are breaking about even regarding income and outflow. Some months we may be a little under, some months we may be a little over in regard to the numbers.

One of the things that Dave Ramsey frequently says is that for women, money represents security, and it's true. If I have money in the bank, I feel I have more room to breathe than if I don't.

But my view is wrong. My security shouldn't come from whether or not I have money in the bank for emergencies (like the brakes in my truck which I think are about to go out, but I'm not 100% about yet). It should come from God, our Provider. When Oscar was out of a job for almost 8 months, I trusted in God and leaned on His provisions like never before, and you know what? We always had money to make it through the month. God always provided.

God is my security. He has promised in this chapter that He is my help. He does not sleep so He always knows what is going on. He will not let any harm come to me. He MADE the heaven and earth and He is watching over me!

For other Word Filled Wednesdays please visit our hostess Lori or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

Word Filled Wednesday for April 28

"While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:22-23)

Well, this is certainly not the news I was expecting to give today. After my doctor's appt yesterday at 10 weeks I was supposed to be joking about having Irish Twins - 2 babies born a year apart - and how I'd have 2 babies in diapers, etc. Instead, the doc told me that the baby I carry died about 3 weeks ago and that I will miscarry in the next 1-2 weeks.

The Bible says that life begins at conception and teaches a kind of "age of accountability", if you will, for we are condemed by rejecting Jesus, yet infants and children up to the age of knowledge (of understanding truly about right and wrong - different for every child) are not capable of rejecting Jesus.

King David, when faced with the death of his baby with Bathsheba in infancy, wrote that verse above. He believed that he would be reunited with that baby.

I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me

King David knew the baby, having died, could not come back to this life, but he believed that he would go to him. I believe the same as King David.

I will await the day when I am reunited with this precious life inside of me in heaven and I will love the children I have here on this earth even more.

I will praise God, even in the midst of this heartbreaking storm, because He is who He is and His ways are not our ways nor His thoughts our thoughts.

I don't know why. I don't understand. All I can do is trust and have faith that God had a reason and while I may never know it here on earth, I will know when I am Home.

Does it stop the tears or the questions? No. But it gives me a measure of peace that I would not otherwise have.

Oscar and I leave on Friday evening for Nevada for a week-long getaway with his mom and stepdad, one that is now much more needed than ever. Chances are good that I will miscarry while I'm up there. I would rather do it there than here at home with the kids around.

I'll be taking a break next week while we are gone.

From the time I knew of you, little one, I loved you and wanted you. I might not have gotten a chance to know you here on earth, but I will have eternity to know you in heaven.

"Praise You In This Storm"
~Casting Crowns~

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
For other Word Filled Wednesdays please visit our hostess Susan @ Forever His or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

Word Filled Wednesday for April 21

Again, will have to comment at home, please bear with me.

"...do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10 (b)

There is a commandment in that verse and an exhortation.

Do not sorrow. I don't know about you, but when it says "do not" in the Bible, I certainly pay attention. It is a commandment from the Lord to NOT do something that is displeasing to Him. Do not sorrow.

No matter what you are going through in life, God is commanding you to not sorrow, don't be sad, don't grieve, don't be disappointed or depressed. Just . . . DON'T!

But why?

Because the joy of the LORD IS our strength! His joy is ours. If we delight in what the Lord delights in and keep that as our main focus, instead of looking for the negative, then how can we be sad or depressed when it comes to life?

There are a lot of things wrong with this world, but that's because this is a fallen world, filled with fallen people, run by the great deceiver, temping, luring, enticing everyone to do the wrong thing and tricking them into thinking it is the right thing, only to have those people ensnared by feelings of "how could I have...?", guilt, sorrow, anger, unworthiness, misery, etc. once they realize the wrongness of their actions/behavior/attitude. Haven't you heard? Misery loves company and the devil is the most miserable wretch of all!

