31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31 (ESV)
Author: sharinHislove
Love embraced
Praying for all
who embrace love in every aspect,
daily.
Praying that we all
come back to the basics
of seeking God first
and loving each other!
Kindness
A Call to Love
If there was ever a time when we are called to show an extraordinary display of love for God and each other, it is now. I’ve been questioning what we as Christians are doing to show love during these hectic times.
Reading the following scripture, I tried to put a filter in place to determine whether modern-day Christianity actually survives the test of Jesus’ definition of love. Let’s read this together and ask the Holy Spirit to help us answer that question.
The Great Commandment
Matthew 22 (English Standard Version)
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
8 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Along with these scriptures, we would be remiss not to read and understand God’s further definition of love.
1 John 4:20 (English Standard Version)
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
So, let’s ask ourselves:
- Do we treat everyone with this kind of love? Does it matter whether they have the same color of skin as ours, speak with the same language that we use?
2. Are we prejudiced in any way?
3. Do we encourage hate of any person?
4. Do we support bullying?
5. Do we reach out and pick up the peaceful person that was just beaten down–by fists or guns–or words? Or do we join in?
6. Do we judge a person by whether they are poor, or not?
7. Do we act out, in any way, with disdain, judgmental thoughts or actions, or do we try to understand a person who is different from us? who may have a different religious affiliation? a different way in describing their belief system? Or do we think that we are the only people who have all the answers?
8. Do we agree that requiring servitude by anyone is ok? is loving? is the way Jesus would treat people?
I think this is a somber time in all of our lives when we should quietly sit and reflect on these questions. If we fall short of the definition of love as Jesus describes it, we have an imperative to go to Him and ask forgiveness, turn away from that wrongful attitude, and humble ourselves as we seek God’s guidance in remedying our actions. That way He will be glorified rather than being ashamed of us.
Are we really Christians?
If we don’t display the love and light from our Lord, then we should stop using His name–in vain!
Your sister in Christ,
Sharon
God will never leave us
Hebrews 13:5 KJV
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Fill my cup, Lord
When I was thinking about writing today the words of this song really resonated with my heart.
We need to be filled with God’s love and with his message, and we need to share this message with the whole world as we are always searching and seeking for things that will satisfy when all around us there’s greed and seeking power.
So I wanted to share this with you today. I hope it blesses you as much as it did me.
Have a blessed day, everyone!
All our love to all of you in, Jesus name. We pray this prayer as we sing this song together.
1
Like the woman at the well, I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy.
And then I heard my Savior speaking—
“Draw from My well that never shall run dry.”
Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.
2
There are millions in this world who are seeking
For pleasures earthly goods afford.
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.
3
So my brother if the things that this world gives you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray—
Unconditional Love
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
139 “O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.”
Psalm 139:1-3
A word to the foolish
A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident. Proverbs 14:16 NKJ
Can you love a thorn?
Love and Light
Choose your attitudes
A Sheltered Spot for You
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.”
Isaiah 26:3
All we need to do in time of sorrow and loneliness is to stay our minds upon God, to trust Him, to rest in Him, to nestle in His love. We remember where John was found the night of the Lord’s last supper with His disciples, – the darkest night the world ever saw, in the deepest sorrow men ever knew, – he was leaning on Jesus’ breast. He crept into that holy shelter to find quiet.
John was kept in perfect peace during all those terrible hours. Everything appeared to have slipped away and there was nothing that seemed abiding. But John crept into the shelter of love and simply trusted, and was kept in holy peace.
A beautiful story is told of Rudyard Kipling during a serious illness a few years since. The trained nurse was sitting at his bedside on one of the anxious nights when the sick man’s condition was most critical. She was watching him intently and noticed that his lips began to move. She bent over him, and heard him whisper the words of the old familiar prayer of childhood, “Now I lay me down to sleep.” The nurse, realizing that her patient did not require her services, and that he was praying, said in apology for having intruded upon him, “I beg your pardon, Mr. Kipling; I thought you wanted something.” “I do,” faintly replied the sick man: “I want my heavenly Father. He only can care for me now.”
In his great weakness there was nothing that human help could do, and he turned to God and crept into His bosom, seeking the blessing and the care which none but God can give. That is what we need to do in every time of trial, of sorrow, – when the gentlest human love can do nothing, – creep into our heavenly Father’s bosom, saying, “Now I lay me down to sleep.” That is the way to peace. Earth has no shelter in which it can be found, but in God the feeblest may find it. —JR Miller
Worship and trust in God
by Hazel Straub Worshiping God, with our whole hearts (mind, will and emotions), is a great way to start, live and end our day. He hears our prayers and answers. We do not trust in possessions, the latest electronics or the best house but in the name of our God, who loves and saves us. […]
Afraid to be a champion?
Friends, a champion is not one who has beaten all the rest, but rather the soul who has achieved oneness with God’s purpose for life! – Martha L Shaw
via AFRAID TO BE A CHAMPION? — Martha L Shaw – Poet, Writer, Artist
Angel Feathers
Feathers of angel wings Often float down From on high And sometimes if you’re lucky You may see them fly by, Watching over those who need them Caring for lost souls, They are beauty and they are magical They’re born from the ancient and the old.
Come visit all our sites
Living on the Borderline in Bipolarville
This site deals with sharing our unique paths through mental illness. I just started this site, so it’s a work in progress. I’m very excited about people contacting me already with an interest in these subjects. So come on over! We’ll sort these things out together. (Note: Back in the early 2000’s I was an assistant manager for a 1200 member bipolar disorder website. I’ve dealt with a lot of different people, so hopefully that will comfort you some. lol)
The Wildlife Art of Sharon Rule
Well, this is just my fun little site that mostly just has my oil paintings that I do to support my daughter’s African Wildlife Sanctuaries that provide education for the children of the wildlife workers. I’m not such a great artist, but my heart is in the right place!
