tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38023161164219308552024-03-04T21:14:10.460-08:00Sharing The LoveDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-3285010620798842522021-08-02T05:00:00.001-07:002021-08-02T05:00:00.182-07:00Digging Deeper With Dee Stevens - 08/02/2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwN-cPlaC6auvwrN3QtJDyv3yOuOyigGl0JwOI6_MZ3iIWsa6hQzfxxSB4E9d28wsYQG2-F-amQdQBx_wludg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-77645716055532760902021-07-21T15:36:00.001-07:002021-07-21T16:34:05.802-07:00Time Goes By So Quickly! - 07/21/2021<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Today I was looking for an old account and happened upon this blog I started years ago!</b></span></p><p><b>2015 was the last post! </b></p><p><b>I had logged on to an old email account and found a comment from my dad from back in 2011. </b></p><p><b>God has been so good to me over the years and I thought maybe some of these old post would encourage others who might be struggling.</b></p><p><b>God Bless You And Yours!</b></p><p><b>Dee Stevens</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGcLLmWQ2ou7wLdeGK6N45ihqPEMT5cLnpb1E4fttVPR3uy0Qqlg9i7F8T9Bw0Vy_v-aD5PrHFQkirXP1cWah5VfNeLfslqrymbqveuQNldXh_hG-i4bCLu0TPHD7bKqcQfc5H6q99dE/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="688" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGcLLmWQ2ou7wLdeGK6N45ihqPEMT5cLnpb1E4fttVPR3uy0Qqlg9i7F8T9Bw0Vy_v-aD5PrHFQkirXP1cWah5VfNeLfslqrymbqveuQNldXh_hG-i4bCLu0TPHD7bKqcQfc5H6q99dE/" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><br /></b><p></p>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-12935355283802806462015-01-05T06:21:00.003-08:002021-07-21T16:34:41.314-07:00God’s Great Plans…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZZZq0_5iImQqK5Cl5v3aG8Oq4qGkgr31KN1bo1GKNqWHR1OjHJU4RFm62RXAVr1Ivu15CxObh9q3RBCSCL2ZFEMRKgm9XHTqMNGbcZPv9VQo27Sp45pC2L8MvB9GBtTQbx9TbcEi3go/s1600/god2527s2bmaster2bplan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZZZq0_5iImQqK5Cl5v3aG8Oq4qGkgr31KN1bo1GKNqWHR1OjHJU4RFm62RXAVr1Ivu15CxObh9q3RBCSCL2ZFEMRKgm9XHTqMNGbcZPv9VQo27Sp45pC2L8MvB9GBtTQbx9TbcEi3go/s1600/god2527s2bmaster2bplan.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you learn to lean in and listen, God does wonderful things!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This morning I forgot to hit one little button which broadcast my voice on the air along with the music. (No not the microphone button...LOL)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A lady called me and said “I listen and haven’t heard your voice all morning, I didn't know if you were sick or what is going on but I’m praying for you” also adding that she normally didn't call the radio station.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You maybe asking yourself “how do you see that as God’s Great Plan”?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what God has put on my heart:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With me not hitting that button this morning, God laid it on this woman’s heart, who doesn't normally call in, to follow that small still voice. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In turn I was able to hit the button and also use it as a testimony then on the air and right now too!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See, we all need to listen to that soft still voice! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because I didn't hit that button, God spoke and this woman listened and I listened too as I was able to not be ashamed of my mistake but to talk about it right then and now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we learn to lean and trust God’s will, he will show us how a stranger can do what is out of the norm for them, which then brought a voice with the music. Letting God’s will again flow through me by sharing this with you!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isn't God so Awesome? (That’s a rhetorical question… LOL) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes! God is Good all the time and all the time God is Good!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you Jesus for another day to praise your name!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember he gave you this day to Live, to Laugh and to Share his love! So get out there and do it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Much Love, Dee</span>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-62479214691690754542014-11-23T11:30:00.000-08:002014-11-23T11:30:02.055-08:00My Season...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJscce9xwQ6sH0oeVIDZnIH2gkPfv7wopR-jL_5BdkfLKtp87Tqlg9FbI-IuwvYwk_TNcOaDu0VOPcBiQHL0OjfbM9VNwTf3OZpzGiDie9YU6XqBpQX3dgYOnqEh-upLyXkZ10CUQp5E/s1600/dee+is+thankful+for+woody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJscce9xwQ6sH0oeVIDZnIH2gkPfv7wopR-jL_5BdkfLKtp87Tqlg9FbI-IuwvYwk_TNcOaDu0VOPcBiQHL0OjfbM9VNwTf3OZpzGiDie9YU6XqBpQX3dgYOnqEh-upLyXkZ10CUQp5E/s1600/dee+is+thankful+for+woody.jpg" height="264" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Today is another day God has blessed me with!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I know we all tend to talk to ourselves and have a big back bone in the tone in our voice with what we'd like to say to people in our lives who seem to always want to complain about life?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If only they knew how much time is wasted complaining about things! Drama is something I've tried to remove from my life! Life is peaceful when there is no drama!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Personally, I'm in a season of learning to let go. Those close to me know I was engaged to be married to a man who I s</span><span style="font-size: large;">till love very much. I'm learning to move me up on the list we all should have... God then ourselves, family... etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">All my life I've put others before myself! Whether it be my kids, my husband, family, strangers and then maybe me - It's always been this way as long as I can remember. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This season has been one of the hardest for me because I feel I'm just not built that way. I know in my heart God is working on this with me and it is one of my lesson for this season. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Knowing is step one of learning to change this about me so I will be prepared for what is next in my life. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">God hold's the biggest part of my heart and then there is my ex fiance'. I'm still mentally married to him! (Which comes to a surprise to some and not so much to others) It's like no matter how many times I've ask God to take the love for him out of my heart, his response has been NO! I don't know why, but I trust his answer to me. I have faith it will be revealed in God's timing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Letting go is a struggle for me. When things happen in my life my first thought is to pick up the phone and share with him. I now have taken those moments of wanting to share verbally to pray. At first I would just pray for him and ask God's will be done. I have now started praying for me. It's very odd because of my past with putting others before myself. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Some who read this will not understand loving others more than yourself. It's a struggle for people like me to "move on" as I've been told. See my faith and season is teaching me a deeper love for others with the lesson of God wanting me to take care of me too!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I am human and change for any of us is hard but we ultimately have to for new growth! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So far during this season I've seen such growth in me:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm able to speak to my ex fiance' and still see that wonderful person I fell in love with but he doesn't see in himself.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I've seen God bless me during the pain in my storm as I praise him in it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Every time I've hit a low and lifted it up, God shows me what I need to know at that moment and blesses me!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My faith is stronger than it ever has been and I am continuing to learn about his timing and how perfect it is!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I prayed about the conversation I was going to have with my ex fiance' and asked for honesty. God gave me this along with learning to continue to listen not only with my ears but with my heart. (Which was the subject of a recent blog)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Learning to let go isn't always a process that takes a few weeks, months or years! My advise is: Each of our lessons are individual, just like our relationship with God. Some may fight God all the way and some may lean back and let him take control, which is always what he wants to begin with. Subtle nudges come from the Father letting us know he is there to take it from us - we just have to ask him!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Remember there is something behind every smile you see, laughter through the pain and love beyond our own understanding!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Be Blessed,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Dee</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-57384591284015768032014-11-20T19:52:00.000-08:002014-11-20T19:52:47.670-08:00Listen with not only your ears but your heart too!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfG_pgHlgviodFPF5Ihmzjqwop5_spGqlHmEVwPuEbuEdzERJW6NP8UMbHWO0IMNpEvTj_Mup20p5q0fNnsbAtupXL9MyJPfSH-sKupOhf5PtOdD6Qa5a19l7rozQNGqKhed7hZD_Knw/s1600/listen+with+you+heart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfG_pgHlgviodFPF5Ihmzjqwop5_spGqlHmEVwPuEbuEdzERJW6NP8UMbHWO0IMNpEvTj_Mup20p5q0fNnsbAtupXL9MyJPfSH-sKupOhf5PtOdD6Qa5a19l7rozQNGqKhed7hZD_Knw/s1600/listen+with+you+heart.png" height="209" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Do you find yourself so caught up in this fast paced world, when you don't get the answer quick enough you stop listening because you are already seeking the next question?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">After much prayer about a personal matter, I prayed for honesty, along with courage and the words to say. Today I sat down and had a heart to heart with this person who has been very close to me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">During our conversation I experienced a deeper form of listening. I shut up after I asked the question and just listened. Not only with my ears but with my heart. I was living in the moment and what I experienced was simply amazing! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We all know that men and women think so differently! If we took more time learning to lean on God and taking our issues to him in prayer first our world would be so much different!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<h1 class="passage-display" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">
<i><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 21.6px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Philippians 4:7</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 16.8px;"> (NIV)</span></i></h1>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NIV-29450" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><i>And the peace of God,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29450A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29450A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> which transcends all understanding,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29450B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29450B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</i></span></div>
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To live this kind of peace beyond our own understanding is the most wonderful feeling in the world. If we live of or for the world there is turmoil, which the enemy delights in using part truths to spread his lies. Getting inside your head with doubts and fears.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;">When you allow this to happen you have no peace.</span></div>
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<i style="font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 1.1;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 21.6px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Job 3:26</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 16.8px;"> (NIV)</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.4px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;"> </span></i></h1>
<h1 class="passage-display" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">
