Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts

Monday, August 4, 2014

Unending Love, the Theme of the Bible

Jesus is the theme of the bible and through him, God not
only created all we know, He reveals his unending love and purpose for us.

John 1:1-5: In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things
came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that
has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than having been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him.

From the very beginning, God revealed his pleasure in
hanging out with Adam.

Genesis 2:19: Out of the ground the LORD God formed every
beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to
see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature,
that was its name.

As a parent, I have experienced the pleasure in my own
children learning the names of things. I can only imagine the joy the LORD
experienced as he brought each creation before Adam to decide upon its name.

As we continue to read the story of Adam, we are introduced
to Eve, the perfect helper and companion God created for Adam out of Adam.

Genesis 2: 22-23: The LORD God fashioned into a woman the
rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh’ She shall be called
Woman, Because she was taken out of man.”

God continues to show us how much he loves us and enjoys
hanging out with us by sharing the truth of how we came to live in a fallen
world. As a child, I can honestly say I walked and talked with God on a daily
basis. I have even felt him chuckle at the way in which I thought I would be of
great use to him. This foundation is what helped me through the toughest and roughest
years of my life. In the story of man’s creation, we are not told how long Adam
and Eve enjoyed their face to face relationship with the LORD, but we know it
existed!

Genesis 3: 8-10: They heard the sound of the LORD God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid
themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said,
“I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked,
so I hid myself.

How many times have we tried to hide from the LORD God only
to discover at some point, He has pursued us as well?

While the LORD God could have ended the human race right
then and there, he instead chose a way to reconcile us to Him once again.

Genesis 3:15: And I will put enmity between you and the
woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And
you shall bruise him on the heel.”

As the story unfolds, we are next introduced to Cain and
Abel. Once again, it is revealed that God speaks to his people.

Genesis 4:6-7: Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you
angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your
countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the
door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.

As we know, Cain chose not to listen to God and instead
opened the door to sin and murdered his brother. One might think after this the
LORD would give up on the human race, but he doesn’t. Adam and Eve are
appointed another offspring that they name Seth. Through Seth’s descendants, we
are introduced to Noah.

In the days of Noah we read that the LORD grieved over his
creation.

Genesis 6:6: The LORD was sorry that He had made man on
earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

We are told he was so grieved, he said he would wipe out
even the animals, the creeping things and the birds. Just as one might think it
was over for mankind, we read about Noah and discover that he found favor in
the eyes of the LORD.

We are shown that Noah enjoyed a close relationship with the
LORD. I say that due to the faith Noah showed in building an arc as the LORD
God commanded. When the flood was over, God established a covenant with Noah
and his descendents. He blessed Noah and his sons telling them to be fruitful
and multiply, and fill the earth.

We are shown that without faith it is impossible to please
God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who seek him earnestly. It was by faith that that Noah built the
arc in the middle of dry land. It was also by faith that Abraham went out to a
place to receive an inheritance without knowing where he was going.

In God’s eyes, the greatest heroes of the faith are not
those who achieve prosperity, success, and power in this life, but those who
treat this life as a temporary assignment and serve faithfully, expecting their
promised reward in eternity. (Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven Life,
Rick Warren, 2004 by the Zondervan Corp, p37)

We are also shown that opening yourself up to God is the way
to obtain a closer relationship with the Lord as we read the story of Job. As
it comes to a close, we are once again shown that God communicates directly with
His people. We see he values the relationships he has with those that depend on
him and he does indeed reward them for their faith.

Job 42:10: The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he
prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold. 

All through the Old Testament books we are shown example
after example that God is more than involved, we are shown that He is fond of
us. Even when Moses threw a temper tantrum of sorts, God revealed he would do
as Moses had requested. We are told that Moses found favor in the LORD’s Sight.
He even tells us that God knew Moses by name! Calling someone by their name
confirms that you know them.

Exodus 34:17: The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this
thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have
known you by name.”

Again and again we read about God and the relationships he
has enjoyed with those who seek him and come to him with thankfulness in their
hearts; fully knowing, believing that He is the Most High God deserving of our
worship.

In reading the Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven
Life, we are shown that we were created for God’s pleasure. We are also shown
that we were formed specifically for God’s family. It is with that knowledge
that we begin to understand that we were created to become like Christ and we
were shaped to serve God.

God loves us so much, He sent his son to save us. I don’t
know how much more proof man needs to be able to see the depth of God’s love
for mankind than that! However God takes it one step further and lets us know
that he did not come to judge but to save thus putting sinners minds and hearts
at ease.

John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have
eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world,
but that the world might be saved through Him.

As we read in our text book, we discover the message in the
Book of Acts is this: Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
(Knowing the Bible 101 A Guide to God’s Word in Plain Language, Bruce Bickel
& Stan Jantz, 1998 Harvest House)

In closing, I would like to share a reading from my favorite
devotional:

Seek my face, and you will find fulfillment of your deepest
longings. My world is filled with beautiful things; they are meant to be
pointers to Me, reminders of My abiding Presence. The earth still declares My
Glory to those who have eyes that see and ears that hear.

You had a darkened mind before you sought me wholeheartedly.
I chose to pour My Light into you so that you can be a beacon to others. There
is no room for pride in this position. Your part is to reflect My Glory. I am
the Lord! (Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, 2004 Thomas Nelson, page 165)

For all of these reasons and more, I know that God loves me
and my purpose is to serve Him by revealing His Glory through my testimony.

References

Knowing the Bible 101 A Guide to God’s Word in Plain
Language, Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz, 1998 Harvest House, p. 239

Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, 2004 Thomas Nelson,
page 165

Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven Life,
Rick Warren, 2004 by the Zondervan Corp, p37

The MacArthur Study Bible, John MacArthur, New American
Standard Bible, Updated Edition, 2006, Thomas Nelson Publishing

Can the Bible be Trusted as the Word of God?