This may not be interesting to many people, but it is especially interesting to me since I’ve been searching this topic since I was 12 years old. Hey, it may not be terribly exciting, but it certainly relates to what’s going on in our world today.
We created this site in an effort to share with people who need a little extra love and encouragement. We all need that, huh? Started in 2006, this site has reached many people around the world from really unexpected places. Over 289,000 visits confirms that the encouragement and inspiration that we generate and share really is helping. We hope you will join and share your thoughts with us.
Are we angry?
If so, let’s figure out how we can deal with this together. Action will help us combat our initial reaction of anger.
1. We have to admit that we are angry.
2. Define our anger.
3. Ask ourselves the questions, “Is the anger harming us?” and “Is there something we can do about it?”
4. If there is something we can do about it, find resources to use so that we positively channel the anger rather than letting it drive us.
5. While addressing the issues, be sure to take care of ourselves first.
6. Balance our lives with: relaxation, fun, and/or anything that distracts us from the feelings of anger.
7. If the issues making us angry affect others, contact them, and then join with them to resolve those issues. Encourage and thank them for their efforts.
8. Never give up.
9. Keep going forward.
~ Sharon Rule
Speak In Faith!
I discovered the power of this whole concept this week during what I call “Dream from God”. I woke up claiming all victory through Him and telling the devil he’s a liar. Thanks for sharing. This really resonated with me. Be blessed. ~ Sharon
by Apostle Gabriel Cross
We awaken the dominion, of Christ, in you today! Command your morning, capture day. Declare your ending, from your beginning. You have too much authority to sit back, watch the devil, and say nothing.
Let the redeemed, of the Lord, say so! Speak in faith! Say “I’m healed, I’m whole, I’m successful, I’m focused on Christ, I’m redeemed from the past, I’m rich, wealthy, and becoming better. I’m a fearless warrior, I’m a clearer hearer of the Father, today.
Open your mouth and declare your heart’s desire. Don’t give up so easily. Be consistent. Call those things that are not as though they are and the way they should be. Yahweh didn’t tell Adam what to say, in the garden, Adam spoke and Yahweh backed him up!
Go ahead, Heaven and the angels are waiting on you!!!!!
© Crown of Glory International Ministries. Unauthorized use and/or…
View original post 39 more words
How do we bring goodness into our lives?
Brad, you really reached a place of understanding that I could not put into words. Thank you so much for sharing your message with all of us.
How do we bring goodness and well-being into our lives? How do we have more happiness?
God wants good and pleasing things for you. That is a promise in the Bible. *
Go with the flow of God’s love. His love pours down on you constantly. ** You are constantly being drenched in love and well-being. But why is it that we often don’t feel like any goodness is reaching us?
The more we focus on God and His love, the more we are tuned in to it. It is like listening to the radio. The radio waves are always there, but we can’t hear the music of the radio station unless we tune our radio in to the correct wavelength. When we are on God’s wavelength, we tune in to His love and goodness.
So how do we tune in to God? We pray, worship Him, read the…
View original post 219 more words
The Doors I Am Opening
These are my doors to open. No one else can do it for me. The path I am bound to travel is before me. There’s no turning back now.
Source: The Doors I Am Opening
#72 Pain – ‘Suffering Through Depression’
Integrity
SHARE YOUR HEART
Joy was a snowflake
Caught in my hand.
Alas,
I held it too close
And it melted.
Joy was a daisy
I picked in the morn.
Tucked in my pocket,
Its petals were lost.
Joy was a smile
You placed in my heart.
I shared it with a friend.
Its warmth glows on!
By Martha L Shaw – © 2017
Letting Go
Very insightful and heart rendering for me. I too, know these feelings. I connect with you.
HOPE RISING
He’s Got This
The rain continues to pour
As darkness claims the sky
But
I looked up
And saw through a crack in a cloud
That the sun is still near.
Hope rises.
By Martha L Shaw – © 2014
Our Message Potpourri
You may wonder why there is such a diversity of subject matter on sharin’ His love. We are interested in understanding where Jesus lived, the pathways He walked, the message He taught. As we seek to know our Lord in a more personal way, any information about Him and His life is exciting.
Traveling to Israel, the homeland of Jesus, has always been a dream of mine. We share pictures and information about Israel for our own enjoyment and inspiration and hope it interests our readers, too.
Since messages of encouragement and inspiration are so helpful to us, we like sharing them with you.
Studying Prophecy has also been an interest of mine since I was a teenager. Many hundreds of prophecies in the Bible have already occurred. As we compare the prophecies in the Bible with daily news, we will see the importance of an ongoing study of what the prophets said so many years ago.
We hope you will enjoy sharin’ His love and be involved in our discussions.
Blessings,
Sharon & Erick
Sitting in Heavenly Places
Pondering, letting my thoughts go upward and all around me up to HIM, I constantly Sit in Heavenly Places. It’s joy unspeakable! ~ Sharon
Today I Rise
Toxic People
PRAYER CHANGES THINGS
Live Forgiven
Footprints (Revisited)
Untitled, allegory?
