There is hope when I hear FAITH and GOD spoken of (as our answer) on the news lately.  I think we have about hit rock bottom in this world, and have no strength at all in us (nor answers).  That’s where God needs us, to do His work in us.

It’s good to see in the media, ones who welcome a word of hope.  This country has tried to force out that for whom we stand.  It’s nice to see us let God move back into our world. 

When I read II Thessalonians 1:3, I joy to see words of how God wants us to live – because I know we can and will through Him.

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In read:  “…because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth…”

How nice.

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Sometimes I feel really stupid, writing and nobody reads it.  But it’s not for man’s approval, it’s for a hopeful tool it can be to feed a needing and hurting, then I am fed. Restore Such An One I was moved to write on in my book.  The purpose of the book is for ones to read and in hopes it may feed even one’s needs or hurts.  When I yearn to have a purpose – to be a tool to feed of God to someone; when I ache in thinking there’s no one to read, I feel empty.  And that’s where evil creeps in through doubt.  But I know in me, God moves that doubt – and I write.  For God’s glory and his help do I write, I must write.

I remember I wrote an article once for a news column.  It was ‘In My Rejection’.  The editor wouldn’t let it publish and so I felt even more rejected.  And then I came to scripture that reminded me how Jesus was rejected over and over and over again.  I am shown in my rejection to be silent to any doubt and to feed as I am fed by God’s words.  And so I write.  And he calms me in knowing someone will read.

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Excerpt from book, pg. 118 “Restore Such An One”

We all have different things to live through.  And some may not be approved of others, yet the way is before us, and God uses somewhere for His purpose, for us to grow in Christ.  If our paths were already straight and we walked only in them, then Christ need not die (in vain?).  God in control – not us to judge a path someone else walks in – God is judge and in control.  These paths are made straight only through Jesus Christ.

How would our own life be, if everyone else was already perfect and walked only in God’s straight path?  And we be the one to sway in doubt or weakness to the path not accepted by others.  How would that be?  Through wrongs we can be made right.  …As we’re brought to our knees as our heart weighs…until we be as Christ wants us.  What if we’re a vessel – those of us who sin?  Look at Saul…God chose him as a vessel – a chosen vessel for others who may not normally know Christ.  Sometimes it takes ones, perhaps of a different way that we see, to show others of God.

It amazes me we tend to pick and choose those worthy in our life.  Different worlds and different colors we are made, all made by God.  Who are worthy of His Son as Savior?  Those only who feel they have no sin?  Those whose life follows the rules we think they need to keep?  Who are worthy of God’s love through Christ?  Or has Christ died in vain?

I look at my flag, worn and tattered from the year’s past weather.  It makes me think of our country, literally, worn and tattered from this year’s weather.  We are being torn and we are beginning to rip at our seams (and in our hearts).

We must mend this tattered world, and mend it’s flag in us.  We are strong and we can unite and we do unite when devastation comes.  We need to stay united to keep our country strong, and to mend it everyday where needed.

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Cool Quote from Mother Earth News:

“…we can heal our nest and live regeneratively.”  – Joel Salatin

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While I think on the days ahead of our Thanksgiving Holiday, I am in constant reflection and gratitude, for the many blessings in my life.  I look at the beautiful leaves this Fall and honestly, some have been more vivid than mid-summer flowers.  As our peak seemed to be last weekend, I have been blessed to be able to sit among the colors and walk in it’s path around my yard.  The flower beds seem to rejoice with brilliance at the upcoming rest for it’s next season to shine.

I am so blessed to live in the mountains of SW Virginia – how awesome among the Appalachian Mountains.  It reminds me daily of God’s gifts in our world.   A gift He alone has blessed me with.  He has placed me here away from noise and congestion, away from smog, away from bright lights so our sky can show it’s stars at night.  How awesome to live at this pace and in this place!

The best of my blessings is my family.  My loving and supporting family.  So close to my home is their home.  No matter ever the need or the hope or the hurdles we share – we share them.  And for that I am so blessed to have the family I do.  Stop and still in the moments ahead of this Thanksgiving season, and be fed by the many blessings we hold in our heart.

