Pursuing the Presence, Purpose and Power of a closer walk with Christ

Archive for September, 2011

The Summit of Save a Lot


Doc2gravestone clipart    What kind of dreams do you dream?  Happy dreams…scary dreams…romantic dreams…dreams of conflict, love or death? Most people will admit when asked, that they have had memorable dreams, but have you heard of  anyone who dreamt  big on saving money?

   I recently had a dream  after I had been at a monument and granite company. I wanted to have a memorial placed at my late husband’s grave before the deadline for laying the foundation this year. The  meaning of the dream became clear after I thought about it awhile.

   The dream’s location was in the parking lot of where I had been earlier that evening. I saw a “Save-A-Lot” store next to this monument business. ( In reality, an Italian restaurant was next door and the name was used as a landmark of direction by the business owner.)  I said to my daughter with special needs, “Let’s walk over to that store instead of driving there. It’ll give us some extra exercise” As we walked on the side-walk, it  began to ascend more than I was comfortable with for her safety.  I told Rachel to stop and wait a minute, I wanted to  see how much more the ascent of this walk would be.

  But the further I climbed, the steeper the path took me up…up, up, up to the top of the summit. On the peak I could see the  “Save-A-Lot” sign clearly. The next morning after I awoke, I remembered the unshakable  dream of  ascending that mount. It donned on me that the summit stood for the name of the other monument company I had gone to a year earlier. I had discounted this company because of their cutoff date for the foundation laying might not be in my timeline.

   I realized the Lord had spoken to me in the dream in an unmistakable way. Though I do not shop at “Save-A-Lot”, I would save a lot at Summit  ______  _____ . 

   I called  the family owned monument company to inform them I would be coming in to look at the gravestones for the color and size I wanted. I found their stock of memorials to be just what  I was looking for to honor my husband’s memory. What’s more, I was thrilled to hear the price of the gravestone,  it would save me just over $2,000!

  God is Great! “Who among the gods is like you , O LORD?  Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in power, working wonders?” Exodus 15:11

  Has God shown you a wonder? Leave me a comment telling  what He’s done in your life lately.

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Is It Bigger Than A Bread Box?


   Have you ever played a game at a party where you tried to guess what the surprise was and another participant asked,”Is it bigger than a breadbox?” This phrase was popularized by the comedian Steve Allen when hosting the game show, “What My Line?”  At the time of airing this popular television program, the concept of a breadbox was well-known.

Would most people today know what a breadbox looks like?  Certainly, you could “Google” the term breadbox and find a variety of vintage breadbox selling on E-Bay. You could also find a fancy new breadbox online for about $100. Or you might find one at a garage sale.

 This past Sunday afternoon, I stopped at a garage sale after church. Normally, I would not be browsing the lawns, driveways or garages in my neighborhood on Sunday, but I was flagged by a huge sheet of plywood. ” “SALE” was painted in red letters almost the size of the piece of  wood.  I  put my car in reverse, (not recommended when cars have to go around you), and pulled in  the driveway behind another treasure hunter.

The need for more chairs around the dining table was in the back of my mind, but there wasn’t a seat in sight. What drew me further amongst the array of items was an old box. This was not your average garage sale find, it was made for a specific purpose and the sweet lady hosting the event offered its history.

She explained that it was once used to deliver bread. She showed me the embossed letters spelling “Vim Bread Company” on the lid. I couldn’t believe my ears or my eyes. It was just what I needed! Not to sit on, of course. I needed it to place the bread I baked in for the Bread of Life Ministry.

 ” The Bread of Life Ministry”  was titled as such because it describes  the act of ministering  the Gospel of Jesus Christ to my neighbors.  I have gone door to door in hopes of giving  a loaf bread that had been wrapped in foil and placed in a plastic bag.  Information was inserted into the bag that includes who I am, the recipe and a connect card from the Nazarene Church I attend.

This idea came from a lovely lady I never met. In a Revival service I had attended, an Evangelist, Lane Loman, retold the story of his beloved mother,  Pearl Loman. Pearl was a modern-day disciple of Christ who took the Great Commission seriously. She would go door to door showing her neighbors God’s love and giving them a loaf of bread she baked.  Ladies, this was before bread machines and the convenience of  Harvest Bread.