But what if we "turn our eyes upon Jesus"? What if we learn to love what He loves? What if we train ourselves to delight in what He delights in? I think it's very clear that we will gather strength from His joy when we are flagging and falling behind and feeling sorry for ourselves, our circumstances, just feeling sorry in general.

Instead of depression, peace.

Instead of anger, happiness.

Instead of grief and pain, contentment.

Instead of sorrow, joy.

Once we learn to see things as God sees them, our world view, our lives, our personalities, our emotions will be radically changed! We will gather the strength we need to get through this life because of the joy of the Lord as we focus on the right things.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace"

The joy of the Lord is my strength,
the joy of the Lord is my strength,
The joy of the Lord is my strength,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.

He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more,
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more.
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.

He gives me living water and I thirst no more,
He gives me living water and I thirst no more.
He gives me living water and I thirst no more,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.

Are you willing to let the joy of the Lord be YOUR strength today? Because, honestly? I can't see any other kind of strength enduring through the tough times and trials of life other than the strength of God. Can you? Find your joy in Him today and see how wonderfully He can change your life!

For other excellent Word Filled Wednesdays please visit our hostess Christy @ Critty Joy or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

Word Filled Wednesday for April 14

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
~Isaiah 40:31

So many adjustments in my life happening lately. Some days I just don't know where to begin! These past several months have definitely been an exercise in faith and trusting God for His provisions. How grateful and thankful I am to God for all of His abundant blessings! There is no way that I ever would have been able to do this on my own or on our own without God's help. As my regular readers know, my hard-working husband has been out of a job since October. With me as the sole wage earner for the past several months, including maternity leave from work, there is no way to have made ends meet without God's help but we've made it so far. Now we have to face several other challenges in our lives.

Oscar has a job interview tomorrow. This is a job that I have been praying for for him and it meets ALL of the specifics. It's just been a very long time in coming. I do believe that from the time he applied to this interview it's been about 2 months. The decision might even be another week or so. Oscar's difficulty is selling himself, even though he's so knowledgeable and passionate about what he does, it all comes down to self-esteem. He and I have been practicing the top 25 interview questions, and some of them are pretty tough but he's doing great so far! I just pray that he won't freeze up come tomorrow b/c when he gets a question that he can answer easily, he SHINES in the answer and you can almost feel his enthusiasm for the work that he's done. I know that this is the job that God has for Oscar, I feel it so clearly and have been praying for it for so long.

Also, this new pregnancy is one that is going along pretty good so far even though I have had to get on high blood pressure medication b/c my BP is way too high. And I still have the diabetes issues that will most likely cause me to go back on insulin during this pregnancy. My concerns about this pregnancy are twofold. I know that work can't fire me for getting pregnant again for the 2nd time in a year, believe me, neither one was planned other than by God, but I still have the normal concerns as usual about the amount of time for being off on maternity leave for the 2nd year in a row could be an issue. I know not really, but just preggo nerves showing on that one. And I'm working on a major move at work. Think major move of about 200 people, in waves, between floors over the period of a week and I am the main point of contact between those moving and those in charge of the move. The point of contact for questions and challenges. I worked Monday and yesterday when I was sick as a dog with a stomach virus that is going around right now. Why? B/C it's my job. I can only pray that God sees fit to allow me to keep this job that I simply love, love, love doing. Plus we need the insurance. And concern #2, affording daycare at $900+ a baby.

We are going to have to move in with my mom temporarily, or maybe long term. 7 people in a house that is less than 1200 square feet. That will be nothing short of a challenge! My mom has discussed quitting her job at the end of my maternity leave to take care of both babies, which, thank God, would be such a burden lifted. We would be the one paying all the bills at the house, which is fine by me, and she would cook every night (keep the food expenses WAY down!) and teach the babies until they could get into a private school as I absolutely refuse to send them to a public school. However, that is not set in stone yet. In reality I wish more than anything we could afford for me to be a stay at home mom and I would homeschool, but that's a wish. In this economy it has to be a two family income, especially with multiple kids...

