Things that I am Leaving Behind in 2008...

I am declaring the things that I want to leave behind.. I can't take these things with me into 2009... I can't... I won't...

I am leaving behind.... fear of rejection, fear of abandonment, fear of man, and the loss in my life...

Instead, in 2009, I am going to do as the Serenity Prayer says: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things "I Can", and the wisdom to know the difference...

There are some things in my life that have not changed, and for whatever reason, the Lord has not changed them... But, I know He has a greater purpose in it or HE would have already done it... I do believe that... There are also some amazing things HE has done.. And I am so thankful for them... I know it all serves HIS greater purpose...

I want my greatest desire to be HIM... I lay down my dreams and desires at His feet (again), and trust that whatever HE wants for my life will happen... I am going to accept it, and live this life...

I am going to get totally healthy: mentally, physically, and spiritually... I want to stay committed to that...

And I am going to start speaking LIFE over my life.... Psalm 118:17: I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done. The boys and I end our prayer time at night with me speaking life and a blessing over their lives.. I say: You are a mighty man of God, Soldier for the Lord, a Blessing, Obedient and an Overcomer...

I think that we feel weird sometimes declaring positive things (TRUTH) about ourselves and over our lives, especially when we don't "FEEL" it, but I am going to start.. I am a mighty woman of God, a Soldier for the Lord, a Blessing, Obedient, and an Overcomer! It does not matter if I feel it or not, I will speak it by faith... Proverbs 18:21 Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose.

I choose to believe it "for myself" that I REALLY AM FORGIVEN, and I am going to LIVE LIKE IT! No more religion... A whole lot more relationship... And love..., freely given, and freely accepted...

~Testimony Tuesday~

When I found out that we were moving to Indiana, I knew that I was REALLY going to have to lean on the Lord, and REALLY learn how to trust Him...

I do love it here, but some things were happening that I did not quit understand... And I wondered what the Lord was trying to teach me in all of it..

Two months after we moved here, some kids (teenagers) wrapped and egged our house, they also wrote horrible things on our driveway and ON OUR HOUSE... Without going into the whole story, they thought someone else lived at our house, and were taking their frustrations out on it... They got the wrong house... But, the Lord kept us safe... And, the people never came back...

Then, in April I woke one morning to the bed shaking... My body was moving side-to-side like when you are being wheeled into surgery.. I said: "Lord?" Because, I thought maybe He was coming back... But, then I went and checked on Drake and he was still here, so I figured the rapture had not occurred..(hee hee) We found out right after that, that there had been an earthquake...!!! HELLO! But, the Lord kept us..

Then at the end of May, and into June we had horrible storms... Parts of Indiana were flooding so bad... I have never heard wind, like I have heard it here.. I have never seen storms, like I have seen them here.. The news would tell us about tornadoes, and to get into our basements... One time a tornado was heading on a path toward our town... I called a friend of mine from Texas and she prayed, she spoke and told the tornado to go no further and it changed directions.. (I do not remember the date of that, but I am sure you can find it in some weather archive for the Indianapolis area..) The Lord kept us...

Then, late, late June 3rd and in the early morning hours of June 4th we had three storms come through.. I slept on the couch because I wanted to be prepared for anything... I prayed that night, and asked the Lord to please surround us with His warring and ministering angels, and I plead the blood of Jesus over us and our house... I woke up each time a storm would come through... When the third one came through, it was loud, and I turned on the Weather Channel and they said that it got here later than they had said it would on an earlier forecast.. I figured, I would stay up until it past. Then BOOM/CRACK, I heard the loudest sound I had ever heard. Two of my neighbors said that their teenagers woke up, and one of them can sleep through ANYTHING...

I smelled smoke right after that, and thought maybe lightning had hit one of our trees.. I tried to see but could not.. Then, I went upstairs and Steve and Drake were both awake... I could smell smoke in our bedroom too. I was shaking, and picked up Drake to go get him dressed. Steve got upset with me, because he thought I was over reacting and getting Drake upset... He wanted to do some investigating first.. Everything within me was telling me that we needed to get moving... We went downstairs and went into the laundry room and saw smoke rising... I think I got Drake dressed then, we were both shaking, and scared... Steve went down in the basement and I walked toward the front door with Drake in my arms and was praying.. I prayed for His wisdom and protection.. As, I walked to the front door, I smelled gas...

Steve came up from the basement with a very serious look on his face... He said, "Grab whatever you need, because we have to get out of here." I said, "I AM NOT GRABBING ANYTHING, I WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE!" He did not tell me what was going on, he just got us out of there.

He opened the garage, and pulled the car out, and we got in. It was still storming really bad. He went inside and grabbed some things and came back out to the car and pulled away from the house, but to where we could still see it... He called 911 and said: " I think our house was struck by lightning and went into the whole ordeal...

He was telling me what happened.. He said that when he went down into the basement to check it out, he opened one of our storage room closets and flipped on the lights... Then, he heard a hissing sound and looked up.. He said the ceiling of our basement was on fire and the gas line had a hole in it... He got the fire out and that is when he walked upstairs and got us out...

We later found out all the details.. Lightning struck our house and hit the gas-line in two places and then caught out house on fire... We had several people working on our house the next day and no one could figure out why our house did not blow up!!! I knew why...

We had this one particular guy that was there ALL DAY, poor thing... We found out that he was a Christian, and that he was leaving in two weeks to go on a missions trip... I thought it was neat that the Lord placed a Christian in our house that we got to fellowship with the whole day... And, his name was Joel... I love what words mean, so I looked up the meaning of Joel's name. It means: "The Lord is God." Amen to that!!

The Lord kept us again... People may think that I don't doubt, but I still get afraid, and do doubt.. Trust is a big issue for me... Maybe that is why I want to do Testimony Tuesday, to remind myself, that He is faithful, and I can trust Him... Even in the storms and trials...

I would love to hear your testimonies!

I hope you have a blessed day!

May you increase to thousands upon thousands and may you and your descendants posses the gates of your enemies!

Francis Frangipane:"Shout Grace!"

We sing Amazing Grace, but I don't think we realize how amazing grace actually is. Grace is God's power, motivated by His mercy, working to fulfill His compassion.

