Thread of Love

"Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond..." (Colossians 3:14a, NASB).

What do you picture, when you picture love? The word "binds" in the verse above makes me think about how threads can bring sleeves and other elements of a shirt together. That thread unites the parts that make up the final piece, so you can wear it. Like threads on a shirt, love rooted in Christ is the key to the virtues in Colossians 3:

• compassion
• kindness
• humility
• gentleness
• patience
• bearing with one another 
• forgiveness
• thankfulness

Love defines God; it's a part of His character (1 John 4:7-8). It is what drives Him in the action He takes. It's why He works in us, and it's how He renews hearts.

We can throw out those old "clothes" - lives distinguished by anger and rage, malice and slander, filthy language, lies and prejudice. We can do that with the Holy Spirit's power. Because of the price Christ paid on the cross and out of our trust in His lead, we can have this walk with God, a walk in the ways of love as we follow Him. It's His desire and joy to help us live love like He does. It's a great trade - turning in our old lifestyles for a new one marked by love, love like our Creator and Savior.

How can you love others today? How can you help weave a lifestyle of God's kind of love in your community and your city this month?

Lord, thanks for Your unmatchable love! Open our eyes to see opportunities to love more like You. Help us share with others how we learn from the best. Amen.

"We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him" (1 John 4:16, NASB). 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Check out the song "Captivated" by Jeremy Camp - www.youtube.com - photos by Edenview Photography.
Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Image by Paul Soupiset. Find samples of his work at www.paulsoupiset.com.

A New Heart: Thankfulness

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful" (Colossians 3:15b, NASB).

Count your blessings. What are you thankful about today? I'm thankful for family, friends and great sunsets like the one pictured. We can celebrate all the ways God has blessed us today. Just having a relationship with Him is a blessing.

Count on Him. The peace of Christ is a confidence in God and His Word. We can believe God loves us, that He sent Christ to pay the price for our sins and that God's forgiveness lasts. This pardoning love brings a peaceful relationship with the Lord, who is life-giving and in control over all things. We can let this peace rule in our hearts, whether it's a good or a challenging day. There is this joy we can find in putting our trust in God above all else.

Count others in - contagious thankfulness. When we have this relationship with God, we are a part of this one body, the church, a family of people who also believe in God's saving grace. We can walk in faith and encourage each other to persevere together in our trust in Him. Hopefully, this thankfulness overflow into our lives so much that it is contagious. We can pray that, by the Holy Spirit, others may see just how great our Savior King is.

Lord, thanks for being One who sacrifices, forgives, redeems and renews. You are full of faithfulness, goodness and truth. Thank You for giving us fellow believers who also understand this walk with You. Grow thankfulness and peace in our hearts, and help us point others to You. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Colossians 3:17, NASB). 

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Check out the song, "I Smile" by Kirk Franklin - www.youtube.com.

A New Heart: Forgiveness

"And forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you" (Colossians 3:13b, NASB).

One of the greatest pictures of forgiveness I see is in couples who have been married a long time. Picture any two people living together. After all of those years, they must have shared so much of life together. Surely, even if you can't see it, there have been times when they disagreed about something or when they messed up and hurt the other. What lasts forever, though? A love that forgives, I see, and a love that presses on during hard times.

Our God lives a lifestyle of forgiveness. He keeps loving us, even when we turn away from Him and go our own way. It is why He eventually sent His Son, Jesus, to die for the times we turned against Him. Forgiveness is a part of His nature. Nothing can separate us from His love.

Romans 8:38-39 (NASB) says:

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 

nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 

nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, 

will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God's perfect love shows in His forgiveness. With His help, we can make it a part of our every day walk with Him. As He makes our hearts be more forgiving, hopefully others will see Him working in us and will see more of how our Lord loves.

Is there someone on your mind that doesn't know God's forgiveness? Let's pray for them, so they see and know His grace.

Mighty God, we are amazed at the way You forgive us. Help us practice forgiveness the way that You do. Help someone on our minds today, someone who doesn't know You, come to know Your forgiveness as well. We pray that they come to be a part of Your loving family. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from www.revitalizecounselingservices.com.

