Let's talk about becoming a Christian.  The Lord does not come into your life through hocus pocus and mirrors.  If you want peace, satisfaction, love, warmth, security, contentment in your life, then find a quiet place away from everyone and with as few distractions as possible, sit down, relax, and, sincerely, ask God into your life.  Tell Him you want to know Jesus as your Lord and savior.  Give yourself to him.  let the holy spirit flow into you.  Sincerely and lovingly ask forgiveness for past sins.  You will be forgiven. Have faith in our Lord Jesus, always.  With this forgiveness, begin to put on your new self.  Begin to practice putting life into God's hands for he is in control, not you fellow saint.  You have accepted our Lord as your savior.  Put complete trust in him, pray to him daily, read his word daily, become one with Him.  Immediately, you will see things changing in your life.  Become a servant as our Lord was in his time upon this earth in human form.  Learn to forgive and love your enemies.  Doing this empowers you and changes you.  Love first, last, and always.  You are not perfect.  Only our Lord was perfect.  But you will begin to change...to think about your actions toward others. Feel confident that you are loved.  Reach out to other Christians.  There is great power in this. Yes, it is that simple.  Have faith and it will happen. 

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 

Matthew 18:20

     As you progress daily as a Christian, you shall walk more and more in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus.  Make praying and Bible reading a daily event as it builds and maintains the holy spirit within you.  Soon, love for your fellow man will overtake the old hate and jealousies.  Make material wealth a distant second to spiritual wealth.  Whenever anyone asks, give.  In giving we receive.  Give without expecting anything in  return.  Give out of love.  Forgive all who ask.  Put on your new self.  For you are a Christian, for you are different, for you are our Lord's servant...everything is for Him...not for you.  Suffer in silence.  Give anonymously.  Give, forgive, love.

     And what bad word can be said about these things, except by those who know only self and little real love.  Now, you are loved, forgiven, and assured a life everlasting in the Kingdom of God.  Therefore, have faith and accept this greatest of gifts.  

Father, hear this prayer that only you can answer.  Give these new saints to Your son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Send them Your holy spirit to live in them.  Let them know Your forgiveness and divine love.  Give them the strength, wisdom, and courage to put on their new selves and to serve You.  Let them know Your most loving and holy presence.  Help them know You and love You and trust You.  Guide them through this earthly life, so, they may serve You always.  Put Your mighty hand over them to protect them and their families from harm.  Please, Father, accept them into Your family where they will always know love, warmth, courage, and wisdom through You in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's name we pray these things.  Amen

    

because this ministry you render is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, it is also overflowing with more and more prayers of thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:12

     

     Serving brings the great reward of joy in our hearts and spirit not to mention the satisfaction of having helped others.  In being a good servant, we forget about our problems, we feel wonderful, we love and are loved in return many times over.  Serving is infectious.  It makes it about them and not about me.  

O LORD, you are God! You have promised these good things to your servant.

1 Chronicles 17:26

 

But Peter said to him, "May your money perish with you because you thought you could obtain God's free gift with money!

Acts 8:20

     The greatest gift ever and all one must do to receive it is have faith in our Lord.  Never let the material side of life rob you of this gift nor it's joy.

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

Romans 4:16

     Everyday I receive miracles and the joy living with faith.  Yet, I am the lowest and most undeserving of God's children.  What will he surely do for you who is so much better than I.  For the lowest servant shall be the highest with our Lord for He loves us so much that he gave his life for us. He serves us and He is God of all...so, who are we not to serve. How beautiful life would be if we all served and loved one another each day.  Today is a new start.  Let us begin...

CHRIST IS THE LORD

Father, your children in lands far and near suffer great persecution and fear.  Let us, in this holy land you have given us, be your instrument of change, of hope, of relief for those that suffer these persecutions in your name.  Let the rulers of this earthly world know your power, your glory, your love that conquers all, and, in their knowing this, burn away their hate and turn it into love as only you can do.  For what man can stand against your divine will, what man can stand against your holiness and overpowering love.  Your loyal, loving children suffer greatly Father.  Bless your servants that go forth to these countries in your name for your sake and that of your children.  Guide them, give them the courage wisdom and strength to overcome in your most holy name.  Show your power and love through them. 

In our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s name, we pray these things.

In Malaysia, China, India, Syria, Egypt, Iran, etc.  Our Lord is with you.  Stand Strong in His name and for his name.  Our prayers are with you...you brave and loving servants of God.  You inspire we Christians in America.