Reviewing the Evidence Found Regarding the Manuscripts

To Verify the Validity and Purpose of the Scriptures

Wendy Glidden

Introduction to the Bible: Block 2

Session I

Colorado Christian University


I decided to select Manuscripts as my evidence because
studying God’s word has helped me in my daily defense. We all live in a fallen
world and whether we choose to recognize it or not, we are in the midst of a
Spiritual War. I have found that having God’s word fresh in my mind helps me
recognize when I have been pulled into battle. By preparing myself first thing
each day through reading God’s word, I am able to stand firm in my faith and
not faint when trouble comes looking for me. Instead, I lean on God’s word, the
sword of the Spirit, and I wield it in my defense.

Ephesians 6:17 : Take the helmet of salvation and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I found it interesting that the first video recorded
by Dr. Yohn was on the topic of faith and how for it to be of sustenance, it
must be based on evidence. It is hard for an honest person to deny that the
Bible truly is a collection of 66 books that hold one basic concept built
around one basic theme. Again and again, as Dr. Yohn mentioned in his You Tube
video, it is a story of redemption.

Learning about the validity and history of the
manuscripts is a large part of why I enrolled in this course. I am new to
studying the Bible and  I have quickly
recognized the importance of knowing both the history of the time during which each
book was written as well as the background of each author.

Being a writer myself, I recognized the styles of
writing in the various books that Dr Yohn highlighted in the fist video:

1.     Biography

2.     Prophecy

3.     Romance

4.     Song

5.     History

6.     Satire

7.     Parable

However, I did not know there were 40 authors who
wrote these 66 books over a 1500 period of time! I also learned that all of the
manuscripts were written in 3 main languages: Hebrew, Arabic, and Greek.
Another fact I found intriguing was the short span of time between copies of
both the Old and New Testaments as well as their accuracy levels. When you
couple that with the fact that the few words in question do nothing to change
the message, I am elated that I am left with no doubt regarding both the
validity and the purpose of scripture.

Regarding the accuracy of the Bible, I am quoting Sir
Frederic G Keyon, the director and principal librarian of the British museum who
writes, “In no other case is the interval of time between the composition of
the book and the date of the earliest manuscripts so short as that of the New
Testament.”

When it comes to understanding that truth as a
follower of Christ, I love being that much more confident in the fact that the
Bible alone is indeed the Holy Word of God. It warmed my heart to read what
Ravi Zecharias had to say regarding the New Testament, “In real terms, the
New Testament is easily the best attested ancient writing in terms of the sheer
number of documents, the time span between the events and the document and the
variety of documents available to sustain or contradict it. There is nothing in
ancient manuscript evidence to match such textual availability and integrity.”

After reviewing all of this evidence, my faith in the
Bible being God’s word has only been strengthened.

References

Josh McDowell, 1986, The New Evidence that Demands a
Verdict, Nelsonword          Publishing
Group, p.35



Dr Yohn, You tube videos, Men of the Word L1.1 &
Men of the Word L1.2



Ravi Zecharias, 2004, Can Men Live Without God?,U.S.,
Thomas Nelson Publishing,   p.162


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Less is Often More!

Today is Thursday, May 15th! On my calendar it is clearly marked as Tremendously Thankful, Thoroughly Thoughtful Thursday. Today I am thankful for having less.

Last weekend was Mother's Day. The best part of that day is getting the cards the children made me while at school. My second graders filled in balloon prompts on a card. My favorite line on Michael's card was the one that said, "My mom likes smaller houses."

I literally laughed out loud when I saw it. He must have overheard a conversation I had had with his father while driving in the car. I was chatting away explaining to him how much time I saved by us living in a smaller house. I said I loved living in a small house because it didn't take me anytime at all to clean the place and have the rest of my day.

On Marissa's card she had said she enjoyed watching me read the Bible everyday. That made me smile but for a completely different reason. Recently since we downsized from a three bedroom apartment back into the house that God gave me, we donated the majority of our books to a laundry mat as well as a Goodwill. Each one of them is responsible to read for ten minutes each night. I decided rather than check out books at a library, that it would do the children good to read out of the bible. I have selected certain Chapters and verses that I pray cause them to become curious for more of what God has to say about things.

Recently we have read out of Ephesians, Timothy and Philippians just to name a few. I think one of my favorite readings was from Philippians, chapter 4. The children discovered that the phrase 'whatever' was used in the bible. I shared with them that the phrase 'As if' can also be found in the bible. I used that to explain how many think the bible is old school and there is nothing in it that applies to our age. Sadly that is a lie spread by Satan through those who either don't take the time to read God's word for themselves or those that are simply too self involved to recognize the truth within the pages.

I sit back today reflecting all that has taken place in the last 6 months or so. I moved out of my small home as winter closed in and moved into a gigantic apartment that was always cold and much too spacious in all honesty. I used to joke that I had to walk to another state to hang the girls clean clothes up in their closets. It literally took me the entire weekend to organize and clean our home each weekend. In those few short months, I somehow managed to publish three books in both print and e-book formats. The apartment is something I should have never been approved to move into. As it turns out, when it comes to apartments, the federal rule states that you can only have two heartbeats per room. For those of you that have followed my blog, you know that when I first went to apply for this apartment, I had recently left Mike or rather he had actually left me and moved to Florida. You also know at the time, I had six children with me; four of them were girls and two of them were boys. Any way you slice that pie, not only did I have more than two heartbeats per room, I also had more than six on my original application. I knew God had moved me to go to that apartment and I also felt He was in the process of moving me again before things went into motion. By the end of February, the maintenance crew had done an inspection of my home and had discovered that we had one heartbeat too many living in the apartment and they gave me a 60 day notice to vacate. I was not formally evicted through the court system, I was simply sent a letter stating I had to be out by April 29th.

