Terri - my favorite verse

There are a few go-to verses I have, but there is one that stands out as my number one verse.  When I am unsure; when I am clueless; when I am at the end of my rope-- there is one verse that I bring to mind.

Melissa - My heart

I see dandelions in the morning and all of their little heads are turned towards the sun taking it in; just like we should be. Turned towards the Son and taking it all in.  Dandelions may be useless and a nuisance in the world’s eyes, but God made them and in their own little way they reflect His glory and point towards Him.

I would rather be a dandelion always looking towards and reflecting the Son than the prettiest rose hiding in the shade.  I have two little, bitty rose stems that grow by my front porch.  Don’t know how they got there.  They just started growing.  They both put out one single yellow rose twice a year.  I love yellow roses because they remind me of my earthly daddy.  But the homely dandelion always reminds me of my heavenly Father.  I am that homely dandelion.  I get in people’s way.  I feel pretty useless sometimes- like I am just taking up space on terra firma.  But God (don’t you love those two words?) doesn’t see me that way.  I guess I could choose to look at dandelions as weeds, but I don’t.  They are a beautiful reminder of a Father who cares for all, regardless of how people may label them. 

I love the book Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman.  I think a fan of Jesus probably looks nice and will give God credit for how nice she looks and for what she does at church.  But a Follower of Jesus not only gives God the credit for any good in herself and her life, but always reflects any glory back to God.  We, in ourselves, are not capable of any lasting good.    In Romans 7:19, Paul is lamenting on how he keeps doing the very same bad things that he doesn’t want to do over and over.  The APOSTLE PAUL!  If he can’t get it right, who can?  We can.  But only through God and a daily denying of self and surrendering to the Holy Spirit’s work in our life.  You see, dandelions don’t need any outside help to be beautiful.  Nobody fertilizes them, at least not on purpose.  Nobody sets the timer on their sprinklers to make sure that their dandelions receive the correct amount of water each week.  God takes care of them.  All of their sustenance and care comes from Him and in return, they bloom each morning and shine their little faces up toward Him in appreciation.

Until next month, may “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you,
and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26 

Melissa - my favorite verse

My favorite verse from the Bible is Psalm 18:19b, but I’ve already written about that one in a previous post.  I have so many second favorites that it was hard to pick just one. 

Isaiah 43:18-19 is so encouraging to me.  (I know it’s two verses, but they go together)  “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams of the wasteland.”   

I have many regrets from my past.  Things that I wish I could change, but, of course, never can.  As I’ve written about before, I have fought, and actually still do on occasion, depression (bi-polar to be exact, but not the kind you typically think of).  Because of the severity of it in my past, I missed a good many years of my children’s childhood (to the point that I have absolutely no memory of long periods of time). I stood by them and was somewhat present for those early years, but I was emotionally distant and did not find joy in being a mom.  I am so ashamed of my behavior during those difficult years.  But, my God has shown His mercy and His grace to me by giving me double love for my children now.  I have been forgiven for those past mistakes. 

  Of course, being human, I will sometimes go to the place of guilt and condemnation  for the things I cannot change.  I go into that miserable place as if it is an open jail cell and slam the door shut  to carry out my self-proclaimed sentence of shame, guilt and sadness.  I sit and wallow in that cell as if somehow reliving the past could pay the price for my sins.  That will never pay the price.  It will only prolong the agony of regret.  God is the only one who forgives sin and He has forgiven me and not only that, but He was the one who unlocked that jail cell and set me free from that pain.  He tells me to leave those things behind and not to go back there and relive that time.  He says that He is working in me to create a new person every day.  I am fertile ground and refreshing water, not a wasteland of depression and guilt. 

Are you like me?  Do you tend to go back to a time and a place where you lived in depression and guilt and shame?  Or are you still in that place?  God desires you to be in this present time a healed, whole person who invites the Holy Spirit to work in you to make you a new creature.   

Note to Reader:  I do take medication for the bi-polar disease, but not nearly as much as in the past.  It is a medical necessity in many cases.  I have learned, however, with intense Biblical Counseling (http://www.biblicalcounseling.com/), that I did/do not rely on God and did/do  not speak truth to myself. (notice I still do those things)  Both good truth and bad truth.  I am a sinner and I do sinful things, but I am also a child of  God and He loves me in a way I will never ever be able to comprehend this side of heaven.   Once I confess my sin and ask His forgiveness, He is faithful and just and forgives me.  He has provided a way for me to escape the temptations that once held me captive.  I don’t always choose to use that escape, but it is there none-the-less. 