We are saved by grace, but what culminates in a "day of salvation" experience is actually months and even years of God quietly, yet powerfully, working in our hearts. Recall: Jesus said, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him" (John 6:44a). Do you remember that drawing power? Before we knew God, divine power was working invisibly within our hearts, drawing and wooing us to Christ.

Yet let me take this miracle of grace further, for after Jesus spoke of the Father's drawing power, He then said, "and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:44b). This is the power and commitment of our Father's love: from the days of our sin and rebellion even to the days long after we die, grace continues working to unite our hearts with God's. From our utterly helpless beginnings to our utterly helpless end, from being dead in sin to being dead in the grave, grace carries us to the arms of God.

Unlocking the Power of Grace

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that, in the ages to come, He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:4-8).

Paul says that grace saved us "through faith." Faith unlocks the power of grace and releases it to function in our world-and faith itself is another gift of God. The difference between both gifts is, the grace-gift must be activated by the faith-gift. We must believe that God is "rich in mercy." We must accept as true that God loves us with "great love." We must not doubt He atoned for "our transgressions." We must be confident we are "alive together with Christ."

Grace works through faith. Believing the words of grace unlocks the power of grace; the power of grace to fully transform us comes through faith. As it is written, "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace" (John 1:16). The true stride of a Christian's walk is "grace upon grace." The same grace that turned our hearts toward Christ continues to work in us, transforming even our sufferings and trials into virtue and power.

Are you in a battle? Are you struggling with finances, health, righteousness or relationships? Your grace-miracle has already been created. But you must believe that not only has God created a grace-provision for you, but Christ is motivated by love and actually desires to show you favor.

You may feel like a loser, a sinner, a person others routinely reject - and perhaps you are! The purpose of redemption was so that, in the ages to come, God might display through us "the surpassing riches of His grace." You may be poor in this world, but you can become rich in the transforming grace of God. Believe Him. A day will come in the future world of God when He will point to you and I, once fallen and depraved, filthy and isolated creatures, and display us before Heaven and Earth as radiant, transformed beings - a glory to His workmanship and love. And it will come to pass because we believed in the grace of God to change us.

Who cares what other people think of you? God says He loves you! Indeed, His grace is working to set you free. God knows you have been struggling with desperate issues; that's one reason why He has inspired this message. His grace is reaching to you to deliver you. The means to your victory is not more prayer or more Bible study, but faith-activated grace. Of course, I strongly believe in both prayer and study, but the power to release each of us is a free gift of grace. Don't postpone your breakthrough. Believe that God's grace is here to release you!

What We Cannot Do On Our Own

We've been taught that grace is God's unmerited favor, which of course, it is. Yet unmerited favor is only one aspect of grace. In reality, grace is God's promise to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

The Bible says that "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3). It doesn't mean that Abraham believed there was a God. No. demons believe in one God and tremble! When Abraham "believed God" it meant that he believed what God had promised would come to pass. God promised to do for Abraham what Abraham and Sarah could not fulfill on their own.

The Lord had promised Abraham he'd be a father of many nations. This is the glory of God's grace: it accomplishes what is otherwise impossible for us. You see, grace not only chooses me, saves me eternally and blankets my life with mercy, but grace also works in me realities unattainable without divine help.

Consider Zechariah and the story about Zerubbabel, who was governor of Israel. The Jews had been held in Babylonian captivity for seventy years. Now, they were being restored to Jerusalem. It was Zerubbabel's task to oversee the restoration of the city. In the struggle of the battle, weariness settled on the governor. So, the Lord gave Zechariah a promise for Zerubbabel. He said,

"'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).

God was saying, in effect, "You have labored, your enemies are many and they are strong, but this work I've set before you isn't about your abilities; it's about what I can do working through you." Likewise, our salvation isn't about our works or power. It's about believing in the Holy Spirit's power and the grace of God.

Then the Lord gave Zerubbabel an important word. He said,

"What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" (Zechariah 4:7).

Zerubbabel had mountains in his life that were too much for him. He had a task that was beyond his abilities. Yet God promised His Spirit would help, and when it was done, multitudes would be shouting "Grace, grace" at the finished work.

Listen, my friends, don't run from the mountains in your life; face them with faith - and then shout "Grace, grace" to them. Let God make your mountains into "a plain."

Let's not mutter an unbelieving whisper about grace, but shout it out loud. It doesn't say, think about grace, but release your faith and shout, "Grace, grace!" God's unmerited favor has been poured out upon you. Now speak to that mountain of discouragement, sickness or financial need - GRACE, GRACE!

Let's Pray: Blessed God, You have drawn me to Yourself and have sheltered my life in the impenetrable stronghold of Your grace. Forgive me for drifting back into trusting in my works or abilities. Lord, I believe in Your grace! I shout "Grace, grace!" to the mountains that stand before me! In Jesus' name!

Francis Frangipane
Ministries of Francis Frangipane

~Testimony Tuesday~

When the Lord saved and delivered me one of the things that was placed on my heart was tithing... I really did not know that much about it, but started making it a habit..

I feel like the Lord placed that on my heart even before I had a job..

Literally right after the Lord saved and delivered me, a friend of mine called and told me about a job that was about to become open... I didn't even tell anyone I needed a job. I really was not talking to anyone at that time... This is like a week after the Lord delivered me, so I am sure that everyone thought this was temporary...

So, I get a job that I am not qualified for, making more money than I have ever made... In that first week, I moved back in with my parents. I was suppose to be saving money so that I could get back on my feet again.... I only worked part-time, so right off the top came my tithe, then I payed for child-care which was very expensive, my car payment, gas, etc. After paying all that, there was not much left over...

My parents bought a house in the Hill Country and put their house on the market, and they said that I could live there until it sold... Without going into all the details a situation arouse that would have not been good for my boys and I to be in or around... So, I knew I needed to move out soon.. The problem was: #1: I only had $200 saved and #2: I had horrible credit. I knew that someone else was going to be moving in to my parents home by the weekend, and live there with us until the house sold.

I was driving to work and talking to the Lord and crying... I said: "Lord, I have no money to move out, and my credit is horrible.. I can't imagine that You want the boys to be in a situation like this, when that is just what You got us out of... I need You to be my Husband, and help the boys and I."