No Act of Kindness, No Matter How Small, Is Ever Wasted – Aesop | TheSeeds4Life.com
Out of Darkness
1 Peter 2:9 (WEB)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence
of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence
of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
Balloons – The Art Of Letting Go | Insidethelifeofmoi
Letting go… A good friend once told me, “Put it in a balloon and let it go”. She continued… “The balloon may float to the ceiling,
A good friend once told me, “Put it in a balloon and let it go”. She continued… “The balloon may float to the ceiling, the strings are there for you to grab… but for now, just let it go”. In the midst of my broken marriage, this was the best advice anyone could have given me. Prior to ‘letting go’, a dark cloud followed my every move. It leaked melancholy over our relationship and consequently, made things look bleaker than ever. My husband and I walked around with this heaviness in our hearts. Like a mouse chasing an endless maze, we could no longer see a way out. We were lost, confused and travelling down the same tracks we’d traveled before. There’s only so many times you can go over the same old territory. At some point, you need to find your way out and never look back. But how do we get out of this soul-destroying maze?
Letting go
The answer is really quite easy…You just need to ask yourself; how did I get into the maze in the first place? For me, it was a case of finding it difficult to let things go. During the bleak time in my marriage, mistakes were made on both sides. My husband was able to accept my faults, however, I couldn’t let go of those balloons. And so, the same broken record played on, and we kept on dancing our repetitive dance. We would talk about forgiveness. We drew lines in the sand. Only months, weeks, days down the line…the cork would go POP, and I would explode once again. Suddenly, that same tiresome tune began to play and we’d find ourselves dancing over the same tiresome terrain. But how long can we endure the same broken record? Surely there will come a time when the record becomes so exhausted, it gives up.
Some of us find it easy to let go of our balloons, others will be pulling the strings, too afraid to let them go. There are those types which I call the ‘whistling kettles’. Like a kettle, their problems boil up inside. To begin with, they can keep their bubbles under control. However, as time goes on, they start to boil up inside until the almighty whistle blows! As one can image, it’s not healthy to let things fester inside. It’s inevitable that at, some point, you’re going to boil over! And yet, so many of us fall into this category. To prevent this from happening, it’s important to deal with the problem before it escalates. If you can feel yourself slipping things under that rug…STOP! You have two choices; you can deal with the issue there and then, or you can collect up all of the negative energy, blow it into a balloon and let it go. As my friend wisely explained, you can pull the string down at another time, but for the sake of your sanity…just let it go!
There are also those types which I call the ‘bee-infested bonnet-wearers’. I hold my hands up, for I fall into this category of the ‘unforgiving’. For those of us who walk around with bees in our bonnet, we all know, the constant buzzing is enough to drive us insane…and yet we continue to wear our bonnets with pride. Whether it is hurt, anger or disappointment we are wearing on our hearts, there needs to come a time when we have to swallow our pride and let go of those negative feelings. Nothing good comes from lugging around a big rucksack of negativity…you can either; take a break from the bag you have been carrying for so long, or you can start rummaging – throwing out all of yesterday’s’ hurt – and find forgiveness. Once you have established a mutual forgiveness, it’s time to leave the empty bag and move on. Who needs an empty bag anyway?
Once you learn the art of letting-go, whether it’s sweeping under that rug or abandoning a rucksack on the side of the road…you will fall into the category I call the ‘balloon letter goers’. What a truly amazing place this is! One day, when I was feeling particularly angry and hurt, rather than doing something destructive, I reflected back on what my friend had told me. Later that day I bought a pack of balloons, I was debating whether to go for a pack of ten or twenty– I decided twenty would be adequate. I blew all my negativity into these balloons, sealed them closed and scribbled issues I needed to ‘let go’ over them. So there I was, surrounded by a bunch of colorful balloons, looking as though I had just raided a children’s birthday party. If anyone saw me, they’d think I had lost it!
Craziness aside, I wanted to pop all these balloons with a knife. For these balloons had caused me so much hurt. I wanted to destroy them all. Or did I? The truth was, I didn’t want to let them go. I wanted to surround myself with these balloons and wallow in hurt, anger and tears. However, I had come to the point in my life, when I knew very well that I couldn’t keep going on this way. Enough was enough. I tied strings onto those balloons, kicked open the back door and I let every one of those balloons go. I watched them disappear into the sky until they got sucked up into oblivion. It was at this point when I felt a weight had been lifted. I was free.
I’m not suggesting you go out and purchase 100 balloons. By all means, do this, if this is what you want to do! Alternatively, you can visualize blowing all of your pent up negativity or hurt into imaginary balloons and letting them go. You may decide to ‘let go’ in other ways – be it screaming your lungs out on top of a hill or burning the contents of your husband’s wardrobe on the bonfire (Um, that was just a joke – don’t do that!). Whatever you choose, the fact that you’re taking those steps in letting go, will enable you to move on with your life. It’s a truly beautiful thing when you wake up without that heaviness in your heart.
One of my favorite films to watch with my children is Disney Pixar’s ‘UP’. The bitter old man – who had sadly lost his wife – spent years in the same old house, looking at the same old walls. The world was moving on, but he stayed stagnant. One day he attached thousands of colorful balloons onto his house, and he floated into the sky. Unknown to himself, he was ‘letting go’. If he had stayed in the same place, dwelling over the negatives and unable to move forwards, he wouldn’t have experienced the happiness he gained later in the film!
It’s time to take off our bee-infested bonnets, it’s time to stop dancing that same old repetitive dance…
…It’s time to ‘let go’.