I hope to accomplish the same result as she: lives brought to Christ and transformed into His image. Some of the families in her neighborhood had made the decision to accept Christ as their Savior after praying with them.

 What would happen to our neighborhoods today, if there were others who followed the example  of this humble lady? 

 Those that make the effort to fulfill the Great Commission will have abundant joy in the Harvest, bringing their sheaves with them.

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A Cause To Pause


 
Ground Zero Cross

Romans 8 : 28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

The 10th anniversary of the terrible destruction to the Trade Center’s Twin Towers calls for A Cause to Pause.

The majority of people living in our Patriotic Nation remembered what they were doing or exactly where they were when the terrorist’s attack  happened on September 11th, 2001.

What fear and dread must have been running through the hearts and minds of those related to  people who worked in the building and what devastation must have overcome  numerous people in the midst of the chaos, confusion and calamity.

No American raised with the knowledge that the Giver of Life gave us the right to  life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, would have wished this on their worst enemy.

Neighbors, Friends, Friends of Friends, Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Daughters, Daughter-in-laws, Sons, Sons-in-laws, Aunts, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews, Cousins and Kin; once or twice removed;  all were affected by the planes’ demolition.”

“And We Know That In All Things.  God Works.  For The Good Of Those Who Love Him, Who Have Been Called According To His Purpose.”

 This was cause for many bystanders, if you will, to pause and pray for the loved ones of the victims and the loved ones of the hero’s who died at that time or in the hours afterward . Many church pews once half filled and some all but empty, began filling, and in some churches it was the first time in a very long time for A Cause to Pause.

 This past September 11, 2011, memorial services all across this land from ‘sea to shining sea’ were held in homes, communities,  and churches. Inevitably, the media of television, cable, internet and radio realized by broadcasting some of  these solemn events, they too, had A Cause to Pause.

A Cause To Pause came in my community. God was indeed one of those who paused at the cause of the grief in the hearts of millions of men women and children.  An unexplainable rumbling coming from the stormy clouds pealed for hours and hours. Never before have I heard such a wonder. I’m sure the Lord was grieved, because the grief of millions of hearts touched His Holy heart.

Wadsworth, OH 9-11 Memorial Service

A friend of mine said it rained until the memorial service  began in the center of Wadsworth, Ohio on September 11, 2011. When the service was over, it began to rain again.

  Later that evening, I thought about the song we sang during  the morning service in the church I attend, which is also in Wadsworth, OH . As the congregation sang,  “There Shall Be Showers of Blessings”, it began to rain. One of the lines of verses is,  ‘Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.’

Heavenly Father, would you rain down on us showers of your blessings. Showers of  a Holy Spirit Revival. Showers causing men, women and children to pause and turn from sin, back to you.  Give us showers that transform men, women and children into your image. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Great Expectations


God's Presence

We’ve all had them. Expectations, that is. And some of them have been great…

   When I think of great, I think of how great God is. Psalms 77:13 says, ” Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the people. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people.”  He not only redeemed the descendants of Jacob and Joseph, but He redeemed all those who accept His son Jesus as their Savior.

    God is great because He loves us all. While we were still sinners, He sent  Jesus Christ to die for us. Who do you know that would offer His only Son to die for those who don’t know or love Him?

   God has been great to me. He has stayed by my side through tragedy, loss of a spouse, before during an after my spiritual transformation and the joyful times as well.

  Recently, one of the wonders I attribute to Him is a cross growing in the pines above the horses pasture at Here’s Hope Horse Farm. I find it to be great that God would allow me to see this and capture it on camera shown in the photo above.  Some might say, “what a “co-inky-dink”.  I say it is great because the God I know allowed it to grow in such a manner. 

   What would you say? Has God been great to you? Have you seen His marvelous hand at work in your life or a family member’s? Leave a comment at the end of this post, I’d love to read about something He has done in your life that you can say is great.

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