I get to work and my boss wants to have a meeting... He tells me that he thinks that he would like to move his office out to Richmond, and was asking me where I was going to be living.. I told him that I did not know, but that I needed to figure that out soon... He said that he and his wife owned two homes out in Pecan Grove, and one of them had been vacant for about a year and a half... He knew I was a single-mom and that I was living with my parents... He said that I could move into their extra house out there, and live there the first six months for free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was sooooo shocked!!! I did not say anything to my boss, and the Lord took care of it!

We moved out the weekend the other people were moving in... We did not even stay there one night in the same house...

HE is never late..


I would love to hear your testimonies!

~Testimony Tuesday~

I wanted to start sharing the different ways the Lord has made Himself known to me and share my testimonies... I love all of them, but I will start with this one!

A couple days after Christmas we went to Texas to visit family and friends. One morning I woke up (at Shannon's house) with Jeremiah 33:3 in my brain. I did not know what it said... It says: Call upon Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you do not know... I thought that was really cool!

Fastforward to April 2008. Shannon came in to visit for a week and we decided to start out our visit in Chicago.. So, we went to Chicago the day after she got here.. We were all excited, and then I got a phone call on the way there that really confused and upset me. It made me question some things... I literally questioned the Lord about something that He had delivered me from, and I could not imagine that He was saying that it was ok now.. Besides, it is part of my testimony and what HE has done.. When we first drove into Chicago there was this building that someone had painted scripture real big on. It said: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23..

Not that I needed a sign, but that totally confirmed what I already knew in my heart... PLUS 6-23 is the day that the Lord delivered me...

Unfortunately, I thought about this phone conversation the whole time and was very sad and scared about what might be up ahead on our path in life, in my home...

I did not sleep well and I woke up early the next morning and went in to take a bath and cry, I did not want Shannon to hear me... I was crying out to the Lord to please speak to me, and that I needed some answers..

We left later that morning and were headed back to Indiana..

In all the places in the world we could have been, this car pulls up right next to us...

Shannon and I looked at each other because we could not believe it! She said: Well, there is your answer girl...

God, does not HAVE TO do what HE does, but HE still does sometimes... Sometimes, HE is so right in your face... Did everything just get fixed right then? No, but He was letting me know that HE was right there and KNOWS everything that is going on and for me to call upon HIM...

I am so excited about this, and I can't wait until next Tuesday...

PLEASE, share your testimonies of how the Lord makes Himself known to you... I would love to hear it!

~Tighty Whities ~

I love it when kids get their words mixed up!!! It can be HILARIOUS!!! For example Drake used to say: Our-chuther instead of each other... This weekend he did it again with another word, and it was tooooo funny!!!!!


Friday night we had a full house... Drake had a friend stay over and Grandma stayed over too...



Drake and his friend were cleaning up his room so we could get them ready for bed, and I was in Trent's room getting the bed ready for Grandma.



I could hear the boys talking in the other room. I hear Drake tell his friend: "I don't wear white-n-tighties, some 8 year olds do, but I don't." (cracked me up!)

Starting Next Week: "Testimony Tuesday!"

I have seen several blogs that do "Thankful Thursday"... I think that is a neat idea!

I was sharing with my mother-n-law different ways that the Lord shows up in my life and makes Himself known to me...

It does something when we testify about Him, and it builds my faith up when I share.. So, I thought that I would like to start "Testimony Tuesday" :-) I would just like to share a story each Tuesday about how the Lord has shown up in my life and let me know that He was right there, even in the times when I could not "feel" His presence...

I would love to hear other testimonies as well!!

Revelation 12:11a:

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony

Am I Like: The Priest, The Levite or The Samaritan?

The Sunday before I went to Texas, I stayed home instead of going to church.. I was flipping back and forth between two Christian channels, and on one heard a Pastor mention the Good Samaritan... I don't really know what else he said, because I started thinking about the story, and proceeded to look it up. (Luke 10:25-37)

Anyway - I have been praying and asking the Lord to show me some things, and as I read this and looked some things up on the internet, I just saw the story in a different light... I am sure that other people have seen it this way too, but the ligth bulb went off for me, for the first time regarding this story..

If you have not read the story it is this:

Luke 10:25-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[a]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]"

28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."


What caught my attention was that TWO men of God: a priest, and a Levite passed him by..

Notes:(Levites are the descendants of Levi, one of the Tribes Of Israel, the Children Of Jacob (Genesis 29:34). The term is generally used, from the perspective of The Bible, to identify the part of the tribe that was set apart for the secondary duties of the sanctuary service (1 Kings 8:4, Ezra 2:70), as assistants to the priests, who were also Levites. Although all priests were Levites, not all Levites were priests.)

I know not all Levites were priests but I believe that both men in the story ( a parable, that Jesus made up) were men of God, otherwise why wouldn't HE say another tribe or person? I think He is making a point here..

The priest, a man of God, passed him by.
The Levite, a man of God, set apart for the secondary duties of the sanctuary service, as assistants to the priests, passed him by...

A little history from my bible in 2 Kings: The king of Assyria imported foreign captives to inhabit the "towns of Samaria" in order to destory any remaining nationalism. Intermarriage between Israelites not taken to Assyria and foreginers brought to the land of Israel produced people called the "Samaritans." The result was mixture of foreign religious and cultural traditions with Hebrew customs and faith. (They were pagans..)

I think it is interesting that the Lord uses someone that is a pagan, not a religious person in the church to help this person, who is in desperate need... The Samaritan goes to him and helps him in his need.. It does not say he preached to him, or anything like that, he just had compassion and helped his immediate need, and told the person that he took him to, that he would cover any other needs that may come up..

(I read these notes from my Bible today:)
This parable emphasizes that inherent in true saving faith and obedience is compassion for those in need. The call to love God is a call to love others. The new life and grace that Christ gives to those who accept Him will produce love, mercy and compassion for thise who are distressed and afflicted. It is the responsibility of all believers to act on the Holy Spirit's love within them and not to harden their hearts by being insensitive to the suffering and needs of others. Our neighbors are those who we need us when it is in our power to help them..

