Only Jesus

If I have but Jesus, only Jesus—
Nothing else in all the world beside—
O then everything is mine in Jesus;
For my needs and more He will provide. —Olander

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Earthquaking

Early I awoke this morning...laying awake in the stillness and quiet when I heard a tiny rattling sound but could not figure out where it was coming from...then what sounded like a sudden gush of wind but it was different...a kinda eerie feeling overcame and in the pit of my stomach there was a churning, goofy, butterfly, uneasy feeling...the window rattled, my bed did a little wave like thing, like the floor dropped out from under me...not for long but long enough...the little rattle returned and then all was still and quiet again. I looked at the clock and it was 4:39 am when it was all over...how long it lasted I do not know but what it was I was pretty sure of, it was something I had only experienced once before in my life (16-18 years ago) but it was unmistakable...an earthquake was my thought and...a report on the radio and news on the internet served to confirm what I already knew that it was indeed an earthquake. Wow!

A 5.4 on the Richter Scale with its epicenter about 180 miles away in Illinois. I sit here amazed, in awe of Your Almighty Power! I remember shaking and earthquaking in Your Word...Isaiah, at the cross on the ninth hour..."It is finished!"...on Resurrection morning, in the Book of Acts on the Day of Pentecost there was a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind, and as the disciples had fervently been praying "The place where they were assembled was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke The Word with boldness." Wow!

Awakened, shaken physically, let it be for me too a spiritual awakening, shaking...oh to be filled with The Holy Spirit, flowing freely, fully, in me and through me, Your temple...proclaiming, living Your Word, in Your Power, by Your leading, for Your glory I pray, Amen!

First Anniversary

My parents Sonny and Peggy...vows kept...covenant fulfilled!

Defining Moments

Today I share an excerpt from the pages of Our Daily Bread...
One year ago, people around the world were stunned by a shooting rampage that left 32 victims dead on the campus of Virginia Tech University. In the aftermath, the mother of one critically wounded student who survived said she did not want the ordeal to become the defining moment in her son's life. Instead, she hoped it could be "something positive, some great celebration of his life."

When the unthinkable happens, it may seem impossible to believe that anything can overcome the emotional scars. Yet, the life of Joseph offers a powerful illustration of God's transforming power...The defining moments of our lives are not determined by the things that happen to us, but by our response through the grace and power of God. —

When rough the path from day to day,
When sorrows fill our eyes with tears,
Our choice to find our hope in Christ
Can lift our soul and calm our fears.

This comes with a prayer that you may know His constant abiding presence and peace surpassing understanding and sustaining grace.

Today is a special day for our family, especially my Mom, it's first wedding anniversary for Mom since Dad passed...also May 6 is coming soon, the day of his homegoing...both are days, in fact, every day is a day to celebrate his life. and the One Who is the Resurrection and the Life, The Way, The Truth and The Life, and for His gift of eternal life delivered and paid in full...today I celebrate Jesus Christ!

E.S.P.N.

Acrostics have always been a good way for me to remember and share Biblical Truth...here is another that came to me recently-

E-encourage one another
S-support one another
P-pray for one another
N-need...we need one another...we need God.

Today in Our Daily Bread Devotional this Truth was reinforced

Encouragement! We all need it, especially in our walk of faith. The book of Hebrews tells us to keep urging each other on. "Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, . . . but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (10:24-25).

Help me, Lord, to reassure and strengthen
Others by the words I speak today;
I would always try to be affirming,
As our pathways cross along life's way.

You and Me

A memory not so long ago or so it seems to me
Of a baby girl giggling while bouncing on my knee
Sitting on my lap freely giving hugs and kisses too
Always saying “I love you!”
Together we did sing and rhyme
Yet it seems that in no time
That a little girl stood by my side
Always together me and you
Always saying “I love you!”
Before these eyes I watched you grow
Blessing my life I want you to know
Then that little girl became a teen
How to express how much to me you mean?
Together we grew me and you
Always saying “I love you!”
Up hills we climbed
Down them we flew
In sunshine and through rain
Through times of joy and pain
Always behind me
Holding me too
Always saying “I love you!”
Now a young lady stands by my side
Together we look down the aisle wide
Slowly now we begin to stroll
Through my mind the memories roll
“Who gives this woman?”
How can it be?
(Not so long ago it seems to me
A baby girl bouncing on my knee
Now before my eyes a woman I see)
And as I’m saying that “I do”
Know that I always love you too!

For my niece Jeanine on her wedding day

Moments that Matter Most

This past Monday, March 31, I remembered vividly where I was on that date one year ago. I wrote in my journal of the singing that night at Griffin’s Chapel for my Dad and the emotions, love, holiness of that worshipful gathering… it was as if God’s grace flooded that place, His love was released and freely flowed, His Holy Spirit moved freely, it was, well, like nothing I had ever experienced before and really no words are sufficient but as I recall it again the feelings, emotions well up inside of me…it was what we all needed. Dad was in his element, praising the LORD, surrounded by friends, and he was very humbled at the outpouring but even more so he was humbled by the graciousness of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the gift of eternal life….and that he so often unashamedly expressed…and in those moments it was I who was humbled by this man and his love for the LORD but even more on this night as I sat next to him and he worshiped as never before…and I watched him walk up on that stage with his friends and raise his voice and raise his hands in praise and…shine…the glory of God illuminated that place, filled that place as the LORD inhabited the praise offered to Him, and oh how sweet and fragrant as he delighted and took pleasure in You, LORD…and I watched as Your all-sufficient grace poured out, Your power was perfected in weakness, You exalted the humble and I was in awe…in awe of You my heavenly Father and in awe of you my earthly father.

One year ago, it is hard to believe and as priceless and worshipful as those moments were, how much more, infinitely, unimaginably more what he is experiencing now and what one timeless, eternal day, we will experience together with our LORD, our Savior, our Brother, our Friend, Jesus…thank You Father, thank You Jesus for Your grace, mercy, love, peace, assurance…for the gift of eternal life…for making it all possible for us to be forever family and to have a forever home with You!

What have I learned? What matters most? How have I grown? How have I changed? How am I different? What will I do about it? What will I do now? Where will my focus be? What will be my priority? The eternal, the spiritual need outweighs the temporary, the physical need. That ministering to the physical need opens the door of opportunity to minister to the spiritual need. It is in the midst of those most trying times that there is openness, tenderness toward things spiritual and eternal…and an opportunity to share, to learn, grow, to draw near to and know the presence, peace, grace, love of God as never before. What matters most? Knowing we are loved…knowing we are not alone…this is what we most need, this what matters most…knowing someone understands even when we don’t and looking to Him, looking to Jesus, learning from Him, leaning fully on Him, trusting Him with All our hearts…trusting that somehow all that happens in this life, this temporary, fits into, is a part of His eternal plan…so to keep our eyes on the eternal…so to have peace that surpasses understanding.