I guess some people in my shoes would have been caught up in a whirlwind of emotion. I on the other hand have gotten much better at praying for direction and then waiting for an answer. I always believed that God gave me my home on wheels for a reason so that is where we went back to. Winter is over, although tonight it will dip down to a chilly 37 degrees, so the mobile home truly is a great place to go back to. Now, while I do not have Internet or even 24/7 electricity, I have all I need. A bed for each child, a warm shower, lights that run off of our battery power and a very small house to clean! While I lost space, I gained massive amounts of time, including quality time with the children. We hang out at the library or the park more now because our day is not gobbled up by constantly cleaning floors! Less truly can be more. It all depends on how you look at it.

Today, seeing how it is Thankful Thursday, I am going to leave you with the advice found in Philippians 4, beginning with verse 4:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

What you focus on with your mind will alter how you go about your day. This is certainly why we are advised to renew our minds. Make sure you renew yours daily with a bit of God's word which has much encouragement to stay focused on the truth. That being said, Mercy Me just came out with a new album which is titled, "Welcome to the New". It is full of wonderful songs but I really really love the words sung on the song also called 'Welcome to the New' for those that can listen online via my link, enjoy. For those that cannot view it on your electronic device, take the time to search them out on You Tube when you have the opportunity!


I would also like to invite you to read my full story ~ well the parts that I have published anyway. I have many more books to follow. I think I could write everyday for the rest of my life and still have stuff to share. For now, you can find all of my books in both print and e-reader formats at www.amazon.com/author/wendyglidden for less than $13 you can own all three on your e-reader and if you prefer print over electronic, you can own all three for less than $25. With each purchase you are supporting my ministry. I truly appreciate each purchase!

Be blessed and be a blessing <3,

Wendy Glidden, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014


Thursday, April 3, 2014

You Must Listen to be Able to Hear

Today is Tremendously Thankful Thoroughly Thoughtful Thunderous Thursday! Today I am thankful for the power of prayer. I am thankful for my spiritual armor. I am thankful for the servants of God that He called for the task of writing the bible. I accept it as the written word of God for I know He calls many to write for Him. I know this because I am a writer called forth.

I have been amazed at what has come out of my own fingertips many many times. It is something when you learn as you write. I love how God uses me. I have always wanted to write and I have always wanted to be a part of helping others. When you put God first, He truly will give you the desires of your heart!

I am very close to finishing my third book. This morning God helped me with solidifying my final two chapters to be written and I found myself elated. He truly is a brilliant writer. I love how he sews my stories together.

This week has been a crazy week for me. I realized truths I had not quite seen before and I had to remind myself exactly what it means when you are a follower of Christ. While it pains me to know I may be hated by those I love, I realize that Jesus was hated by those He loved. I refuse to turn away from the truth of His word but pray for the wisdom in how to communicate in the most loving way one can when discussing the Truth.

With that being said, here is the encouraging word of the day:

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. - Hebrews 2:1 (NLT)

Sometimes the truth is not what we want to hear. Often we close our ears, shut our eyes and talk over or outside of it. We as man make other arrangements in our minds for how things may have come to be. I completely understand why it says they think they are wise but they are fools. 
Your heavenly Father grants wisdom and knowledge and understanding. HOWEVER, if you resist the TRUTH of HIS word you will miss out on the gifts He has set aside for you.

As you accept His truth, understanding comes. It is my belief that excitement and hunger for more of His wisdom follows and before you know it, if you continue to listen carefully, wearing your full suit of armor, you will find yourself Joyfully following Christ even when the world who denies such Truths hates you. Christ too was hated for who He was. Accept that those you do no harm to will hate you. Just take a look at those still laying down their lives in other countries as they refuse to denounce that Jesus Christ is their Savior.


As you accept His truth, understanding comes. It is my belief that excitement and hunger for more of His wisdom follows and before you know it, if you continue to listen carefully, wearing your full suit of armor, you will find yourself Joyfully following Christ even when the world who denies such Truths hates you. Christ too was hated for who He was. Accept that those you do no harm to will hate you. Just take a look at those still laying down their lives in other countries as they refuse to denounce that Jesus Christ is their Savior.


Today I pray that anyone who has desire to discover their purpose turns to God to find it. I pray they listen and hear. I pray this strengthens their faith in the Father and they continue to pursue His truth. I also pray for protection as I continue following Christ. I placed a ring on my finger and as Paul did, I consider myself a bond servant to Christ. I can not think of anything more worthwhile than following Christ. I pray for protection for me and all followers. I pray that God continues to use me and continues to write through me. I love what I am given to share. In Jesus name I pray.

Wendy, Walks with God,
Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014

Monday, December 16, 2013

Today Has Enough Trouble of It's Own!

Last Tuesday night, December 10, 2013, was the final night we HAD to spend in the RV this winter! What a crazy week this last one has been. We had counted down the last thirty days until we were going to move in to our new apartment which Jeffrey calls 'The Castle'. He cracks me up. I have explained to him that we will only be living in a tiny section of the castle. His excitement has not been phased.

Monday morning, December 9, 2013, I had called over to verify my time for my walk through and to make sure they'd gotten confirmation of my renters insurance and the fact that the utilities were in my name. All was going smoothly and we set my appointment at 11:30.

At three that afternoon, I received a phone call letting me know there was a slight problem with my new apartment. Sometime between Sunday night and Monday afternoon, a water pipe had burst and there was so much water on the floor that they were going to have to replace the carpet and padding in the bedrooms and the flooring in the 2nd bathroom where the leak had happened.

They told me it would be completed by Friday. I admit I was a bit sad. I had seen the weather forecast for the week and it was not pretty. We have been below freezing for over a week now and it was only going to get colder over the next couple of days.