I think sometimes, I want to try and fix whatever is wrong.. I am thinking: "Hey, the answer is Jesus", but sometimes, I think He just wants me to keep my mouth shut and LOVE THEM, and help HEAL THEIR WOUNDS, and help with IMMEDIATE NEEDS... Be a listening ear and shoulder to cry on and keep my "Religion to myself".... Be... Not do and fix... That is His job, not mine...

I swear, I sound spiritually bi polar on my blog... But, I am learning, what can I say... I don't have all the anwers, but I know one of the main answers is to love them like Jesus...

~MY RESIGNATION~

This is my official "Resignation Letter" to whom it may concern...

I have served this position faithfully for the last 10 years... I stumbled upon this position, and quickly rose to the top... I have served this position with tenacity, hard work, long hours, and great effort, all on my own... I take full credit and will not let anyone share it with me, because I have needed no one other than myself to maintain this position..

But, after 10 years of serving this position faithfully, and after much reflection, I have decided that there are many others who could and want to serve this position and some even better than I. So, it is time for me to step down...

It is time for me to choose a position that is more humble and less seen by the world... I have been called to something else...

Today, December 8, 2008, I, Tracy K. Roberts, am stepping down from the position of:
President of the Land of Whiners and Complainers.

I no longer want to be in this position, I leave it to the media, and who ever else wants to be negative, whine and complain... (I am not talking about true, hurtful, desperate places that we all come to in our lives, i.e. the valleys..) I am just talking about being aware of what is in my heart and mind and what comes out of my mouth...

Philippians 4:4-8

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

You may ask why I have this down for all to see, my answer is:

Habakkuk 2: 2-3 Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it. 3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Though this new position is not a highly visible one, I feel called and compelled to answer the call. This position, I can't do on my own.. It calls for my death (daily), and I will need all the help I can get.... I have been on the throne of my heart too long, and I am stepping down...

Here is a poem I found: (I do not know who wrote it..)

When you are forgotten, or neglected,
or purposely set at naught, and you
don't sting or hurt with the insult or
the oversight, but your heart is happy,
being counted worthy to suffer for YAHSHUA,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When your good is evil spoken of,
when your wishes are misunderstood
your advise disregarded, your opinions
ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger
rise in your heart, or even defend
yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you lovingly and patiently bear
any disorder, any irregularity, any
unpunctuality, or any annoyance; when
you stand face to face with waste, folly,
extravagance, spiritual insensibility-
and endure it as YAHSHUA endured,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you are content with any food,
any offering, any climate, any society,
any raiment, any interruption
by the will of YAHWEH,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you never care to refer to your-
self in conversation, or to record your
own good works, or itch after commendations,
when you can truly love to be unknown,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can see your brother prosper
and have his needs met and can honestly
rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy,
nor question YAHWEH while your own
needs are greater and in desperate circumstances,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can receive correction and
reproof from one of less stature than your-
self and can humbly submit inwardly as
well as outwardly, finding no rebellion
or resentment rising up within your heart,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

Are you dead yet?
In these last days, the Spirit would bring us
to the stake "That I may know HIM, and the
power of HIS resurrection, and the fellowship
of HIS sufferings, being made conformable
unto HIS death."Philippians 3:10

P.S. I know someone from: "The Land of Never Takes Anything Seriously", that will be dancing and leaping and shouting for joy because of this.. ;-) (You know who you are..)

I laughed a lot while writing this!!

Thansgiving Day 5K Turkey Dash ~ Katy, Texas

Thanksgiving Day: Kellie, Trent and I ran the Turkey Dash 5K in Katy, Texas! WOO HOO!! That was so much fun and exciting!!! I loved running with them! We had a blast!! (Y'ALL DID AWESOME!!)

I started training for it about 8 wks. before the race, and only trained up to 2 miles, so I was not sure if I would be able to run the whole way... But, when we got there we prayed and asked the Lord to be with us and help us..

I was so nervous because I did not know what to expect, because I had never run a race before... At first Trent (my 13yr. old) was going to run at the front of the group, but then he came back there to run with us.. (We were almost at the very end of the group..)

Anyway - we started running, and I wanted to video a little with my phone, so Trent helped me with that and I captured a little of our run... Then one of my friends from Indiana texted me while we were running.. And guess what, you can text and run at the same time!! (Not very well, but it can be done! hee hee!)

One of my favorite parts of the race was at the half way mark.. They had cups of water for the runners! That was so exciting for many of us first time runners, BECAUSE you got to drink the water they gave you and THROW DOWN the cup like you always see in marathons!! We felt like "for real runners" and wish we had gotten it on film!

My most favorite part was: That Trent and I got to do this together... Trent can run a lot faster than me, but he chose to stay with me the whole time... I told them at the beginning, that I was not trying to win this race, I just wanted to complete it, and my goal was to run the whole time.. So, I ran at a slow and steady pace... For a 13 yr. old competitive boy, that was amazing that he chose to run with me instead of compete! It was amazing!

As we were running one of my shoes came untied!! I was told that I should stop and tie it... I said: "If Lance Bass can dance with one shoe, I can run with my shoe untied!" (I love Dancing with the Stars!) Plus, I just felt like it was a distraction from the enemy to stop or his way of making me take my mind off of my goal! Nope, I kept on running and I prayed too, so the Lord got me through it! Thank You Lord!

It was so very foggy, and as we were getting closer, you could not tell.. We did not know how much farther we had to go, but then..... People were on each side of the street yelling: "Keep going, you don't have much farther!" "It is just right around the corner.." "Good job, don't stop!" They were just very encouraging! They did not even know us, but they stood out there and encouraged us, and we could not even see with our own eyes the end, but they knew and came along side and gave us words of encouragement...

I just started thinking about the Lord and the body of Christ and how we can't always see, but there are others who can, that we may not even know, but somehow they show up on our path and encourage us and cheer us on... Everyone in that race ran/walked it differently... We all had the same goal... Some walk/ran, some ran fast, some slow:), some ran half, and walked the rest.. We even saw one person laying down on the side.. I pray that she is ok...

