Joni Eareckson-Tada to Brittany Maynard: Choose Life - US - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

Joni Eareckson-Tada to Brittany Maynard: Choose Life - US - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

Beautiful Things

Beautiful Things: http://youtu.be/qnC2GY5h5rU

Today's Promise - Believe

To believe something means to accept it as real and true.  It means you trust it, and have confidence in the certainty of its outcome.  God loves when we believe Him.  And His promise to those who do believe is they will see their prayers answered-even when the prayer seems monumental.

Today's Promise...
Then Jesus told them, "I assure you, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more.  You can even say to A mountain, 'May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and it will happen.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." - Matthew 21:21-22 (NLT)

Do you believe God answers prayers?  Spend some time together asking God to fill you with faith.  Does anything seem like an impassable mountain in your life?  Ask God to help you to trust Him and pray for His help in this situation. 

Is a Revival Needed?

Are you in need of a personal revival?  Have you lost your love for others or grown worldly in your thinking?  If you become so sorrowful for your sins that you pray earnestly for forgiveness, then you may expect a personal revival.  Indeed, it has already come...

Think back through your history with the Lord.  Do you remember the joy you first had?  Establish a prayer partnership with another Christian and begin taking and praying together regularly, so that you may together see a renewal of your joy...

Lord, bring me back to You again; for You are my only hope.  Return to me the joy of Your salvation, so that I might teach others Your ways.  Amen

Overlap Syndromes

Overlap syndromes - Dr. Christina Charles-Schoeman: http://youtu.be/_kxYbihUp98

Highs -n- Lows Living with the Disease

Another Beautiful Morning! 

Sometimes we find ourselves at a crossroads in our lives – that causes us to stop and seek a new direction on our journey. Something inside us whispers, “You need to make some changes.” But where do you start? How do you know if it’s really a step in the right direction?

As a follower of Christ I realize that my life is a part of a larger story God is writing. Every major decision I face is weighed with the question, “Is this what God wants for me?” I seek His guidance, because I want to stay true to the plan that He has for me.  If I fix my attention on my circumstances or my inadequacies, then anxiety and discouragement sets in.  But if I focus on God and His power I can then rise above my situation because my confidence is not in me but in His promises for me.  

I can do all thing through Christ whom strengthens me...

 I am so thankful for all I can do...

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Today's Bible Study 

Seeking God Through Prayer

By Charles Stanley

Read | 2 Chronicles 20:1-3

During the reign of Jehoshaphat, a vast army assembled to attack the nation of Judah. His response to the situation can guide us in handling our own crises.

The Bible records that the king “turned his attention to seek the LORD” in prayer (v. 3). Likewise, when we face hardship, our best response is to cry out to our heavenly Father. As God’s children, we can be certain that He loves us and cares about the details of our lives.

Through the cross, God established a new covenant for those who place their trust in the Lord Jesus (Luke 22:20)— He agreed to forgive our sins, adopt us into His family, and watch over us. This salvation depends not upon our good actions but upon the completed work of Jesus, who died in our place (Eph. 2:8). God also sent His Spirit to live in us as proof of our salvation and to be ever- present with us. He is interested in every aspect of our lives and promises to hear our prayers.

Jehoshaphat was ready for this crisis because he had developed the habit of seeking the Lord in various situations. If we want to be prepared for the unexpected, then we must discipline ourselves to seek God every day, acknowledging both His Lordship and our dependence upon Him.

By examining our habits and thought life, we can know whether our attention is on the Lord or other things. If we start our day thinking about Him instead of our own plans, and regularly read and apply Scripture, then we demonstrate a heart that is pursuing Him.

Highs -n- Lows Living with the Disease

Another Beautiful Morning!
It's a little warmer this morning...46 degrees.:-)

I have made progress withing the last several months...I'm on my way to emotional and spiritual recovery.  I continue to do bible study, meditation, and Holy Yoga.

Holy Yoga is an experiential worship created to deepen people's connection to Christ. It's sole purpose is to use yoga with a Christ honoring experience to authentically connect to God through His Word, worship, and wellness.  Holy Yoga also has a new Diastasis Recti training that can possibly help with the healing of the hernia.  I have seen so many with DM or PM run into complication...something I don't want...


No matter where my journey takes me...I am ready for it... :-)  I continue to trust that God has everything under control.

Is God going to use me to help others on their journey? 
I am so Thankful for all I can do!

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Passing Down the Faith

By Charles Stanely

Have you thought about what you will leave behind when you die? Most people think of possessions—family heirlooms, investments, and other property. But what kind of spiritual heritage will you leave for your children? Will they walk in the Lord’s ways as a result of your influence?
Leading a godly life doesn’t always mean that your children will follow the Lord, and forcing your beliefs on them usually backfires. What are some effective approaches to handing down your faith?
Godly parenting takes . . .
1) Principle: We must instruct our children in the ways of God.

• Read Deuteronomy 6:4-7. How often were the people of Israel supposed to talk about their faith?
  

Notice they were told to teach their children “diligently” (Deut. 6:7). You may want to have a formal Bible study with your kids on a regular basis, but that isn’t always necessary. It can be more effective to connect daily events to principles in the Word of God during supper, for instance. At bedtime, read and discuss Bible stories with your children. When appropriate, tell them about your failures and the spiritual lessons you learned as a result.

• Write out the spiritual truths—biblical principles or life lessons—that you would like to pass on to your children.
  
• What can you do differently to instruct them more effectively in spiritual matters?
  

