ALL Faith

This is Katie — “Princess Katie” 🙂 

She has Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, or “ALL” for short.

She was just diagnosed this summer and now has Swine Flu on top of that!

Could you please pray for her and her family?**

Katie’s disease, ALL, reminded me of all the ALL verses in the New Testament that are encouraging in hard times.  They are lifeline promises that we can pray and claim for ourselves and others.

 I’ll list them here for you all.   Maybe you’d like to memorize some, or, better yet, ALL:

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”  2 Corinthians 9:8

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:17b-21

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

And here’s a good reminder of why we’re here on this planet:

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”  2 Corinthians 5:14-15

**You can read more of Katie’s story here: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/princesskatie

Iron Giant Faith

The Iron Giant is one of my favorite movies.  A metal-eating giant (made of metal-like material from another planet) lands on earth to destroy it and accidentally eats a power station (it makes sense in the movie) which is just about to electrocute him to death, when he’s dramatically saved at the last minute by a little boy who flips the power switch to “off”.

The giant suffers a head injury that, we find out later, changes his personality and allows him to befriend the boy. They have fun adventures together and share some really sweet moments.

Toward the end, though, the boy is injured when the military freaks out and starts blasting the friendly giant.  Watch the dramatic ending below (11 minutes).  At first it’s really cool, then really sweet and illustrates my point later on….

You choose… each day you choose what kind of person you will  be.  Will you be a “gun” that hurts people?  Or a “Superman” or woman?  You choose when you decide to either grab a Bible and read and pray about your day, or hop out of bed and blast through your day “shooting from the hip”

Sometimes it helps to have a plan.  Click on this link for a daily Bible reading plan: http://www.enewhope.org/bible/

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you may live.”  Deuteronomy 30:19

Do you know the real Superman?  click HERE for a short video introduction.  He’ll help you become a real giant to the ones you love.

 

Water Retention

As we hiked along Pikes Peak (me slowly, my husband, Dave, at a stiffer pace) I stopped and snapped many pictures of all the pretty little daisies, columbines, lillies, and who-knows-whats blooming along the trail.  Eye candy for the slow and appreciative hiker.

You know, many wildflowers have to survive awhile without water.  They do it by clever means of water retention.  One way is by narrowing and closing off cells to keep the water from evaporating.

How’s your water retention?  When you get a drink from the well (the Bible) do you hold onto its wisdom?  There are several clever means of water retention for the Christian.  One is by memorizing what you read, the other is by doing what it says. Both will help you survive a dry spell.

Here’s a few sips you might wanna hang onto:

“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.”  Isaiah 55:1-11, KJV

 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart (memorized), that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice (obeys) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25 NIV

Click on the Bible memorization link to the right for a handy list of verses to memorize.  Explore the site for helpful memorizing tips and lots of other inspirational stuff.

Thirsty?

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters…”  Isaiah 55:1

“Thirsty?”, I asked on of the teen boys hiking with my husband and I in Red Rock Canyon in Colorado Springs the other day.  We’d been climbing boulders and rock formations for hours.  Colorado Springs was melting in an unusual heat wave that afternoon with temps soaring to 101.

He should have been VERY thirsy, but, “Nope.”, was his reply.

Nope?!  hmmmm…. I remembered what I’d read that when a body is in the habit of not drinking water very often, it loses it’s ability to feel thirst.  And by the time the poor-drinking-habited person feels thirsty?  tsk, tsk, tsk — they’re way dehydrated.

How’s your drinking habits?  Spiritually, that is.  Do you drink often from the well of the Word?  Or are you dehydrated?  Drinking often develops your desire to drink. The more you read the Bible the more you’ll want to.

Pray and ask God to develop your thirst….

“..like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” 1 Peter 2:2

“…Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.  When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’   The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.

Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’  ‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?’ 

Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ “  John 4: 6-10, :13-16

Do you know Jesus? Click here to be introduced: Jesus

Falling, a Pike’s Peak Adventure

My family and I climbed Pikes Peak last week.  It’s a funny thing about climbing mountains in that there’s so much UP.  Up, and up, and up; one foot in front of the other.

And then, after you catch your breath at the summit– dowwwwwwwwwn you go.  Down, down, down, down. One foot in front of the other.

And if you aren’t careful on the steeper parts, CRASH!!!  You can easily fall on the rocks. 

A hard fact (no pun intended) that I discovered first hand.

Climbing down, just under the summit, I tripped and slammed down onto some sharp rocks.  It really hurt.   You know those lumps that the Bugs Bunny characters get on their heads?  That’s what my hip looked like for days.

