The Seeds of Possibility

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” — Matthew 17:20 NIV

It has been said that sixty-five thousand thoughts float through our minds each day. Every one of those thoughts has the seed of possibility in it. We choose with our will what we’ll do with that thought. Will we stay stuck in “If only . . .” or “Why me?”—or will we open our minds to “What if?” and “Why not?”

Asking the right questions keeps us open-minded and openhearted to what was and is and might be in the years to come. They send us on our way into all sorts of journeys in search of adventure.

Being a spiritual sojourner, now seems like a good time to pause and look back. I want to assess where I’ve come from and where I’m going—I want to ask myself what things I’d do the same, might do differently, or regret I never did at all.

Want to come with me? I invite you to make your own list as we go along. We’ll both see how the possibilities never end. We can do all things through Christ. His is the hand that launches us; his Spirit propels us. The voyage doesn’t get any better than that.

A Little Less Imperfect

The God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. — 1 Peter 5:10 KJV

Have you ever thought life might be easier if you could be someone else altogether? Here’s one woman’s fantasy for her own identity change: she’d like to be a bear. Her reasons?

• If you are a bear you get to hibernate; you do nothing but sleep for six months.

• Before you hibernate, you must eat huge amounts of food—the more calories the better.

• The children (cubs) are born while you are sleeping and are the size of walnuts.

• As a mama bear, you swat anyone who bothers your cubs. Swatting is socially acceptable behavior.

• Your mate expects you to wake up growling and have hairy legs and excess body fat.

Life is not perfect. We know that, but the longing for perfection has always been with us. Why? We were created for perfection. We live hoping for what we’ve never known, somehow knowing one day it will be ours. The good news is, perfection is on its way. One day all evil will be banished, taking with it all that is not perfect.

God Little Notes of Love!

"…blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." Luke 11:28

I've always loved those candy conversation hearts at Valentine's. They are know to be one of the most popular of Valentine's candy ever. I read the history of the origins of this candy at their Necco website and it was quite interesting how the sayings being printed on the candy got started. Can you believe that the concept behind conversation hearts was started back when Abraham Lincoln was president?

I personally like the taste of the pink ones..but those little hearts are all good and it's one of those childhood candies that give sweet yummie memories. I also like them to decorate cupcakes and cookies with or just use thier saying (just like in this photo). What I like best I guess is those little sayings. "Kiss me!" "Be Mine" "Be True". I know today they say a few different things than the ones I grew up with.

Did you know that God sends us conversation hearts too? The things He left in His Word were left for us because He loves us. Each conversation heart from God is sweet to the taste. We just don't sometimes read or pay attention to them.

Here are some of my favorites…

BE MINE - God wants us to accept His love.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

ALL MINE - God loves us and will keep us.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. John 10:27-30

TRUE LOVE - God loves us with true love as only He can.
I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3

LOVE ME - God wants us to love Him.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. Luke 10:27

I'M SURE - God's sure of His love and wants us to know we have a future with Him.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:1-3

SWEET TALK - God's Word is His love letter to us.
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103

BE GOOD - God tells us how to love Him back.
If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15

FAX ME - God loves us so much He wants to communicate with us.
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3

Conclusion:
There is way much conversation hearts that the Lord left for us to see His love through. We just need to dig into His Word and we will find them. Talk to him everyday, have little conversations with Him, he is always there for you and ready to listen..you just need to talk!

So Ladies, lets starts our daily Little notes and spend some good time with your BBF!

Happy Valentine's day!

Credits: http://www.juliabettencourt.com

Creative Ideas for Bible Memorization for All Ages

Bible memorization is not just for children, but for believers of ALL ages! The author of Psalm 119 declares in verse 11: "Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You." It's doubtful the author was a child at the point he wrote these words by God's inspiration.
-------------------------------------
Scripture memory is for all ages!
-------------------------------------


I am now in my mid-forties (they're wonderful by the way!), and I am not disciplined at physically exercising although I know I need to be. But physical exercise is not all I need; Bible memorization is an exercise of not only our mind, but our spirit.

During the past week, as I had yet another birthday, I realized I better get with it and exercise my ALL! What's the saying..."use it or lose it!"? Well, I'm starting slow, but I'm starting, and this morning the idea hit me to combine all my exercising together.

I hate counting repetitions of exercises because, not only is it boring, but it makes the exercising tedious. Instead of counting, now I say one word of a memory verse for each repetition. Before I was just trying to do ten of each (it's a beginning!); but when I began using verses, I was doing twenty to thirty and not even realizing it! (Well, except for the burning of my muscles.)

Anyway, my point is that Bible memorization needs to be an active part of our daily lives. Paul instructs Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:8:

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

Four simple suggestions for Bible memorization:
1. When memorizing Scripture, it is imperative that we include learning the Bible reference (ex: 1 Timothy 4:8). It comes in handy when you are wanting to share a verse with someone else. It took me ten minutes to find the reference for the above verse for you! I knew the "jist" of it and about where it was in my Bible, but still had to search because I had not put it to memory.