<i><span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;">I have no peace,</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-12931A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-12931A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;"> no quietness; </span><span class="text Job-3-26" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px; position: relative;">I have no rest,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-12931B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-12931B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> but only turmoil.</span></i></h1>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">God's timing is not always our timing, nor do we get many season with people we love. I have had to lean, let go and let God handle it.</span></div>
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<i><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 21.6px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Daniel 2:21</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 16.8px;"> (NIV)</span></i></h1>
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<i><span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;">He changes times and seasons; </span><span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;">he deposes</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-21780B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-21780B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;"> kings and raises up others.</span><span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;">He gives wisdom</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-21780D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-21780D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;"> to the wise </span><span style="font-size: 19.2px; line-height: 28.8px;">and knowledge to the discerning.</span></i></h1>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Not only did I listen with my ears I also used my heart, and in the process I have learned - I can live in a moment, laugh through the tears all while sharing God's love Always!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have a Bless Day,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dee</span></div>
Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-55896875035315264922014-11-16T17:08:00.000-08:002014-11-16T17:08:29.693-08:00Speak Life!<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After our service today I found even a deeper meaning to the song and the video. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How many times do you speak negative things in your own life? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s easy to not speak life in a simple question like; “How are you doing?” How many times do you tend to answer with something along the lines of “Oh it’s been rough…” then start naming off all the bad things that have been going on in your life?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We need to really think before we start to answer, sure things might not be the best as to what we would like in the worldly way but answering in a Godly way! “I’m blessed!” Because honestly we are if God has given us another day we are blessed aren’t we?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What we say does play a big role in how we see ourselves. Did you realize that the more negative things you say to yourself or others the more self doubt and disappointment in yourself we let into our minds. And as you know the enemy just loves to attack our minds and the way we think. If he can get a stronghold there he can have us spiraling out of our walk with God!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once doubt starts to take over we tend to lose faith in all that we have been praying for, which has our walk beginning down the wide worldly path instead of the narrow one!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.542857142857143; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learning to Speak Life, in you life is like anything else new in your life. It like changing a bad habit into a good habit. You have to set out to do it and repeat it over and over again until you have mastered it. Sort of like when we were babies learning to walk. We had to try over and over again and there were many times we stumbled and fell down before we mastered it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are all God’s children and often times like a I child we have to learn as we go to get to where we are going. Ultimately our final destination is our heavenly home!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.542857142857143; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having a relationship with God will come with much ridicule at times. We can’t give up over a few folks who don’t understand our walk, our choices in life or how we let the Holy Spirit shine through us. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s up to us to open our eyes and allow God to guide us along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 1</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NIV&search=Psalm%20119:18" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">19:18</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NIV)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My prayer is for more of us to Speak Life into each others lives lifting each other up instead of swimming in a pool of pity, doom and gloom.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take a moment to know how blessed you really are and spread laughter as you live and always share God’s love!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a Blessed Day,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dee</span></div>
<br />Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0North Carolina, USA35.7595731 -79.01929969999997629.124975099999997 -89.346448199999969 42.394171099999994 -68.692151199999984tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-49388896841958077672014-11-14T19:26:00.001-08:002014-11-14T19:28:00.939-08:00Are you just the News Feed of the moment?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwOKenm1uXzTxVNnYFH1kWGj6uBdcUc3BD54osK8LER8O8pqK-vMexUt8JWzbhzAbVt0FKTuYWw7ZRvuqpFfzpC9Bxx8XCp2F2vHeTcPrK7rtili3_4Qm_lGnKfjI482LRaUaMkG1j00/s1600/facebook-news-feed-icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwOKenm1uXzTxVNnYFH1kWGj6uBdcUc3BD54osK8LER8O8pqK-vMexUt8JWzbhzAbVt0FKTuYWw7ZRvuqpFfzpC9Bxx8XCp2F2vHeTcPrK7rtili3_4Qm_lGnKfjI482LRaUaMkG1j00/s1600/facebook-news-feed-icon.png" /></a></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-d7d6368c-b176-aa55-c5df-eba4d5fc4f3f"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recently, I made comment to a picture on Facebook. I purposely left it open ended. It could have been taken in a negative way, if someone tends to lean that way. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was told my comment was meant to embarrassed this person. Which was the furthest from the truth. No matter what I said this person was convinced I was trying to make them look bad. I ended up editing my comment and added a public apology stating if anyone wanted to know why I posted what I did to send me a message.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Later that night I sent an email to this person letting them again I would never try to hurt them especially on Facebook, which was also in my edit to my comment on Facebook. Also added their life would be less stressful and happier if they wouldn’t worry about what other people think so much. There is only one person who’s thought really matters and that’s God!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I described the whole thing in a nutshell: “you’re just a moment of the Facebook newsfeed…” People don’t care about what was said, they’re more concerned about what’s important like family, friends and loved ones. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpNZULVid4H8Lg3x77O-kZ04JgZYCRgzZZNKgylhT1RAG20pPN4C0Xdd4SfdAyax3tf9dSN8lj3NS8163-5OuvBJj4kbmoVKfhH57Rx2z_pVtjCCidj033AkMJfBlC9P6y-4YA9CiF1o/s1600/scales+of+would-be+justice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpNZULVid4H8Lg3x77O-kZ04JgZYCRgzZZNKgylhT1RAG20pPN4C0Xdd4SfdAyax3tf9dSN8lj3NS8163-5OuvBJj4kbmoVKfhH57Rx2z_pVtjCCidj033AkMJfBlC9P6y-4YA9CiF1o/s1600/scales+of+would-be+justice.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God’s word talks about Judging Others:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Often I see people judging others while not even seeing what they are doing as judging. A person who judges says something along the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That person is sinning / not sinning</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Or more descriptively)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That person is acting / not acting according to God’s will</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Or more secularly)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That person is acting in a harmful / non harmful manner</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Or more comparatively)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am acting in a better / worse manner than that person</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So often, when focusing on the world we don’t even notice when we are judging a book by it’s cover! We are human and it’s going to happen but it’s up to us to ask forgiveness, and to look in our own mirror.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What amazes me is how many people with really low self esteem are more concerned about what others think than what God thinks. Yes, we are human and tend to lean more on what the world thinks and the people in it.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We need to really dive into God’s word and pay attention to the people that are brought into our lives for a reason. God speaks to us in many ways it’s up to us to pay attention!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It could be a posting on Facebook, or in a conversation with someone close to you and even straight from God’s word!</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have you ever been offended by someone blocking you on Facebook? If we are honest with ourselves at first we are! As we start to question what could we have done to have this happen. Think about it this way, it’s their choice to do this and it could have nothing at all to do with you! As I’ve said before we tend to lean more toward our worldly rejection reaction then to step back and look at it as a blessing. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We all have choices in life and just because it’s not what we would do doesn’t mean we have to react in blaming yourself or something you could have done that caused it. People are brought into our lives for seasons sometimes.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m reminded of the passage:</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daniel 2:21</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes we need to look before and after the scripture which comes to mind:</span></div>
<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daniel 2:19-23(NIV)</span></h1>
<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. The Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20 and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: you have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”</span></h1>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How often do we not look at the bigger picture, the cause and effect, the meat of the meaning or in this case more of the before and after of the scripture that comes to mind as we learn even more as we try to grow closer and lean on our heavenly father!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just sharing some love as I live another day and remember there is always a way to laugh. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s try harder not to judge others and remember when the season is ending as the next one is beginning!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a Blessed Day!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dee</span>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-17174365171186924502014-11-07T15:23:00.002-08:002014-11-07T15:23:38.644-08:00Forgiveness…<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Have you been told the truth about forgiving is it helps you more than the person who needs the forgiveness?</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Finding it in your heart to forgive is often hard to do. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">God didn't promise us everything would be easy being a Christian, but he did say he would be with us always!</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Psalm 73:23 (NIV) </span></span></h1>