Source: Balloons – The Art Of Letting Go | Insidethelifeofmoi
Images courtesy of https://pixabay.com
Possibilities
Let Go
Freedom
To thine own self be true
Commitment
Living
Old life is ended
When We Meet Again
The fairies shall be our trail
The angels will write our tale
With their enchanted, golden pen
Whenever we may meet again
…
Memories of a million days
Will come back in many ways
Yet so little be spoken then
Whenever we may speak again
…
The distance of time and years
Will reflects in our tears
But not a single drop shall be wasted then
Until I’ve held you close again
…
Summers are long and old
Winters are lonely and cold
But the weather will be perfect then
Whenever we may meet again
…
Lost in love, we will stand
Once we hold each other’s hand
Violets will whisper in rhyme when
Ever we may speak again
…
It is dark and it is quiet
There is silence in the night
There will be no light in this den
Until I’ve laughed with you again
…
It will…
View original post 78 more words
You can rest in My love, for I have power to save you.
Zephaniah 3:17 KJV
17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice
over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
I give life
Acts 17:24-25 KJV
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Bible Verses About Antichrist
Bible verses related to Antichrist from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance
Revelation 13:1-18 – And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Read More…)
2 John 1:7 – For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1 John 2:22 – Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John 4:3 – And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that…
View original post 463 more words
A Worthy Goal for Women
She is clothed in Strength and Dignity, and laughs without Fear of the Future –
Proverbs: 31.25
Love
Willing?
My race is Love!
Standing over the basin
Ive been washing my face in
Jet black mascara racing
Down my cheeks till I taste it
Staring at my reflection
Every slight imperfection
Staring back at me
Naked as a girl can be
In a society that features and emphasizes your looks, judge you by your race, it’s easy to let your feelings about looks overtake all other aspects of your self-esteem.
As I would see it, the most alluring individuals are the ones who realize that their physical appearance isn’t the most appealing thing about them. They have a specific sort of confidence, they’re normally more enjoyable to hang out with, and they’re the sort of individuals who are prepared to love you for your identity and not what you are.
Self-perception, body image is no light subject. There are individuals who are suffering legitimate illnesses, mental and physical, relating to how they…
View original post 558 more words
To one Jewish professor, Martin Luther King Jr. was a mensch
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marches with other civil rights leaders — from left, John Lewis, an unidentified nun, Ralph Abernathy, Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Bunche, Heschel and Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth — from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on March 21, 1965. Credit: Courtesy of Susannah Heschel
January 16, 2017 · 10:00 PM EST
By Lidia Jean Kott
Susannah Heschel was just a child in the spring of 1965, when her father left for Selma, Alabama, to march with those demanding that everyone be allowed to vote regardless of their skin color.
“He kissed me goodbye,” says Heschel. “And I remember thinking ‘I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again.’”
Just a few weeks earlier, many demonstrators had been brutally attacked by police officers on a day known as Bloody Sunday.
Heschel’s father returned safely. But the experience left an impression.
“My father came home feeling like it was a religious event,” says Heschel. “He said, ‘I felt my legs were praying.’”
To Heschel, and her family, the religious aspect of the Civil Rights Movement is an important part of the story, even if it’s not talked about as much.
That’s because Heschel is a professor of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College.
And her father, Abraham Joshua Heschel, was a rabbi.
Heschel’s father was born in Poland and lost several members of his family to the Holocaust. He was able to escape and come to the US, where he became an activist.
A calling, according to Heschel, with a lot of historical precedent.
“Jews came to the United States at the turn of the century from Russia, and there were Yiddish newspapers that would report in screaming headlines that there were Pogroms here in the United States. And what did they mean? Lynchings,” says Heschel. “Jews were outraged by that. How could that be? Russia is one thing but in the United States? So there is a long tradition of rabbi’s speaking out against segregation.’’
Heschel believes that, in part, the Civil Rights Movement became so powerful because everyone felt included, regardless of their religion.
“If you look at Dr. King’s major speeches, he doesn’t talk about Jesus, he doesn’t make this an exclusively Christian event,” says Heschel. “That openness, that embrace of Jews meant so much to my father.”
The night before he joined the march, Heschel’s father stayed in the same house as King and a few others. This house, which belonged to Sullivan and Richie Jean Sharrod Jackson, became an informal headquarters for activists.
Heschel later spoke to Richie Jean Sharrod Jackson about the night her father stayed there.
“Mrs. Jackson told me she got up in the morning and went into the living room, and there was Dr. King standing in one corner of the room saying his prayers, and my father was in another corner of the room saying his morning prayers, and there were a few others in the dining room praying,” says Heschel. “That to me is such a central concept of the Civil Rights Movement, coming together in that way, each one praying in their own faith tradition, in a different part of the house.”
Even as a kid, Heschel says that she felt herself to be surrounded by heroes. Heroes like her father, other friends and activisits, and King.
“He was always so gentle and kind and friendly to me,” says Heschel. “There were times at the end of lectures when I’m sure he was tired and just wanted to relax, and yet he was so generous and sweet.”
Now, says Heschel, she often goes back and listens to King’s speeches. Speeches that made her cry when she was younger.
She credits King with teaching her about “how to be a human being, how to be a mensch in the world,” and helping set her on her life’s path.
“I became a professor of religion because of him,” she says.
Note: “mensch” means “a person of integrity”.
Peace
Six reasons why we shouldn’t worry
1. It’s fruitless.
2. It’s disobedience.
3. It’s taking what is not yet given.
4. It’s refusing the given.
5. It is the antithesis of trust. If you trust, you can’t worry. If you worry, you can’t trust.
6. It is a wicked squandering of time and energy.
~ Elizabeth Elliott Quotes
DON’T STROLL THROUGH THE SWAMP
“You’re gonna regret it!” I waved away the warning without turning around. What was to regret? I took the shortcut.