     I grew up in a storytelling family.  My mother was born into a large farm/ranch family of people that enjoyed life to the fullest.  The family was 15 children strong.  My grandmother died before I was born, but I love her from the stories I have been told.  My grandfather and his family were of the Quaker Christian faith that immigrated here from Ohio to participate in the opening of Oklahoma Territory in the land run of 1889.  He, my great grandfather, and other family and community members built a country church several miles from Tribbey, Oklahoma, where he preached the word to anyone of any faith.  At some point, they added a cemetery where my great grandparents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc are buried.  The church still stands over 100 years later and it and the church are maintained by family far out in the rural  countryside, near no town.
     I grew up attending huge family reunions once a year and, several times a year, cousin meetings they called them.  The usual scenario was my grandfathers sister, Aunt Francis, a newspaper reporter, would get up and start dancing in her long dress and granny shoes.  She could jump and click her heels together at 60+.  She always had a smile and a great story to tell.  We always began and ended with a prayer.  Some people think Christians are a serious, almost depressed lot.  It just isn't so.  I miss them all.
     My mother was a storyteller in her own right.  She was the youngest of the 15 kids and a twin.  When the sisters and she got together...let the storytelling and laughter begin.  One of my favorite stories is told like this, it was a dark, cold winters evening.  My  grandfather hitched the horses to the wagon, and loaded all the family up to go to church services.  He drove with my Uncle Charley sitting beside him.  The rest of the kids along with my grandmother were in back. They were plodding along the dark country road bundled in blankets when one of the kids yelled," an arm!"  Grandpa stopped the wagon and, sure enough, in the ditch beside the road lay someone's arm.  Grandpa and uncle Charley climbed down from the wagon,  carefully examined the arm, and tenderly wrapped the arm in a blanket.  The cold weather, evidently, had preserved the arm.  When they arrived home after church, they brought the arm into the house and unwrapped it gently as everyone gathered round.  There was a sudden gasp as one of the kids said," it's Olie's arm!"  Olie was one of the oldest children.  She had left several weeks before that and had not returned as happened occasionally with large farm families in the early  1900's in pioneer times.  After carefully examining the arm, Grandma said, "It really is Olie's arm."  There was a loud outcry of agonizing grief.  The next day, a hole was dug and the arm buried with a solemn ceremony and prayers.  Thoughts of Olies painful demise at the hands of who knows who or what ran through everyone's heads.
     A week maybe two passed.  Everyone was eating supper one evening when who should walk in the door...Olie...with a new husband.  My Grandma shreiked with half joy, half overwhelming relief at the site of her.  Everyone else followed the same pattern after the shock wore off.  Olie thought, "Wow, this is a great reception.  I thought everyone would be mad at me."
     When I was old enough to do a little critical thinking, I asked my Mother, "Whose arm was it?"  Her answer was, " We never found out."   That's it?  If that were today, there would be an Amber Alert and the FBI, CIA, Army, and everyone else would have been called in.   Life was definitely different back then.  A lot simpler.  Maybe a lot better. Similar to our Lord's message...simple, yet powerful.
     I miss them all, but they live again when I retell their stories.  I promised my Mother that I would give the world her family's stories as she breathed one of her last breaths in her earthly body.  She smiled and passed away peacefully to rejoin her family.   

     By the Lord's help, I have resolved the job situation at this time, albeit temporarily.  The Lord guided me and gives me much help daily.  I am beginning to put more and more trust in the Lord's hand.  Letting him guide while I follow.  I am not a good follower.  I am one that must be in charge of everything, but I am not in charge...never was and never will be.  He is always guiding and moving me in the direction He desires me to go.  Most of the time I do not realize what He is doing till after the fact.  Always it is good for He is always good.  He who created all things, all places, and all times.  Who can successfully stand against me if I am doing the Lord's work. 
     I am up early this cool, still summer Sunday morning.  I am longing to start back to work on the book.  I have been resolving issues and redesigning it in my head while dealing with job issues and traveling.  I pray the Lord guides my pen. He has the holy spirit boiling within me.  He is guiding while I learn to follow.  I feel Him smile at my fears and concerns for nothing can stand against Him and His will.  He increases my faith.
     We flew to visit my oldest son and his family.  We had the privilege of seeing our newest grandbaby Christened...another one for our Lord.  All my grandchildren are attached to the Lord.  When Caroll and I were trying to decide whether to bring children into this hate-filled world, after much soul searching, I wrote a short poem that decided the issue.