The Bible talks a lot about falling and stumbling, as in HOW NOT TO, and WHO will be there to catch you if you do.

So, here’s some verses I hope you fall in love with:

“…though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:24

“Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great…” 1 Chronicles 21:13

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

My son's buddy, Taylor, walking past an awesome rock formation on the Crag Trail, Pike's Peak

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall

into the heart of the sea… Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:1-2, 10

And if you fall, Jesus has strong arms to catch you…

“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27

“Falling, falling, falling…Down I go.  Again I stumble, hurt my pride, and bruise my soul.  But just as quick as down I trip, His arms reach out.  He grabs my heart and sets my feet on a safer route.” ~Gloris Young

How Great Thou Art

“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed!

  

                “When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur…

 

And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!”

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”  Psalm 145:3

Step by Step II

Right click here, open link in new tab or window to hear Rich Mullins sing “Step by Step” while you read.

Climbing to the top takes time.  It’s a step-by-step effort.  So it is with spiritual growth; one foot in front of the other.

“Wisdom is built layer by layer.  Like a varnished table, its depth comes from dozens of thin coverings.  After each coat has been meticulously applied, the table becomes almost translucent.  The depth looks haunting, giving you the illusion that you could reach through and touch the grain of the wood.  That kind of transparency and sheen doesn’t come with one thick pour but rather through layer upon layer of applied coats.

Wisdom is built in the same way.  So is solid character that will stand the tests of time.  You can’t get a shot or take a pill for it.  You grow into it day by day, step by step, word by word.  It comes only through consistency, and it yields its deepest gems only to those not in a hurry for a quick fix.” ~Pastor Wayne Cordiero, The Divine Mentor, p. 118.

Daily reading the Bible…

daily prayer… daily…step by step.

“Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.” Proverbs 8:34

“Give us today our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11

For a daily Bible reading plan: http://www.enewhope.org/bible/

Step by Step

Sometimes life can be difficult.  The trail ahead can seem impossible to climb.  But it’s do-able if you take it step by step.  And sometimes looking back to see how far you’ve come can encourage you to go on.

” You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.” Psalm 18:36

“Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.”  Proverbs 4:26

“Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”  Hebrews 12:12-13

In Praise of the Mountain-Maker

“Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying…” Matthew 5;1-2

I love the mountains. Nothing compares with the smell of the pine and the beautiful view.

This summer we’re climbing Pikes Peak — me, my husband, our son and his friend.  So, in honor of our climb, here’s and a song to worship the Creator of all mountains with, “You Raise Me Up”, and a prayer from the Apostle Paul about the mountain of love Christ has for us.  Hope you enjoy the view!

     I put this prayer in first person, substituting the “you’s” for “I’s”, and the “his’s” for “You’s” so you can pray it for yourself….

“I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen me with power through your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that I, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to You who are able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within me, to You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  Ephesians 3:16-21

This is a great prayer to pray for the ones you want to have a better view of Christ’s love.

Do you know the Mountain-Maker?  Click here for a short video presentation that introduces Him: Jesus

Tools of the Trade

 It’s important to have the right tool for the job.  Like Martha Stewart would say, “It’s a good thing.”

We have a tool, Christian, to fight sin, discouragement and fear.  It’s Praise.

 Mary Welchel of “The Christian Working Woman”  broadcast on the radio gives some Praise tips:

Listen to Fernando Ortega praise as you read below:

 

1. Praise God first thing each morning Develop a discipline of giving God praise as the first words you speak each morning. Even before you put your feet on the floor, just praise God. You probably won’t feel like it; you may be half asleep; but if you speak words of praise before you say anything else, it will change your attitude for the day. Remember, your day is won or lost in the morning hours, so start it right with praise.

 

2. Start your prayer time with praise.

Psalm 100 reminds us to “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” So, just start your prayer time with praise—and of course that means that you should have prayer time as part of your regular routine.

 

3. Sing praise throughout your day.

This is perhaps the easiest and best way to praise God. Start singing some praise songs. Even if you can’t sing out loud, you can sing to yourself—just let those praise songs reverberate through your mind. It will lift your heart, I promise.

 

4. Use the alphabet praise method.

Take each letter of the alphabet and find a word of praise to God for each letter. For example, you praise God because: A—he is almighty. B—he is beautiful. C—he is caring. You get the idea. By the time you get halfway through the alphabet, your heart will be filled with joy. And it’s a great game to play with your children as you drive along in the car.

 

Get creative and find new ways to praise God, but please believe me when I tell you it has to be intentional. Make up your mind to become a praising person, and you will discover power over sin, discouragement, fear, and power over the enemy of your soul.**

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**www.christianworkingwoman