A New Heart: Bearing with one another

"Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other..." (Colossians 3:12b-13a, NASB).

It stands out when someone "bears with" someone else, whether it be in times of celebration or in times of sorrow. This "bearing with one another" is greatly seen in how God redeems us, because He brings hope that lasts:

• In the Old Testament, we can see how God's  love for the Israelites remained steady, even as they went through seasons of following Him and seasons of running in the opposite direction. He was just, and He was there for them when hard times came.
• In the New Testament, Christ lived to show us how to love others. He helped people who were struggling with things, from leprosy to pride. He died on the cross, paying the price for our sins as a way to offer a free gift of forgiveness.
• Today, God is faithful to give hope and establish trust as He listens to our prayers, encourages us through His Word, and offers comfort and wisdom through the Holy Spirit. 

How can you "bear with" someone else? Maybe pray for a coworker or listen to a neighbor? Would you share your ideas in the comment section below? We'd love to read them, and maybe they'll inspire others.

As we reach out to help and bear with others, let us remember that God is the best One we can turn to. He has the power to lead us through every moment as we set our trust in Him.

Lord, thanks for bearing our burdens. Help us be there for others and encourage them. Please help others know the hope, joy and peace that You offer so freely. Amen.

Check out Tenth Avenue North's song, "Let it go" at YouTube.com. It reminds me how God asks us to give our burdens and lives to Him (1 Peter 5:7).
Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from www.therapeuticassociates.com.

A New Heart: Patience

"The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression" (Numbers 14:18, NASB).

There is something about patience. When I run across someone who shows patience, it usually stands out - a father taking time to teach his son how to catch a baseball, a gardener who waters their plants regularly before they sprout, even an astronaut having patience with themself as they try to walk again in gravity. This patience draws me in, and I wish I could just soak it up. When is the last time you saw someone showing patience? What did you think?

Patience is a part of who God is, so the great thing is that He's fully capable to help us grow in this area. He has shown us a lot of patience. He is wise, good, our Creator and our Savior. He waits for us with open arms to come be with Him and know Him on a deeper level, like the prodigal son's father in Luke 15:11-32. He continues to forgive us and to welcome us back into a closer relationship with Him.

God knows I still need His help with patience today, especially in traffic. Let's ask Him for help in showing others the same sort of patience He has.

Lord, thank You for showing us patience. Help us to grow in it, and please give us joy in the meantime, as we wait. We ask today that you give us an opportunity to share this part of You with someone else this week. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).

A New Heart: Gentleness

"With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love..." (Ephesians 4:2a, NASB).

"You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your help makes me great" 2 Samuel 22:36 (NASB).

What does God's gentleness look like? Gentleness sees the beauty in God and His glory, as well as the way sin causes destruction. It acts with compassion. I love that another version of 2 Samuel 22:36b reads, "You stoop down to make me great" (NIV, 1984). When God sees us, He knows that we are His creation and that He loves us. He also faces that we aren't perfect, that we have sin in our lives and that we may be far from Him. God sees we need help. In our weakness, He is strong. The Lord seeks to:

• forgive us
• develop a relationship with us, a relationship based on trust in who He is
• clean out the sin in our lives
• give us the Holy Spirit to give us power to walk a fresh life with Him

God's gentleness uses wisdom and acts on love. How can we act in gentleness? We need humility in knowing who we are, as well as faith in who God is. We also need God's grace, love and strength.

Lord, thank You for showing gentleness toward us. Help us see how to live out this fruit of the Spirit. Help us show others that the gentleness we know comes from You, because it's a part of who You are. Amen.

For more on living out gentleness, see Galatians 6:1, Ephesians 4:1-2, 2 Timothy 2:25, James 3:13.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from www.alcsaguilas.com.

A New Heart: Humility

"With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love..." (Ephesians 4:2a, NASB).

Do you know a story of someone showing humility?