Yvonne - my favorite verse

John 3:16 is the most well known verse in the Bible. It truly sums up the message of the Bible too. 

Jamie - my favorite verse

Be Still

We used to have a dog named Honey.  Among other things, she never learned to walk properly on the leash.

Grace - My favorite verse

Psalm 42:1  "As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, God."

Brenda - My heart

Her heart grew three sizes that day.

Transformation --Jamie

“Have you thanked Him yet?”  If I had a dollar for every time my daddy asked me that question, I would be a wealthy woman.  The question was usually voiced in response to my latest

Transformation --Brenda

The outside of the Rock Tumbler box said “Turn rough rocks into semi-precious gemstones.”   So, I imagined we would be holding fistfuls of polished gems by the next day, at the latest.  After piecing

Transformation --Yvonne

Transformation: an act, process, or instance of transforming or being transformed.
Synonyms: metamorphosis, transfiguration, conversion
Metamorphosis: a major change in the appearance or character or someone or something.

Transformation --Grace

He came home from college and began sharing with me and his Dad about leading a young woman to Christ in the UF library in the wee hours of the morning.  What started out as a study session

Transformation -- Terri

Nobody likes the ugly.

We bake a lot in our family, and one thing we make is “ugly muffins,” which is devil’s food cake mix and pumpkin.  The batter is so dense that they pretty much look the same when they come out as when they went in. They are so very good! 

Love -- Jamie

It was the tattoos on his hands that caught my attention. 

I was offered a gentle handshake.  “They call me Little John,” he said with a low gravelly voice.  He was not your “typical” worshipper at the big downtown

Love--- Brenda

I have been severely near-sighted since high school and vividly remember putting on my first pair of glasses, seeing the world and marveled how much better the trees looked with individual leaves

Love -- Grace

The first year of marriage was supposed to be an exciting new adventure with the one you love.  A new home with new dishes, new towels and a mix of furniture from his

Love -- Melissa

What's Love Got to Do With It?
When I was a teenager, I fell in and out of love about every week.  You know what I’m talking about.  Those heart palpitations and consuming thoughts about the one you

Love -- Terri

Ah.  Love, sweet love.  Butterflies in your stomach, the way the breath catches upon seeing the object of affection, and of course, the sweaty palms.  The way that two people can talk for hours and it

New Beginnings -- Melissa

Last year was one of the most significant of my life to date. 

2013 was the year that I found that my worth (as a person, woman, wife, mother, daughter, friend, etc.) is not based on what anyone thinks I am worth or treats me as if I am worth.  My worth is determined solely by God, who

New Beginnings -- Yvonne

Well, it's that time of year again....New year, new starts, new beginnings!
I mean who doesn't like second, third, and fourth chances! The new year affords us a restart, a fresh slate to try something new or to revisit areas of our lives that need changing.

I'm not just talking about dieting, working out, committing to daily devotions, having more family time, those are all great and much needed.

But what about asking God to renew

New Beginnings - Brenda

I have an old suitcase that I purchased at an estate sale.  Estate sales make me uncomfortable.  

The idea of going through another’s things after they have passed on makes me uneasy and reminds me that I’m not here forever.   I’m not sure what attracted me to the suitcase.  It is from a day when things were made to last, has a silken, beige liner and a sturdy Samsonite body and handle.  I wonder

New Beginnings -- Grace

Not only am I beginning a new year, 2014, I am beginning "a new season", or so I'm told, of my life.  Yikes! I have turned 50 years old.  I can't believe it but after checking my drivers' license, it has been confirmed.....I am indeed 50.

New Beginnings -- Vicki

If you met me you’d be surprised to find out that I am actually a little bit of a hippy. Not the peace sign wearing, Volkswagen van driving kind; but the kind that believes love is the greatest force known to mankind. Call me a sap, but I really do believe, love moves mountains.

A new year has dawned and with it a time when most of us take stock of our lives and purpose to do better in the upcoming year. We start strong with new diets and exercise programs. I personally am eating Greek yogurt and

New Beginnings -- Jamie

The task: Disseminate wisdom in 500 words or less concerning a specified topic.

The topic:  New Beginnings.  Starting Over.  A Fresh Start.

Nothing.  I’ve got nothing. 

New Beginnings -- Terri

I wrote a New Year's post a few years ago about how I am not doing resolutions.  It resonated with a lot of people who were tired of parading their expectations for their new year with friends and family, most of which didn't happen.  I'm still all about that.

But let's go one step further.

Rather than refuse to look forward and predict life, which can be highly unpredictable, let's instead decide to