Remember, With God, ALL Things are Possible!

It's Tremendously Thankful Thoughtful Thursday! As I look back at the blogs I have written, and ahead at those still left to share, I am awe struck at the strength the Lord has given me through my journey. As many of you know I listen to Christian Radio, Read my Bible, Read devotionals as well as countless posts from other believers. They all fuel my fire and renew my mind. The more I learn, the more I love. The more I seek, the more I find. It truly is a vicious cycle!

I subscribed to K-loves Encouraging Word this year. They say the encouraging word throughout the day on the radio itself, but they email it as well. This was the one from Tuesday and I just love what it says. For I know the truth behind the words. Without further ado, I introduce to you from Isaiah, Chapter 41, verse 10, taken from my email quoting the NLT:

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Doesn't it just warm your heart to know that this promise is true! No matter what you are going through, what travesty you are facing, what mountain lies before you, Don't be afraid or discouraged. He will hold you up. I can't help but smile for I see so vividly how many times I have been held up and strengthened. There is no denying it.

This morning I heard the testimony of a man on K-Love who said he had the most amazing revelation almost as if Jesus was in the truck with him and he just knew even if he were the only human on the face of the earth Jesus would have come for him. I know that feeling myself. I smiled. The man made the comment about how personal the feeling was as if Jesus had reached out to him right there and filled him with that knowledge. It is my prayer that all my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ have this same revelation regarding themselves when it comes to the Love Christ has for them.

Sometimes I feel guilty being so joyous in my confidence of God's love for me. I know no matter what happens tomorrow, God will still love me. When it all boils down to nothing if you have a relationship with God, you are going to be just fine. It reminds me of Janice Joplin when she sang, "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose" there is an element of truth to that. Many people add stress and fear into their lives due to the things they don't want to give up or lose. Possessions and belongings and even relationships can imprison you. When you have nothing there is no fear of what you may lose. I am free today for I know I have everything I need. I have God's love. 

Last night after I read Mike the blog "Dissed, Disowned, Disgraced and Darn Near Destitute" I asked him what he thought. He said, "Scary". I laughed and asked, "What do you mean by scary? What all we went through?" He laughed and said, "No, your memory of it all. Amazingly scary." I asked him, "Okay, aside from that what did you think?" He said, "I liked the ending." I was surprised, "The prayer?" He said, "Yea, it was really good." That made me smile. At one point in time Mike was not impressed by the prayers of others for others. That is obviously not the case today. Don't think a person can never change, it truly begins with the renewing of one's mind. Put in positive and positive will begin to flow back out. 

He ventured to ask me what my next title was that I was hoping for healing from and I said, "Landing on a Ledge". He shook his head and repeated what I had said as if asking a question. I said, "Yea, here I have been for the last couple blogs commenting about how I was tumbling straight down a mountain I couldn't stop long enough to get my footing. I was so confident that because you had asked God for me and had won me that you would always be for me. I felt we were so in love then I never saw what happened next coming and when it happened it was like wham, I landed on ledge so hard it took my breath away." 

As we carried on our conversation, Mike made the statement that we had really been through a lot. I said, "Yes, you are blessed to have a girl like me. You look at all of that and how calm I was through it all, even when I was 28 weeks pregnant with twins. You do realize all that I blogged about in that last chapter happened within the first 6 months of our relationship?" He said, "Wow." I said "I know. I never freaked out on you once." I may not have realized it fully back then but I was held strong by God's victorious right hand. Jesus Christ died for me. He died for you. Grab a hold of that truth. Recognize that Love and hold tight to your Faith. I promise you, He will see you through. 

I am encouraged to share a song, hoping you enjoy it. Sung by Brandon Heath "I'm Not Who I Was"

I am blessed to have Mike know both who I was and who I am today. I went to God when I needed help with our relationship and I was shown how to manage and today I stand with Mike and am thrilled to announce that January 18, 2014 we will be renewing our vows and for the first time saying them in front of family and friends as well as praising God as we share how we went to him alone the first time we said our vows. It will be exactly 10 years from our very first kiss. It was only do to my following Jesus that we are where we are at today. 

I just want to let you know, what ever you are facing today, whatever obstacle seems to large to overcome, with God all things are possible. Trust in that and walk in Faith my sisters and brothers. You will LOVE who you become and how your view of things will change. You will discover Joy in the midst of madness. 