Towards the end of the day, I saw a post asking for help with a chain saw crew being called to give a helping hand in Texas where they had been hit by a massive ice storm. I knew Mike would be great help so I quickly got in touch with him and asked if he'd be interested. Seeing how we weren't going to be moving now until Friday, the biggest need for Mike to be home was taken care of. Our money is really tight this month and we both agreed that him helping out would be a beautiful way to tithe. I gave him Rusty's number and Mike was the final man they needed to be able to go.

They were heading out Very early in the morning so we set our alarm for 4:20 AM and the next day we headed out before the sun came up to get Mike to one of the meetup locations on time. Once he was dropped off I made my way to work.

At eleven that afternoon, the apartment complex called me with great news. They were ahead of schedule and as it turned out if I wanted to, I could begin moving in anytime after 4:00 pm on Wednesday! The irony did not escape me! I was super thrilled that we would be in the new place right before the coldest night of this winter arrived.

With Mike being gone, I knew I could only do so much as far as moving everything was concerned so Tuesday night I packed up the majority of food, all our dirty clothes, all of our clean linens as well as the entire bathroom including all of our clean towels! All I could think was, 'I get to do laundry IN my home and everyone can take a shower!'. It truly is the little things in life that make me the happiest.

Wednesday came and after work I headed over to the apartment complex to sign my new lease. I thought I had help lined up to move the three beds I had been given along with a few odds and ends. As it turned out, my moving help was a no show and we ended up sleeping on the floor the first night! Thank goodness I had thought to grab the one cot with the 1" foam mattress and a really thick sleeping bag.

The funniest part of our first night was when I had two children in the two tubs only to realize I had nothing clean to put them in when they got out. I quickly went through all the dirty clothes and picked out things for everyone to change into and got my first load of laundry going.

Bonus things I did not know came with my apartment. A microwave above the stove, a dishwasher and an ice maker! Life is good!!

Thursday night, my help arrived and I got the few things I had been given moved into the apartment and placed in their spots. Jean, one of my many sisters in Christ, kept the children for me while another sister in Christ, Ana, helped me get the items I had been gifted into place.

When we arrived back to Jean's we discovered she had made dinner for all of us. We ate, joked that we should take a picture to post to Facebook with the a note about how all that was missing was our Pastor and his wife for our old Thursday night Bible study. Weirdly we have not gotten together since the night Ana and I were baptized. We were left hanging in the midst of Acts.

Friday night in the midst of the approaching winter storm, the chain saw crew made it safely back. I picked up Mike and we headed home. We caught each other up on all that had transpired.

The gist of this post originally began to show that the best laid plans are often disrupted. I was being led to blog on the verse regarding the fact that each day has enough trouble of it's own. Allow me to share that here, from Matthew, Chapter 6, verse 34:

So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of it's own.

The entire chapter has wonderful wisdom. I love reminding myself of this final thought for I have found it to be so very true. There is no sense in getting all wrapped up in tomorrow.

As my mind often does, while I was typing the above sentence, I recalled something I heard on Moody radio the other day. It was on a Friday around 5 PM and they were playing a series of voice mails that people had left. One of them stuck out more than the rest to me and it was about 'I Am.' In a gist the guy was talking about how you shouldn't focus on the past for God has said His name is I Am and while He is in the past and the future, it was never the past and the future when we found Him on any given day, for His name is always in the present and that was where we should be ourselves. That's not exactly how it was phrased. In all honesty, it was stated in a much more impactful way. Regardless, this has seemed to be the lesson I was being taught this past week. Stay in the here and now for this is the moment we are living.

I pray that this rambling blog has lifted your spirits, given you something to smile about or perhaps even caused you to seek a little more from the word of God Himself.

Father, I come before you today singing your praises and giving thanks for what a wonderful Father you truly are. You never cease to amaze me with your ways. I love living this life of mine under your terms. No longer do I feel the need to control everything for the illusion of me being in control of anything has long gone! Thank you for that!! I love where you have placed me. Close to work and home and surrounded by many brothers and sisters in Christ. How blessed I truly am. Thank you for loving us and always being faithful. My life is so colorful and bright and I truly look forward to each day. I pray that I continue to grow spiritually. I pray you lead me in the direction I am designed to go in. I pray I am able to see and hear all you have for me to see and hear each day. I pray that my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ grow closer to you as well. May this season that we celebrate the birth of Christ in be full of your love. May more and more and more of us come to see the Glory of God. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God,
Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013








Thursday, October 31, 2013

Is Your Light on the Lampstand or Under a Basket?

Good morning world! My time flies by quickly. I recently re-read my very first post entitled 'In the Beginning' and had to laugh at the fact that I said my intention was to write daily! Lofty goals for a busy mom of many! As you can see I have fallen quite short of that goal!! What can I say? Time gets ahead of me! Today is Totally Tripping Tremendously Thankful Thoroughly Thoughtful Thursday! For those of you that have been following my blog all along you already know that I am on a health and wellness kick that has overflowed from my mindset to my physical well being. I began this weightloss journey on September 15th and here I am almost to the end of my sixth week. To date I know as of last Tuesday I have lost 30 pounds! I also know I have lost 28" off the 5 major areas that I took beginning measurements from. I think that qualifies for rocking ones program! I have offered to help anyone who would like to get the same results. My email address is wendyglidden123@gmail.com Feel free to write me there or you could always like my fan page on facebook https://www.facebook.com/YouAreWorthyToo and send me a message there if that is an easier way for you to connect. I am here to simply inspire, encourage and help you with any and all of your goals!