<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.</span></span></h1>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">And if we are wronged there are scriptures on that too:</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Matthew 5:38-40 (NIV)</span></span></h1>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">And one of my favorite’s on Love:</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Corinthians 13:4-7</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.1; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>(NIV)</b></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.…</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Truth, there’s that word again! Can you handle the truth Biblically?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">We live in the world but are meant to not be of the world. We are to love one another! Just as it is written in his word.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Often when we have someone close to us, who we know are doing others wrong, when we speak the truth to them they don’t want to hear it. As a matter of fact, one of the first things they do is get a “how dare you” attitude! We are to sharpen each other.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">That’s in God’s word too:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)</span></span></h1>
<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.</span></span></h1>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">I started this out about forgiveness, and ended in Truth. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">See Truth is until we forgive ourselves and let go of the past sins, God has already forgiven us for, we can’t reach out for what he has in store for us! Having our arms full of the pain, guilt or even regret’s in our past keeps our hands and arms so full how can we possibly reach out for one more thing!</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">We have to learn to give it to God and let go of it! We can’t keep reaching out and taking it back, really? God doesn't need our help with something we already gave to him to take care of. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">God is a great big wonderful God and he has the answers for us all we have to do is ask!</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Forgive yourself of that one thing, or more, that is holding you back from moving forward, drop the junk you're carrying around with you and lift your arms toward heaven and say thank you God for Everything!</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Just sharing some love as I live another day and remember there is always a way to laugh where it may seem only tears flood your emotions. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, it will pass and you'll be better on the other side!</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Have a Blessed Day!</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Dee</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"><br /></span>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-61319711527155913622014-11-05T06:10:00.001-08:002014-11-05T06:12:31.832-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxx7lftHY_bZkWDviVe0XzYNuI1rXo1bgLbS1xQM6yUG53ozUjl_8Srpx0upYOrlnsx7iEo1TXGl7SFZ8WdNwuZ0fiKpNmx1z3_QSB13AqYy0ZAk6IQqIHbAEYuvEkzPC2sqWRXS4oSCA/s1600/faith+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxx7lftHY_bZkWDviVe0XzYNuI1rXo1bgLbS1xQM6yUG53ozUjl_8Srpx0upYOrlnsx7iEo1TXGl7SFZ8WdNwuZ0fiKpNmx1z3_QSB13AqYy0ZAk6IQqIHbAEYuvEkzPC2sqWRXS4oSCA/s1600/faith+sign.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">How many times have you said to someone going through something they <u>think</u> is so horrible; "you just have to have Faith you'll make it through it"! Sometimes they just give you that look "you have no idea where I am and how alone I feel"! You know that same look you gave someone at your life crisis of the moment. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, we all will go through some sort of 'Life Crisis Moment'! but it's just a moment in time, this too will pass. We just have to keep our faith strong.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Faith, a word that means so much! It's the foundation on our belief that 'God's Got This'!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I wasn't always strong in my faith, it took years for me to realize God is in control of it all! From the times I didn't have have a job or enough money for food, the rent or bills. Or even when I found out my husband wasn't faithful with questions of how can I raise my children alone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I look back now I see God always made sure I had a roof over my head, food in the bellies of my kids and all the bills where paid!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">You maybe going through a season in your life right now and you're asking "How in the world am I going to make it through"? One day you will reflect back on this moment and see how you made it through when you saw no way - God made a way!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today instead of having a pity party for yourself and letting the enemy attack your thoughts, lean on Jesus! Ask him for guidance and then most important listen to what he has to say!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If I've learned one thing about faith it's no matter how alone you may feel in a 'Life Crisis Moment' you are never alone! God is with you always! Just keep your Faith!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just sharing some love as I live another day and remember there is always a way to laugh where it may seem only tears flood your emotions. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, it will pass and you'll be better on the other side!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Have a Blessed Day!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Dee</span><br />
<br />Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-55982568216582721732014-11-04T06:08:00.001-08:002014-11-04T06:09:23.894-08:00Seeking God...<p dir="ltr">I hope you're having a Blessed and wonderful day! </p>
<p dir="ltr">So often we expect so much to just come to you when it come to God's Blessings. Let me ask you a question what have you put into the process besides prayer?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Like any relationship you invest time in it to grow right?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ask yourself this, what time have I invested in my relationship with God today?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Something to think about when you make time for that favorite TV show... will it give you anything in return? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Just sharing God's love with you today!<br>
Remember to live to laugh and to share God's love with someone today!<br>
Have a blessed day! <br>
Dee</p>
Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-21622515164252607042014-11-03T10:18:00.000-08:002014-11-03T19:58:50.721-08:00Let's get caught up again<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So it’s been quite sometime since I’ve updated my blog. “Life happens” as they say.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There have been rough seasons and now a season of learning to listen to the small still voice and following through in Faith!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will attempt to update at least once a week from this point forward.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-d63e6a13-76dc-41e7-eee0-6488871222dd" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Time to play catch up now…</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am the Morning Show Host of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Live-Laugh-And-Sharing-Gods-Love-In-The-Morning-With-Dee-Stevens/1525736530999680?ref=hl" target="_blank">Live, Laugh and Share God’s Love in the Morning on Christian 107.3</a> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lloyd-and-Dee-in-the-Morning/151625521714211?ref=hl" target="_blank">Formally Lloyd and Dee in the Morning</a>) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">along with </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deelightfulmiddayswithdeestevens?ref=hl" target="_blank">The Deelightful Midday Show on Christian 105.7</a> (Beginning Nov. 10th)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">So many times we let time slip through our hands only existing and not living!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone close to me is doing just this. Instead of looking at all the blessing they have their hung up on all the ‘junk’ of the past. I love the person very much, and it’s hard to bring them up when they are compelled to dig their hole even deeper.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've continued to pray for them and be there for them but recently I found myself sounding like a broken record of ‘glass half full’ even though it appeared to be going on deaf ears. I had to remind myself at that moment “God’s Got This”!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Often times we think we can help people without it affecting our own walk. It’s at those ‘light bulb moments’ we find as the human side of us wants to just give up and reject them - God has other plans and a lesson to be learned from it!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t give up on those ‘bitter people’ in your life! Continue to pray for them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Believe it or not I was once a ‘bitter person’ too!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God has taught me so much in my years here on this earth!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each lesson has taught me it is our choice to be ‘better’ instead of ‘bitter’. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So the next time you see that person who seems to suck the life right out of you when they are around, pray God gives you the words to say or how long to listen before saying a word.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are all supposed to love one another and how can we do that with rejection toward what God has placed in your life as a lesson!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just speaking from the heart and sharing a little more “Sharing the Love of God” with you!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a Blessed Day and remember to Live, Laugh and Share God’s Love with someone today!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dee</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11/3/2014</span></div>
<br />deestevensvoice4youhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11036545422013672895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-43806789359954522362012-01-28T10:02:00.000-08:002012-01-28T10:09:46.740-08:00Learning from our past…<div class="MsoNormal"><b>If I have learned one thing recently, it’s that sometimes to have true freedom you have to let go of everything that felt was right to move forward to explore what God’s bigger plan is for you.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>An example: When my children were little I would always tell them not to touch the stove because it was hot and they would get burned. It wasn’t until they touched the stove did they learn from it.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Life is like a stove and sometimes the people we choose or feel are the one that was meant for us is not really the ‘hot’ we need in our life. They burn us. It’s up to us as children of God to see what he is trying to teach us.</b><b>Sometimes it takes us longer to learn the lesson and we get burned on the stove a few times.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I have always told my closest friends, you don’t need a man in your life to be complete. There is a difference between Needs and Wants. You need shelter, food and water you only want a man.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>We are human and sometimes we feel that is what we need to be complete in life, but it’s much deeper than that. We have to learn to love ourselves before we can love anyone else! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>If you believe in God you know you are never alone because he is with you and never leaves you! We may not feel him around us all the time but all we have to do is be still and listen.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>My life may not be what I want it to be at all times but it is how God has planned it and in his plan everything is as it should be. Until we are ready to let our lives be his we will continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over again until we learn from them.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Unfortunately there are some who will never learn this lesson because they would rather believe what they think their heart is telling them. But if they put it in God’s hands and ask him to open their eyes they won’t see which path they need to be traveling on.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Thank you so much for letting me share with you. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Have a Blessed Day</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Dee Stevens</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>1/28/2012</b></div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-80996904988945382082012-01-07T11:55:00.000-08:002012-01-07T11:55:05.674-08:00Some days are better than others...Being strong.Today has been one of those days which has been harder than others for me.<br />
I can't begin to explain the feelings of being alone have been more than I can bare today... Or at least I thought so until I reached out to a few friends.<br />
