My brother has been moved to a step-down unit as of this evening. He is doing extraordinarily well! Once again, thanks for your prayers. Love,
Melissa
P.S. Happy Birthday to my sister Melanie who turned 29 today!
P.S.S. - If you click on Comments below each post you can let me know what you think or how you feel or just THAT SOMEONE IS READING MY BLOG! :) Please leave comments with your thoughts or ideas of something I can blog about the next day!
Monday, August 27, 2007
We Have Everything We Need
Some of you may get tired of me posting Scripture, but I just do what I feel the Lord is leading me to do.
As I have grown during the past few months in God's Word, I have noticed that Scripture really speaks to me in some ways now that it never has before. This passage of Scripture is one of those that really spoke to me this morning.
I know that I have spent a good deal of my life thinking that as soon as I get myself straightened out (emotionally, mentally, physically, you name it), then I can be like all those other women who are such good leaders or servants of Christ or seem to just "have it all together". Not so - the Bible tells me so! God has already given me (AND YOU) everything we need to for this life and for godliness. All we have to do is add to what He has given us by studying his Word. We also need to dump all the baggage, let go of the past, confess our sins and GET ON WITH IT. Let's get out of the pit and out of the mire and go be what God wants us to be. Who cares what we have done in the past (God doesn't if we have confessed it to him!) and who cares what other people think of us! Let's study God's Word, pray for direction and go out and serve others in the way we feel God leading us too. :) Love and blessings to all and have a wonderful week!
I Peter 2: 1-11
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As I have grown during the past few months in God's Word, I have noticed that Scripture really speaks to me in some ways now that it never has before. This passage of Scripture is one of those that really spoke to me this morning.
I know that I have spent a good deal of my life thinking that as soon as I get myself straightened out (emotionally, mentally, physically, you name it), then I can be like all those other women who are such good leaders or servants of Christ or seem to just "have it all together". Not so - the Bible tells me so! God has already given me (AND YOU) everything we need to for this life and for godliness. All we have to do is add to what He has given us by studying his Word. We also need to dump all the baggage, let go of the past, confess our sins and GET ON WITH IT. Let's get out of the pit and out of the mire and go be what God wants us to be. Who cares what we have done in the past (God doesn't if we have confessed it to him!) and who cares what other people think of us! Let's study God's Word, pray for direction and go out and serve others in the way we feel God leading us too. :) Love and blessings to all and have a wonderful week!
I Peter 2: 1-11
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Sunday Fun
The kids had so much fun today. They were singing "Our God is an Awesome God" when I took this picture. So sweet!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Hang in there
This is an audio clip from Beth Moore that I thought someone might find encoouraging today.
http://swn.edgeboss.net/download/swn/saved/oneplace/mp3/2411424/qwb20070823.mp3?siteid=register
http://swn.edgeboss.net/download/swn/saved/oneplace/mp3/2411424/qwb20070823.mp3?siteid=register
TGIF!
Even though I have to work tomorrow, I am definitely glad it is FRIDAY! Quick update:My brother is doing wonderful (saw him last night). I don't want to go into a huge amount of detail - but the Lord has answered your many prayers and the amount of recovery he has made in just one week is amazing. Thanks to everyone who has lifted him up in prayer.
I have a 7th grader in full blows of puberty - Pray for me and my household!!! :)
We are getting ready to crank up on all our Fall activities, i.e. soccer, basketball try-outs, full fledge homework and tests, youth group, teaching Sunday school, etc. and although I am excited, I am already tired just thinking about it!
Have a great weekend!
Love and Blessings,
P.S. This is a picture of Jacob at Horseshoe Bend in Arizona last Summer. I can't even begin to describe to you how beautiful this is in person. Absolutely will take your breath away. I wish I were there now.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Wonderful News
Chris went be to see my brother last night while he was in Chattanooga and the nurse said that they took him off of dialysis at 11:00 a.m. yesterday and that his kidneys appeared to be functioning on their own. They will know by 11:00 a.m. today whether or not they are functioning for sure. They are trying to wean him off the ventilator and he is in good spirits. The nurse who was working with him yesterday told Chris that she had Jeff when he first came in the hospital in June and that she couldn't believe the complete full circle he had made - she thought he wouldn't have made it.
I know without a doubt that this is completely the power of prayer and the awesome power of God!
Love,
Melissa
I know without a doubt that this is completely the power of prayer and the awesome power of God!
Love,
Melissa
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
WOW!
Check out this video. This child is 9 years old and was asked by the Manchester United Football Team to move to Britain to train and join their team. He is originally from Australia. A parent sent in the video to the Manc. United and based on the video alone they asked him to join. Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG47FDenyXw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG47FDenyXw
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Update on Jeff
Jeff was taken completely off of blood pressure medication yesterday and is still on low ventilator settings. He is making good, but slow progress. It will be awhile before they are able to tell if his kidneys will be able to function on their own again. But, for right now the dialysis is definitely working and he is following commands and in fairly good spirits. God is good.
Melissa
Melissa
Inviting God To Change You
Sometimes as Christians and just as humans, we have the tendency to think that we don't need to change and that we have it all together in our lives and our Christian walk. My devotion this morning was on being teachable, the way God wants us to be.