For those that have read past Thursday Posts, you already know that today is dubbed as Thankful Thursday. I have actually extended that to Totally Tripping Tremendously Thankful Thoroughly Thoughtful Thursday!! What are you thankful for today? What acts of thoughtfulness have you performed? It is amazing how with just a little thanks and kindness performed in your daily life your life will begin to seem more abundant. Today's encouraging word by K-love is this:

...let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
~ Matthew 5:16, NLT

When I first read that this morning I was torn. Many perform good deeds simply because they believe in something called Karma and they just do good so they might benefit in the end. Others perform good works in hopes that their good deeds will get them into heaven. When I read this verse I was like hmmm our good deeds are not what save us and truly we are not meant to brag on them are we . . . So you know I had to go to my bible and dive a little deeper into today's message. I am taking it to the beginning of verse 13 which has the subtitle above it in my MacArthur study bible reads: 'The Similitudes'

verse 13: "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men."

verse 14: " You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

verse 15: nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

verse 16: Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

In other words don't hide in your home if you are a follower of Christ. Step out, spread the good news and allow your light to shine. As with the more you seek, the more you will find also goes the more you do the more you will see the blessing in helping others, the more you will do but not because you are seeking reward but because you truly enjoy being the hands and feet of Christ. In other words allow your light to shine and give Glory to God in all you do so that those who see your light will know the source and seek out the Lord themselves. 

Admittedly I could be completely wrong. Lord knows I am no bible scholar. I am just a simple girl who is seeking the Lord with all her heart. I want to be that light that shines in such a way that I glorify my Father who is in heaven. Reminds me of a song I heard a while back. It's called "We Are" and it is sung by Kari Jobe for those of you who cannot watch this on the device you are using. Awesome song, hope you take the time to listen to it!




A funny thing happens when you give your life to Christ. You really do get a new heart and life just changes. Believing and following are so drastically different. If you are a believer, you should so jump in with total Faith and begin following Christ. Your life will change in ways you could only dream of. Obviously this does not mean all of a sudden you have no enemies or problems for even Jesus had those! It just changes the way you live through all things. The good and the bad. I want to be a city on a hill. Do you?

Father today I pray that more of your children begin to follow Christ. I thank you so much for my life and this crazy journey I have been on. There is not a single person on the face of the earth that I am better or worse then. I love that for with that knowledge I can be friends with anyone. No need to fear judgement of past mistakes or future ones for that matter! Thank you for your grace and mercy and your never ending lessons. I love how you move me, stretch me and force me to grow. I love who I am in Christ! Thank you for taking the time. I am a mere spec when it comes to all you have created. What a wonder it is that you take the time to help me. Thank you Father. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God,
Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013




Monday, July 22, 2013

Walking By The Spirit

Hello everyone! I hope the day has found with with a smile on your face and a song in your heart! Today I find God's love for me miraculous. His desire for me to live overwhelms me some days. In the realm of it all I am here but a moment just like you, yet He sent his son to save us all. What a gift. What a blessing.

I have these flash cards that my church printed up and I flip through them sometimes when I am trying to get in the mood to write. I found these three fitting for the mindset I am in this afternoon. This next weekend is the Women's Cross Roads Great Banquet #45. I attended #44 back in February. My small group is going to attend the send off this week.

Going to the Great Banquet helped me completely get the concept of Forgiveness, Grace and Agape. It is an experience I will never forget. In the simplest form, attending the Great Banquet was Life Changing.

It was while in reflection upon that weekend I found myself reading these flash cards. These 3 spoke to me and I have decided I must share all 3 of them with you.

Beginning with Galatians, Chapter 2, verse 20:

verse 20: I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Next we go to Ephesians, Chapter 4, verse 22 - 24:

verse 22: that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,

verse 23: and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 

verse 24:  and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 

And we end with 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5, verse 17:

verse 17: Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

It is my opinion that if you are not seeking God with all your heart, you are not reading His word. It is by reading His word that you begin to understand exactly what walking in the spirit feels and looks like.

I think many people believe that once a person accepts Christ for their savior they should no longer sin. It is also my belief that Satan planted that lie to cause confusion within the church as well as separation among believers. After all if you are saved and then you stumble how well does that represent God working in your life?

Satan convinced us to hide our shames and failures from one another. My sisters and brothers, we are flesh. We wake up day after day and go immediately into a spiritual battle. As soon as you spread gossip, as soon as you say something with a sarcastic tone, as soon as you react in anger, you have sinned. I don't know about you, but on occasion these fleshly characteristics have a way of making an appearance in my life.

These actions never leave me with a good taste in my mouth these days. My righteousness convicts me of this behavior. It is not what I desire to be and it does not sit well with me upon reflection.

Walking in the spirit means I try to resemble Christ in all ways. Satan knows this. He also knows my faults as well as my weakness in all areas. I am convinced the more one tries to walk in the spirit the harder the evil one attacks in all forms.  Last Sunday one of our members made mention of how he envisioned Satan checking his database for the best way to attack us. I know he is a smooth operator and quite capable of seeing through the cracks in my armor at any given moment. This alone is why it is so important to dress daily for battle.

My life belongs to Christ. I begin my days with preparation. Some mornings I read out of a devotional first thing. Every morning I listen to Christian radio. Singing praises and laughing will always put you in a more joyous, hopeful mood. Each day I have devotionals I read, I go through my flash cards, I check out my alphabet picture with Bible verses on it, I carry my Bible with me and I pray.

It is my goal to walk by the Spirit always. Jesus is my focus. With that being said, there are days when I stumble. Today I no longer convict myself of being unworthy of God's love. I know that is another lie from hell. Now, I get on my knees and pray for more strength, wisdom and understanding. I thank God for sending Jesus who died Once for All sin, including mine. I know I don't need to pray for forgiveness when I have occasion to stumble for I am already forgiven of all my sins for all time. The evil one wants me to focus on my sin and my fear of my sin being too big to be forgiven. God wants us to focus on our righteousness, understanding forgiveness because in doing so, we will actually improve our walk!
I find it ironic that the perfect song just came on the radio to tie up this post. I have been interrupted countless times and it has taken all day to put these thoughts down on paper. I hope they are an encouragement to you.