I had one credit card, which, when it came down to figuring out whether to keep the vehicles to drive and food in our bellies as opposed to paying $300+ a month on the card, it was no contest. Sadly, that has now been turned over to collections b/c, frankly, there was just no extra money to pay it. So we'll have to figure out what to do there. God will provide. He always does. But in the realm of everything else, that has been the only negative.

The one thing that this has really taught me is that God is good ALL the time, even when we can't really see it. There is not enough thankfulness, joy or love in my heart to express how fully and completely I feel about all that He has done for us.

This time of trial and tribulation has also been a time of growth in our family. Growing closer to each other and growing closer to God. I know that this has strengthened my faith and trust in God to where I doubt nothing anymore. I may have little worries from time to time, but I always remember that GOD PROVIDES! And He will continue to do so. If He cares for the sparrows, how much more does He care for His own children and give good to them? We may not see the good as what WE want it to be, but it is always the good that is what is best for us in God's eyes, and that is the only good that matters.

I still have so much in my own life to change and I am a daily work in progress. One of my favorite saying as a kid that came on a "Holly Hobby" spiral notebook (remember Holly Hobby?) is "Please Be Patient, God Isn't Finished With Me Yet". And the day that He is finished with me, the day that I am complete, will be the day that He calls me home. I know that are things that I need to change and I just have to put my stubborn self to the side and get out of God's way. LOL! After all, it's the very least I can do for all that He has done for me. :-)

With God I've learned that I can keep going a whole lot longer than I thought I could. He has renewed my strength. He renews it daily. I keep walking, I keep trusting and I do not grow weary. I have learned to wait on Him instead of doing what I want. How GREAT Thou art, Lord! How great Thou art...

"Oh, Lord, my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed.

Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How GREAT Thou art!
How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!"

If you’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday, post your photo and Bible verse. (or feel free to add mine to your site) Then send a link back so others can visit and have a word filled day!

To see other wonderful Word Filled Wednesdays for this week please hop on over to Lori @ www.allyouhavetogive.com or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

Word Filled Wednesday for March 31 - Resurrection Week!

Happy Resurrection Week!

This week Christians everywhere acknowledge a pivotal point in history that literally affects EVERYONE! That event is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And because we focus on the Resurrection this week especially, from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday, I call this Resurrection Week along with Holy Week.

"He is not here, but He is risen" (verse 6) are words that matter eternally. If they are a lie, humanity has no hope after this life. If they are the truth, rejecting the Risen Lord Jesus Christ has eternal consequences. "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life" (I John 5:12).

Paul said (I Corinthians 15:14) "and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain."

Many things we believe and do daily matter little. But the Resurrection is eternally important.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. Everything else that was said or done by Christ and the Apostles, no matter how great or marvelous, is secondary to the Resurrection in importance. If the Resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian faith is absolute truth.

Death is man’s greatest enemy, and it has conquered all men but Christ. No matter how brilliant or rich or strong he may be, no man is wise enough to outwit death or wealthy enough to purchase freedom from death or strong enough to vanquish death. The grave always wins the victory, and man sooner or later returns to the dust.

In fact, the inexorable triumph of death applies not only to man, but to all things. Animals die and plants die, and even whole species atrophy and become extinct. Cities and nations, like people, are born and grow for a season, and then fade away. Homes and automobiles and clothes wear out and must eventually go back to the dust, just as do their owners. Even the universe itself is running down and heading toward an ultimate “heat death.”

This universal reign of decay and death is called in the Bible the “bondage to decay” (Romans 8:21). In science it has come to be recognized as the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Also known as the Law of Increasing Entropy, this Second Law is now recognized as a universal law in science, with no known exception ever observed. It says, quite simply, that every system tends to become disordered, to run down and eventually die. Its entropy, which is a measure of disorder, always tends to increase.

The universality of the reign of decay and death is the measure of the absolute uniqueness of the resurrection of Christ. All other men, even the greatest men and the holiest men, have died. Buddha, Mohammed, Zoroaster, Confucius, Caesar, Marx, Ghandi—men who made a profound impact on the world in one way or another—are all dead.