By looking at the verse above, humility looks at another person in love. This sort of humility loves the Lord, because God is love and love comes from Him. Humility comes from the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. Out of this love and God's blessing, a person can look at someone else and remember that God has this unstoppable love for His creation.

In humility, we can:

• Remember and have faith in God's promises, knowing He has a plan for our lives
• Look at others with humility, realizing we are in as much need for God as they are
• Pray to live the humility that Christ displayed on earth for us, as He served God and reached out to others

Lord, thank You for giving us life. We need You, God - Your mercy, wisdom, direction and strength. Help us live with humility and point others to You. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).

A New Heart: Kindness

"Giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited...in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love" (2 Corinthians 6:3, 6, New American Standard Bible). 

In college, I remember walking one day across campus with earbuds on, listening to music while pacing to my next class. A cyclist approached, and it ended up being an old friend who stopped just to say hi. We took a moment to catch up on a few things. I admire the way this friend makes a habit of being unusually kind, even on a busy day.

How have you seen kindness this week?

Kindness can be seen in many ways. It may not stand out, but it can make a difference. As we make efforts to be kind to others, we can remember how God shows us kindness. for example, if we help someone with their bags or with a move, we share how Christ help us with large loads, pressure, and changes in life. When we take time to listen and to show concern, we how how God listens when we pray.

As believers saved by grace, we see what true kindness looks like in our relationship with Him. He is the way we are able to show others kindness. He hears our prayers, is present through our struggles and joys, and is there to help us through any time of joy or struggle, celebration or challenge. It is how He won us to Him, by showing us kindness by Christ's sacrifice.

Even today, how has God shown you kindness? How can you show it to someone else today?

Lord, thanks for showing us kindness. Help us show the impact this makes on us. We're not perfect, but work in us to help us to be kind to others today so others can see more of You and Your influence. Amen.

Hear the song, "Kindness" by Christ Tomlin at YouTube.com here.
Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from http://il-sebourn.blogspot.com.

A New Heart: Compassion

"Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36, New American Standard Bible).

As an old saying goes, cream rises to the top. I love this, because it means that baristas can create unique designs known as "latte art." These days, there are even competitions on latte art designs and talents.

One characteristic that rises to the top about God, to me, is compassion. In Matthew, chapters 5-9, we can read how Jesus was teaching, preaching and healing. In 9:36, the verse above, Jesus explains that He is the Good Shepherd who is concerned about the livelihood of His sheep. He is referenced as the "Lord GOD," the same way He is mentioned in Ezekiel 34. This Lord GOD is mighty and rules over all, yet He has this stand-out compassion that is more than any I have seen a human have. He sent His Son to die for our sins, as a sacrifice in our place, on the cross. He suffered so we could know Him on an intimate level, so sin wouldn't get in the way with us getting to know God.

This great compassion is seen in how God sees our sins clearly, but He loves us anyway. As His followers, He lives inside of us through the Holy Spirit, and He can help us also have compassion. We may see others' sin, but we realize we've sinned as well. Others need God just as much as we do, and God has the power to transform us from the inside out. God has gone above and beyond to reveal His compassion for us over time.

God can work in our hearts and help us show compassion to those around us. Unbelievers may not know what Jesus is like, and believers may forget form time to time. Let us pray that we will show compassion to others, just like our Savior showed us.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).

A New Heart

"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" (Colossians 3:12, New American Standard Bible).

Did you get to see the Golden Globes a week or so ago? I admit that I love watching for the clothes that are new and that show a certain style. Most clothes fit the tone of the star studded, glamorous event.

What life style fits just right for followers of Christ? The books of Colossians and Galatians talk about those things. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives, He not only forgives us but also continues working in us. He is able to give us the strength to live out who He first made us to be.

The Spirit helps us have hearts more like Christ, filled with:

• Compassion
• Kindness
• Humility
• Gentleness
• Patience

I think I need help in all of those areas. That is completely okay, though - God has grace and is still working in me. Let's pray He continues to work in our hearts in the ways this verse described, now that we have been made new in Christ and have the Holy Spirit as our guide.

Lord, thanks for Your forgiveness and taking the old ways out of us. Grow us in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Help us overflow with Your Spirit to others around us. Amen.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23, NASB). 

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from www.skiptomylou.org.

Throwing out the old: Prejudice

"A renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11, New American Standard Bible).

The thing that I love most about spring is the new life that comes, even as you view a tree with lush leaves and flowers. The trees that once looked lifeless can come alive with the warmth that comes with the change of the season. God offers a similar renewal within us, when we believe in Him and turn to trust in His lead. He offers us this transformation that is breathtaking, as the old parts of us are shed and new life is given to us through Him and His work in us.

Prejudice can come in many forms, and in the verse above, we read it's not from God. Left unchecked, it can have destructive consequences in our community. It can tear at the perception of the value of the very marrow of a person.

What does the problem with prejudice mean for followers of Christ?

• God made people, and Genesis tells us "it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). God loves all people, regardless of their race, class, history, or personality. He sent Christ to die for our sins that come between our relationship with Him (1 Peter 3:18).
• During Jesus' time on earth, He showed us how to think beyond typical prejudices, as He reached out to and spent time with people from different cultures and backgrounds (Mark 2:13-17). He sacrificed His life for us and asked believers to tell the world about Him (Acts 1:8). He showed us God's love for us and for the world. 
• The Holy Spirit was given when Christ left the earth. The Spirit is God's presence that is with believers, and can help us remove our old ways, like our prejudices. We seek to live this life that follows Christ because He "is all, and in all" - He is our everything, our joy and our saving grace (Ephesians 1:22-23). 

God can help us see others from His perspective. In Christ, we have the opportunity to show how God's love looks past some things the world tends to focus on. Let us pray our minds, hearts, and actions reflect God's kind of love.

Lord, thanks for looking at all of us, right where we are, and loving us. Reveal to us any prejudices we may have hidden inside, forgive us for those and remove them from our minds. Help us see others through Your eyes. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from landscape-photo.net.

Throwing out the old: Lies

"Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices" (Colossians 3:9, New American Standard Bible).

Have you seen the movie Catch Me If You Can? The main character is based on a real person who once made a profession of being a skilled liar, basically by stealing identities and forging checks. He now assists the government in fraud protection. The movie itself is a look into how lies can be taken to an extreme, and how someone can feel trapped in a lifestyle of lies.

It is crazy how lying can become second nature for us, even in subtle ways. In contrast, God is full of truth and goodness. As His disciples and family, He wants us to reflect that part of Him, His truthfulness.

Some major truths God has given us include:

• His Word (John 8:31-32, John 17:17)
• His promises, especially in sending Jesus, the Messiah, to be the Good Shepherd and to pay the price for our sins on the cross (John 10:7-18).
• The Holy Spirit to work in us and through us, to help us live a life of truth today (see John 14:16; the Spirit is also called the Spirit of truth in John 15:26, John 16:13, 1 John 4:6, and 1 John 5:6). 

Truth has this great, freeing value, and living a life of truth can testify to others more of who God is. It seems so simple, to speak truth, but we need God's power and His help. Let's pray for help to continually be a people of truth.

Lord, thank You for Your truthfulness. We ask that You remove any desire in us to lie. Help us show others Your truth. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo found on www.bluesummitwealth.com.

Throwing out the old: Filthy language

"And there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks" (Ephesians 5:4, New American Standard Bible).

Have you heard the story of Erin Brockovich-Ellis? While she was working as a law clerk, she discovered an entire community had been drinking dangerously contaminated water. This courageous woman, along with the law firm she worked with, helped the community stand up for their rights for pure water, which, you know, assists in healthy growth and development.

[Photo by Fernando Fidalgo]

Words that break others' honor and that show disrespect are muddied and contaminated in a way similar to the water that Erin discovered. Do words we find ourselves using words that cause good health? Sometimes, it can be much easier to reflect our feelings in the moment, and that can be muddied without God's help in the mix.