2. It's also good to have a Bible memory partner with whom we can each be accountable. If no one knows I've started a goal, then no one will know when I let it fall by the wayside. Accountability is important in all areas of our lives. God made us a family - a team, so that we can work together and encourage one another in our walks with Him.

God inspired Paul to encourage the church at Colossae with these words from Colossians 3:16: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

3. Bible memorization takes effort just like physical exercise. It helps when we use as many of our senses as possible. Read it, say it, write it, visualize it and practice it!

First, read the verse or passage several times emphasizing different words. For example: For God so loved the world..., For God so loved the world..., For God so loved the world, etc. I suggest saying it out loud too. Many of us are auditory learners. One of our sons is and this is how we had him study everything - reading it out loud.

Next, write it. How many times did our spelling teacher have us write our words over and over? Yes, she had a reason for doing that; it stimulated our memory. Write the verse several times, and then write some more on index cards or sticky notes; place these in places you see everyday such as on the refrigerator, mirror, on the computer monitor, etc.

Finally, try to visualize the verse. Create pictures in your mind for key words. For example: For God (picture Him) so loved (a heart) the world (the earth)...etc.

4. Once we've commited a verse to memory - DON'T QUIT! Review, review, review! Like we said before - "if we don't use it, we'll lose it." As we are faithful to disciplining ourselves in this area of Bible study, God's Holy Spirit will help us.

Bible Verse Memory Packets

If you are unsure of what Scriptures to memorize, try these free printable Bible verse cards that can be cut apart and taken with you anywhere. These are in the NIV translation, but also available in NKJV, & KJV.

Group 2 NIV NKJV KJV

Group 3 NIV NKJV KJV


Scripture Songs

Music is another wonderful tool that can enhance Bible memoriztion. Stephen Altrogge offers a free download of Psalm 30:4-5 Scripture song at his blog - The Blazing Centerr.

Bible Memory Music also offers free downloads of the whole book of Ephesians in song as well as several selections of Scripture from the books of John and Galatians.

Let's allow the beautiful combination of Scripture and music help you hide God's Word in our hearts.

Another helpful tool is available for a minimal cost. It is a computer software program called


It combines colored graphics that correspond to Scriptures, while also offering a review system of over 700 Bible verses covering 48 different topics. It leaves the choice of Bible translation, which verses to learn, and the time in which to learn them all up to you. Find out more about the benefits of Memlok.

Memorizing Scripture is like storing up non-perishable food that we can share with others as the opportunities present themselves.

Face it, we don't stay in the grocery store all day; we purchase food and take it with us. We need to also take God's Word (hidden in our hearts) with us where ever we go.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The Word of God is also our only offensive weapon according to Ephesians 6:10-17.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Have you ever heard of a soldier going out for battle without their weapon? Neither should we!
Not only that, but we also set a living example for our children that says Scripture is important! Let's join togehter to "hide God's Word in our hearts." Make Bible memorization a part of your everyday activities.

Motivating family members or students to begin including Scripture memorization in their daily lives may be a challenge, but fun, creative ideas of introducing Bible memorization are sure to help you!

Grilled Cornbread Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients
1 (5-pound) Boston butt
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely
ground black pepper
1 tablespoon mesquite seasoning, such as McCormick Grill
Mates
1 recipe Grilled Cornbread (Recipe follows.)
1 recipe White
Horseradish Barbecue Sauce (Recipe follows.)
Garnish: pickles

Grilled Cornbread
1/2 cup butter, divided
2 cups self-rising yellow cornmeal mix*
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
2 teaspoons minced roasted garlic
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

White Horseradish Barbecue Sauce
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar
1/4 cup prepared horseradish sauce
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced roasted garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Directions
1. Place Boston butt in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and mesquite seasoning. Cover and cook on Low until tender, 6 to 8 hours.

2. Pull meat from bone, discarding fat, skin, and bone. Use reserved juices to keep meat moist.

3. Serve on Grilled Cornbread and with White Horseradish Barbecue Sauce. Garnish with pickles, if desired.

Grilled Cornbread
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place 1/4 cup butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet; place skillet in oven to melt butter.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine cornmeal mix, parsley, chives, onion, and garlic. Add buttermilk and egg, stirring to combine.

Pour melted butter from cast-iron skillet into cornmeal mixture, stirring to combine. Pour cornmeal mixture back into skillet.

Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Preheat grill to Medium (300 degrees to 350 degrees). Cut cornbread into desired serving pieces. Slice each piece in half horizontally. Melt remaining butter.

Brush cut sides of bread with melted butter. Grill cornbread, cut side down, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. *If you do not have self-rising cornmeal mix, just add 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt for 1 cup cornmeal.

White Horseradish Barbecue Sauce
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, whisking well. Sauce will keep, stored in the refrigerator, for approximately 1 week.