Everyone runs their "race" differently... Some are slow, some just get it and never seem to struggle, but we all need encouragement and we all need to run together! When I was running with this big group of people it was so much easier than running by myself... I had to fight through thoughts of doubt that I could run the whole way, when I was by myself... When you "run" with others, it makes you feel stronger!

We ran the whole way, we only slowed down to get the water!!! It was awesome!!!

1 Corinthians 9:24-27: 24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should.

Funny Story on the Airplane..

I just got back from 8 days in Texas! It was so much fun getting to see Trent, my mom and friends!!! I miss them so much!

I guess most of my blogs this week will be about my trip... But, I have to tell a funny little story about getting on the plane to go to Texas...

I think EVERYONE knows from Texas to Indiana, to Scotland, to CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network Prayer Line) that: I DO NOT LIKE TO FLY!! I usually stress and fret and CRY a few days leading up to it... Anyway, God is so good and He always brings me through it, and sometimes HE uses humor too... I am starting to think He has more of a sense of humor than I originally thought..

Ok, so I get on the airplane.. There are two seats on one side and one seat on the other (It is a little airplane - Continental Express).. My seat assignment was the seat by itself. I sit down in my seat and then this girl gets on and gets situated in her seat... She gets on her cell while we are waiting and starts talking to someone... I can't help but overhear her funny conversation.

She says to who ever she is talking to, in a very loud voice: "I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM ON!!! I THINK IT IS A CROP DUSTER AND I NEED A XANAX!!!


Anyway, just thought I would share!!

Have a blessed day! And I will be adding more later!

Spiritual Lessons Learned at the Orthodontist & Beyond...

Yesterday was a very trying day, but there were some lessons learned...

My youngest son Drake got Braces, an expander and these "mound-thinggys" put on his teeth so that he can't totally bite down...

Anyway - I was in there during most of the 2hr. appointment... They got to the point of putting the wires into the brackets.. They clipped the ends to make it fit, then they burned the ends of the wire... I wondered why they did that, but I did not want to ask, because I was taking pictures of the whole process and did not want them to think I was psyhco.. :) But, right after I thought: "I wonder why they do that", the orthodontist assistant asked me if anyone told me why they did that... I said no.. (Thank You Lord!) She proceeded to tell me that the wire has memory in it, and showed me that you can bend it any way you want, but it goes right back to the way it was.. But, when you put fire to it, it erases the memory and it is more pliable and will do what you want it to... WOW!

It made me think of the Refiner's fire and how the Lord takes us through things or allows things to come into our lives that are trying, but the trial or fire allows what needs to be dealt with to come up... It makes my heart softer, it makes me more pliable in His hands, and causes me to rely on Him and not myself..

1 Peter 1:6-7:So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

(Malachi 3:2b-3:)

For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.

Then we got home and it was a huge ordeal.. Drake could barely swallow his saliva much less eat or drink... (He is 8 years old so keep that in mind..)

Anyway - We were both in tears plenty of times yesterday and last night... I called everyone I could think of from Indiana to Texas.. And could not find anyone who had all three of these things at once in their mouth..

He was so angry and scared... It was so hard for me, because all I wanted to do was help, and he did not want to listen, he just wanted the stuff out of his mouth and wanted all this to stop! I tried to be helpful and love on him, and I even ended up yelling because he was so freaked out and would not let me help him... (I made everything I could think of for him to eat or drink..)

While we are in the midst of an uproar, I finally tell him that I can't help him until he is ready to listen.. I thought that this is how a parent must feel when their child is hurting and on drugs or alcohol and they are so angry but they don't know what to do with those feelings and they just take it out on the parents... (I have been that child..) Now I am on the other side of the anger, but I am thankful that it is only because of braces and other appliances.. But, I still could not do a thing for him until his strong will let down and he was ready to listen..

I know that I am like that with the Lord when something brings pain into my life.. My will rises up and I fight! I want it to STOP! And, all He is asking me to do is surrender, listen for His still small voice, and BE STILL!

Psalm 46:10a: Be still and know that I Am God;

Even in the hard places He is working out of me or something in me for the glory of His Kingdom..

Thank You Lord! I praise Your Holy name...

YAY!! I am sooo EXCITED!

I am going to Texas in 6 Days!!! I get to see my baby, my mom and my friends!!!

Being Willing To Listen....

A warning given by an experienced person to someone willing to listen is more valuable than … jewelry made of the finest gold.” (Proverbs 25:12 TEV)

I guess I am at a new place of learning in my walk... It is so interesting that there are a couple of people that have taken offense to what I have posted on here or facebook... I think they think I am judging... When they KNOW where I came from, and what the Lord has done in my life... I am not judging... I guess the scripture above says it all "SOMEONE WILLING TO LISTEN"...

I asked the Lord if I was not walking in love and was I supposed to keep my mouth shut?... Then I went to my Bible and opened it up to a random page and it opened to Matthew 10..

21-23"When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don't quit. Don't cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you've run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived. (Matthew 10:21-23)

26-27"Don't be intimidated. Eventually everything is going to be out in the open, and everyone will know how things really are. So don't hesitate to go public now.
28"Don't be bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies. There's nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands. (Matthew 10:26-28)

32-33"Stand up for me against world opinion and I'll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you? (Matthew 32-33)

It would be SOOO MUCH easier NOT TO SAY A THING.. I don't want to be at odds with anyone.. I would love to be friends with everyone and never have one person mad at me.. But, I feel compelled...

(Jeremiah 20:9)
But if I say, "Forget it!
No more God-Messages from me!"
The words are fire in my belly,
a burning in my bones.
I'm worn out trying to hold it in.
I can't do it any longer!

Galatians 1:10 For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

The Lord saved and delivered me from SO MUCH... I did HORRIBLE VILE things, and HE still had mercy on me, when I deserved NOTHING... I tremble at the thought of the times I could have died, but somehow HE did not let that happen.. I would have died without Him.. For all eternity... That is what I think about when I post most things... Someone dying without Him for all eternity.. It is not because I don't want someone to be happy, or that I don't accept them... (I like my quite life, I don't need drama..) But, it is not about me, is it?