Please leave me a comment on this post or any post you read. We are meant to encourage one another and comments lift me like I cannot even put into words. Nothing stokes me more than being an inspiration to someone helping them find their way home. The most awesome gift one can give to another is "The good news". You want to truly help a friend out, help them build their Faith. Through Faith they will find hope and when they stick the course they will discover Love. God is Love. Love is God. It truly is as simple as that!

Father God, Today I come before you and ask that you strengthen me when judgement from non believers strikes. I thank you for filling my life full of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. They help with their encouraging words. Thank you for always being there. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for your council over the years. I love who I am in you. I pray I am a light for others. I pray you use me to call others home. I pray I am a mighty warrior in your army of saints. Use me Lord in ways I can only imagine. Allow me to be a voice in the darkness. Let my story of triumph be heard. May my testimony reveal your Grace and Glory to all who stumble upon it. May it inspire others to not only seek and find you but to in turn share the good news so that a wave of triumph becomes louder than the news of dark deeds. In Jesus name I pray.

Amen

Wendy, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013

Have a Tremendous Thankful Thoughtful Thursday!

Good morning my friends! I hope the day has found you smiling and drinking in the beauty of life itself. What a blessing we have been given! on my ride to work, I was listening to Moody Radio. I was in the midst of reflecting on my last 24 hours and talking with Our Father on what I was to do today when this song came on. I think the title is "One Thing Remains" . . . I found it by typing in the words 'his love never fails never gives up never runs out on me' into You tube. Love seemed to be the continual theme for the past 24 hours.
You see, yesterday I had taken a picture of a gift I had won the night before. It's a little plate with a verse out of the Bible on it. The Book quoted is First Corinthians and the quote itself is from Chapter 13 verse 13:

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

I love my MacArthur Study Bible. My footnote goes on to explain: The objects of faith and hope will be fulfilled and perfectly realized in heaven, but love, the God-like virtue, is everlasting (cf.1st John 4:8) Heaven will be the place for the expression of nothing but perfect love toward God and each other. 

You know I cannot go on without taking a look at what the Book 1st John, Chapter 4 Verse 8 has to say:

The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

So there you have it! God is Love. Love is God.

As often happens, when I am going where I am led by the Holy Spirit I am led to expand on the reading. My MacArthur Study Bible in the notes regarding Chapter 13, it shares this: Spiritual gifts were present in Corinth (1:7); right doctrine was even in place (11:2) but love was absent. This led to the quarrels and exhibitions of selfishness and pride that plagued the church - notably in the area of spiritual gifts. Instead of selfishly and jealously desiring showy gifts of which they don't have, believers should pursue the greatest thing of all - love for each other. This chapter is considered by many the greatest literary passage ever penned by Paul. It is central to his earnestly dealing with spiritual gifts (chapters 12 - 14), because after discussing the endowment of gifts (chapter 12) and before presenting the function of gifts (chapter 14) he addresses the attitude necessary in all ministry in the church (chapter 13).

With that insight, I say let's dive into Chapter 13 completely. I am quoting out of my MacArthur Study Bible.  Many of you have most likely heard or seen some of this content:

The Excellence of Love

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love it profits me nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. 

I think that pretty much sums up Love. I don't know what one could possibly add to that to make it a larger statement! With the title of the day being "Tremendous Thankful Thoughtful Thursday" I guess I should end with one of those. Today I am thankful that when God leads me I am aware enough to listen and follow. 

May you take a moment today to bask in Our Father's Love for you. Open yourself up to the fact that you can do nothing to lose his love. We all have done wrong in our life. Our Father has already forgiven your trespasses . . . isn't it time you forgave yourself? You Too ARE Worthy. You just need to believe. I pray that you begin to feel God's love for you. I pray you begin to seek his Word. Romans is a great Book. I pray you  make the effort to what it says about you and who you are in Christ. I don't know where you are at in life or what you are struggling with but I pray you begin reading the bible. I pray you take the time to look up the topic that best deals with whatever is currently troubling you. Amen.

Have a Tremendous Thankful Thoughtful Thursday,

Wendy, Mom of Many



Copyright © 2013 Wendy L Glidden. All Rights Reserved.