But Jesus Christ is alive! It is true that He died and was buried, in common with all other men, but unlike other men He returned from Hades, resurrected His own dead body, made it henceforth immortal, and emerged from the tomb, alive forevermore! This was the greatest of all miracles, and could have been accomplished only if Jesus indeed is God, as He had claimed to be.

If all this is somehow a delusion and if Jesus of Nazareth did not really rise from the dead, then He is no different from other great men who are also dead. He is worse than they, in fact, because He is thereby branded as either a charlatan or a madman, since He staked all His claims to absolute deity on His promise to return from the dead.

On the other hand, if the Resurrection is really a demonstrable fact of history, then not only are His claims vindicated, but so are His promises. Death is not, after all, the great victor but is a defeated foe. He has “caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, … so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20, 22), as the “firstborn of the dead . . . and behold, I am alive forevermore” (Revelation 1:5, 18).*

Dead in our sins, we have only one hope for new life: by trusting in Jesus Christ and relying on His death and resurrection for our salvation. No other spiritual leader has ever conquered death; Jesus is the unique Son of God. He is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and “whoever believes in [Him], though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

What difference does the Resurrection make in your life today?

If you’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday, post your photo and Bible verse. (or feel free to add mine to your site) Then send a link back so others can visit and have a word filled day!

To see other wonderful Word Filled Wednesdays for this week please hop on over to Amy Deanne @ 160 Acre Woods Amy Deanne @ 160 Acre Woods or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

Word Filled Wednesday for March 17 - Romans 8:39

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone. In honor of the holiday this is a beautiful picture of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland to illustrate my chosen verse for today.

Romans 8:35-39 states: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So sure is Paul of the fact that as children of God that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from the love of God that he wrote of it in this passage in the Bible.

Remember when you faltered in your faith and thought that God might turn His back from you? He didn't turn.

Remember those sins you committed that you knew were wrong but did them anyway and thought God might never love you again because they were just "too bad"? He still loves.

Remember when your life for years was such that you figured God would lose patience with you? He's still here after all this time.

So many times we think that we have run so far from God, done so many things to turn from Him or try His mercy, his patience and His love that He just wants to wash His hands of us and say, "I GIVE UP!" In reality, the only thing that keeps us from God is ourselves. Our embarrassment, our shame, our hurt, our anger, our pride, our stubbornness, our feelings of inadequacy, our belief that we're not good enough or our fear that because we didn't believe in Him for so long that He wants nothing to do with us . . . that is what is keeping us from God. Nothing outside of US can keep us from God.

But, if we have accepted that He loves us SO MUCH that He sent His only Son to die for us – for you, for me, for every single person in this entire world that ever was or ever will be; if we understand that by accepting that gift of eternal life and salvation freely given to us by Jesus' death on the cross – in our place, that we will live forever, even after death, in peace, joy, happiness, love, worship and on and on, and we go ahead and accept that gift and take it unto ourselves with absolutely no strings attached from God, then nothing, nothing, nothing that we do will ever separate us from that love that He bears for us. Not even ourselves.

At some point in our lives we may have not believed in God or His promises to us. We may have believed that surely our unbelief built a wall between us and God, if we even believed in Him, and that we never will be welcomed by Him, that life's circumstances, sorrows, fears, trials, illnesses, disappointments, sins, habits, etc. will keep Him from wanting us. It's simply not true.

In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd counts his flock of 100 sheep and finds that one lamb is missing. Surely one lamb out of 100 isn't worthy of regard. But because the Shepherd loved that one small sheep every bit as much as the 99 that were there, he secured the 99 and went to search for the one that had wandered away and got lost in order to bring that one little sheep back home with him and he rejoices over finding the lost little sheep. It's the same as with God. He loves us so much that He will bring us to Him, whether by circumstances, the words of a friend, a passage in the Bible, the desperate feeling of needing there to be something more that what is there now, etc. God wants us, even when it feels like nobody else does. God said, "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent".