As believers and followers of Christ, we are a part of His family. He wants to work in us through the Holy Spirit, helping us give thanks with our words instead of words that are muddied and can dishonor His creation.  Let our words praise Him, no matter the situation, because He is God and has redeemed us into living life near to Him. Let us pray our witness to the world, of who God is, be clear in our words.

Lord, do a great work in us. Let our speech show our thankfulness to You, as well as our love and respect for others. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from Fidalgo's site, city-of-tomar.com.

Throwing out the old: Malice and slander

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear" (Ephesians 4:29, New American Standard Bible).

On the past season of the television show, So You Think You Can Dance, I admired how the judges gave constructive criticism with grace to a young contemporary dancer. They not only helped her see certain areas to work on, but also they expressed where she had admirable talent and skill. She went on to be one of the top four finalists.

The thing I appreciate about the verse above is that we see there is an alternative to malice and slander. God has shown us an overwhelming amount of grace, especially through Jesus. Are the things we say about others truthful and full of grace?

Let us pray to have grace with others, whether they are in the same room with us or not. This may be a challenge at times, since this is something we know only God can do perfectly. The reason we can love, though, is because God first loved us and showed us what His love looks like. Let's ask God to help us live without malice and slander.

Lord, thanks for showing us Your stunning grace. Help us speak to and about others with grace. Give us speech that oozes with more of Your influence. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload.

Throwing out the old: Anger and rage

"This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger" (James 1:19, New American Standard Bible).

Almost everyone I know seems to have a "button" or two, something that has potential to make them upset. Sometimes, anger simmers. Other times, it can boil over into rage and tear at things or people around us, even ourselves.

God shows us an alternative. Psalm 145:8 reads, "The LORD is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness" (NASB). He asks us to be quick to listen, and yet slow to speak and slow to anger.  We aren't perfect, but the way we can live it out is by looking at Jesus' life and by the Holy Spirit's power working in us.

Whether anger and rage are common or rare within us, we can remember that God is Immanuel, God with us. As we are tempted to act in anger, let's ask God to make it simmer before we move on with the day. He is in control. As we set our trust in Him, He will lead us through whatever is going on.

Lord, help us listen to others and to be slow to speak and slow to anger. Protect us from anger boiling over and its results. We ask that You give us hearts that can respond with the grace and mercy You've shown us. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Image from http://www.dianagabriel.com/blog

More of Jesus 2012!

"And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people" Luke 2:52 (HCSB)

2012 A Year To Increase In JESUS! That is one of the deepest prayers of my heart for the New Year...that Jesus will Increase in my life so that I will keep growing in wisdom, stature, and favor with God to reach others for Jesus!

Planning Ahead With Purpose!

"A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! The way of life winds upward for the wise, That he may turn away from hell below." Proverbs 15:23-24 NKJV


"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:..." Ecc.3:1 NKJV
I love how God created the seasons and how He causes them to change...just about every 3 months. Right now, with the temperature over 100 degrees everyday, it doesn't "feel" like a new season is coming, BUT IT IS!!! "Autumn~Fall" is about to be in the air and this is a great time to do some evangelistic planning ahead with purpose!

As we look at the calendar we are already beginning to prepare for the seasonal activities that we know are about to take place in our lives and in the lives of others around us: Back-to-School, Muffins with Mom, Donuts with Dad, Moving back to College Campuses, Posting upcoming Fall Family Activities on the calendar, and more!

During the new season we are about to enter, let's ask God to help us see opportunities to share Jesus using some creative "seasonal" ideas.
God has created you with your creative thoughts and gifted you through His Spirit to share Him with others through His Strength & Courage! I would like to encourage all of you to finish today's blog by sharing 3 of your ideas with all of us! You can share your ideas in one of several ways; on this blog at the bottom, on my facebook page, or you can send me your ideas by my e-mail address and I will post them for you...as we share ideas and read the ideas of others please put the ideas into practice as we are networking together to make this a Fresh Season Full of our Savior:-)!