I thank God for putting people in my life who don't judge me and have blessed me with a peace around my heart. I'm still taking it moment by moment right now.<br />
I gave my heart to another who spoke of the future and what we where going to as we grow old together. Instead I learned it was all a lie and now I find myself trying to focus on me.<br />
I've lived my whole life putting others first.. My kids, my husbands (Yes I had two) friends and even strangers!<br />
I know God has a lesson in all of this and I'm trying to keep my eyes open to what he has in store for me. I do believe he won't give me more than I can handle. My faith thru this all has not wavered... I am human and the pain seems to be overwhelming at times.<br />
I met one of the women who had been hurt and lied to also. She made me make her a promise to not stab her in the back and to be there for her. I have reached out to her but with no response in return. I will keep my promise to her and I know she will be reading this post. My prayer for you is the same for myself... That God put a good Christian man in my life to spend the rest of my life with. One who isn't selfish, one who is honest thru and thru, one he has chosen just for me!<br />
Over the years when I have had low points I find writing is the best therapy there is for me. I'm able to get it out of my mind and on paper or in this case on a blog to share with others. I pray my words can help at least one person know they are not alone. I'm not alone! God is with us all the time! Just like the poem "Foot Prints In The Sand"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgof98w4qUsSm_OIkm_NWH_GOHKQN6Ey1-8uNsdJSQgU9tsrNJrwMWbXBjcCnA2fFGdkhyphenhyphenLFBcqZ8vgtrUH9EPjqnpmLGj5MiBAltJd0WVzFccXs9ez9MKtSFXjnKInYOnRNTQBZeA5jcM/s1600/footprints.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgof98w4qUsSm_OIkm_NWH_GOHKQN6Ey1-8uNsdJSQgU9tsrNJrwMWbXBjcCnA2fFGdkhyphenhyphenLFBcqZ8vgtrUH9EPjqnpmLGj5MiBAltJd0WVzFccXs9ez9MKtSFXjnKInYOnRNTQBZeA5jcM/s400/footprints.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Below are different versions of the poem I'd like to share with you:<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">From Mary Stevenson, 1936:</div><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px; quotes: ''; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"You promised me Lord,<br />
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?"</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lord replied, "The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you."</div></blockquote><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">From Carolyn Carty, 1963:</div><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px; quotes: ''; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.</div></blockquote><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">From Margaret Fishback Powers, 1964:</div><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px; quotes: ''; vertical-align: baseline;">One night I dreamed a dream. I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I need You most, You leave me."</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."</div></blockquote>As you can see this poem has been around for a very long time and it was even made into a song too!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/APKF04TGm_U/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/APKF04TGm_U&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/APKF04TGm_U&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>The wonderful thing I have found while writing this - My spirits have been lifted! I know it's thru prayer... God is carrying me right now! Will you let him carry you and lay it at his feet too?<br />
Please continue to pray for me as I give it to God and let him lead me in this journey I'm on right now.<br />
<br />
I hope my words have touched your heart in someway today and continue to pray for all affected by this situation.<br />
<br />
Have a Blessed Day!<br />
Dee StevensDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-16514596538374988732012-01-05T04:44:00.000-08:002012-01-05T04:44:56.510-08:00New Year... Forgiveness!<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">Thank you so much for visiting my blog and I hope the words you read will help you in someway today.</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">We are now 5 days into the New Year and I wish you and yours a very blessed year.</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">I have learned so much in the past week to not share with you how God has worked in my life.</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">The man I loved with all my heart hurt me deeply with lies. Through it all I got a chance to meet the other women he had been lied to and have seen the pattern and pain.</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">I won't lie my first thoughts were to hurt him as much as he had hurt me, I'm only human. During it all I've cried right along with one of them who told me "I don't need you today, I might not need you tomorrow but 6 months down the road I need to know you will be there for me".</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">At first I didn't understand what she said but I do now.</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">We sat together and prayed. I forgave this man for what he had done. </span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">Forgiveness is not as hard as people think it is! Forgetting about it and letting go of the pain takes a little more time.</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="heading passage-class-0" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 10px;"><h3 style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">2 Corinthians 2:5</span></span></h3><div class="txt-sm" style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">New International Version (NIV)</span></span></div><div class="txt-sm" style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: purple; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Forgiveness for the Offender</span></div></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"> <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28830" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;">5</sup> If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely.</span></span></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: purple;">This man has blamed me for it all. I think he truly believes the lies he as said out loud. I know the truth. This was not a plan to hurt him... I didn't go into his phone and steal the numbers of the other women. Really? I asked myself over and over again, can he not see what he did was wrong? I've been able to step back and look at the situation and see it for what it is and that is he wronged not only me but lied to these other women and as long as he continues to spread these lies he will never see what he has done is wrong and can never truly live with the peace God has placed in my heart.</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: purple;">I have been told by my friends "I hope you're not going to continue to see him" or "your not going to let him sweet talk you into being with him again". The answer remains the same "NO".</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">In my life I have forgiven those who have hurt me and only wished them well.</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"> </span></b><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">I'm not going to say it doesn't hurt but with God's love and peace he has placed on my heart I am able to take each day one moment at a time. Later it will be one day at a time.</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">There is much more evil in the world and people who have been hurt more than I have!</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">Today I ask for your prayers not only for myself and the other women, I ask you put peace in this man's heart. I pray God use what has happen to us to teach us all our own lessons we are to learn. </span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">I've always been a person who believes God works through all of us to show us and guide us on the paths we need to be on.</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">I truly believe he opened our eyes and brought us into each others lives for a reason. It's up to us to figure out what those reasons are.</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">As I said I forgave this man for his lies and only pray one day he learn from his mistakes.</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">This is my prayer!</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="result-text-style-normal " style="font-size: 16px;"><div class="heading passage-class-0" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 10px;"><h3 style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">Proverbs 12:18</span></span></h3><div class="txt-sm" style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;">New International Version (NIV)</span></span></div></div><div class="result-text-style-normal "><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"> <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-16738" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;">18</sup> The words of the reckless pierce like swords,<br />
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></span></div><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">I hope my words have helped someone begin to heal.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Have a Blessed Day!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Live, Laugh and Love,</b></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Dee Stevens</b></span></div></div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-81243982659592349552011-05-01T08:25:00.000-07:002011-05-01T08:25:21.161-07:00Jesus My Best Friend...<div class="MsoNormal">Hello again!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I wanted to say thank you for all your recent prayers and add keep them coming! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As my Pastor Jeff says “God is good all the time”!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last week he started his series on My Best Friend and it was great! He continues this week with more eye opening reason to let Jesus be your best friend!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many people only look at the fact God sent his son Jesus to earth to die for our sins and never think about how he was on the earth for 33 years before dying on the cross.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Do you know what Jesus’ occupation was? Many already know the answer, he was a carpenter. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There is no way to smoothly transition to this next train of thought but...</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Have you ever notice how politicians are like chameleons? Let me explain, when someone is running for office they will always appear to know peoples pain. Say a politician goes to a big benefit for bankers, he will always have a way to connect or tie himself in to ‘understanding the problems’ of those there by referring to being related to someone in his immediate circle who was or is a banker? Then his next stop might be a constructing site, he will change his appearance dawn a hard hat and still share a story which relates to the workers and follows it up with “I know your pain” or “understand how you feel”.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So when you think about it, Jesus being a carpenter really showed us how he dwelled among us a hard worker way before he preformed miracles.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus came as a man to teach us through example in his life before teaching us through his word.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is written: God is a God of mercy and he is a God of wrath too! Jesus, on our behalf, took our sins to save our souls.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Bible goes to Great lengths to show us Jesus was just like you and me. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We are all tempted in life, but being tempted is not a sin. It’s what we do after being tempted which is determined through our actions. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the Bible it teaches us that Jesus was a great man. But before he died on the cross he lived a life like you and I. He was a child that played, went to school, had half brothers and sisters, worked, lived and died. As a man, he went through many things we go through! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What do you think of when you think of the Thrown of God? Many think of Judgment and Fear.</div><div class="MsoNormal">There are 3 things Pastor Jeff pointed out about the Thrown of God today:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 It is a Thrown of Grace</div><div class="MsoNormal">2 It is a Thrown of Sympathy</div><div class="MsoNormal">3 It is a Thrown of Help!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the Bible, Jesus never tells us to fear the Thrown of God but he always says come to the Thrown of God. He says to come to the Thrown boldly! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus is not only concerned with the religious part of our lives but for ALL of it! That means not just on Sunday’s! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Every hour of every day of every month of every year… He is concerned about us all the time! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Are you a Sunday Friend of Jesus? Are you living every other day of the week without talking to Jesus about your problems you have?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus knows what we go through because he went through it too!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus understands Relationships:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He knows what it’s like to be single, in a married person’s world!</div><div class="MsoNormal">He knows what it’s like to be married because we are his bride. </div><div class="MsoNormal">He knows what it’s like to have an unfaithful bride.</div><div class="MsoNormal">He knows what it’s like to have family who doesn’t understand where you’re coming from.</div><div class="MsoNormal">He knows what it’s like to have close friends; to be loved and betrayed by them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus understands work:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus was in the market place way before he was in the ministry.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Remember he was 33 years old before he died on the cross.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus understands pain:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Not only did he endure physical pain he knew what it was like to feel emotional pain too.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Can you imagine the ridicule he went through when his peers heard of his virgin birth?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He knows what it is like to lose a love one in death. His earthly father Joseph died when Jesus was 13 or 14 years old. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The facts are Jesus has gone through everything we have gone through and more! He worked endured pain and love in his relationships with friends and family.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He is our Savior but he should be our Best Friend to share our everyday lives with. He is the answer to any problem big or small we feel we are having. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Are you having trouble in your relationship? Tell him about it! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Are you depressed and feel all alone? Tell him about it! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Are you having problems at work? Tell your best friend Jesus!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We all need to stop keeping Jesus at arm’s length and have a closer walk with him and it will change your life!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If, in this high tech world, you feel you don’t have time to sit down and read your bible, think again!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There is an App for that! I have several Apps on my phone which send me a daily notification of scripture. I have another one which has audio to hear scriptures while I’m driving! (<a href="https://market.android.com/search?q=bible&so=1&c=apps">Link to apps</a>)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So when you think you don’t have time… think again! You have time for Facebook, Myspace and games on your phone you have time to get closer to Jesus, who really should be your best friend!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Again thanks to Pastor Jeff for a great sermon today!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Check out his service online sometime at <a href="http://www.arranlakebaptistchurch.org/">http://www.arranlakebaptistchurch.org/</a> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Thanks for letting me Share the Love of God with you today.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Have a Blessed Week!</div><div class="MsoNormal">Dee Stevens</div><div class="MsoNormal">5/01/2011</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Enjoy this video:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pLLMzr3PFgk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal">The above video is property of CBS, it is only borrowed to share on this blog. </div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-5271444956173127452011-04-20T18:46:00.000-07:002011-04-20T18:46:32.346-07:00When the going gets tough…<div class="MsoNormal">So when the going gets tough do you get going or stand your ground?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have found in life there are those who run when the going gets tough and a few who face challenges head on. Through the years I have found it’s better to face thing head on and move on learning as I go.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Have you ever thought about how many challenges Jesus faced? He didn’t have the internet, or telephones, radio or TV to get his word out. Travel wasn’t in a car, train or plane, it was on foot most of the time along with camel, ass, ox or horse.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Can you imagine being told to go spread the word of God knowing after your journey you were going to die to save the souls of sinners?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When the going got tough for Jesus he didn’t run he stood his ground, faced his challenges head on and teaching, by example as he kept going down his chosen path by his father.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today too many couples give up on their marriage or relationships because they are not strong enough to get past their problems and work things out. This happens more times than it really should in the world today. Weak people can’t get past the “they’ve done me wrong” personal feelings. The stronger ones will really look at who, what, when and why it’s happening; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>take themselves out of the situation mentally, looking at it from a distance before making a major decision without talking.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Some can’t work through it, based on how weak or strong the couple is or the situation. But the ones who do find their lives are blessed for it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Take time to read your Bible every day.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">““Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, 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.” -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NIV&search=1%20Corinthians%2015:55-57" title="1 Corinthians 15:55-57">1 Corinthians 15:55-57</a></span></div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-63115546321713102372011-04-10T09:44:00.000-07:002011-04-10T10:00:20.455-07:00Life Happens!<div class="MsoNormal"><b>As I am traveling in my Career Journey, my Personal Journey is struggling. The one thing, which is solid, is My Spiritual Journey continues to be strong!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>During this week it has been a struggle for ‘Time’, as it has slipped through my fingers when it comes to work. Feelings of it standing still are in my relationship; I battled the human side of me to get upset and take a broken promise personally.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I know life happens! It is in my spiritual foundation I’ve managed to keep it all together.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Life is full of things which just happen and here are a few in my journeys…</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Career:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Its happening as I am learning a new staff, paperwork and responsibilities.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Personal:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>As I want our communication to grow together it just seems like the harder I try the more it feel less important. Don’t get me wrong I’m still very much in love. It just appears I’m not as important in his life as he is in mine. I’ve prayed about it and continue to do so but if I can use his own words “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink”. I don’t want to force him to communicate with me, it has to come from his heart and not my mouth to his ears and then out of his mouth. (LOL) </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>As we know men and women are just so different in so many ways. Little things do mean so much when it comes to respecting and loving another person, but I’ll save deeper thoughts on that journey for another day. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Spiritually:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God has put me here for his reasons and it’s in his plan I will continue to grow and know I will be blessed by it all. It is on the solid rock I stand in my life and its Journeys. Remembering Life Happens and with it come changes, challenges, growth, great rewards and sometimes failures too!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>As I share with you today, I know when Life Happens it is up to us to keep our Spiritually Journey strong to help us travel in our Career and Personal Journeys.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>With everything going on in our own life’s we sometimes forget to just breathe and take in God’s beauty. We put blinders on to why we are here in the first place. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Sometimes we hold things in so we don’t hurt others feelings. Other times we just say nothing and make assumptions the other person knows what’s going on. This has happen to me this week in both my Career and Personal Journeys. But it is in my Spiritual Journey I’ve shared it all with God! He is the one who can help you keep your focus on what is his ultimate plan for us all!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>So when you feel your failing to hit your marks on the paths within your journeys, remember, God has his GPS always available to you! Read your Bible, his mapped out plan and it will get you back on the highway to your next destination!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Thanks for letting me share with you again and have a blessed week!</b></div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-60895376297100801872011-04-03T11:32:00.000-07:002011-04-03T11:32:50.486-07:00Secure But Yet Unsure...<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Where do you stand in your thoughts about life after death?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Atheists believe there is no God…</div><div class="MsoNormal">Some say “I don’t believe in God and I hate him”. Now think about this for a moment. How can you hate something you don’t believe in? So really they do believe there is a God or they couldn’t make the statement. I’m sure thoughts of God run through their heads from time to time to come to some sort of conclusion of what is now their believe system.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Others are sure but insecure </div><div class="MsoNormal">Sometimes they feel saved but they aren’t sure if they are going to Heaven.</div><div class="MsoNormal">No one is perfect and we don’t live in a perfect world either. The world is full of people who will lead you in the wrong directions and have you doubt your faith. It’s up to you to stand strong in your belief and not waver from them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sure and Secure!</div><div class="MsoNormal">When you have come to this point in your faith you know it’s not about you! It’s all about God and his love to send his only son to save our souls. It’s about not just sitting in a pew and letting the preacher do all the work of saving souls! You know you have to get out there and show others with how you live and share the word of God.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Luke 23: 26-43</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Crucifixion of Jesus<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ 31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” 32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[c] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Have you come to grips who Jesus is? Who is he to you? Do you put God first in your life? Do you see your needs?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Examples: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">How many have ever told a lie? It makes you a liar. There are no degrees of liars. A tiny lie to not hurt someone’s feelings is still just that a lie! You have to be honest with yourself! Telling yourself you can’t do something when you know you can is only lying to yourself first and then you know after one lie you’ll follow it up with another, then another until you are so consumed by lies you either start to believe them or you forget one and get caught in the middle of a drama filled life you feel you can’t get out of. Many will just push people out of their lives or some may run away and try and start all over again. But until you realize what you’re doing it will happen all over again. There is another way out and that is to confess it and let God sort it out.