The Girl is Behind the Wheel

Saturday, June 30, 2018

June 2014

from Maggie's Journal

You know, things have changed a little bit around here. I don't feel like I am any older but The Girl sure is. I can remember when I first got here. She was not much bigger than I was. Now she is almost as big as my Alpha.

And do you know how I know she is growing up? Because recently she started climbing into the four-wheel and taking off -- BY HERSELF.  What are my Hairless and my Alpha thinking? She can't be old enough to do that! Have you seen how BIG these four-wheels are? How can she possibly control such a contraption? 

I don't understand it. But everyone seems to be okay with it. It's a good thing I'm not a mother!

Well one day this week I was outside with my Buddy when The Girl came out of the house and flitted over to the four-wheel. She closed herself up inside and disappeared over the hill. A little while later she came back with one of my favorite foods and everybody else came outside to join us. My Smoothskins sat around eating while my Buddy and I looked on -- licking our lips and waiting for an opportunity to do the dishes. Soon they all got finished and placed their bowls on the ground for us. I love this stuff. It is cold and sticky and we typically only get it when it is warm outside. So maybe The Girl should go off by herself more often if it means that she is going to bring this yummy stuff home.

Maggie came to Kentucky in November of 2005 after being separated from her Smoothskins in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. She recorded her thoughts over the years about the adjustments she made in the culture of her new home and about the family who took her in.  

He promised

Friday, June 29, 2018

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭9:13-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Aren’t rainbows fascinating? When the conditions are right at the edge of a storm, I look with anticipation for the rainbow. And I’m always excited when I see it. 

How cool it is to know that God uses the rainbow to illustrate His promise to never destroy the earth with water again. 

The LORD will fight for you; 
you need only to be still.
Exodus 14:14

Sometimes we get so caught up with all the overwhelming things in our lives that we forget who is fighting for us. He doesn’t need our help in the battle, though. He needs for us to get out of the way and to be still. That’s a great promise. 

If any of you lacks wisdom, 
you should ask God, 
who gives generously 
to all without finding fault, 
and it will be given to you.
‭‭James‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I find this a little curious — “IF any of you lacks wisdom. . . . “ Really? Like that would be the whole world! Look at the promise. If we ask God for wisdom, He promises that He will give it to us. All we have to do is to recognize our limitations and just ask Him. 

This week I’ve talked about how trustworthy the Lord is. He alone can be trusted. He promises. He delivers. 

followmeretreat.org

He Is A Man of His Word

Thursday, June 28, 2018

If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you.
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭11:38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God made lots of promises in the Bible and this is an interesting one. Do you know who he is talking to? Jeroboam. Do you know who the king is at this time? Solomon. 

King Solomon thought Jeraboam did good work so he put him in charge of some building projects. Later, God sent a prophet to Jeraboam to deliver these words to him (I Kings 11:38). Then two things happened. 

(1) Jeraboam became king of ten tribes of Israel as God has promised (and Solomon’s son ruled over the other two). 

(2) Jeraboam did not follow the Lord as he was directed, so God took him off the throne as He has promised. 

My point is that we can always trust God to do what He says He’ll do — whether it be delivering blessings or discipline. He loves us more than anything and wants us to be happy and healthy. We can depend on Him to be true to His word. No matter what. 

Lord, help us to walk in obedience to you and to do what is right in your eyes, that we may bring glory to your name

followmeretreat.org

Trust Me

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

This is a wonderful reminder of how much God loves us. Like any loving father with his children, He wants to protect us from fears, weaknesses, etc. And this passage is just one example of where He makes promises to us. 

• He is with us. 
• He is our God. 
• He strengthens us. 
• He helps us. 
• He upholds us.

My daddy loved his girls about as much as was humanly possible. He did everything he could to be sure that we were safe and secure. He provided nourishment for us -- physically and emotionally. As best as he could, he empowered us. He undergirded us with prayer. But try as he might, he could not be with us everywhere we went. He could not be -- and didn't want to be -- our god. He knew his limitations.

Our Heavenly Father knows no limits. He knows no boundaries. What He says he will do, He does.

So take courage today. Know that He is with you no matter where you are.

You have no reason to fear or to be dismayed. Because He is God of the universe. And He is yours.

You can do ANYthing through His strength.

He will support you and encourage you on your walk.

followmeretreat.org

Follow Me

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. 
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:18-22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This passage seems fairly cut and dried. 

• Jesus came across these four men. 
• He called them. 
• They dropped everything and followed Him. 

Do you think it was that simple or is this just the condensed version? 

Was this the first time Jesus had spoken with these guys or had their paths crossed before?

Did the men just automatically know they could trust Jesus or had He already proven Himself to them?

If you had been Peter, Andrew, James, or John and Jesus had called for you to come with Him, what would have gone through your mind?

• Who are you?
• Why do I feel compelled to go with you?
• Where are we going?
• What about my family?
• What about my business?

Do you think the men ever regretted their decisions to follow Jesus? 

What did Jesus do to ease their minds?

I don’t know the answers to these questions. It is fun to ask them, though. It makes me think. 

What I do know, however, is how I responded when Jesus called me to follow Him. He didn’t appear to me out of the blue. He introduced Himself to me over time. So when He spoke to me, I recognized His voice and I knew I wanted to go with Him. 

Now in my case, it didn’t mean leaving my family and my livelihood. But it did require a lifetime commitment to Him. And I have never regretted it. Jesus has proven over and over to me that He can be trusted. 

And, by the way, on the day I breathe my last earthly breath, I know that I can go with Him to paradise. I trust Him to transport me there because He promised that He would. And I believe Him. 

followmeretreat.org

Hope in the Word

Monday, July 25, 2018

For everything that was written in the past 

was written to teach us, 

so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures 

and the encouragement they provide 

we might have hope.

Romans 15:4

When this passage was written, Paul most assuredly was referring to the Old Testament Scriptures. I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch for us to consider the situations in the New Testament as well when we think about people who went through tough times. And it is because of God’s intervention in their lives that they came away with clear hope. 

I’ve mentioned this before so I apologize in advance for being repetitive. I don’t understand people who dismiss their own poor choices or bad behavior as being a result of going through a time when they had to learn from their mistakes. I think that’s just an excuse they hide behind. I have a friend who told me she carefully watched her brother so that she would know what NOT to do growing up. 

I think that is more what this Scripture is telling us. We have examples in the Bible of people who messed up — we should avoid doing what they did. 

We also have examples of people who endured great difficulties and remained true to the Lord through them. We should model our lives after them. 

As a result of the great stories of faith and endurance we find in the Scripture, we should be encouraged to press on and to embrace the hope we have in Christ. We can trust Him to be truthful and faithful to us. He always has been. He always will be. 

June 24, 2018 - Memory Verse

Focus this week on the 

CHRISTIAN LIFE

I have been crucified with Christ

and I no longer live,

but Christ lives in me.

The life I now live in the body,

I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 NIV

Con Cristo he sido crucificado, y ya no soy yo el que vive, sino que Cristo vive en mí; y la vida que ahora vivo en la carne, la vivo por la fe en el Hijo de Dios, el cual me amó y se entregó a sí mismo por mí.

Gálatas 2:20 NBLH

I am who I am because of Jesus Christ. 

I am nothing without Him. 

I am everything because of Him. 

He gave His life for me. 

Now I give Him my life.

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Show Them Forgiveness

Saturday, June 22. 2018

The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:21-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

With today’s blog title, you might not be surprised that I would use this Luke passage as my Scripture. It’s a good one for showing a father’s forgiveness for his wayward son. By requesting his part of his father’s fortune while his dad was still alive, this young man had basically told his daddy that he wished he were dead. The wealth was more important to him than his father’s life. 

Of course, once all the money was gone and the young man found himself homeless and destitute, he realized the error of his ways. Being a servant on his father’s land would be a far cry better than where he had ended up. 

But instead of his father chastising him and agreeing to let him come home as a hired servant, he welcomed his son home with open arms and with great celebration. 

The father in this parable shows us at least four things:

1. God’s willingness to forgive us, his wayward children. 
2. How earthly fathers should be quick to forgive their own children. 
3. How children should respect their parents. 
4. That everybody can approach God for forgiveness no matter how badly they have messed up. 

I'd like to consider two other Scripture passages today. As you read them, think of how this applies to earthly fathers showing their children forgiveness.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.Colossians 3:13

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.Ephesians 4:31-32

My title today is, "Show Them Forgiveness." Indeed, fathers should forgive their children when they mess up. But fathers should also model forgiveness to their children in how they deal with people outside the home. Forgiveness, kindness and compassion leave no room for bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander or malice. Fathers should model this for their children every day with all their relationships.

LORD, we celebrated Father's Day last Sunday and I have talked about how important fathers are all week long. I am so grateful for my father and for my children's father because they have practiced discipline, intercession, affirmation, and forgiveness in keeping with your word. May we learn from them and be better witnesses for You as a result. 

Words of Affirmation

Friday, June 22, 2018

When all the people were being baptized,
Jesus was baptized too.
And as he was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit
descended on him in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven:
"You are my Son, whom I love;
with you I am well pleased."Luke 3:21-22

When I was a girl, I learned a snappy little comeback if anyone every said anything unkind to me. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." I learned later on that this was just a bunch of hogwash. 

Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death...." And Proverbs 12:18 says, "There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." 

I had never thought about this Luke passage as perhaps being a model for earthly fathers and their children. I see three things there that parents would be wise to do.

1. God the Father claimed Jesus as His Son.
   Sometimes parents and children go through a season when they really don't want to associate with each other. Right?
   But children of all ages really need to hear the voices of their fathers acknowledging them as family. It produces a sense of belonging.
2. God told Jesus that He loved Him.
   Sometimes parents just assume their children automatically know they are loved. But there's no substitute for actually saying the words -- or for being able to hear them coming from your father. It erases any doubt.
3. God told Jesus He was proud of Him.
   Words of affirmation and encouragement don't come easy for some people. But there's nothing better than hearing from someone you respect that they appreciate who you are. It gives us confidence.

All three of these things involve the spoken word. They are all positive and encouraging. They are satisfying for the speaker and the recipient. 

We should all think twice before we say things. We should avoid words that act as sticks or stones or swords. We should freely and sincerely give words that are encouraging, loving, and affirming.

metanoyachurchblog.blogspot.com

Intercede for Your Children

Thursday, June 21, 2018

When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. 
Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” 
This was Job’s regular custom.
Job‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What can you say about Job? He had it all — a large family, wealth, and health. And his love for the LORD was steadfast, to say the least. 

Job loved his family so much that his regular custom was to intercede to God on their behalf. His prayers included sacrifices for the sins of his children. 

Intercession is not a word we use a whole lot these days. 

Intercession or intercessory prayer is the act of praying to a deity on behalf of others. 
In Western Christianity, intercession forms a distinct form of prayer, alongside
Adoration, Confession and Thanksgiving.
Wikipedia

We don’t have to be involved in blood atonement through the sacrifices of animals these days because Christ stood in for us as our unblemished lamb. But we can still get on our knees on behalf of our children to seek God’s guidance for them. And we should. Every day. 

For what can we pray?

• safety, security, protection
• physical, spiritual, and mental health
• wisdom, discernment 
• fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control)
• God’s will

It is of utmost importance that our children have a personal relationship with the Lord — that is something we cannot do for them. But lifting our prayers to the Lord on behalf of our precious little ones — no matter what their biological age — is a blessing and a responsibility and an honor. 

http://www.alfchurch.org/ministries/intercessory-prayer/

PRAYER: A Passion for the Presence of God

Discipline yields wisdom

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. 
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
Proverbs‬ ‭3:11-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Consider the following scenario:

The parents of a young child warn her repeatedly not to go near or touch the stove. One day, something in a skillet intrigues her. Although she does not actually touch the stove, she accidentally bumps the skillet and it falls to the floor, causing a huge mess and the loss of their dinner. 

Her parents, relieved that she is unhurt, include having their daughter help in cleaning up the mess as part of her punishment for disobeying their warnings. 

The next time she is curious about something on the stove, the little girl remembers how scary it was when the skillet fell, the nastiness of cleaning up the floor, and the sadness of having disappointed her parents. And she does not touch the stove. 

Discipline can lead to wisdom. And wisdom is a beautiful thing. 

copyright 2005 Heartlight, Inc www.heartlight.org

Fathers Are Important

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them . . . .
Psalm‬ ‭127:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Have you ever thought about the responsibility of a father with respect to his quiver full of children? The quiver provides security for his “arrows” — it is his responsibility to be sure they are well cared for. 

It’s also his job to make sure the “arrows” are well-prepared to fly when the time comes. And when he shoots them, it is his responsibility to aim carefully at the target. 

Yes, daddies are important. First of all, none of us would be here without them. Additionally it is the good father who protects his children and prepares them for the complicated world where we live. 

3riversarchery.com

Happy Father’s Day

Monday, June 18, 2018

Yesterday was Father’s Day and my children took their dad out to lunch after church. I had wondered how crowded the restaurants might have been. Apparently they weren’t. I find it interesting that Morher’s Day is one of — if not THE — biggest day for restaurants. But on Father’s Day, the mothers cook them a meal at home. 

Or families just don’t celebrate it because there’s not a father around. 

Fathers are so important to children. They need to learn many things from their daddies:

• self-confidence
• how to develop a good work ethic
• how to show respect for authority 
• how to love 
• how to place God first in their lives
• how to laugh
• how to pull their weight at home 

If dad is not engaged or is not there at all, then children miss a vital perspective on life. 

How wonderful to have a family where the dad loves the Lord, loves his wife and children, and is involved in every aspect of their lives. I know one thing for certain.  My children are blessed, indeed. 

And, oh, by the way, Bill’s dad would be 102 today if he were still living. 

June 17, 2018 - Memory Verse

Focus this week on the

CHRISTIAN LIFE

I can do all this through him

who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 NIV

Todo lo puedo en Cristo 

que me Fortaleza.

Filipenses 4:13

This is not a new verse for me. But I need it as a reminder. What is the “this” that we can do through Christ. According to Philippians 4:11-12, it is to be content no matter what. 

• whether in need
• whether in plenty
• whether well fed 
• whether hungry
• whether living in plenty
• whether living in want

God’s desire for us is that we learn to be content. We can’t do that on our own. But we can do it through Christ who gives us strength. 

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Little Miss

Saturday, June 16, 2018

by Maggie

Smoothskins come in all sizes and smells. 

When little Miss came over for the first time, I didn’t know what she was.  I stood back and protested rather vehemently about their bringing her into our world. But my Alpha let me know that everything was okay and I slowly warmed up to her. 

She looked a bit like a smoothskin — same lack of fur. But she was so tiny. Her little paws were precious, really. And they tasted so sweet. I learned early on that I needed to teach her how to touch my head and face like my Alpha does, though, instead of just grabbing me by the ear or tail or nape of the neck. 

I’m not really sure where she came from and she never stayed for very long. Some other smoothskins always brought her inside and then later came to pick her up. And they always looked like they were moving in — bags, toys, pushy carts, food. 

Now the food was interesting. When she first came over she didn’t bring me much to sample. But over time as she got bigger she dropped supper crumbs on the floor for me from her special chair. I learned to sit patiently and I was always rewarded with some tasty morsels. I felt it was my obligation to keep the floor clean so that my Alpha wouldn’t have to do it. And I saw no reason for good food to go to waste when, as my mother used to say, there were starving woofers on the other side of the world. 

I never really knew what to expect from the little Miss in the smell zone. Sometimes, especially when she first came in, she smelled dreamy. Delightful. Kind of like I do after a good lathering. But sometimes she smelled kind of, well, poopy. I can’t say that I mind that smell, really, but I find it disgusting that she didn’t go out in the grass to do that. 

Over time the little Miss got bigger and bigger. One day she stood up in the grass on her hind legs and walked like my Alpha. Then soon she started running after me in the yard. We made quite a pair — her trying to catch my tail — me almost letting her and then dashing off. She’s pretty cute if you like the type. 

My favorite time with little Miss is after supper. I like to lie by my Alpha’s feet. And little Miss likes to use my tummy as a pillow. Sometimes we both go to sleep together there. It’s nice. 

I hope she never grows up. 

Do Not Grow Weary

Friday, June 15, 2018

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Remember that Jesus endured intense opposition here. He was blameless and didn’t deserve such treatment. We, on the other hand, are flawed and sinful. We should expect opposition from all directions. 

As we focus on Jesus, we are reminded that He doesn’t just give us arbitrary directions on how to run this race. He was knee-deep in it, Himself. He can relate to our struggles and our temptation to throw in the towel. But because He triumphed, we have the perfect runner after whom to pattern our race. And the perfect roadmap — God’s word. 

So it’s pretty much up to us to use the resources available to us and to put our training and race-running into motion. It does me no good to join 12 gyms if I park myself on my couch every day. Likewise it does us no good to learn the racecourse, analyze the perfect runner, and learn His word if we don’t put it into action. 

The Great Cloud of Witnesses – The Pen of Christian Inkwell. lwharper.wordpress.com

Run The Race Like Jesus Did

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Jesus, as pioneer and perfecter of faith, had a race marked out for Him when He was on earth. It included perseverance like we cannot fathom. Yet He looked beyond the cross to the joy that would be His. He endured the shame and vulnerability as a human, knowing He would receive the ultimate glory at the right hand of His Father when it was all said and done.

We get pretty stuck in the muck of life. Don’t we? Yet we don’t have to bear nearly the burdens Jesus did. We need to acknowledge where we are but remind ourselves that peace and joy await us in the end. We won’t be seated at God’s right hand because that honor is reserved for Christ alone. But we will be in His presence — worshipping and experiencing a complete transformation that we cannot now comprehend. That kind of reward is worth running for. 

Father, sometimes it is hard to endure the difficulties of life. Help us to stay the course and to look beyond the finish line to your open arms. 

The Great Cloud of Witnesses – The Pen of Christian Inkwell. lwharper.wordpress.com

Fix Our Eyes on Christ

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

In looking at these 3 verses, we have spent Monday and Tuesday of this week talking about those who have gone before us who have influenced our Christian walk. Today I want to look at the next little section:

·         Let us throw off everything that hinders. This doesn’t say, “drop it,” or “tuck it away somewhere in case you want to pick it up again later.” It says to throw it off. Heave it. Cast it off. If we have something in our life that hinders our relationship with the Lord, it’s got to go!

·         Let us throw off the sin that so easily entangles. And sin is so sneaky to creep in and grab us by the ankles before we even realize it. 

·         Let us run the race laid out for us. Most of us are running a cross country marathon complete with rugged terrain and water features.  It takes a lot of training to be ready. But it’s up to us to run it and to do well.  

·         Let us fix our eyes on the finish line at Jesus who was the ultimate pioneer of our faith. Jesus ran this race first. Pattern your running style after Him. 

Lord, You have promised to go before us and make the crooked places straight and to never to leave us or forsake us. Help us to depend on you as we run this race called life. Give us the determination to persevere. Remind us as often as necessary to focus on You. May we make you proud. 

The Great Cloud of Witnesses – The Pen of Christian Inkwell. lwharper.wordpress.com

The Great Cloud of Witnesses

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Of the people in your life who have gone on to heaven, who would you count as being in the great cloud of witnesses?

GRANDMOTHER:

She was a wee little thing but she was a strong believer. She was a prayer warrior to be sure. And she raised my daddy well. 

DADDY: 

Daddy loved the Lord with all his heart and showed us girls what unconditional love was all about. He always looked for spiritual lessons in everyday situations. And he modeled to his co-workers, family and friends what being a believer really was. If you knew him, you understand what a wonderful man of God he was. If you know any of his three daughters, you’ve seen a glimpse of his character in us. And he was definitely a character!

MOTHER:

I don’t know of anyone who has had a relationship with the Lord quite like my mother. She allowed the Holy Spirit to overflow onto everyone she met. She was a gifted woman. 

PA DALTON

W.O. CARTER

JACK DEMPSEY

MILTON FALKENBURG

BILLY GRAHAM

And there are many others. 

Father, thank you for all the Christian men and women who have affected our lives and have helped shape us into who we are today. May we be great witnesses for those whom we meet every day. 

The Great Cloud of Witnesses – The Pen of Christian Inkwell. lwharper.wordpress.com

Happy 200th Birthday, First Baptist Church Bowling Green

Monday, June 11, 2018

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Bill and Lizzie and I went to Bowling Green yesterday to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of First Baptist Church. Thirty-five years ago, Bill served as the pastor of Emmanual Baptist Church on Main Street in Bowling Green – a mission church of First Baptist. And yesterday he was privileged to have the opportunity to speak from the pulpit in reflection of his time there. It was a very special time for reminiscing and reuniting with old friends. The food was good, too.

One of the themes for the celebration was remembering the wonderful people who had gone before us to pave the way for the First Baptist of today. We heard stories of people in the 1800s and 1900s who carefully did the Lord’s work on that corner. They invested in the lives of children and college students who continued His work there and around the world.

Bill was one of those college students. He very eloquently reminded us of some stalwarts of the faith who had diligently encouraged and supported him as his ministry was first taking flight. And some of the people in attendance were testimony of the impact that Bill’s life has had on them. It was pretty cool to realize that not only is Bill a result of the ministry of that church but he has left his own mark on hundreds of lives there and at our other churches because of his obedience to the Lord’s call.

Who has been special to you in your formative years as a believer? A grandparent? A school teacher? A coach? A neighbor? And how have you influenced others in your walk? When it is all said and done and you go home to be with the Father, will someone here count you among the great cloud of witnesses?

The Great Cloud of Witnesses – The Pen of Christian Inkwell. lwharper.wordpress.com

June 10, 2018 - Memory Verse

Focus this week on the

CHRISTIAN LIFE

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and shun evil.

Proverbs 3:5,7 NIV

Confía en el SEÑOR con todo tu corazón, 

Y no te apoyes en tu propio entendimiento. 

No seas sabio a tus propios ojos;

Teme (Reverencia) al SEÑOR y apártate del mal.

‭‭Proverbios‬ ‭3:5, 7‬ ‭NBLH‬‬

I’m accustomed to reciting verses 5 and 6 together from this Psalm. But 7 is, of course, a wonderful reminder of our position spiritually. We are never truly successful and wise if we depend solely on ourselves. It is only when we wholeheartedly lean on God and trust Him with every aspect of our lives that we gain His wisdom and His ability to follow what is right.  

Meditate on these verses this week. Pray these words to God. Examine your heart and allow the Holy Spirit to show you where you fall short. And put these words into action. 

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