Ezek. 3:10-11 Then he said, "Son of man, get all these words that I'm giving you inside you. Listen to them obediently. Make them your own. And now go. Go to the exiles, your people, and speak. Tell them, 'This is the Message of God, the Master.' Speak your piece, whether they listen or not."

Ezek. 3:17-19Whenever you hear me say something, warn them for me. If I say to the wicked, 'You are going to die,' and you don't sound the alarm warning them that it's a matter of life or death, they will die and it will be your fault. I'll hold you responsible. But if you warn the wicked and they keep right on sinning anyway, they'll most certainly die for their sin, but you won't die. You'll have saved your life.

Ezek. 3: 20-21 "And if the righteous turn back from living righteously and take up with evil when I step in and put them in a hard place, they'll die. If you haven't warned them, they'll die because of their sins, and none of the right things they've done will count for anything—and I'll hold you responsible. But if you warn these righteous people not to sin and they listen to you, they'll live because they took the warning—and again, you'll have saved your life."

Let The Church Be The Church by James Robison

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judeaand Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

People often ask questions when difficult circumstances overcome our world. With the crumbling economy, multiple wars and new direction in political leadership, Christians must understand the proper role of the church to impact our world.

Though Christians can and should be involved in the political process, the church was never meant to be a partisan power base. Our role transcends earthly structures. We are to lift up the light of the world, Jesus Christ, not the hatchet of the political party. When the church attempts to play the role of the government, it tends to corrupt one or both of the institutions. Even Israel failed as a theocracy. Modern theocratic regimes are actually controlled by mullahs and similar men who claim the divine mantle, but frequently abuse it for personal gain. Likewise, when the government attempts to supplant the role of the church, it becomes a perverse imitation of the real thing, mocking prosperity, peace and the principles of God.

For example, the Christian concept of charity involves a sacrificial giving in order to help meet the needs of someone else. But when the government forces you to take what you’ve earned and give it to the poor, it is vastly different. God loves a cheerful giver, not a cheerful taxer! Without a connection of love and concern between the giver and the recipient, the meaning of charity is lost. Instead, it is man’s counterfeit, which we call socialism. The church must demonstrate to the world how God’s principles work, so that they can witness the power of His ways.

Christians should seek to penetrate society, not polarize it. There will be a level of polarization when we stand up for what we believe those who were not “for” Jesus were “against” him and crucified Him for it but if you receive the love that Jesus offers, your life has the power to transform the world. Light penetrates darkness. When the church is a light, it dispels darkness. Changed people change the world, so we must first allow God’s light to drive the darkness out of our own lives before we can shine His love into the lives of those around us.

Our country will only change when the people change. Government does not legislate morality so much as it reflects the morality of the people. Right now, our government desperately needs change. So does the media, Wall Street, Hollywood and everywhere in between. But practices and policies will only change when people change. That is the role of the church.

I am not suggesting that Christians stay out of political matters, but understand that politics are meaningless without a transformation of the heart, mind and spirit. We can make every form of abortion illegal, but it won’t go away until every pregnant woman values the life of her child. Government focuses on people’s actions, but God focuses on people’s hearts. In the same way, the church should move beyond legislating people’s actions and strive to transform their hearts and inspire them to respect and value all life.

The model for the modern church is found in the book of Acts. When Jesus appeared after his death and resurrection, he appeared to His followers in Jerusalem. They asked, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

Isn’t this typical of people in the church? After everything they had heard and seen, they wanted Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom. If Jesus lived in the flesh today, we’d probably want Him to run for president! But we could have a perfect president and as long as we still have rotten, rebellious people, we will have problems. Jesus’ purpose was and is beyond such earthly things. Instead, he told them to wait until the Holy Spirit empowered them so that they could be witnesses all over the world. They wanted to conquer Jerusalem with force, but Jesus wants to envelop the earth with love, joy and peace.

This is still His desire. Our world will never be perfect until He comes, but he can perfect His will in our individual lives, if we will allow it. So ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to care about others, reach out, be involved and pray…in essence, be the church.

This Week

Be the church. Set aside political battles and engage in spiritual warfare. Focus not on others, but on yourself. A light does not have to be forced to shine; simply allow yourself to be filled with God’s light, then release it.

Prayer

“Father, fill me with your spirit so that I can be your witness on this earth.”

AM I READY?

ACTS 21:13

12-13When we heard that, we and everyone there that day begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn't budge: "Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You're looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can't you see that?"

I have to admit, I do not think that I am there yet... I wonder if you asked God, if HE could make this the cry of your heart? I wonder if that is a prayer that He answers or if there is something that I need to do about it..?

I think that it is going to start being harder to be a Christian.. I am not freaking out, I just want to be ready and stand my ground, in love..

I was talking to the Lord yesterday about all this, because I was thinking about how people were going to some churches in New York and protesting... And how they actually went into a church and were shouting and spewing foul language from the pulpit at the people.. There will be another protest on Saturday.. I pray that the scales FALL FROM THEIR EYES, in Jesus' name, and a hedge of protection over the churches that they go to...

So, I was talking to Him about the possibility of going to prison one day for standing for what I believe... If that happened, I could not see my kids, or husband for who knows how long... It is a sobering thought.. I don't think WE are there yet, but it is a very real possibility... Am I ready? I don't know, but I pray that the Lord does a mighty work in my heart, so that if that is what it came to, I could count it all joy..

2 Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong...

I like the Message's translations of Acts 5:41:

That convinced them. They called the apostles back in. After giving them a thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus' name and sent them off. The apostles went out of the High Council overjoyed because they had been given the honor of being dishonored on account of the Name. Every day they were in the Temple and homes, teaching and preaching Christ Jesus, not letting up for a minute.

Have a blessed day!

~MY NEW PAGE~

Just FYI: I have another blog page that I just started.. It is http://histreasuretrove.blogspot.com/

I find the neatest stuff on my treasure hunts... So, I hope you like it and ENJOY!

Thessalonians 4:9 (MSG)

Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don’t need me to tell you what to do. You’re God-taught in these matters. Just love one another! 1

Rebuilding Racial Bridges in a Divided Church

THIS IS AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY J. LEE GRADY

Now that the historic 2008 election is over, we need to get busy with the work of reconciliation.