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">How many have stolen something? It doesn’t matter how small or large it was it still makes you a thief. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Has there ever been a time you put something before God? You are committing Idolatry! It clearly states not to put anything before him. I will be the first to admit I’ve done it before. We are creatures of habit and to change a bad habit we have to really work hard at it. We have to want it! It’s like learning to walk as a child. We fall down so many times before we learn to walk without falling. Same goes for putting God first in your life in everything you do. It takes time to retrain your brain but once you start doing it you will see your life change for the better!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We are all sinners and we have to own up to what we have done and not blame others or think you are better than anyone because your sins are less than others. Don’t be a blamer toward your fellow Christians!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the scripture ‘Jesus, Remember me when you come in your kingdom’! And with his reply when he spoke the words “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”; it was to grab attention!</div><div class="MsoNormal">Truly, means you aren’t going to believe this back in Jesus’ time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Don’t allow the world to bring you down and doubt what you believe! Our faith, Our Jesus guarantees everlasting life! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Pastor Jeff gave examples of different religions and their belief systems have no guarantees and or relationships with what they believe in; no assurance in them except our son of God, Jesus who died on the cross to save our souls from sin and hell but so we could have everlasting life in heaven!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Don’t take life for granted! </div><div class="MsoNormal">Don’t take your God for granted!</div><div class="MsoNormal">Take time each day and put God first in your life! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Serving Jesus and get your mind off yourself and start thinking about others and not just focusing on the ‘me me me’ life which surrounds us all!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Did you know: If a child doesn’t get saved by the time they are in the 5<sup>th</sup> grade statically speaking they will never get saved.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Get off your pews and get out for Christ!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The preacher can only do so much but when are you going to get out there and do what God wants you to do!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Stepping up to the plate and hit one for God! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">How much does it take someone to invest in God and in your church? Are you watching the plate being passed and not giving when he is blessing your life?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus is the answer to all the world’s problems! Relationships, Marriage, Wars, Our Country’s Leadership, Porn addictions or addictions of any kind!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">OWN UP TO YOUR SINS! Ask God for forgiveness of those sins…and leave them with Jesus. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I often say “Let God and Let Go”!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">He teaches us through his word to give it to him! God doesn’t want us to stress and worry he wants us </div><div class="MsoNormal">Spread his word… He wants us to have a smile on our face as we spread his word. When we come to let God in our hearts it first started with a smile which lead to a tear and an over whelming feeling of being complete right? At least it was this way for me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Not every day is going to be a perfect day. There will be ones which don’t feel like you can take another step because you only see what you want to see. Sometimes you have to look beyond the moment in time you are in and see the bigger picture! There are people who won’t ever get past their past or find true happiness in their life because it is much easier to blame others for how they feel their lives are now. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you could look more at what you do have and less at what you don’t have you will find things will start to change. We’ve heard ‘taking it one day at a time’; sometimes you have to take a minute at a time to get you going. One breathe a time is a good way to get started.</div><div class="MsoNormal">And remember 90 % of prayers won’t matter 100 years from now… so learn to pray for bigger and better things!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Be Blessed and Bless others!</div><div class="MsoNormal">Dee Stevens</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-65395535028944952132011-03-27T11:38:00.000-07:002011-03-28T13:00:28.041-07:00My Heart and Soul, Forgiving, Loving, and Confessing the Stressing!<div class="MsoNormal"><b>When I love I do it with my whole heart and soul, never thinking of anyone but the person I’m in the relationship with when planning for the future. Yes, I’m a planner.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>There are times when life gives us something we don’t plan and it’s up to us to pick and choose what we do with those plans. Today is one of those days!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I know in my studies in the Bible we don’t know when the end of time will be. Just like we don’t know when we will die.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>When I was younger, in my early 20’s, I would have fears of my husband leaving me to take care of my children along. And I worried about something happening to me with no one to take care of them. For years I did this and the only thing it got me was grief, nightmares and an overall feeling of unhappiness. As the years went by I began to understand more about life and death and the biblical teachings of it. I found peace with what I had learned and eventually I was able to let go of that fear.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Seems I always have a way of picking them as they say. Unlike many people I just can’t fall out of love nor can I just throw away my feeling so easily. What I do know is there are not a lot of people out there like me. I like to say “I’m not stupid I’m in Love”…I see so many give up on love because of seeing signs and then just look for the next one in line. I guess I’m just not built that way mentally.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I just know firsthand when a man starts to drift away… be it his fear of commitment or fear of dying. (There are other things too but let’s just focus on these two for a moment)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>The fear of losing your ‘freedom’ or maybe you think things in your life will change forever. If you think you are the only one who has this fear, you’re wrong because every man and woman has the same fears. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Then there is the fear of dying. “We are born to die” was a quote I read from a man who was over 100 years old. It’s so true and yet from the day we are born those days are counting down as they simultaneously are counting up.</b><b> It’s only at times when life changing events happen do you see how fragile life is and begin to prepare for things or we just shut out everyone and don’t LIVE you just EXIST! Why?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>You can come up with all kinds of excuses, but they are just excuses and the same things will happen over and over in every relationship you ever come into until you realize one day, when the light bulb goes off what you’re doing. Sometimes the moment is too late and the one thing, person or life you wanted just slipped right through your fingertips never to return again.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>A life changing event can also have you rethink a lot of things and your life in general. Remember this doesn’t only change your life it affects those around you too.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I have always been able to go with my gut and I find my heart has been racing from feelings and seeing signs which have been screaming at me for weeks from the man I’m in love with: being preoccupied, being secretive with text and phone calls, less and less time for us to spend together, excuses of being too tired, short tempered, and the lack of communication between us. Pulling away from church and there are others but they are just not important at this time.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Let me continue by saying we’ve both been under extreme stress with news of me taking a job away from the area. It’s not far… but it has changed things. I have felt him push me further away every day. </b></div><b> </b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I’ve tried to talk about it with him and I know he has no doubt in his mind where my heart is…it’s just very hard to see the bigger picture, or some might say the light at the end of the tunnel. Yeah the tunnel it has 2 ends just like a story… so I’m just sharing how I’ve seen things from my end. I’ve explained before he’s a very private guy about his life being shared on the web so I’m sure I’ll hear about it later. (At least I’m keeping his name out…LOL)</b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Some may see this blog as a rant or venting but there’re actually lessons to be shared when it comes to our lives at this moment in time. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God teaches us how to forgive!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Forgiveness is a wonderful thing not only is it part of being a Christian it is a part of healing our hearts to move past the hurt and pain to live another day.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Love!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God is Love and Love is God! Once this fills a person’s heart - the healing starts.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>How the devil works!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Satan focuses his eyes on those who are reborn, the newest Christians who have rededicated their lives. Casting doubts in their minds and believe systems. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>When listening to the pastor today he said it so well about forgiveness… He gave several examples about forgiveness. Jesus has forgiven us from our sins if only we confess them to him. We have to be accountable for what we do. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>For a Christian, no matter what the wrong is, we are to forgive. Pastor Jeff went on to say there are so many people who sit around ticked off because someone has said something about them on FaceBook or in the case of a man or woman saying “but preacher you don’t know how bad my husband did me” or “you don’t know what my wife did to me”. (Yes, we are in the South and I wrote it the way it was said..LOL) </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Below is a breakdown of what he said.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Ways not to confess your sins to God:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Don’t beg for forgiveness</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Don’t bargain with God</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Don’t bribe God</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>How God forgives:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Instantly</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Repeatedly</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Freely</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>When knowing how God forgives us and how to pray we should learn and share what we know! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Many will die with their sins forgiven but will go to hell for not owning those sins through confession of them to God the father in prayer.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>While you have read this blog I hope and pray for forgiveness with my eyes more open as to how I have been praying in the past and knowing how God forgives is a great blessing in life to have!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Some things are simple while others a bit more difficult with twist and turns in them and to us down here on this earth we may see things as we are so wronged and it’s hard to find a place for forgiveness in your life…Just remember God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross to forgive us… Nothing compares to that extreme forgiveness! A love which has lasted all these years!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Find it in your heart to forgive yourself, so you can learn the great gift of forgiveness we have today!