Father, today I pray more of my fellow brothers and sisters wake up and begin seeking you. I pray they do not allow the evil one to convince them they are not worthy of your love. I pray they discover what your grace is. I pray they come to realize how special they are to you. I pray more and more of my fellow brothers and sisters begin seeking you in greater more devoted ways. I pray together, strengthened by You, we as the body of Christ become bolder. I pray we begin to move as a body moves when agile and healthy. Father I thank you for the strength and understanding you have blessed me with over my lifetime. I thank you for all I have lived through for living through such trials and tribulations has taught me to find the silver lining that always exists in the midst of all storms. I pray that all my brothers and sisters come to realize there is nothing more special about anyone of us when it comes to you and your love for us all. I pray they realize the difference in the relationship between you and all your children merely lies in whether they are seeking you or not as well as how often they seek you. I pray they come to know in their hearts that You are Faithful. You have provided us with a handbook for survival. Today I pray that more and more and more of us begin to get into Your word Father. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013







Tuesday, July 9, 2013

It's a Good Morning!

Good Morning my sisters and brothers in Christ! I hope the day has found you smiling. On my way to work today, I was jamming to the radio. Mandisa's song "Good Morning!" immediately after Chris Tomlin singing "Whom Shall I Fear". Starting your day off with prayer, followed by singing does much good for one's outlook! I know one thing is for sure, it helps me smile and beam as I bask in the Glory of God. Talk about feeling toasty!

So on Tuesdays, I am responsible for providing a marketing tip in a Christian Marketing group I belong to. Today, this was my tip on Facebook:

Good morning everyone! My tip on this Terrific Testimonial Tell-All Tuesday is BE TRUE to Yourself! When it comes to marketing you will enjoy it more if you remain true to yourself. What does that mean you may ask? Well, everything. To begin you must take an account of your personal inventory. What kind of person are you? What are your strong points? Where does your weakness lie?

If you are a morning person, then use that time when you are most cheerful to complete your creative work like your marketing campaigns. Is there a day in the week that always seems to be a more joyous, energetic day? Use that day to step out of your comfort zone and make new contacts. Positive energy is contagious! When you have an up day take advantage of that! If you are having a day when you are out of sorts, before you do another thing, get on your knees and give it to God.

Also, try as hard as we may, remember, alone you are human. Your best asset is your relationship with God. Just like we are advised in Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 


I will be blogging on verses 24 – 36 today as that is what was laid on my heart. Very exciting stuff! To check out my daily posts or to find the portal to my blog, simply click on my facebook page and like it when you stop by! https://www.facebook.com/YouAreWorthyToo

Have a blessed day everyone! 

Wendy


So honestly, I know I have to provide a marketing tip on Tuesdays. Monday night I pray for insight on what to share with my group for I am not a professional marketer. I was surprised I was even picked to provide a tip on Tuesday. All the other tipsters help others in a professional sense! Me, I rely on God to help me. So this morning I knew my message was going to include seeking God. What I did not know was that God was going to show me so much more than that! Once I realized that Matthew 6:33 actually started out with the word But, I knew what time it was! To fully understand the importance of 6:33 we must start at verse 24! With that being said, straight out of my MacArthur Study Bible, 

verse 24: No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

verse 25: For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

verse 26: Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

verse 27: And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

verse 28: And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

verse 29: yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

verse 30: But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

verse 31: Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'

verse 32: For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

verse 33: But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Verse 34: So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I love the entire message. I love the "You of little Faith!" I always hear it with such a Fatherly exasperated tone. It makes me laugh. I mean in all seriousness, all that goes on after we depart, all that has happened prior to our existence, we have nothing to do with how it transpires. How do we trick ourselves into thinking we have control over such things?

I have found stepping out in absolute Faith is EXTREMELY FREEING. I KNOW MY GOD HAS THIS! I don't have to do anything but be still and KNOW He is God. This is so much easier to accomplish when I am seeking Him. I renew my mind with His wisdom daily and it fills me with a joyous confidence words cannot define. 

I used to view the bible as something I could not grasp myself. I mean in all honesty how many people do you see hanging out on a park bench reading it? Sadly not many. The most read book in the world and we tuck it away and read it out of the sight of others! This must change! 

Today I resolve to be more bold about my relationship with God. He is my Father, my Teacher, my Friend. I love Him. I love singing His praises and reading His word. I love the nuggets of wisdom He has shared with us via those who were willing to listen and in turn share with us as directed. We are so blessed by His grace. It is a message that needs to be heard and understood. No matter where you are today. No matter what you think would keep you separated from your Heavenly Father, as He is Faithful, should you seek, you shall find and the more you seek, the more you will find. The bible has endless wisdom in it. What ever troubles you today, you will find comfort within these pages. Today I encourage you to seek Him with all your heart!

Father, today I come before you and ask that you shine your light into the dark recesses of the world. Radiate it for all to see and feel. I pray my testimony is received and encourages those who feel unworthy of your love. I pray what you give me to share helps them realize the indeed are worthy too. I pray they grasp the concept of Grace and recognize the beauty in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I pray countless lift their heads and look to you to heal their broken hearts and renew their minds. I pray those who are asleep, awaken and begin their journey back home to Faith, Hope and Love. In Jesus name I pray! Amen!!

Wendy, Mom of Many.

© Wendy Glidden 2013

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

I'm Just a Girl

Through out my lifetime friends have paid me compliments such as, "You are strong" or "I really admire your strength."   I laugh and tell them, "I'm not strong. I'm just a girl. I have had my fair share of  "in shambles" moments just like everyone else. I just know that my life has changed majorly several times in the snap of a finger. . . who's to say next time won't be awesome? I realize that quality I possess is 'Hope'. How blessed I am to have that within me.

