God meets our needs

I received this story in an email . I wanted to post it because it is such an encouraging story. We often go through our individual situations and "seasons". It is wonderful to know that through it all God knows our needs. I can testify His ability to meet our needs. As I get older I am learning to stand back even when I can't or don't want to let go of my circumstance. I stand back to see Him at work as He promised.

The songs goes...Be encouraged, no matter what's going on. He will make alright, but you have to stay strong...

Be encouraged.....

SPECIAL GROCERY LIST

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.

She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.'

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?'

Louise replied, 'Yes sir.' 'O.K' he said, 'put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries.'

Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.'

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he c

continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper ! from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.
It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

'Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.'

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; 'It was worth every penny of it. Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs.'

Children's Devotions

Having devotions with your children is different that your own personal devotion. For me I need to make sure that my children "get it". That whatever we discuss or read about during that lesson, hits home and becomes applicable to their lives. Today we did not get to go to church. Anytime we don't get to make it to church I try to make sure that we have family devotions.

Today in preparing for family devotion I came across a really neat site.

http://www.heavensinspirations.com/childrens-devotionals.html

I decided to do the devotional on Faith and Actions. I look forward to sharing my children's "aha" moments.

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, all over the world individuals are discussing ways to be kind to the earth. Discussions about ending our bad habits so that we will not continue to destroy the Earth are being heard on all channels. It is definitely important to be mindful and care the earth that God has created. It is even more important to honor and worship the Creator. For we have been created to worship Him.

For Earth Day I decided to list verses that talk about the Lord and include the earth.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:9

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
Psalm 22:27


Psalm 24

1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.

3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?

Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.
Psalm 33:8

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
Psalm 47:2

Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.
Psalm 48:10

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
Psalm 57:4-6

Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
Psalm 72:19

The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.
Psalm 89:11

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Matthew 24:35

Day One _ A Woman Inspired Conference Living Financially Free

I would like to share an impact moment from the Women Inspired Conference with you

This was a wonderful session on financial freedom.

Speaker: Marybeth Whalen

Author of Learning to Live free Financial along with her husband Curt Whalen



Learning Points:

* We should get on the same page with our spouses about our "Heart" attitudes about money

* Attitude 1 - Attitude of Prayer - committing every financial thing to God in prayer. Personally I have no other recourse but to turn to God in prayer. I have seen how awesome He is and I have seen Him answer in such wonderful ways.

* Attitude 2 - Attitude of Obedience - Its vital to have an attitude of obedience. Being obedient even when it does not make sense to you. In Acts 3 1-10

* Attitude 3 - Attitude of Surrender - Laying down our expectations. What we feel we "deserve". Deserve is a dangerous word. Like a spoiled child do we throw tantrums or tell God what we deserve, even when we don't. We live through God's Grace, unmerited favor shown to us by the Father.

* Attitude of Vision - Vision beyond the immediate situation. Sometimes you a SEE moment. S ignificant E motional E event. It is the AHa! moment that begins our transformation.

Marybeth and her husband Curt have shared their story in their book Living Financially Free, I am currently reading and I am enjoying the book. They also share on their website marybethandcurt.blogspot.com.

Lets be good stewards of the resources God has given us, and even if we have made some mistakes along the way God is waiting to help you pick up the pieces, turn it over to Him and begin to take steps towards financial freedom.

I will be attending my first online conference, and I am very excited. Finally, I won't have to worry about finding a babysitter. Since starting my business, the kids know my business mode and for the most part they try to respect my time. So I will be on business mode for the conference....God's Business. I am excited about what message God has for me in this season of my life. I have for the last year been feeling a new found purpose in my life. I have a drive, that is about doing things that have purpose. This is my purpose driven year. Is that age? wisdom? I don't know but I am ready for God to continue to reveal Himself to me. So join me at the A Woman Inspired conference.

The Hope which we profess

Today was a very emotionally draining day, I am faced with a situation I don't want to be in. As I sat in tears most of the day, I kept trying to stay focused on God,who knows all things. While walking home from school with my daughter, very absorbed in my thoughts, my daughter story of her day seemed distant. I nodded as if I heard everything that she said, all the while overwhelmed by my thoughts. A verse came to my mind, Hold on unswervingly to the hope which you profess, for He who has promised is faithful.

I have been sharing about God's faithfulness and His covering over us, and now I needed to hold on very tightly to that Hope that I spoke off. My pastor spoke about the challenges that we will face as Christians, but reminded us that we serve a God who is beyond the moment, He knows our future. So I HAVE to with all that I have left trust that God is not leaving me now, now when things seem so dim I will hold on

Pray with me and for me as I pray for myself

If I could touch somebody......

If I could touch somebody as I go my way then my living shall not be in vain.....the song lyrics echo in my head even as I sit here writing. I love this song it is a reflection of everything that God wants and expects us to be. Oh to be His hand extended, reaching out to the oppressed, let me touch Him, let me touch Jesus so that other may know and be blessed. This beautiful hymn also echos our requirement to extend ourselves to others in need.

I was watching ABC's What would you do? with John Quinones. If you have not seen the show the show sets up actors to portray different situations, while people pass by, all in an effort to see who would step in to help. I was particularly moved my one scene where a man (actor) was passed out on the floor, this homeless woman stood by him and called out to people passing by to help him, only one woman stopped. The woman who was calling out for help was known to be homeless at times. She recognized a need and stood by this man until someone could help him, since she herself was unable to do so. I wept when I saw how people just passed by and I wept that this homeless woman took the time to help when she herself was in need. The actor who played the man on the floor , said that he was touched by her persistance and concern and called her an angel.

In this time of economic hardship, it might be easy to be consumed in your own problems. "I can't help anyone, I need help myself" but I feel that this is when we should help.



I Kings 17

7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" 11 As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
12 "As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."

13 Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "

15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.

The widow in I Kings 17 , had the last bit of flour and oil, and hope. But she was obedient and God was faithful. He is always Faithful, let us be His hand extended even...especially during these most difficult times.