Without children, there can be no hope for the future

For without children, there can be no future

      And what better way to change the world than through our offspring?

And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 

Genesis 28:14 

     Time to prepare for Church.   

For you are my rock and my fortress; therefore for your name's sake lead me, and guide me.

Psalm 31:3

     The holy spirit has been moving heavily within me for some time.  I am restless to serve our Lord in some new capacity.  He is telling me my time at this job is coming to an end.  I have tried to serve him by counseling my customers in distress to seek out his guidance.  My bosses are dumbstruck by it, yet, forbid it not.  For who can forbid the Lord's word from someone He has given it to lift up His children. I have served Him in a job where one least expects it.  Our Lord moves and appears to his children in the most unusual places and times.  Did He not come upon this earth as a poor carpenter's son dressed in the most average of clothing?  While the priests were looking up, he walked up behind them...and they knew him not.  

     I pray and know he will guide me in my next adventure to serve him.  We can always serve.  No matter where we may wind up.  When do we ever have more power, glory, and goodness than when we are serving others in his name?  I suppose I may have more time for the book and his service.  I am old, but our Lord has need for me some other place of His choosing.  He has taken me on many adventures in life.  And, always, He has taken care of us. Look what Abraham did in his golden years.  I feel as though He has been preparing me my whole life for the coming years.  He puts a smile on my face and in my soul.  My faith is strong, my soul is filled to overflowing with His love, the holy spirit abounds within me, and He lights the way.  In the darkest of times, we must be His light to others. He will lift us up so that we may lift up others in his name.  When all is lost, we are found.  When it is dark, He is our light.  When we are down, He lifts us up. How can one turn their face from God when He is in all places, at all times, in all things?  When all is lost, if we have Him, we have everything and have not lost but gained.  

     In this short life upon this earth, we learn many lessons, but, until we learn the lesson that love is the most important of all, then all the other lessons are meaningless.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 John 4:7   

     I have been away for awhile.  Work life has overpowered me.  But...I always have our Lord to share the burdens we put upon ourselves.  I am at my best when writing or serving our Lord in whatever way he needs.  We all need to remember that he wants to share the burden of life with us.  Nobody is more powerful than He who created all things, times, and places. There is nothing that can overpower Him.
     If you need strength, if life is overpowering you, if you are downcast, if you feel powerless, put your faith in our Lord.  He promised us that he would always be there to help us.  You just need faith.  Giving and helping others when you think you have nothing to give will draw the power of the Lord through you to others.  It will lift them up when all seems lost.  It will show the power and glory of our Lord through you, and, by that action, blessed by God will you be.  Rise up and show the love and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ to all around you.  Be a blessing for our Lord.  In our Lord, everyone is someone important.  He loves us all and wants to help carry our burdens.  You need help with this life.  Just pray for and accept the Holy Spirit to grow inside you and have faith.  You have millions of others to support you in this faith.  Ask for guidance and listen.  Talk with God, our Father.  He longs to talk with you, but listen.  Give him time everyday...just you and He...talking.  God never disappoints.  It is we who disappoint him by not talking and listening to him.  Feel the great joy and love He gives.
     It is a long arduous road writing this book, but it is the most exciting thing I have ever attempted.  It is not easy, it is not simple, it is for our Lord Jesus.  People say I have faith, but what signs of it do I show.  I read and talk with people that quietly go about a life filled with trials, but their faith shines, sustains, and lifts them up to the point that they serve others in their time of great need.  The key is that helping others heals us and fills us with the power and glory of our Lord.  It helps us see how trivial our troubles are compared to those around us. We have our Lord and faith. We must quit feeling sorry for ourselves and serve our Lord.  When helping others, He lightens our burden greatly.
     Pray with me,

Father, help us to be a good servants to You, so that Your will be done.  Give us the strength, wisdom, and courage to be different for You.  Help us stand against the strong wind that blows mankind along the wrong course.  Give us strength to forgive and love our enemies.  Give us wisdom and calm us when all around us appears to be chaos.  Give us the courage to be for You and do Your will when surrounded by people of no faith.  Make our lives Your life.  Make us into Your humble servants, so that we may know Your power, love, and glory.  Lift us up Father for we are weak.  Lift us up Father for we are nothing without you, but, with You, we are everything and everything is You.  
In Your son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's name we pray this as He said.
Amen