God knows our needs, God provides for us, God hears our tears, our sorrows, our fears, our pain, our disappointments, our unbelief, and He's there, even when we don't feel Him or understand. If He has done all of that for us already, then absolutely nothing will keep us from the love that God has for us. After all, He gave His son's life so that we could live in eternity with Him and give all of our worries, cares and burdens to Him. So that He could take care of them for us and take care of us.

Oh how He loves you and me!

If You’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday, post your photo and Bible verse. (or feel free to add mine to your site) Then send a link back so others can visit and have a word filled day!

To see other wonderful Word Filled Wednesdays for this week please hop on over to Christy @ Critty Joy or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesday's.

Word Filled Wednesday for March 10 - Praise You In This Storm

1 Corinthians 15:52-57
In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O grave, is your sting?"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


Revelation 21:4
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."


Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.


2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

What do all these verses have in common? To me the prevailing theme seems to be mourning, sorrow, death, comfort, and in most of them, victory through Jesus, our Savior.

Precious little Layla Grace went into the arms of Jesus early yesterday morning. So many, so many of us prayed for a miracle. Prayed that her frail little body would be healed from the awful cancer that had invaded it. Prayed that God would look down and answer our prayers the way we wanted Him to.

He did not. Instead He answered our prayers the way that He knew to be best. Sweet Layla Grace is now running, playing, laughing, living with abandon. Free to be without pain, without sorrow, without sickness and without fear. We rejoice that yesterday was her NEW birthday. We mourn because those who are earth bound and left behind are grieving over the tragic death of this earthly angel. Through it all, we know that her family will see her again. They will all have perfect bodies and will never be separated again for all eternity. Though we draw comfort in that, it still leaves an empty hole in our hearts, our soul. We can't comprehend why she had to go. But God knew. God had a very specific job for her short little time here on this earth and she fulfilled it magnificently. How could she do it any other way?

Her parents are having a very tough time today. Making arrangements. Dealing with their now youngest who doesn't understand that her sister isn't here anymore. This morning, 3 year old Claire told the dog to stop barking because it would wake Layla. How do you tell a small child that she will not see her younger sister on this side of heaven anymore? How do you make them understand? How do you help a struggling 9 year old who DOES understand to cope with the death of that sibling? How do you help her through the pain and anger and grief? How do you comfort the parents in this time of loss, especially of a child so young, so precious, so loving and so loved?

Frankly, I don't know. But I do know that God knows how to. The promises that God has made to those who have been left behind by the passing of a loved one are not in vain. Those who are in Christ and have died, have lost young children, babies, infants, unborn children, WILL see them again and in that moment of reunion, then, then they will know that they will never have to be parted again. Praise the Lord for that promise in the midst of our storms!

Please pray for Ryan and Shanna, Layla Grace's parents, and for Jenna and Claire, Layla Grace's 9 year old and 3 year old sister, as well as for the rest of the family and friends who have surrendered this earthly angel into God's eternity. They sure could use it today.

"Praise You In This Storm"
~Casting Crowns~

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

If You’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday, post your photo and Bible verse. (or feel free to add mine to your site) Then send a link back so others can visit and have a word filled day!

To see other wonderful Word Filled Wednesdays for this week please hop on over to Lori @ All You Have To Give or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesday's.

Word Filled Wednesday for March 3 - Matt 19:14, Rev 7:17

These two pictures today are in honor of precious little Layla Grace. Please take a few minutes to read her story in the post below. She has touched my heart the way that no child, other than my own children, has. She will touch yours. I ask for prayer for her. It seems that the prayers are working so far and, instead of passing into the arms of Jesus from stage 4 neuroblastoma 3 weeks ago, as predicted by doctors, she is still hanging on and getting incrementally better, the more people pray for her. As you can see here, she truly is "precious little Layla Grace, earthly angel with a cherub's face".

To see other wonderful Word Filled Wednesdays for this week please hop on over to Penny or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in “Word Filled Wednesday”