I was on my way to a picnic. The tables sat on the other side of a marsh. The parks department had kindly constructed a bridge over the marsh. But who needed a bridge? I ventured in. The mud swallowed my feet. Squiggly things swam past me. I think I saw a set of eyeballs peering in my direction. I backpedaled—flip-flops sucked into the abyss. I exited, mud covered, mosquito bitten, and red faced.
I walked over and took my seat at the picnic table. It made for a miserable picnic, but it makes for an apt proverb. Life comes with voices. Voices lead to choices, and choices have consequences!
~ Max Lucado
Grace and Power
No part of our lives is hidden from God’s grace and power.
~ Our Daily Bread
No fear
ABC’s of Salvation
Kindling
God is with us
We will always be battered in this life. Physical limitations. Cruel people. Spiritual battles. But God is with us. He promises never to abandon us. And He renews our spirits even during the struggles. We can keep going in this life and look with anticipation to the next. From Our Daily Bread
We are the World! Happy New Year!
Praying for blessings to all of you around the world. May we all come together to find what is best in each of us. Love surely is better than hate. Working together, standing together, loving together will make the difference. If you are upset about something, find your voice. Go on Twitter, Facebook, start a Website, care and share positive ideas and progressive thinking instead of crying in a corner. We can all light the place where we stand and that light will shine enough to change things.
Be blessed with much love, joy, and happiness!
Sharon & Erick
There comes a time when we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And its time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can’t go on pretending day by day
That someone, somehow will soon make a change
We are all a part of Gods great big family
And the truth, you know,
Love is all we need
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So lets start giving
Losing my religion for equality
Although this article was published in 2015, when I discovered it today, I thought it important to share. ~ Sharon Rule
Jimmy Carter
Published: April 27, 2015 – 11:12AM
Women and girls have been discriminated against for too long in a twisted interpretation of the word of God.
I HAVE been a practising Christian all my life and a deacon and Bible teacher for many years. My faith is a source of strength and comfort to me, as religious beliefs are to hundreds of millions of people around the world. So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention’s leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be “subservient” to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.
This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women’s equal rights across the world for centuries.
At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.
The impact of these religious beliefs touches every aspect of our lives. They help explain why in many countries boys are educated before girls; why girls are told when and whom they must marry; and why many face enormous and unacceptable risks in pregnancy and childbirth because their basic health needs are not met.
In some Islamic nations, women are restricted in their movements, punished for permitting the exposure of an arm or ankle, deprived of education, prohibited from driving a car or competing with men for a job. If a woman is raped, she is often most severely punished as the guilty party in the crime.
The same discriminatory thinking lies behind the continuing gender gap in pay and why there are still so few women in office in the West. The root of this prejudice lies deep in our histories, but its impact is felt every day. It is not women and girls alone who suffer. It damages all of us. The evidence shows that investing in women and girls delivers major benefits for society. An educated woman has healthier children. She is more likely to send them to school. She earns more and invests what she earns in her family.
It is simply self-defeating for any community to discriminate against half its population. We need to challenge these self-serving and outdated attitudes and practices – as we are seeing in Iran where women are at the forefront of the battle for democracy and freedom.
I understand, however, why many political leaders can be reluctant about stepping into this minefield. Religion, and tradition, are powerful and sensitive areas to challenge. But my fellow Elders and I, who come from many faiths and backgrounds, no longer need to worry about winning votes or avoiding controversy – and we are deeply committed to challenging injustice wherever we see it.
The Elders are an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by former South African president Nelson Mandela, who offer their influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity. We have decided to draw particular attention to the responsibility of religious and traditional leaders in ensuring equality and human rights and have recently published a statement that declares: “The justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher Authority, is unacceptable.”
We are calling on all leaders to challenge and change the harmful teachings and practices, no matter how ingrained, which justify discrimination against women. We ask, in particular, that leaders of all religions have the courage to acknowledge and emphasise the positive messages of dignity and equality that all the world’s major faiths share.
The carefully selected verses found in the Holy Scriptures to justify the superiority of men owe more to time and place – and the determination of male leaders to hold onto their influence – than eternal truths. Similar biblical excerpts could be found to support the approval of slavery and the timid acquiescence to oppressive rulers.
I am also familiar with vivid descriptions in the same Scriptures in which women are revered as pre-eminent leaders. During the years of the early Christian church women served as deacons, priests, bishops, apostles, teachers and prophets. It wasn’t until the fourth century that dominant Christian leaders, all men, twisted and distorted Holy Scriptures to perpetuate their ascendant positions within the religious hierarchy.
The truth is that male religious leaders have had – and still have – an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world. This is in clear violation not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of other great religions – all of whom have called for proper and equitable treatment of all the children of God. It is time we had the courage to challenge these views.
Jimmy Carter was president of the United States from 1977 to 1981
May 4 2015
Want equality for all? Then spurn organised religion.
This story was found at: The Age
Make me a gift and a blessing
Christmas
So happy to be sharing this amazing day with all of you. Hoping you are having a wonderful, blessed, full-of-love day. If any of you are alone today, we reach out to you to let you know you are never alone because we love you and are with you in spirit. Remembering those who are no longer with us and feeling the loss of their presence. Sharon and Erick
Why I love Christmas
When Christ was born, so was our hope! This is why I love Christmas. The event invites us to believe the wildest of promises! He did away with every barrier, fence, sin, bent, debt, and grave. Anything that might keep us from him was demolished.