More recently I have begun getting compliments about how brave I am. I am not brave at all. I just discovered the truth. It is so freeing. It is such good news it will cause you to weep with joy when you completely get it. It is so simple. It is the Lord of Air that tricks us into believing it is complex! He will come at you Every Day, in Every Way. His purpose is to steal, kill and destroy.  Remember if it is not of Love, then it is not of God. Recognize the Emotion and Call it for what it is. You Have Within you all you need to win this spiritual battle. You have been given all the outside tools that will best help you remain victorious day after day.

Today is Totally Terrific Testimonial Tell All Tuesday! Yippee! Today my tell all is this:

Happiness Comes. It Also Goes
It's Joy that FILLS you from Head to Toes.
If you want laughter through the mess
Renew your mind it will reduce the stress.

Today I offered a couple of dares / challenges on Facebook. This covers the Renew Your Mind Challenge. Leave me a comment if you are curious to also take the 35 point Dare Challenge . . . it's more about health & fitness. This one is for your mind. Trust me when I say all aspects of Wellness touch on each other. Work on one area and you will begin a flywheel like none other!

I am offering a 30 day Renew Your Mind Challenge.  


For one month I challenge you to turn off the TV. Listen to Moody radio at home and in the car and even at work if you are able. If a program comes on that you feel is not for you, change over to K-Love or another Christian station. I guarantee you will experience a mind change. The more you listen to Moody the better. I cannot begin to count how much I have learned from their various programs. How much I continue to learn. We are blessed to have the privilege to listen to such teachings.

I also challenge you to listen to the teaching on Hebrews that I am listening to. I have not figured out how to add things outside of YouTube to my blog. . . deep sigh . . . one day perhaps I will gain that insight. For now copy and paste this and it will take you there: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sunday-worship-at-pinheads. From this link you will have awesome access to learning who you are in Christ and how this knowledge will totally change your life.

My final Challenge is to pick up your Bible and Read the Word of God for yourself. If that seems overwhelming at the moment, find a daily devotional you can read daily. Tons of them are available on line.

Anyone wanting to start this challenge, feel free to email me at WendyGlidden123@gmail.com with an I'm taking the 30 Day Renew Your Mind Challenge! You don't have to. It's just there for those of you who want to.

I leave you with one final thought: I am not brave, I simply fear no evil. My God is Bigger. There are a million songs I could post that I sing daily. Today I am sharing this one: Whom Shall I Fear?




Today I pray for all who have lost hope. Father, please meet them right where they are. I also come before you today asking you to watch over and protect all who are out sharing the good news. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2012-2013





Friday, May 3, 2013

My Title to This Blog Stands




Fabulous!!! It is Fantastically Fun-Filled Family Friday!! Can I get a whoop whoop!

 Last week at this time I was attacked by a fellow believer in Jesus. I began a blog last December not of my own will but of God's. If you have read my blog, you would realize most would not willingly tell so much about their life. Honestly, if I hadn't lived the life I have lived, I'm not sure I would be blogging out all my skeletons. Regardless, when you pray for a sign and have a billboard land in your path, well, you stand back and recognize. This was the case for me. I was informed by this person that my blog title was offensive. (I Am Worthy) it bothered me so much I asked for others opinions in every group I am in. The feedback was this. "We love the title. We know Jesus is the reason we can go to the throne with boldness. No explanation needed." My all-time favorite reply came from Nakilah Shannon, she runs the ministry group called Hagar’s Fountain of Hope, here is the link to her ministry page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HagarsFoH?ref=ts&fref=ts

She said in a gist, “Wendy, if God had a problem with your blog, HE would have convicted you. I know you have no problem hearing Him." So, with that in mind, my title is going back to the original "I AM WORTHY" without the tag line that I had added due to my Fear of being mis-understood. After all, Nakilah is right, God put that title in my head for a purpose. Who am I to deny Him that? If you have never read even one of my blogs, what are you waiting for?



This last week has been so crazy. I have been up until midnight every night this week and somehow I still have so much work left undone.  I have not written one blog this week. My study bible has vanished and I have allowed that to drive me insane. I did recognize the silver lining this morning on my way to work. My car is clean, my home is Organized. In my search I cleaned and straightened every corner of my home.  I have resolved to go to the Christian store and purchase another one. I am sure once I do this the original will suddenly appear like a snake ready to strike!

** Update regarding my study bible! It has been found. It would seem someone, while cleaning the car, found my bible too big to belong inside the car! It was placed in the trunk in a box to keep it safe of all places. Shaking my head. Husbands! It would be nice if you remembered what you did when you "cleaned up"! I am so happy to have it back. A regular bible just is not the same!! Plus this one is a lap bible so I can curl up and read. I am amazed at how I see the story unfolding in my head. I can almost hear Paul at times. How incredible it must have been to actually see this man talking about the Glory of God. He must have lit up as bright as the North star!!

I recently figured out how to add you tube videos to my blog. Soon I will know how to make my own! How far I have come!! Anyway, the first time I heard this song it left me in tears. It hit so close to home. I hope you take a moment to listen. It ties in perfectly with this particular blog. I know this is why God gave me this title. The evil one told me I was unworthy for years. You know that if you read my story from the beginning. Enjoy! This won the K-Love song of the year award!



I would like to encourage anyone who has landed on this particular blog to flip your view so that you can see all of the titles of my previous blogs. Over half of these blogs are true life accounts. As I mentioned, God called me to openly share my travels with the world. Some of my blogs are about hot topics like gun control, welfare, bullying just to name a few. A couple posts are just poems or about something I did with my family recently. I suggest you pick a couple titles that catch your interest. If you enjoy them and would like to know my full story, I suggest you start back at the first blog. Ironically titled “In the Beginning” Our Father!! He has an awesome sense of humor. I hope you catch that through my story! Stay blessed. Stay Focused in the Word. We are in a battle my friends! Gather your gear and join me in this fight!!