During the seemingly endless 2008 presidential campaign, scalding rhetoric spewed like hydrochloric acid from both sides. The harsh words from both Republicans and Democrats were often vicious. Hillary Clinton attacked Barack Obama. John McCain took shots at Clinton. Everybody and their grandmother went after George W. Bush.

After the party conventions the media declared open season on Sarah Palin while McCain accused Obama of being a celebrity without leadership skills. That prompted Paris Hilton to describe McCain as “that wrinkly, white-haired guy.” Obama, meanwhile, criticized rural voters for clinging to guns and religion. The mudslinging got nasty.

I’m still sore—and almost deaf—from the noisy political ruckus we witnessed this year. Sometimes the constant shouting matches between pundits on Fox News and CNN forced me to turn off the television—especially when Joy Behar of The View suggested that McCain might suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. I’ll admit that woman put me over the edge a few times.

"I am concerned that an ugly breach has occurred within the evangelical church. This divisive election took its toll on us."


Because I voiced my opinions during the campaign, some people got mad at me too. Some called me a racist because I raised questions about Obama’s views on moral issues. Others condemned me to hell because I applauded Palin’s faith.

Thankfully the contest is over. The national mood became more civil after the votes were counted. Obama became our 44th president and delivered a historic speech in Chicago that moved our nation to tears—especially civil rights leaders who never thought they’d live to see this day. McCain was humble in his concession speech and President Bush was a true Texas gentleman when he offered Obama and his wife a tour of the White House a few days later.

We can all be proud, not only that our country has put a person of color in the White House but also that the transition of power from one leader to another was this peaceful.

The verbal bombings have stopped, at least for now. All of us, in both red states and blue, have calmed down a bit and are looking for some common ground. More people are smiling on the evening news shows, partly because they are actually getting some sleep.

But I am concerned that an ugly breach has occurred within the evangelical church. This divisive election took its toll on us. Bridges that had been built between racial groups are in shambles. They collapsed under the strain of this election.

We are like good friends who stopped speaking to each other after a heated argument. Communication is strained. Grudges are festering. We don’t understand each other. We viewed this election through different lenses.

Many African-American Christians saw Barack Obama’s candidacy as a chance to right the racial wrongs of the past. They felt his victory on Nov. 4 was a direct fulfillment of the dream Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed 45 years ago. And they believe that his commitment to help the poor is an embodiment of Christian principles of justice.

Many white evangelicals, on the other hand, couldn’t embrace Obama because of their commitment to a pro-life agenda. They feared that Obama would appoint pro-abortion justices to the Supreme Court and actively push for gay marriage. They also worried that Obama’s ties to a liberal Democratic agenda might invite terrorism or encourage socialist economic policies.

What do we do now? Do black Christians gloat while white conservatives lick their wounds? Do we just keep our distance? Do we keep Sunday morning segregated?

The Bible is clear that God does not encourage sulking or segregation. He calls those who are offended to go to their brothers and make things right. He expects us to work out our differences with sensitivity and mutual understanding. He has given us “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18, NASB).

He commands us in Matthew 5:23-24: "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering” (NASB).

Reconciliation is intentional. We don’t wait for the offended party to come to us—we go to them. Right now there are serious offenses on both sides of this political rift. The temptation is to justify our own positions. We say to ourselves, “I’m right; he’s wrong—this is his fault and I am waiting for him to apologize.”

But God is not concerned about who had the right political opinion. His burden is for our reconciliation. If we allow racial or political walls to divide us, then all of us are grieving the Holy Spirit.

I am begging black, white and Hispanic leaders today: Let’s come to the table. Let’s be more intentional than ever before about understanding each other, walking in each other’s shoes and enjoying true fellowship. Let’s resist the spirit of offense. This could be our greatest hour if we will link arms, wash feet, share our hearts, worship together and pray in unity.


J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.

Kid's Say The Funniest Things..

Last night Drake-ster and I were just hanging out together and talking... I mentioned to him that Fletcher (our male cat) was going to have surgery today... He asked me what for, and I said, "So he does not get a Mama cat pregnant..

His eyes got big and he said, "FLETCHER IS GETTING MARRIED?!?"...

Oh my gosh, he cracks me up!!!!

Do You Have Anyone Asking You The Tough Questions?

I have been struggling over the past few days...

After Obama won, my thoughts went to someone in my family that was so passionate that he win... Because they have a certain way that they want to live, and McCain/Palin were against it..

I e-mailed this person asking: "When you get everything you think you want from this: is it going to fill that empty place inside of you? Will it heal the hurts that really only you and the Lord know the truth about?"

I also asked: "What about everything that you learned about the Lord? What about the prayer of Salvation?" (That they prayed).... I said that I was not judging, and I am not... I live in a glass house too, and am not perfect... IT IS ONLY BY HIS BLOOD..

But, I don't think anyone has asked those questions to this person... Because, we don't want to offend anyone? WELL, OFFEND ME PLEASE! Ask me the tough questions... Speak the truth to me please, if you see me going down the wrong path! Don't coddle me and hold my hand all the way to Hell...

I wish I did have a mentor who asked me the tough questions.. Eye to eye, knee to knee, straight talk because they love the Lord and they love me... That is TRUE love... Reconciliation..

When I was going through my rebellion, living however I wanted to live because I was so hurt, and acted as if: "The world owes me!" I was just patted on the back and told: "It is ok.." It is? To live like that? And destroy my life and whoever was around me? I don't agree...

Healing is a process, (it has been a long process for me in some ways) and Jesus had compassion of everyone, but HE still spoke the Truth to them...

Are we coming to a place that we will get in trouble for speaking the Truth now...?

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

I am adding more to this post b/c after I wrote this, I checked my email and found this daily devotional... It is good! Please feel free to answer the questions at the bottom! I would love to glean any wisdom that I can from you! Have a blessed day!

Who’s Advising You? by Rick Warren
Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out. Proverbs 20:5 (AMP)
*** *** *** ***
We all need mentors – people who personally coach us in our walk with God.

When I am with a mentor, I ask questions. Asking questions adds to the quality of your life: “Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out” (Proverbs 20:5 AMP).

Every person has a reservoir of knowledge, skills, and experience to share and you’re wise if you learn to draw them out.