2) Pattern: Children learn more by watching us than by listening to what we say.
Your example is a key ingredient to passing down your faith. For example, if you blame others when things go wrong, children may learn to avoid taking responsibility. If you pray as a family when life is difficult, children learn they can go to God with their worries.

• Jesus spoke about dealing with our own sins before trying to correct others (Luke 6:41-42). In what areas do you fail to make godly choices, especially around your kids?
  
• Write down one way you could be a better example to your children.
  

3) Persistence: We pass on faith by doing the right thing consistently.
No parent is perfect. But those who do the right thing day by day—not just when it is convenient—make a powerful impression on their children.
Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

• What areas of parenting or living righteously have the potential to wear you out?
  
• What motivates you to persevere in doing the right thing?
  

4) Participation: When we get involved in the lives of our children, we establish a caring relationship that makes it easier to communicate with them about our faith.
Without taking on their responsibilities, do your best to help your children with their problems. For younger kids, this may mean giving advice outright or helping them find the answer in God’s Word. Older children may prefer to talk through their ideas with you to reach a solution. If they say something with which you strongly disagree, try not to overreact. Instead, ask how they came to that conclusion. Keep the lines of communication open so you can guide them toward a biblical perspective.

• Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” How does this verse encourage you in your parenting struggles?
  
• Name a specific way you could show more interest in the concerns or pastimes of your children.
  

5) Praise: The greatest motivation for learning is praise.
As a motivator, encouragement is more effective than constant correction. Spend more time praising your child for what he does right than you do critiquing his mistakes. Offer help if it’s needed, but don’t be overly demanding (Col. 3:21).

• Proverbs 12:25 says, “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up” (NIV). How does encouragement affect your children?
  
• How could you apply 1 Thessalonians 5:14 to parenting?
  

6) Prayer: If you consistently pray with and for your children, you will demonstrate the importance of prayer.
Jesus set an example for us by praying in all types of situations. He prayed for the sick, for calm weather, and for miraculous provision. He prayed at the height of His popularity and when He anticipated persecution and suffering.

• How should we pray, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:17? What do you think that means?
  
• What are some situations in which you could pray with or for your children to make prayer a greater part of your relationship?
  

Prayer: Father, parenting is tough—I can’t do it without You. Grant me wisdom to respond appropriately in every situation. Draw each of my children closer to You, that they may honor You with their lives. Amen.

Looking forward to another great day...

Highs -n- Lows Living with the Disease

Another Beautiful Day!
We are having a cool start to our day...temps are at 30 degrees this morning.  Last night I covered the flowers and Paul picked the vegetables so they didn't freeze.  My plans for today is to continue to work at cleaning and organizing the house...one room at a time... :-)  It is an ongoing project...

I continue to tapper the prednisone and with the tapering comes the symptoms of the disease.  My head and my body are starting to itch again. :-(   My mind has been wandering more....I wonder why this burden (DM, Lupus & Post Shingles) was added to my journey.  What am I supposed to get out of it?  What am I supposed to do with it?  Even in the midst of the pain and suffering I have been gaining so much. :-)  I am so very thankful for my continued growth!

In December I was planning on having the surgery to repair the hernia again.  The last time they repaired it they used cadaver skin and surgical mesh.   Someone asked me if they would repair it the same way or are they going to do something different...I'm not sure???  The surgeon decides after he sees what's going on inside.  The rejection of the cadaver skin and mesh may be the cause of why I got DM.  DM is caused by trauma to the body or cancer...

My concern in having the surgery is that my body wouldn't heal or I could get an infection which would lead to additional problems.  I've been having trouble swallowing again...coughing up foam, I think it is the stomach acid, so I really need to have the surgery soon. :-( 

The last couple of years I felt transparent, as if everyone could see everything about me.  They could even read my mind...it was such an uncomfortable position to be in and it made me feel very vulnerable.    This curve in the road brought me to my knees.  I was at a low point in my life, trying to understand God's will or plan for my life in this condition.  I continue to pray for healing from Dermatomysitis (DM - Muscular Dystrophy), Lupus and post Shingles pain but no matter the direction or the timing I will enjoy every day with a positive spirit.  God has blessed me in so many ways. 


 In our weakness he makes us strong...
 I am so Thankful for all I can do!

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Today's Bible Study

Scripture: God’s Perfect Book
by Charles Stanley

Read | Psalm 119:9-16

Even in this age of technological marvels, there are still many people who suffer a deficiency exposed by a telltale sign: a flashing “12:00” on the oven clock. Isn't it odd that a person can operate a motor vehicle at 70 mph, microwave an entire meal in three minutes, and navigate through the Internet’s information superhighway and yet not know how to set a simple clock?

Is the solution so complicated? Is the answer to this riddle so deeply hidden that only a few brave souls dare to seek it out? No, of course not! There’s only one reason why this technical tip-off is so common: people do not read the instruction book.

When we purchase a new gizmo or appliance, we always find within the package an instruction book. And what does this book contain? It has all the answers we need to get the most out of our new purchase.

Do you realize the Christian life is like that? Scripture declares that when a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, he or she is a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17 NIV). To get the most out of our new life, we are given an instruction book: the Bible. This is far more than a simple guide that teaches how to act or what to say; this Book tells us exactly how to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Is your Christian walk stuck? Do you have the proverbial “12:00” flashing in your life, indicating that you have set aside your Instruction Book? Pick it up today for a fresh look, and enjoy God’s perfect how-to manual. You will not be disappointed.

Looking forward to another great day...

Guided Meditations

Guided Meditations

Highs -n- Lows Living with the Disease