None of us have it all together. None of us are sinless. We should all be in the process of asking God to change us to be more like him. Let us all go before the Lord today and ask him where we need to change. Whether it be pride, feelings of self-doubt, addiction, etc., the Lord will give you the strength to change by just going before his Throne in humility and asking Him to help change you to be more like Christ.
TEACHABLE
by Gail Rodgers
The little boy was like a sponge, eager to learn with no pretense yet of having it all together. He was completely teachable. I once heard that the true characteristic of humility is to have a teachable spirit. It makes sense.
It's interesting that, as adults, it's easy to be teachable in the presence of some. Yet at other times we feel being teachable will create a vulnerability that we just don't want to face. So, we put on the pretense of having it all together. Having a teachable spirit means having a spirit that is open to change. We know God's desire is to transform us ... by renewing our thoughts... so we can live in line with His will for us. (Romans 12:2) We want to live in victory in our Christian lives yet at the same time we resist changing our thinking. We deeply desire to walk in the strength and the power of the Holy Spirit but at times, we wonder why our lives feel powerless as Christians. All the while we hang on to the familiar ruts that run through our thoughts and we resist changing.
"Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven"(Matthew 18: 3, 4). "Like this child." Trusting. Teachable. And yes, changeable. God desires to bring us to wholeness and we all want that. Why then do we hang on so tightly to the familiar, common thinking patterns that run in our minds and are contrary to God's word? This is where defeat can enter. Check your thoughts. Ask God to reveal where your thinking needs transforming. Let His Spirit change you and lead you out of defeat.
Do you choose to hold your anxiety in your own hands when God asks you to cast it on to Him and leave it at the foot of the cross? Pour them out to Him in prayer.
Do you nurse thoughts that feed your feelings of inadequacy when God asks you to allow Him to be your strength where you are weak? Ask for His strength.
Do you hold tightly to your pretense that you are better than "them" when God asks you to show love? Invite Him to love through you.
Are you entertaining doubt in God and dulling your faith? Read the stories of the Old Testament and see the power of God in the lives of ordinary people.
Do you neglect fellowship with other believers because you don't like the way they do things? Make an effort to get to church with expectation in your heart to meet God there.
This is the pathway out of defeat. This is the invitation to let the Spirit change you.
None of us have it all together. None of us are sinless. We should all be in the process of asking God to change us to be more like him. Let us all go before the Lord today and ask him where we need to change. Whether it be pride, feelings of self-doubt, addiction, etc., the Lord will give you the strength to change by just going before his Throne in humility and asking Him to help change you to be more like Christ.
TEACHABLE
by Gail Rodgers
The little boy was like a sponge, eager to learn with no pretense yet of having it all together. He was completely teachable. I once heard that the true characteristic of humility is to have a teachable spirit. It makes sense.
It's interesting that, as adults, it's easy to be teachable in the presence of some. Yet at other times we feel being teachable will create a vulnerability that we just don't want to face. So, we put on the pretense of having it all together. Having a teachable spirit means having a spirit that is open to change. We know God's desire is to transform us ... by renewing our thoughts... so we can live in line with His will for us. (Romans 12:2) We want to live in victory in our Christian lives yet at the same time we resist changing our thinking. We deeply desire to walk in the strength and the power of the Holy Spirit but at times, we wonder why our lives feel powerless as Christians. All the while we hang on to the familiar ruts that run through our thoughts and we resist changing.
"Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven"(Matthew 18: 3, 4). "Like this child." Trusting. Teachable. And yes, changeable. God desires to bring us to wholeness and we all want that. Why then do we hang on so tightly to the familiar, common thinking patterns that run in our minds and are contrary to God's word? This is where defeat can enter. Check your thoughts. Ask God to reveal where your thinking needs transforming. Let His Spirit change you and lead you out of defeat.
Do you choose to hold your anxiety in your own hands when God asks you to cast it on to Him and leave it at the foot of the cross? Pour them out to Him in prayer.
Do you nurse thoughts that feed your feelings of inadequacy when God asks you to allow Him to be your strength where you are weak? Ask for His strength.
Do you hold tightly to your pretense that you are better than "them" when God asks you to show love? Invite Him to love through you.
Are you entertaining doubt in God and dulling your faith? Read the stories of the Old Testament and see the power of God in the lives of ordinary people.
Do you neglect fellowship with other believers because you don't like the way they do things? Make an effort to get to church with expectation in your heart to meet God there.
This is the pathway out of defeat. This is the invitation to let the Spirit change you.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Still stable
My brother is still in stable condition and the dialysis appears to be working. He is almost completely weaned off of the blood pressure medication and he is currently on the lowest ventilator settings possible. Miracles do happen. Keep him in your prayers.
I had a wonderful visit with my sister, Dad, and nieces this weekend. After everything that happened last week, it was good to be able to relax and spend some time with them.
Hope everyone has a great week!
Melissa
I had a wonderful visit with my sister, Dad, and nieces this weekend. After everything that happened last week, it was good to be able to relax and spend some time with them.
Hope everyone has a great week!
Melissa
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