Today I pray for all who are taunted by the evil one. I pray we recognize Satan’s voice and mute it every time he, The Lord of Air, begins to whisper false truths. I pray for those who remain in doubt regarding Satan and Jesus. May their eyes be opened to the truth, I pray they are struck with curiosity so much so that they begin to read Your Word Father. I pray it speaks volumes to them. I pray for those who spread the good news Father may they do so boldly bringing only Glory to your name. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2012-2013

Friday, December 14, 2012

Mas Christ Everyone! Glory be to God!

Mas Christ everyone! I say let's not let the world ruin the joy we get by giving . . . however if giving at this time of year is either stressful on your budget or your time I say to you: Nowhere in the Holy Bible does God tell us when to celebrate the birth of Christ . . . the Glory of what Jesus did for us happened through his Death and Resurrection . . . perhaps the best solution is to give as the Holy Spirit instructs you . . . all throughout the year. I think this will allow us to honor everything we love about the tradition of "Christmas" and at the same time appease the non-believers who relish in tormenting us with the truth of what the holiday has come to represent . . . insane greed.


** This morning I started out at 3:33 AM reading Romans! Thank you for loaning me your bible Jordan! God's message to me today was to help my brother! I was confused as to what that meant... but my brother means the world to me. He too has had a rough life. I barely see him even though we work together so I asked God, "How am I supposed to help him? What am I supposed to do for him?" All I saw in my head was the bible Jordan had loaned me so willingly I sat up and turned to Romans. Why Romans? Because it is written by Paul who was Saul and I learned last night thanks to Jordan that the Glory of God is only written about in Acts and Romans. You know I just had a rough time wrapping my head around that one. How could the Glory of God not be in every chapter. You may be surprised to know that until 18 months ago I had never really read anything out of the bible. So many people argue over what it says in a way I feared it. Funny enough because just yesterday I discovered that someone had stated I needed to pick up my bible and read it because I had posted I would pray for patience. She ripped me a good one . . . I saw that post . . . the one where she chastised me for praying for patience for this friend of ours asking for prayers. I ended up deleting my comment and crying. Someone had deleted her second post to me for fear it may hurt my feelings and begin some trouble. In a gist the deleted post said, "Sister Wendy, you need to pick up your bible so you know what to pray for!" My heart almost exploded in my chest at her words but I immediately felt sorry for her. You see, I have walked with God. I have heard him laugh like a father does with a child that tickles him with their simpleness. God told me all I needed to know about the world. Like most children you will see I rebelled with anger over the years . . . even with all of my junk he loves me. Wait until I write the chapter about how he let me know he had heard my prayers! That one will be fun!

Anyway, I decided I wanted a cup of coffee this morning but when I pulled into McDonald's the line was ridiculously long. Right then I realized I only had $1 . . . I needed $1.09. I thought to myself, "I'll just park and go inside I know a lot of the girls on the gas station side and I was sure one of them would let me borrow .09 from them if I promised to pay the penny fund back." As I approached where I was going to park I saw the back of a work truck that looked like my brother's and again I heard, "Help your brother" As I pulled up next to the truck on the other side of the pump I realized indeed it was my brother. He has been on medicine for too long. Recently due to a missed appointment and the health care insurance fiasco he had been off his meds for almost 6 months! There were signs that he was beginning to have some rumblings of anger. In my heart I think that is only natural to be overwhelmed with emotions when you've been locked in a dungeon for years upon years. In my heart if I could put a name on what it was that was killing my brother I would call it Jealousy! Anyway, I ran over to his window and tapped on it . . . he had not seen me pull up next to him. He rolled down the window and smiled at me. I said, "Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a dime on you would you?" He gave me a dollar. We chatted for a moment. I commented on something being human nature and he said, "You're my nature" I laughed and he said he'd see me at work. Just as he pulled off someone honked at me. Mike. I smiled at him and said, "Long line, I'm going in for coffee. I had to borrow money from Tommy so I can't pay for yours." He handed me two dollars and I ran in ordered our coffee. They said it would be like 3 minutes before the pot was done brewing so I went over to the Shell side and chatted with one of my favorite cashiers named Bev. She had a customer come up so I wished her well and left her to her work. Iwent back over to grab our coffee. They were just finishing it up. I grabbed both cups, gave Mike his and headed off to work. When I pulled in I saw my brother getting out of his truck. He walked around the front of the truck and smacked the hood. I yelled, "Hey! What are you angry about?" He snapped his son (his pride and joy) had lied to him and he stormed in the back door. I ran in the front door and flew to the back of the office. I grabbed him and pulled him back outside. No need for everyone to begin jumping to conclusions. I asked him, "Did we lie to our parents?" He paused sideways smiled at me and said, "Yea". I gently pryed while smiling at him, "So, what did he lie about?" in a gist it was a hurtful lie and my brother loves his son so much it breaks my heart to see him hurt so bad. I told him, "Tommy, you are NOT mad, you are hurt." We cried together and laughed too. I hugged him. I asked him if he ever read his bible? He said no. I told him about Ephesians and how you are warned to put on your spiritual armor. I told him about God waking me up and how I'd read 1/2 of Romans this morning. He laughed and said, "You read the bible and tell me about it." I laughed and said, "Deal" I asked him to do me a favor. I said, "Every time you feel yourself getting angry, I want you to put that thing that is causing you to feel that way to the side and reach for a memory that makes you laugh and continue to do that until you have calmed yourself." Then I told him about this story of mine and asked if he'd be willing to read it. He informed me my book would be the only book he'd ever read. I gave him the biggest hug and he hugged me back. I told him with a smile, "You know, us Irish Twins have to stick together!" That made him giggle again. In a gist, I listened to God. I didn't know how I was going to help my brother . . . God just needed me to be a willing servant and through me he reached out to my brother. Glory be to God!

That is all for now. I wondered why I'd not been given my next title and this I believe is why . . . I was meant to share with you all of this. I hope in some way it helps someone come a little closer to belief. May you all have a blessed day!

Wendy, Mom of Many.