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I’ve got the nickname of Dr. Phil from the love of my life - you know the one who I gave my heart and soul to - along with a few others nicknames too. I told him last night I didn’t regret one moment we have spent together. He asked me why I would say such a thing… This is why:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>You helped me…</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>...learn to not short change my talents so much, </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…learn to love and trust again, </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…listen to the birds more, </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…listen to my gut and not sweep it under the rug,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…speak my mind no matter what, even when it’s hard,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…not to sit and wait on life, because it is short and special,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…not everyone is like me,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…living in the past isn’t for me,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…forgiveness is so important,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>…learn I’m never alone because God is with me always,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>And reminded me about leading a horse to water… the words and way you described it will always remain in my memories along with those few times you really let me in. Believe in yourself like I do. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Only God knows what the future holds. No matter what happens; my wish for you is true happiness in life!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Forgiving, Loving, and Confessing the Stressing, Heart and Soul are just a few things I’ve learned in the past few weeks!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Come back over the next few days for more blogs.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Have a blessed day!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Dee Stevens</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>03/27/2011</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-28333981706937931592011-03-14T15:12:00.000-07:002011-03-14T15:12:03.733-07:00Tests, Trust, Tithes, and Love…<div class="MsoNormal"><b>Life is full of happenstances!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Recently I found myself in a discussion on views about having friendships of the opposite sex. During this conversation I mentioned trust for the loved ones involved. Then it just so happens God, in his perfect way, made sure I was in the right place at the right time on Sunday as Pastor Jeff spoke on Tests, Trust along with Tithes. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>As he began to talk he made it clear this was not going to be just a sermon on Tithes but sort of a history lesson of how the 10 percent came to be along with how God Test us in our lives.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I learned many things I already knew but felt the need to share with others.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God does not change! He is perfect and there is no room for improving perfection! Now we, as Christians, can always improve on our lives.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>We should always remember to put God first in our everyday living. God cannot bless second best! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>There may be times when we see our neighbors or friends who have more than we do but do they really? Let me use myself as an example here. I’ve gone through a lot and I’ve had to sell just about everything I own and am starting all over again. But in my eyes I feel very blessed! God is first in my life and he has blessed me with my parents who have been my rock through the low point in my life, my health and a wonderful man who loves me! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Someone who doesn’t believe in God or put him first in their life might see only the fact I’ve lost so much, with having to sell a lot of my personal belongings. Sure I could focus on what has happen to me and be bitter but how does that help me in my life now? Others might say that God cursed me by some of the rough times I’ve had but God does not curse you… you curse yourself when you step out of living your Christian life to be brought closer to him.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God continues to test us in our lives. God is the reason for my Faith, Family, and Finances. How I live my life is to be a reflection of how a Christian should live. It’s how I want to show others about his Love! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Love is God and God is Love this is what love means to me! He has blessed me with so much more than many have and I know he will continue to bless me as long as he allows me to walk on this earth. Trust is knowing God knows where I’m going from here!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I found out the Bible is full of numerology! The number 10 means Testing! Tithing is a test! God is testing us to see if we give back what he supplies us to begin with. If it not for him we would not be where we are right now. And it was no happenstance a tenth of what we get should be given back to the church. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God will test us frequently to make sure we are putting him first! Say you make a little bit more money this month than last… Will you include that amount in your tithing or make an excuse to spend it on something else. Take for instance gas prices are so high right now that you don’t think you should spare the money. This money you received as a gift from God and should be included right? Even if it is just one dollar- a penny should go in your tithing. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>(The following is from Malachi 3 NIV)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 5;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. </span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “In tithes and offerings. </span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. </span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. </span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">11</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty. </span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">12</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>The above scripture was part of Pastor Jeff’s Sunday service. God Test us to put him first in our lives.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Although there may be times when you are struggling to give your tenth to the Church you will be blessed and not cursed. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Remember to always put God first in your life, not just on Sunday but every day!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Take time to look at your life and see where God is in your pecking order of what is important in your life. Could a few things be rearranged to start seeing more blessings come your way? For this to happen you may have change the order of things in your life to let your blessings start to flow.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Have a Blessed Day,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Dee Stevens</b></div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-59898780830258190172011-02-26T09:12:00.000-08:002011-02-26T09:12:29.765-08:00Relationships...is yours weak or strong?<div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial;"><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-size: medium;"><b>I was once told it's the little things in life that can mean the most. It is so very true!</b></span></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: #7f6000;"><br />
</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">We live in a world of the internet, like social networking which can be wonderful! Just look at the way I'm able to communicate with the world through my blog your reading right now!</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Recently I found a posting on the FaceBook page of the love of my life. Before I go on I do need to let you know how I was asked, because of something which happened in his past on FaceBook, not to post personal things on his wall. Because I respect his feelings I have refrained from posting anything of a personal nature. </span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">When I found another woman had posted a thank you for stopping by it meant a lot and love you...It wasn't a big deal it just hit me wrong another woman could express how she appreciated something he had done but I was respecting his wishes not to do the same... it took me to a place in my past which made my heart sink for a moment. </span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium;"><b>It was an ugly memory of my own which had creped in and caused doubt in my mine. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Because I share and communicate with him my feelings he removed it. I thought it was a sweet and unselfish thing he had done. Like I said it wasn't a big deal, it just hit me wrong. </span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">I'm not a typical woman in the south who feels a guy can't have female friends or a woman can't have guy friends. When you think this way it's like your trying to have a dictatorship in the relationship. Controlling another person will only lead to resentment in the relationship.</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Being I trust him at his word, even after all I have been through in my past, it felt really wonderful when he showed with his actions he cared about my feelings by letting me know who the person was and what he had done adding he didn't think it was a big deal. He didn't have to go the extra mile of explaining things to me or remove the post but he did. It was those actions he took which showed me how much he cared about my feelings. </span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">It might not seem like a big thing but all the little things add up when it comes to helping someone you love get past their bad memories for events in their lives.</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">God shows us in his word how to put it in his hands and one of my favorite lessons in the Bible is about forgiveness! I had to forgive the ones who have wronged me to move forward and let go of my past. </span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Being human sometimes little things will remind us of our own insecurities. It's up to us on how we handle those feelings to get past them.</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">I want to thank the love of my life for doing what he did and also add those little things are why I love you so much!</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Be Blessed,</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Dee Stevens</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><h2 id="passage_heading" style="font-size: 16px;">Acts 13:38 (New International Version, ©2010) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div class="result-text-style-normal" style="display: inline !important; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-27401" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">38</sup> “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.</div></div></span></span></b></span></h2></span></span></b></div></div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-19631718434282019112011-02-25T13:08:00.000-08:002011-02-25T13:08:36.220-08:00Unselfish acts...<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Open my eyes Dear God to see through your eyes. Let me see how I can make a difference in another person’s life. If only to bring a smile across their face for a moment; let your light and goodness shine through me in my actions today. Help me to continue to love unconditionally. May my words bless one person today. May your word be spread to another soul today. May one more person learn about you through something I’ve said or done. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">They say it only takes one person to change the world. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Take time today to smile at a stranger. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blessing a person doesn’t cost a thing. It can be done by a silent prayer said for a coworker or person on the street you pass in a car or in walking by them in a store or restaurant. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The unselfish acts you do will bless you in ways you may not see right away but it will happen!<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t forget you aren’t in this world alone. There are other people doing what they do right along with you try being courteous when you can; maybe<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you can give yourself extra time in your travels… let a person or two cut in front of you.