In fact, you don’t have to limit asking questions to just a single mentor who you meet with on a regular basis. You can meet a “mentor” anywhere.

My suggestions is to keep a 3x5 card with you that has a list of standard questions you can ask whenever you meet someone you can learn from; you then pull out your card and ask questions like:

· How do you handle stress?

· What have been the greatest successes in your life?

· What do you think contributed to that success?

· What did you learn from the greatest failure of your life?

· What would you do differently if you could start over?

· What kind of books do you read?

· How do you manage your time?

· How do you manage your money?

· What have been the greatest lessons you’ve learned?

· What have been the greatest surprises in your life?

JEREMIAH 22:3

This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

TEN WAYS TO PRAY FOR BARACK OBAMA

10 Ways to Pray for Barack Obama
(Written by J. Lee Grady)

Whether you are happy about this week’s election results or not, all Christians must unite in prayer for our new president. Please don’t forsake this responsibility.

It’s over. We’ve reached the end of the longest, angriest and most nerve-wracking presidential campaign in American history. Finally the “I approved this message” ads have ceased. The endless robot phone calls have stopped ringing. The debates, and the annoying post-debate comments from “experts,” are history—until the next election cycle.

More than half the nation is celebrating today while others are mourning. We are a divided nation, split into unhappy fragments by abortion, gay marriage, global warming, a failed economy and an unpopular war. Those who voted for Barack Obama have claimed a historic victory; some on McCain’s side are already looking for scapegoats. Politics is politics.

But when I got up this morning, I turned all my attention to the fact that Jesus Christ is still on the throne. His government is what is most important. Regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, the Bible says “the nations are like a drop from a bucket” to God (Is. 40:15, NASB). That includes the United States. We may boast about being “the greatest nation on earth,” but He who sits in heaven has a different perspective. Let’s take a big sigh of relief now and remember that God is sovereign.

"But when I got up this morning, I turned all my attention to the fact that Jesus Christ is still on the throne. His government is what is most important."

I’ll admit this election did not turn out as I had hoped. I supported McCain primarily because I am pro-life and I prefer his small-government mindset. But now that the election is over, I’m not going to harbor bitterness toward Obama supporters or go into attack mode. Obama has been elected president of this country, and that means I have a biblical responsibility to support him in prayer—even if I challenge his policies.

Whether you voted for Obama or not, you need to pray for him. Here are 10 ways I plan to intercede for him regularly:

1. Pray for Obama’s protection. We already know that some weird, neo-Nazi fanatics in Tennessee plotted to kill Sen. Obama during his campaign. Let’s pray that racist hatred is not allowed to spread. Let’s cancel every assassin’s bullet in the name of Jesus. May civility triumph over bigotry.

2. Cover his wife and daughters in prayer. It is not easy to live under constant media scrutiny. Pray for Obama’s wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Malia and Natasha, as they face invasive cameras, nosy reporters, maniacal fans and dangerous enemies. Obama is not only a politician but also a husband and a father.

3. Pray that Obama will govern with God’s wisdom. God rewarded Solomon because he asked for wisdom instead of wealth, long life or vengeance on his enemies (see 1 Kings 3:11-12). Pray that Obama will order his priorities like that. Despite Solomon’s tragic character flaws, his legacy was wisdom. We can ask God to give our president the same grace.

4. Ask God to keep our president humble. Many great American leaders became corrupt after they moved to Washington. The fatal attraction of fame, wealth and power proved irresistible. The only thing that will guard a man or woman from this pitfall is humility. May God deliver President Obama from the curse of pride.

5. Pray for wise and righteous advisers to surround him. Godly leaders cannot do their job alone. Even the best leaders have failed because they trusted the wrong people. Pray that Obama will not select his counselors based on party, race, pedigree or political cronyism but on godly character and proven wisdom. Pray also that he will not allow secret traitors into his inner circle.

6. Ask for the spirit of reconciliation. Some segments of our deeply divided society want nothing to do with Obama now that he has won the presidency. Even some Christians will be tempted to harbor resentment and nurse political grudges throughout his term in office. Pray that God will grant forgiveness and healing so that leaders on all political levels can have constructive dialogue.

7. Pray that Obama will adopt pro-life convictions. Many politicians have changed their views on key issues while in office. In the 1800s some leaders who favored slavery later denounced it. In the 1950s some who opposed racial integration later became champions of it. Even though Obama won approval from many voters because he sanctions abortion, God could soften and change his heart.

8. Bind all evil forces assigned to manipulate our president. The specter of Islamic terrorism looms over the United States, and dark forces are ready to infiltrate. Our only hope lies in prayer to the God who is able to expose and outwit the schemes of the wicked. This is truly a time for spiritual warfare, and intercessors must not come off the wall in this hour! Pray that no foreign government, terrorist organization or demonic principality will use Obama as a tool. We must stand strong against the spirit of antichrist that promotes dictatorship, persecution of Christians and hostility toward Israel.

9. Pray that Obama’s door will remain open to the church. The loudest voices of secular culture—from Bill Maher in Hollywood to atheists in academia—would be happy if religion were removed from public life. Pray that Obama, who claims to have a personal faith in Jesus Christ, will unapologetically welcome Christian leaders into his company and seek their counsel. And pray that false religious leaders (who claim to know Christ but deny His power) will not have his ear.

10. Pray that our nation will enjoy God’s peace and blessing during the Obama administration. The apostle Paul instructed early believers to pray for all in authority “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:2, NASB). God’s will is for America to experience peace and prosperity so that we can continue to export the gospel to the nations. This must happen whether a Democrat or a Republican is in the White House. As we cry out for God’s mercy on our wayward nation, pray that He will allow us to be a light to the world as we finance global missions, feed and heal the world’s poor and share Christ’s love at home and abroad.

I Don't Like Colds!

A lot of people have colds, and I just got it... Yuck! They say they are not contagious, but I am not too sure... Anyway - I feel like dodo... So, I am going to curl up in bed with some soup and take a nap...

Have a great day!

ISAIAH 58

Isaiah 58

True Fasting

1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet.

Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins.

2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.

3 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.

4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD ?

6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness [a] will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

14 then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken.