Quote Of The Day

Story of the day:  Strength

I remember a story that took place the first time that Jeff and I had been stationed in Dayton.  We were heading to church, and that morning, a snow storm started to blow.  This wasn’t an ordinary snow storm.  The snow was mixed with ice.  We didn’t know that the ice had been taking root on the street and freezing, becoming invisible, or something known to northerners as black ice.  We were out in the country and the van started to slide.  When a car hits black ice, it is hard to get traction between the tires and the road.  Jeff did everything that he learned in driving school, but with the ice there was not much too do.  We slid and landed wheels side up in the ditch.  As I checked on our children, who were up in the air, they seemed relieved as to have stopped spinning.  Jeff carefully got out of the van and we looked at each other and tried to figure out what to do.  This nice man, whom we didn’t know, asked if he could give Jeff a ride to our church which was about 2 more miles up the road.  Jeff, safely arrived at church, and brought back some of the men to see if they could help get us out of the ditch.  They were knee deep in the snow trying to push us out, but it was no use.  About 15 minutes later, a huge snow truck came and hooked up a wire cable and pulled us out of the snow.  This story reminds me of God.  How many times in our strength do we try to pull ourselves out of situations instead of relying on God to be that snowtruck and use His cables to easily pull us out of our situations.  We even go to other people to see if their strength can get us out, instead of using the Source that has all the means.  

Quote of the day:  Irish Blessings Quotes-St. Patrick

May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us, may the hand of God protect us, may the word of God direct us. Be always ours this day and for evermore.  

Bible Verse of the day:  Exodus 15:2

 The LORD is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 

Prayer: 

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for today.  Thank you for allowing me to rely on your strength.  I ask that when things happen, that I don’t rely on my strength but on Yours.  Thank You for showing me that when I rely on myself in situations and not on You, things don’t always seem to go as You have planned.  Lord, I don’t want to mess up Your plan for my life, and so I am going to rely on You for the strength that I need each day and to lean on You for every part of my life. In Your Son’s Holy and Precious Name,

Amen

Story of the day:  Running With Perseverence

I like to look at my Christian walk as a marathon.  Everyday, I pick up my baton (cross), get on the starting line (prayer), and begin running the race (living for God).  There are times during the race that I get tired, thirsty and hungry, and, feel as if I just can’t go anymore.  It is during my race, that God gives me the extra energy that I need to get through it.  He is my ultimate source of strength, water and food, and when I feel as if I can’t give anymore, He is my cheerleader.  I start a new race everyday and each race has different obstacles, but I know that I can overcome those obstacles because of God’s Love and Grace.  So don’t give up on your race, because God is at the beginning of the race, He will be there in the middle when You are worn out and feel as if you can’t finish, and He is the finish line, where you will always win. 

Quote of the day:  Michael P. Green    

 ”In the movie Chariots of Fire, young Harold Abrahams, a champion sprinter, had just suffered his first-ever defeat.  After the race he sat alone, pouting in the bleachers.  When his girlfriend tried to encourage him, he bellowed, “If I can’t win, I won’t run!”  To which she wisely replied, “If you don’t run, you can’t win.”  Abrahams went on to win the 1924 Olympic Gold Medal in the hundred-meter run.” 

Bible Verse of the day:  Hebrews 12:1-2 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Prayer: 

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for letting me start a new race everyday.  I ask that when my race seems so long and I start to get tired, that You give me that extra energy that I need to endure and to “keep on keeping on”.  I know that there are many obstacles along my race, but I can persevere knowing that You are with me every step of the way.  I pray that when I don’t see the finish line, not to give up, but to keep on going.  Thank You for letting me take part in this race called life. In Your Holy and Precious Name I pray,

Amen

Story of the day:  Words Can’t Describe

As many of you know I have a struggle of being far from home.  My mom is a heart patient, and my dad is taking care of her, and my grandparents.  The burden is so great on him, but he never shows it.  I as well as my husband have been praying to go home to be near family and so that our kids can grow up in one area.  Yesterday, God brought me to my knees and revealed this to me.  He said, “Christy, a location, where you abide, shouldn’t be a struggle.  I take care of your mom and grandparents.  I knew this, I just chose to ignore it.  It took God hitting me on my head to say, wake up.  I have brought you to Dayton for a reason.  That reason was revealed to me at church last night.  I can hardly describe how God reached down from Heaven and just poured into me the vision that He has for my family and the church that we are attending at the present.  I was so focused on getting home, that I was missing that small voice that was whispering to me.  The one small voice that I have shared with many of you that if we are constantly ”busy” with other things, miss out on.  I am so very humbled by God.  The love that I have for Him is so much more now than ever before. The Spirit of God was all over our church out in the country.  I don’t think we had that many people in attendance last night, but one would never know it, because God filled that place with His spirit and I am still very overwhelmed with the Revival that went on in my heart!  I thank God for that time that He gave me yesterday to understand it’s never about me and it’s only about Him. My friends and family, we really don’t realize the sacrafice that God made for us.  That is why we are here, to serve and worship Him.  So, I come to you now and I ask that question.  Are you living for Him?  Is everything that you do for or about Him, and is it done with a love that I just can’t describe with words?  My heart pours out to those of you that don’t have a personal relationship with Him.  Today is the day.  Don’t let another day go by without making Him the Lord of your life! 

Quote of the day:  Author Unknown

 “When you do things for the Kingdom of God, don’t do them because you deserve the reward, but do it, because God deserves the reward!  He made the ultimate sacrifice!” 

Bible Verse of the day: Romans 12:1-3 

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.  

Prayer: 

Dear God, I come to you right now praying for revival in whomever reads this e-mail.  I pray that You touch their lives with the Sprit that you poured into my very soul.  I pray for those that do not know You.  I pray that today is the day that they come to You with a willing and loving heart.  I pray that they make You Lord of their life.  I pray for no rest until they make that commitment to You to become a child of God.  God You love us all and want to be a part of our lives, that is why You created us!  Thank You God, I just Thank You!!!! In Your Son’s Holy and Precious Name I pray,

Amen