Six Simple Steps for How to Study the Bible

Are you new to Bible study or been away a long time? Wondering how to study the Bible? Take it slow and keep it simple. Don't let it be like a New Year's resolution in which we have good intentions but no follow-through. A good friend of mine once told me, "The smallest deed is better than the greatest of intentions." In other words - just do it!


1. Locate a Bible version that you can understand. For Bible study purposes, choose a Bible translation rather than one that is paraphrased.
Some of the more popular, easier-to-read translations include: New American Standard, New International, New Living Translation, New King James Version.

These and more online Bible versions are available. Also included are translations in several languages from around the world. This makes it possible for you to choose the best Bible version for you.

2. Find a quiet place where you can be alone with God. A quiet "time" is important too. The fewer distractions, the better.
More ideas for Bible Reading Plans...


3. Gather a few tools. Pencil or pen, paper or notebook, Bible & Bible concordance

Online Bible study tools can also help you learn how to study the Bible.

4. Have a simple plan of action. This may include using a preplanned Bible study there are many available on-line (here a site you could use), or you may rather use a Bible concordance to help you locate verses on a certain topic in which you're interested or Bible character.

Also, you can choose a book and begin reading chapter by chapter. (The Gospel of John is an excellent starting point for this type of study.)


5. Begin your time with prayer. Ask God to help you understand what you read and how it relates to your own life.

James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

6. Read, write, and review. Read Scripture, think about it, pray about it, and take notes on what you learn. Then review and read more. You'll be amazed how God will speak to you through His Word.


These are just six basic and simple steps on how to study the Bible. There are an abundance of other Bible study tools and techniques, but for just starting out - let's remember to:

take it slow and keep it simple.

God will lead you!

A Sneak Peak of Our Upcoming Bible Study Series

Many times we as New or Old Christian wonder How to Study the Bible, approaching Bible studies may seem like a daunting task. But God intends for us to study His Word, no matter where we are in our Christian walk and growth. But the question to ask is,

How do I study the Bible?" is not just for new Christians. Anyone interested in studying the Bible will benefit from thinking about how to study it. In 2 Timothy 2:15, the Apostle Paul wrote, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (NIV). The Greek phrase translated "correctly handle" (orthotomeo) also means to "guide on a straight path." As we study the Bible, it's important we do our best to stay on the straight path when it comes to interpreting and understanding it.

Bible Study is very important because it helps a non-Christian understand the need to become a Christian; it helps the Christian as it feeds us daily and finally it is very important to me as it enables me to learn how to please God and come to know His heart better.

For this reason our Women Ministry soon will be start a Bible Study Called "A Women After God Own Heart" Based on Elizabeth George book named the same. Their will be 10 lessons that will touch each area of our hearts and areas that we will work individually to became closer to God!

So Stay Tune, as more details will come!!

What Have We Learned?

As sobering reports continue to come of the massive loss of life and property in Haiti, we cannot help being affected. When we consider how suddenly everything about us can change, we realize our own vulnerability. But rather than being traumatized by this awareness, we should look inward and upward and ask the Lord what He would have us learn from this situation.
Peter’s epistle walks us through some thoughts which can help us clarify our thinking. He writes not of the destruction of one city, but the demolition of the entire heavens and earth, a thought almost beyond our comprehension. Then he asks a sobering question:
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? (2 Peter 3:11, NIV).
This is an elemental question we should be asking ourselves regularly, as it helps us keep our values in proper focus. Note the following inherent principles in his question.

The Present World is Temporal

Because we must live with the tangible realities of this present world, it is easy to become consumed by them. We need food to eat today, clothes to wear for warmth and propriety, and a bed to sleep in tonight. Because of these needs, we go to work, thus setting up a cycle of life that can become all-consuming.
But Peter wants us to keep in focus that one day this life will come to a screeching halt as suddenly as the Haitian earthquake. Even if we do not see the final end of all things, our own life and the things we accumulate are temporal. Keeping that thought in focus helps us hold the material world lightly.

Our Lives Reflect our Beliefs

Peter moves quickly from informing us of the ultimate end of things to discussing our response to this knowledge. What we believe does affect the way we live. If you look out the window and see sunshine, you hang your coat back in the closet. You respond to what you believe to be true. This principle can be applied to all our knowledge.
Peter answers his own question promptly, so we will get it right:

You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming (2 Peter 3:12, NIV)

.
The terms holy and godly might elude us, but Peter further defines the lifestyle he wants for believers:

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him (2 Peter 3:14, NIV).

He summarizes his admonition with this statement:

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18, NIV).

Our Hope is in the Lord

Knowing that—as the old song went—“There’s a great day comin’,” helps us live our daily lives in a manner pleasing to God. While we make every effort to live godly lives while we are here, God’s grace and peace are with us. Even if everything around us seems to be shaking, we can live in that grace and peace today.

Points to Ponder

Am I availing myself of God’s grace and peace in my daily living? Am I growing in my knowledge of the Lord? Is the hope of living eternally a reality in my life?