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Be Blessed, <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dee Stevens <o:p></o:p></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Matthew<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1298657556_1">22:37</span></span>-39</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1298657556_2">greatest commandment</span></span>. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-65743823338354138342011-02-24T09:24:00.000-08:002011-02-24T09:24:05.000-08:00Unexpected Words…<div class="MsoNormal"><b>I’ve heard many things over the years, but yesterday a few simple words brought me to tears…</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Sometimes people still amaze me by what they say. Yesterday was inspiring to me by the words “you are very talented.” </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I’ve had friends tell me the same words “you are very talented” before but they never had such a powerful affect on me before.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I have worked very hard over the years and through it all I’ve always tried to keep a smile on my face even when having a bad day. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Reflecting on my life and knowing I’ve really never had anyone in it who has supported me, it’s always been me supporting someone else; I found myself in tears. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>It wasn’t because I was sad. It was more so a relief knowing God has put a man in my life that really gets it. By no means did it happen over night because we have been dating now for almost 9 months. To simply put it- it was ‘amazing’ to feel the rush of emotions from hearing those words.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Sometimes our lives have twist and turns we don’t expect and with them come emotions we are never totally prepared for when they come. It was the unexpected words uttered which showed me God has been listening to my prayers of finding a deeper understanding of who I am and where my path is heading. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>The rush of emotions that came over me is hard to put into words but I’ll try; it was like an instant connection to knowing how true happiness is meant to be felt. Knowing the man I love gets me along with an answered prayer was liken to being filled with the Holy Spirit. It moves through you in a flash. For someone who has never felt the Holy Spirit move you then I would say it’s like going from zero to 70 in point 2 seconds. It was an adrenaline rush and my only way of not exploding was to let the tears roll.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God answers prayers in three ways:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Yes!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>No!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>And not right now!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>All of them may not happen immediately but when you get an answer from a prayer which has been a while in coming it tends to take your breath away! Yesterday, I found through unexpected words the answer to one of my prayers which I didn’t expect!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Never give up on your prayers and never give up on shining your light for others to see God working through you!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Be Blessed,</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Dee Stevens</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ezra 9:8 (New International Version, ©2010)-</span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-19632888334914867902011-02-22T08:45:00.000-08:002011-02-22T08:45:08.535-08:00Finding Your Way...<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finding your way…<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Often times we are just going through the motions in life, not really knowing if we are doing what we want to do or just here.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Have you had days where you get up in the morning and wonder “what am I doing with me life?”<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I’m sure you have and then there are days where everything just seems to overwhelm you and you just can’t put your finger on it but it just feels like it’s going to be a longer than normal day.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It’s on those days you just feel like… blah. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I have found that when I have a day like this it’s time for me to do some soul searching. I ask myself the following questions:<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Do you feel blessed in your life?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Are you doing better than you where this time last year? (Spiritually) <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Do you feel like you are on the path God has put you on?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If you can answer yes to at least one of the questions… life isn’t as blah as you might think! If don’t see a yes answer then maybe you should really look at where you are in your life. I’ve said it before and I’m sure I will continue to say it “God doesn’t make Mistakes!” <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There is a plan for your life preset before we are born. To make sure you are traveling down the path you have to regroup sometimes. Asking God to help you find where you need to be can get you back on track and life won’t feel so humdrum. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">When we are kids we want to grow up and when we do grow up we want to have it slow down. As we get older the years just seem to fly by so quickly! Funny how that works isn’t it?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Be Blessed,<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dee Stevens<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Job 22:15 (New International Version, ©2010)</span></b><b><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">15</span></sup></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Will you keep to the old path that the wicked have trod?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><br />
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</div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3802316116421930855.post-17364716714828677122011-02-20T14:53:00.000-08:002011-02-20T15:14:25.833-08:00"Give Me" "Search Me" "Make Me"<div class="MsoNormal"><b>Today the preacher spoke about how when we are young in age we are ‘give me’ type people. This can also be true in relationships, marriages and in life. We are all about ‘me’ and everything we do is to satisfy the ‘me’ in our lives. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>He talked about how important it was for us to get past the ‘give me’ and grow up! And about how when we first fall in love we do for the other person but in reality we are doing it because it’s all about ‘me’. I didn’t get it at first but as he continued to talk about when the newness wears off and you’re ready to trade that person in because they don’t satisfy the ‘me’ in us anymore - it hit me! (No pun intended) Some of the things he was saying applied in my life. Both of my ex-husbands were all about them and what was important to them. He talked about how Job was a man who no matter what his faith in God was deeper than the materialistic things he had. (Job 1:1-22) Job had it all! A wife, kids and then there were all the animals he owned and servants too.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>In the scripture it shares a conversation that God had with Satan. It was about Job’s faith in God. Satan thought if everything was taken from him he would change. Job proved Satan wrong! Job lost everything in one day! His material things and all of his kids too! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Being a mother I can’t imagine what that would be like. But Job’s faith didn’t falter! After all of this happen to Job in verse 20 it says: “At this, Job got up tore his robe and shaved his he’s head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.” The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Wow, can you imagine going through what Job went through and then still he got on his knees and prayed! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Do you know what God did? If you continue to read the book of Job and you get to chapter 42 you’ll find that everything that Job lost he got back double! Except for his children… later in life he had seven more sons and three more daughters. The preacher explained to us that Job really didn’t lose his children for he would see them again in heaven!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>He shared Psalms 139: 23-“Search me, God, and know my heart.” He went on to say that ‘Search Me’ was not just a statement. It was very important because in growing you have to search yourself! In this case this man was begging God to help him find the evil in his life and show him so he could begin to change and be better in his walk with God. (At least that is how I took it to be)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>The preacher also shared with us scripture from Luke 15-18 “… Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19-I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.” </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Make Me’ those words hit close to my heart. As the preacher put it all together in summary; he let us know that we need to grow from ‘Give me’ to ‘Search me’ and ultimately ‘Make me’ servants of God.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>When the preacher gave the invitation to come and pray I we felt moved to do so. I went to the alter and got down on my knees and prayed that God’s will be done in my life. For him to continue to show me the signs he’s been showing me and his glory be given not for me but for him.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>After leaving church, the love of my life said “you know you don’t have to go to the front of the church all the time… God hears you right where you are.” My first thoughts were, “I felt led by God to go up and pray and why would he say that to me?” I tried to express my thoughts and feelings about his statement but it didn’t come out that way I’m sure. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>At one point I even felt offended by what he has said. I felt he was judging me and my actions. “How is it he thinks he has the right to tell me how and when to pray?” “I didn’t do anything wrong nor did I feel he had any right to comment on my actions.” “This was between me and God.”</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I’m sure he meant nothing hurtful when he said it and it probably never crossed his mind again. I found myself confused and in tears from the feelings I had been left with. So I prayed. I asked God to show me why I felt like I was second guessing my going to the alter and why I almost felt angry by what was said.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>It wasn’t until much later that day while swinging in the sunshine I felt peace around my heart and heard a soft voice say… “Child you did nothing wrong, I hear your prayers.”</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>I try everyday to grow with God. Today I let Satan make me question my actions of going to the alter to pray. Now I’m not saying the man I love is Satan or that he was possessed. It was only the words he spoke that caused me to question my own actions and be offended at the time the statement was made. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God shows us signs everyday when we are on the right path. And sometimes Satan steps in and twists words out of love to leave us confused by our own actions. It’s up to us as Christians to see and hear through our love and faith in God. We are not to question his word when we are called by him to be about his business! I didn’t question God on why I felt the way I did but did ask him to help me understand why I doubted myself and what I did.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>God doesn’t make mistakes! Satan on the other hand does when he tries to mess with one of God’s lambs!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Today I learned when I took the ‘give me’ out of the picture and let God ‘search me’ through my own doubts in what was said I found out how to ‘make me’ understand the meaning in the message!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>At the end of the day it is always going to be us and God. You may not feel as if every day is a perfect day in your ‘give me’ life. But once you learn how to put ‘search me’ in it -it is then and only then you will find it in you to use ‘make me’ a part of your daily life!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>A big thanks to my Preacher for yet again teaching one of his fishers of men how to use what I’ve learned in church to share God’s word and love with others!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Be Blessed</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Dee Stevens</b></div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276931008640902155noreply@blogger.com0