He only awaits our word to walk through the door. Invite him in. Escort him to the seat of honor, and pull out his chair. Clear the table; clear the calendar. Call the kids and neighbors. Christmas is here. Christ is here. One request from you, and God will do again what he did then. He’ll scatter the night with everlasting light. He’ll be born in you.
Let “Silent Night” be sung! Every heart can be a manger. Every day can be a Christmas. The Christmas miracle—a yearlong celebration! ~Max Lucado
Happy Hanukkah
On this first night of Hanukkah, I’d like to wish all who celebrate a joyous holiday.
Source: Happy Hanukkah
When you are given a vision
When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in your life if you will wait on His timing. Abram went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure. Just wait upon God and be grounded in Him.”
–Oswald Chambers, from My Utmost for His Highest.
Source: When you are given a vision
Press On!
Braver, Stronger, Smarter, Beautiful
Choosing to Love
The Heart of the Human Problem
The sinful nature is the stubborn, self-centered attitude that says, “My way or the highway.” The sinful nature is all about self: pleasing self, promoting self, preserving self. I have a sin nature! So do you. Under the right circumstances you will do the wrong thing. You’ll try not to, but you will. You have a sin nature. You were born with it. The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart!
Christmas commemorates the day and the way God saved us from ourselves. The angel speaking to Mary in Matthew 1:21 says, “. . .you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Each of us entered the world with a sin nature. God entered the world to take it away!
~ Max Lucado
Blessings
Beautiful! I’m sharing this amazing poem with all of those out of reach of the touch of love through hugs and smiles that they may need today!
You who are light
shining in the darkest hours
waiting in the window like a beautiful beacon,
knowing you will be there
when we arrive.
Voices and hearts afar know truth,
as they dive beneath the surface of souls
to see what lies beneath
we carry each other through
good days and not so good,
we light the way in love.
So many gather here
in this place of imagination,
where all is possible and dreams thrive
because we craft ourselves out of purity
and in doing so gather together
the tribe of like selves
who see what many cannot,
who inspire those we may never meet.
I feel at peace here today
and for those who wear their painted caps
in shades to make the moments pop,
and those whose voices are heard between lines,
those who quietly inspire who’ve slipped away
through the passages of time,
I think…
View original post 125 more words
Change is good.
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain. – Maya Angelou.
Source: Change is good.
In Memoriam – Victims in the Oakland Fire
My note: Because we live in the area, I think this nightmare has affected us more than maybe some of you. Nonetheless, I am sure as you read this memoriam, and look at these beautiful faces, you will be unable to not feel it personally.
These victims were going to, or teaching in, schools in the Oakland Area, as I understand it. One of the victims was a student of Professor Chris Johnson at California College of the Arts. (My daughter graduated from CCA, and Professor Johnson has had a major influence in her life, and ours.)
Tragedy occurs when one least expects it. I imagine these victims were either living in this warehouse, or attending the party. I can envision them…artists, musicians, students, and educators–immersed in their life’s dream, creativity running rampant, determined to pass on the gifts they had been given by sharing their unique ability to see the world just a little differently than most.
Our hearts are aching for the losses their families and friends are feeling. Our prayers are covering all of them.
Let us remember these people–their names, their faces. We will keep them in our hearts forever.
Oakland Fire Victims
CASH ASKEW
EM B
JONATHAN BERNBAUM
BARRETT CLARK
DAVID CLINE
MICAH DANEMAYER
BILLY DIXON
CHELSEA DOLAN
ALEX GHASSAN
NICK GOMEZ-HALL
MICHELA GREGORY
SARA HODA
TRAVIS HOUGH
JOHNNY IGAZ
ARA JO
DONNA KELLOGG
AMANDA KERSHAW
EDMOND LAPINE
GRIFFIN MADDEN
JOSEPH MATLOCK
JASON MCCARTY
DRAVEN MCGILL
JENNIFER MENDIOLA
JENNIFER MORRIS
FERAL PINES
VANESSA PLOTKIN
WOLFGANG RENNER
HANNA RUAX
BENJAMIN RUNNELS
NICOLE SIEGRIST
MICHELE SYLVAN
JENNIFER KIYOMI TANOUYE
ALEX VEGA
PETER WADSWORTH
NICK WALRATH
BRANDON “CHASE” WITTENAUER
Reporters
Editors
Interactive producer
Glorious Ruins
The world has some pretty amazing landmarks. France has the Eiffel Tower. England the Big Ben. USA the Statue of Liberty. Egypt the Pyramids. Australia the Sydney Harbour Bridge. And these are (to …
Source: Glorious Ruins
Change Is Our Choice: Creating Climate Solutions
12/06/2016 Climate ChangeThe science has long been settled: climate change is real and it’s happening all around us right now. Our new five-session discussion course on climate action will help you take action to increase resilience and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Presented in an interactive ebook, this new discussion course experience integrates video, audio and printed content with action plans that help you roll your sleeves up and get started taking action toward a better tomorrow.“Hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up. In contrast to optimism or despair, hope requires that one actually do something to improve the world. Authentic hope comes with an imperative to act. There is no such thing as passive hope.” – David Orr, introduction to Hope Is an Imperative: The Essential David Orr
The science has long been settled, climate change is real and it’s happening all around us right now. Our lifestyles are not only a contributing factor, but the root cause, despite what many politicians and talking heads would have us believe. Those of us hoping for real solutions often despair at the unnecessary political gridlock and the lack of traction for widespread solutions.But there is reason to hope: many ordinary citizens desire to make positive change in their daily lives, in their communities, and in the world at large.
Yes, climate change is already happening. Yes, it is getting worse. But people working together to take action can find real solutions.The choice is ours – take action now or react to even larger systemic problems later.Climate Change link
Kindness
Be kind and compassionate to one another. Ephesians 4:32
Who can add to Christmas?
We’re back!
So glad to be back writing and posting things I find interesting. Thanks so much to all of you who are sharing and following us. Be blessed. Until I write again, soon.
Give Us This Day, Our Daily Meds
A Teaching Ministry of Bryan Lowe
Source: Give Us This Day, Our Daily Meds
My particular issue is with Bipolar 1, with psychotic features. I have social anxiety which factors in as well as weird delusions. The anxiety and delusions are pretty much one and the same. They are often the things that will touch other people, while the rest is less obtrusive and can be hidden.
I have a tendency to hatch ‘mini-conspiracies’ almost daily. They can be really paranoid as I think the worse about people, and life as it enfolds around me. Facebook with its social networking helps, but it has also intensified my issues. I am very much a recluse, and only get out and about twice a week. There are some who can see through my issues and really help. They are worth more then gold to me.
Depression, which is part of the Bipolar, has been more of a factor just in the last few months. Suicide, that dark word, will deepen if the depression goes too long without lifting. It is an awful and brutal thing. My last bout was just two months ago and I quit functioning. I really did pray for death. Debilitated, I laid in bed powerless to do anything but sleep, and hide. I didn’t take a shower or bath for almost a month. Just the thought of being pelted by water seemed too violent.
Being a believer gives me a reason to live. The Holy Spirit is so patient with me. His companionship is far more helpful than any anti-depressant. He doesn’t require that I become symptom free to fellowship with Him. Instead, He weaves with the materials He has, and my discipleship is really no different than other Christian believers. This gives me a constant hope.
Overall, in spite of a very tumultuous, and ‘see-saw life’, I find that life with Jesus (discipleship) is truly grand. He understands me, and is guiding me. He is the Shepherd who is good, and I am His sheep who needs kindness and forgiveness always. He bruises no reed, nor does He quench the smoking candle (Matthew 12:20.)
One more thing. Having a mental illness has, I believe, made me more compassionate and tender toward others. When I meet a difficult person, I will be the last one to give up on him. Others will bail out, but I stick. I guess this can be a bad trait, but I can’t help it. I love people, esp. those who hurt.
Here’s a list of my daily meds. I hope this helps someone navigate the wild seas of psychiatry safely.
AM– lithium, 600 mg/Zoloft 200mg/Seroquel 400 mg/Provigil 200mg
NOON-Seroquel 200 mg
PM-lithium 600 mg/Seroquel 400 mg/Lunesta 2 mg
The lithium works mostly on mania, but does help depressive states. The Zoloft is an anti-depressant (similar to Paxil) The Provigil is for alertness, I have had issues with daytime sleepiness, esp. since my brain tumor. Finally the Lunesta is a sleeping pill. This may seem a lot, but it has taken 2-3 years to get it figured out. If I can help explain any of this, please let me know. I aim to please!
Worried Enough to Pray?
| by Max Lucado |
|
God’s Agape Love
Paul reminded the church at Corinth the kind of love Christ offers to us– Agape love that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.” Don’t we need the same prescription today? Don’t groups still fight with each other? Don’t we flirt with those we shouldn’t? Aren’t we sometimes quiet when we should speak?
Someday there will be a community where everyone behaves and no one complains. But it won’t be this side of heaven. So till then we reason, we confront, and we teach. But most of all we love. Such love isn’t easy. Not even for Jesus. Listen to his frustration in Mark 9:19: “You people have no faith. How long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you? How long? Until it kills me! Jesus bore all things, believed all things, hoped all things, and endured all things! Even the cross.
From A Love Worth Giving
Loving Like God Loves
|
The Lost Art of Listening
by LISA-JO BAKER27
topics:
I was listening to a podcast recently by two of my favorite human beings — Emily P. Freeman of Chatting at the Sky and Myquillyn Smith of The Nesting Place (this podcast is called, Hope*Ologie and I recommend it as a sort of Vitamin D for the soul). Anyway, they were each taking a turn answering listener questions but soon discovered that while one was sharing their answer the other was inevitably not listening because they were too busy trying to think up their own answer.
It made me laugh.
It made them laugh.
Listening to friends laughing while you’re folding laundry is a great way to start a week.
But it got me thinking.
Because some days I think friendship feels like that — one person sharing and another person thinking about what they’re going to say. Instead of listening to what’s being said.
Some days a friend is trying to share and instead of laying down all the things we’re mentally fiddling around with and focusing our heads, hearts, eyes, and mouths at our friend, we’re actually preoccupied with a sort of mental gymnastics planning what WE want to say next.
Sometimes I imagine those conversations like this:
Friend: Gah, I’m so sad today. I feel stupid and dumb at my job, and there’s this weird nagging loneliness I can’t seem to shake.
Me: (internally thinking: Oh man, I know EXACTLY how that feels — this week has been the WORST. Just wait till I tell her about how I blew that deadline and how I’m sure my boss thinks I’m stupid and why won’t my kids go to bed on time anymore.)
Friend takes a breath: —-
Me: Oh man, I know EXACTLY how that feels — this week has been the WORST. Just wait till I tell you about how I blew that deadline and how I’m sure my boss thinks I’m stupid and why won’t my kids go to bed on time anymore.
