The Beauty Of The Lord Surrounds Us!

Last weekend was a nice one for me.  I had time to meditate on the Lord and relax.  I went out with my daughter and we both took some amazing pictures of the ocean.  There was a particular scripture which kept coming to mind.  Every time I opened the book it popped out at me.                        

                      

                               You will keep in perfect peace

                               him whose mind is steadfast,

                               because he trusts in you.  Isaiah 26:3

This scripture really hit home to me.  As long as my mind is focused on the Lord and his word, I am calm.  It is when I take my eyes off of him that I worry.  We had a get together with friends this weekend and one of my girlfriends brought up where we all were last summer.  Well as most of you know last summer I was in the middle of chemo therapy. I had so many mixed feelings when I was going through chemo.  I was totally amazed by the joy that I felt while enduring chemo.  I have never in my life been so filled to overflowing with joy that I could weep.  I would hear myself thanking the Lord for his love and for restoring health to my body. 




 I also promised the Lord that I would declare his healing hand in my life with the lung cancer.  That I would take time out to share the love of God with anyone that wanted to listen.  I have been amazed at the amount of people out there who are hungry to hear about the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ. Where before when we had friends over for dinner we would talk about work, children and problems, now we are talking about how God has been moving in our families, the rapture and spiritual things I never thought would come up during these times.


I am now thanking the Lord for what he has in store for me.  I will find my self saying "Father you said that when I am obedient your blessings will chase me down and overtake me and I just thank you and praise you!  Immersing myself in the bible really helps me to keep my eyes on the Lord and my attitude positive.  I am a victor not a victim!  


When I go through disappointments in my life and we all do.  You just have to keep believing.  My Heavenly Father created the whole universe. He can surely take control of my life, guiding and directing my steps to where he wants to take me.  I know that anywhere he leads me is good.  I just have to have the faith to step out and take what he has for me.  I believe that God has great plans for all of us.  He wants to heal us, restore marriages, keep our children drug free, and bless us financially.  If you get your thinking lined up with God's nothing will be impossible.  Don't get tired of doing the right thing.  Remember you have God inside of you.  You can do what you need to do.

Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap the harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9

In time God will bring you the victory over whatever you are going through.  Never forget that you are a child of the Living God and through him all things are possible to those who believe.  I find in my own life that when I am having a bad day I just refuse it.  I will say Lord keep my eyes on you.  I am going forward with you Lord and I am going to be the person that you want me to become.  I have faith that I will fulfill the destiny that you have for me through your Holy Spirit.  The Lord will give you  peace in your storms.  He will hold you up when you feel like you are unable to stand and his Holy Spirit will shine through you like a beacon of light to a dark and hungry world!


In these times I think it is vital to my spiritual growth to read my bible every single day and to have my alone time with the Lord in prayer.  I also read the bible with my grandson Alaka'i every day.  He loves it especially the stories with Jesus in them.  Last night we read the book of John chapter 3.  The story of John the Baptist and Jesus.  Alaka'i noted that even Jesus obeyed God.  It was just the most blessed and precious time.  I know that it is these things that will stand out in his mind as he grows up.  It is reading the bible, praying and going to church that will provide Alaka'i with the armour that he will need to go out into the world and still be close to God.


Do any of you have things that you do with your family and friends that keep you close to God?  Please feel free to share them here. Don't forget that if you are feeling down Jesus is there for you.  Ask him into your heart to be your Lord and Savior.  I promise you it will be life changing!  I hope you all have a blessed week!


 

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A Little Brightness from Heaven Is On Its Way!

This past weekend my husband and I were fortunate enough to be able to give my son Peter and his beautiful wife Kellie a baby shower.  They are giving us a beautiful new granddaughter!  Her name is going to be Alohilani.  In Hawaiian the name means The Brightness of Heaven.  I just can't wait to hold her in my arms and smother her in kisses! She has a beautiful older sister named Kaliko and a cousin named Alaka'i who just can't wait to welcome our precious little Alohilani into our family!

Children are one of the most precious gifts that God blesses us with.  It is such an awesome responsibility to raise them up in the way of the Lord and keep them from harm.  My son will soon understand why I walked the floors in prayer during his teenage years and why I could never really sleep until all of my children were safely tucked into bed. I have always believed that they are on loan to us from God and he has charged us with an awesome responsibility in their up bringing.

     The Lord gave me this message:  “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
      Before you were born I set you apart
      and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”  Jeremiah1:4-5

The best advice I can give to Peter and Kellie is to look to God and be positive as they are raising Alohilani.  If you slip into the habit of being critical and harsh, your children will lose the sense of value that God placed inside them.  It will allow the enemy to bring in all kinds of insecurity and inferiority into your child's life.  It is almost like you are placing a curse on them and their future.

 Most children get their concept of who God is from their fathers.  If the father is mean, harsh and critical the child will grow up with a distorted view of God.  However, if the the father is loving, kind, compassionate and just, then the child will have a better idea of who God is.  Take the time you may need to raise them with a cool head and a loving heart.  Don't be afraid to get on your knees and take your concerns to God.

²² Cast your cares on the LORD
       and he will sustain you;
       he will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22

I think the best parents get on their knees asking our loving God to assist us while raising our children.  Is their a "perfect parent"?  No.  You will make mistakes.  We all do.  Just remember that when you are teaching your children do it with the love you would like God to show you.

 Take them to church so they can learn about the community of God.  Read them the bible from an early age so they can get familiar with God's word and know of his great love.  Speak God's blessing over your children while they are young.  So that they will grow up to have faith in God and all of the possibilities that he presents them with.

Tell them I love you and let them know they are made by God and that they are one of a kind.  Let them know you believe in them and that you think they are great! Make sure that they know of Jesus and his great gift of salvation.  What a precious gift it will be for you to lead your child to Jesus as she accepts him into her heart as her Lord and Savior.  Having the assurance that she will be going to heaven when Jesus comes again.   Before they go to sleep at night pray over them that God will protect and watch over them. By doing this you will be passing God's blessings not only to your children, but they will take those blessings and pass them down to theirs and so on from one generation to the next.

Being a parent is probably one of the toughest jobs out there.  However, remember this... You are not alone, you are loved not only by your family but by the Lord God who will never leave you or forsake you.  You have little Alohilani who will depend on you for everything and she will fill your life with so many blessings and a love you never knew you could feel! You and Kellie are going to be great parents! May God bless you both so richly as you bring this precious new life into the world!

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