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Excerpt from book, pg. 136 “We are blessed everyday”:

Let us be thankful for our many blessings along the way in life.  And also be thankful for our days we don’t see blessings.  For only God can see.  And as He shows us His way, may we see all days as a blessing to be thankful for.  

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…and in their minds will I write them.  (Hebrew 10:16)

When I read this verse 9/22/10 it showed me what I felt as I write.  I ached to write, but with no direction to complete a book.  I only knew a title, for years.  God feeds – He truly does.

Written 1/25/14 before pulling all my entries to compose and publish The Write Words: Journals.

Sometimes we look too far and deep to see a reason for the paths our life takes.  Each day we ponder over and pick apart – lots of times in worry.  Sometimes we try too hard (in strife) to figure out God’s message to us and in His word.  And we don’t understand.  God’s words are simple and true – just as they say.  Simply don’t pick them to no avail.  Words written just as God moved ones to write.  So simple yet deeper than the oceans.  God’s words carry hearts more than the depths of the oceans.  As we simply still to see.

My heart turns to you Lord as my prayer for this day.  May I turn to you as this life roars through my mind.  Always eating at the edges of my soul, my worries are always there to smother me.  Only as I turn and know you are in control – your way is the way I move to any comfort in my heart.  Peace you bring dear Lord, as I see in me when I come and lay my life’s worries.  As each day seems to bring a new woe – you are ever ready to see me turn (to you).  As I praise you in my life – I can see by your words.

Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. (Luke 24:45)

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When we crumble others… – it’s like my niece used to say when she was two “that not nice!”  And it’s not.  It’s not intended as God wanted us to live…with each other.  He gave us each other.  And yes, God has made us different for a reason.  Stop and think about that reason.  Perhaps there are lessons to be learned in so being – His lessons to bring us to Him, together.

Think how boring our world would be if we all were the same and no variations.  Consider all the differences as being the same as ourselves; for we all are different from another.  Consider others the same as ourselves and love them as ourselves.

God tells us, the woes in others are the same as in us.  Problems and needs of others will at one point be for ourselves.  When we deal with those issues together – we unite to form a resolve.  Start with God – He will remove those problem differences and we can all be one in Him.  For God’s plan, not our’s.  A resolve in living that!

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Excerpt from my book (“My dear daughter”, page 125):

All our paths now and our woes therein bring us in need to God.  And this life prepares us and our hearts and souls through all our many struggles to God’s perfection from within.  God is our purpose.  Our purpose for even being.  What He asks now is we have a relationship with Him.  Focus on Him.  And in His words you will find Him.  In your needs as you read from the scriptures, He will open the treasures of His presence.  I promise.

…it is His purpose this world even be my dear.

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I write more when I’m in tears; that’s when I’m moved closer to God.  I woke up in tears this morning.  A song on my mind, one that’s ripped my heart for months.  With the words “I know you’re able, I know you can” the tears just came.  In my read in Luke when Jesus was crucified, God shows me – through His words He shows me.  And gives me places to rest my heart; places of beauty and love and peace…His peace.

I read of Jesus’ resurrection and ponder.  Through Jesus, we too are resurrected and there is comfort in thinking on and knowing that.  For you see, we can know there will be eternal reunions with those gone before us in this world.  Those we love with all our soul – they are gone from us in this world.  God went through that with the death of His Son.  He knows my heart.  There is no way I can fully put into words all of what my heart goes through.  But God knows…and He shows me a peace.

A peace in knowing, as Jesus resurrected, my son also.  And lives with Him in His Kingdom.  And His Kingdom is in us, in me.  There I find my son – with God’s Son.  And I can only awe with love.  That is God’s ultimate gift to us – His love for us in His Kingdom.  And I can only thank God for giving me a dwelling place with my son – always.  To know God has your child in His arms and both around you – to walk and to guard and to love and to be there always with us.  My strength, you show me.  You live and love in us.

John 12:24 “…except a corn of wheat fall to the ground and die, it abide alone.  But if it die it shall bring forth much fruit.”

Passage excerpt also used on pg. 137 of my book.