Friend: (stranded and without a way to steer the conversation back to the encouragement they so desperately need just feels even lonelier instead).
The thing is, sometimes it’s not our turn to talk.
“Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.” {James 1: 19-21, MSG}
Sometimes, listening is the most powerful gift we can give a friend. Especially when they’re trying to share something that feels vulnerable to them or that feels vulnerable to us — for example, when they feel misunderstood and they’re trying to tell us about it.
Because sometimes our determination to speak before we’re properly done listening is an act of self-defense. We load our responses, our arguments, and our words up in front of us to block out what’s being said and lob our own point of view out into the conversation instead.
Nothing will shut down true communication faster.
But nothing will disarm a friend more than the grace you grant them when you listen with palms up and walls down — inviting their hurt or their joy, their exhaustion or their delight, their fear or their fun, into your own self so you can understand it from the inside out.
Nothing is more powerful than giving someone the gift of truly hearing them without tagging on your own conditions, explanations, or justifications.
Here are three easy ways to put this into practice:
1. Listen to the whole story before you start formulating a response.
2. Ask follow-up questions.
3. Repeat the key parts of what you heard, empathizing with them.
Question for you: What makes you feel truly heard? Let’s crowd-source some of the best ways we can revive the lost art of listening well.
You are loved!
Just wanted you to know
on this day,
and every day,
You are loved.
Not only by your creator,
but by me.
Have a blessed Valentine’s Day,
knowing,
no matter what,
YOU ARE LOVED!
Love yourself
Chasing God
If you were chasing God like you chase people and things,
you’d know true love and real wealth.
The God Who Sees You
https://bookshout.com/ebooks/the-god-who-sees-you#_=_
I found this little ebook on Bookshout. I think it will minister to you as it did to me. Enjoy! Reflect! Know God Sees You!
The Essence of Christianity
“The essence of Christianity is that we give the Son of God a chance to live and move and have His being in us.”
– Oswald Chambers,
in Run Today’s Race from The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers.
New link to The Wildlife Art of Sharon Rule
Would really like for you to visit my new website http://thewildlifeartofsharonrule.wordpress.com/
I started painting last year for my daughter’s annual charity. Here is another link that will help you understand why I paint for this very worthy cause.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOfVV7D_bws
My daughter, Michele Lee Stumpe (the one in the blue shirt) posted this video that was made in their recent visit to the Limbe Wildlife Centre in Cameroon, Africa. I’m so proud of her and her husband Kerry’s passion to help these children have an education which will change their world. I am extremely humbled and honored that I also have the opportunity to contribute in a small way to their education by painting oil paintings that are auctioned at the annual benefit in Atlanta. I hope this helps you understand the impact that the childrenofconservation.org foundation has on the people it touches.
What if I fall?
“What if I fall?”
“Oh but my darling, what if you fly?”
– Erin Hanson
An encouraging video
Sowing Seeds
Many parents aren’t proud of their family trees. The harvest was taken, but no seed was sown. Childhood memories bring more hurt than inspiration. If such is the case, put down the family scrapbook and pick up your Bible. John 3:6 reminds us, “Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit.” Your parents have given you genes, but God gives you grace.
Didn’t have a good father? Galatians 4:7 says God will be your father. Didn’t have a good role model? Ephesians 5:1 says, “You are God’s child whom He loves, so try to be like Him.”
You cannot control the way your forefathers responded to God. But you can control the way you respond to Him. The past does not have to be your prison. Choose well and someday—generations from now—your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank God for the seeds you sowed!
From When God Whispers Your Name
~ Max Lucado
You’re not selfish . . .
You’re not selfish for deciding to cut someone off.
There comes a point when you got to stop
being unfair to yourself.
#Rehab Time
Letting Go
(Photo of the Pacific Ocean along the Hwy 1 California Coast)
~ ~ ~
I’ve been having a rough time lately learning the lesson of “Letting Go”.
From time to time, I feel I already “know” this lesson.
But then I turn around and realize, “Letting Go” is a daily thing.
The subject of the “Letting Go” project changes,
but the lesson is always the same.
I have to let go to the right person —
and that is My Lord.
The latest lesson was to go to the Serenity Prayer
and repeat it until I let go of whatever is controlling my life.
I hope these words help someone
who is going through the same lesson.
~ Sharon
You’ll never be enough . . .
You’ll never be enough to somebody
who can’t recognize your worth.
You can’t make them see
what they choose to stay blind to.
#Rehab Time
Trent Shelton
And so I choose . . .
It’s quiet.
It’s early.
For the next 12 hours I’ll be exposed to the day’s demands.
It’s now that I must make a choice.
And so I choose—love.
I will love God and what God loves.
- I choose joy.
- I choose peace. I will live forgiven.
- I choose patience—Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I’ll thank God for a moment to pray.
- I choose kindness—for that’s how God has treated me.
- I choose goodness.
- I choose faithfulness. Today I’ll keep my promises. My wife will not question my love.
- I choose gentleness. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
- I choose self-control. I will be impassioned only by my faith and influenced only by God.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
When this day is done, I’ll place my head on my pillow and rest.
~ Max Lucado
Perfectly Lonely
Sometimes it takes being
perfectly lonely
Just so God can show you
what being
PERFECTLY LOVED
feels like.
~ Trent Shelton
I can’t control . . .
I can’t control what life does to me – –
But I can control how I react to
what life does!
~ Lewis Timberlake
Never lose yourself
Never lose yourself
while trying to hold onto someone
who doesn’t care
about losing you.
~ Trent Shelton
sharin' His love & Prophecy Unfolding 