Ok, I will get us started with a couple of ways that I have has the privilege of sharing Jesus during the Autumn~Fall season of life:
Back to School Backpacks: Shared with moms/children that are visitors at church; the backpacks can be filled with school supplies-snacks & age appropriate witnessing booklets (1 for child & 1 for parent)!
9-11 Patriot Cups of Encouragement: Since the tragic attack that our Nation went through on September 11th, this year will be monumental as there will be a "10 years since 9/11 focus", ask God to use this time of the year as an opportunity to reach out to military families-veterans-anyone that may serve our nation in anyway; you can use a coffecup/mug/teacup that you already have (if you are like me you have extras!) Fill this cup of encouragement with small tokens of God's Love (scripture cards/bookmark/candy/small lotion/tea bag/individual coffee bags/etc.) BUT most of all include the Good News of Jesus Christ through a witnessing booklet!
Fall Festival of Faith: As your church or community holds Fall events...what are some ways that we can take that day and make it "the Lord's Day" and fill it with ideas that point others to Jesus?

Praying that the new Season we are entering will be "A New Season to Share our Savior" in many new creative ways!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB6jhbtDUZE (Turn! Turn! Turn!) [can you tell we are READY for this HOT weather to CHANGE!:-)Ha!]

something new!

"This is what the Lord says - who makes a way in the sea, and a path through surging waters... Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert." -Isaiah 43:15, 19 (HCSB)

There is a beauty in things that are new. Like a fresh snowfall or a new day planner, it is like a breath of fresh air to be able to start again with a blank slate. Jesus, Our Savior, came to save us. And we are able to live for Him. As we prepare to leap into a new year, He is able to help us start fresh and live with Him as our leader. How will we respond? He is waiting with open arms, so we have a choice of whether or not to follow Him. Will we choose to follow His lead?

In Isaiah, Chapter 43, we see how He asks us to put our trust in Him. He is under control and can help us start fresh if we let Him. Our Savior, who we celebrated over Christmas, is here to take us into the new year. He has given us the Holy Spirit inside of us, to guide us and help us lead others to Him.

What will be our focus in the new year? Are our plans the same as His?

I pray that we focus on our Savior and that others may see this and come to know Him, too, in the new year.

Happy New Year's Eve!

Looking Through A New Window!

"After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them."
Acts 16:10 (hcsb)

As my old 1950's windows are being replaced this week in my home, God laid it on my heart that looking through a new window is so much like the vision given to Paul in Acts 16 to evangelize Europe! WOW, can you imagine what it was like to catch an evangelistic vision like this? My old windows have actually become dangerous because they stuck, unable to open with the crank type of openings, and many of the glass panes are cracked...just plain OLD! There is nothing like looking through a clear clean NEW window that can also give you new vision!

There are special times in the Christian life we have the privilege of looking through a new window at a new fresh vision that causes us to "immediately" have a new fresh evangelistic plan to add to the ones we use to share Jesus with others!

This is how I feel about "ECO: GIFTED2GO"! Just reading and describing the title fans the flame of The Holy Spirit in my heart as the first steps of publishing takes place in order to prepare The Body of Christ for "the vision....to evangelize them"...the important part of all of the evangelistic tools God has blessed the Body of Christ with is for us to "use them!" I can not wait for ECO:GIFTED2GO, but as we wait for the publishing process...LET'S PRAY as God gets ready to cast another effective vision for "Evangelistic Concern for Others: Gifted2Go" Take it from someone that has been trying to look through some old windows from the 1950's...there is nothing like CLEAR vision like I now have as I am looking through new windows!

In what ways is God casting a new fresh clear evangelistic vision in your life? Will we obey Him as He calls Christians to "come follow me" and "go"!? I join you in praying and sharing the GREATEST GIFT~JESUS with others using all of the awesome evangelistic tools that He has blessed the Body of Christ with! To The Ends of The Earth & Beyond!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-9DtPiPVG4 (taking JESUS to the ends of the earth!)