Jesus, The One and Only

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Blessed Are They Who Believe

In continuing our story… The angel tells Mary that the “Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God”.  (Luke 1:34-35 NIV)  Also, the angel tells Mary her cousin Elizabeth, who was in her old age and unable to conceive, was in her 6th month of her pregnancy!!   Mary knew that what the angel told her was true and rushed to Elizabeth’s house in Judea.  Upon her arrival and greeting Elizabeth, “the baby leaped in Elizabeth’s womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (vs. 42)

I can only imagine the excitement and some of the apprehension Mary must have felt, not to mention what Elizabeth had gone through since she was already 6 months pregnant.  The best I can relate at times that I know the Lord has done something on my behalf or shared with me and I want to go tell someone… someone who could understand what I had just experienced.  How about you?

When the baby leaps in Elizabeth’s womb, she proclaims over Mary “blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear!” (vs. 42)  Then Elizabeth says “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (vs. 45)

There are so many great, wonderful, powerful and extraordinary scriptures in the bible but this one has become one of my absolute all time favorites. 

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!”

Previously in vs. 38 Mary tells the angel before he departs from her after that initial meeting, that “I am the Lord’s servant.  May your word to me be fulfilled!”  Mary knew that she could trust what she had heard from the angel, because she knew that she could believe and trust God! 

When we learn to trust in what the Lord speaks to our hearts, when we learn to look to the Lord, when we learn what it is to have even a tiny bit of the Father’s heart overshadow us, I believe our relationship as servant turns into a relationship of friend!  And the dynamic of that trusting relationship causes our belief to reach a more intimate place that we may not have experienced before.

I hope one day to that this scripture will become a favorite of yours!

Vicky

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Time for Giving!

Well wouldn’t you know that once I got back to writing again… my computer is done and out! Hope I can get it back up!

But the good news is I still can continue to log in from anywhere and write :)

I LOVE this time of year and hope you do tooooo! Ever since Thanksgiving was over my heart has been so filled with the notion that really it isn’t… it continues to live on.  But what is overwhelming my heart is that Thanksgiving ushered us in to the season of giving!  After Thanksgiving people are scurrying around preparing their homes with lights and trees and gifts to share with loved ones who we hold dear as well as sharing with others.

What I love most about it at another level is that once we do have an attitude of thanksgiving and gratitude we want to give!  How perfect could the symbolism be with these two holidays placed so perfectly close to each other!!!  How perfect that with an attitude of thanks and a heart for giving, we are prepared for the greatest gift of all…. the birth of our Savior and Lord, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who would come as the GREATEST GIFT OF ALL…. Jesus!!

I’m going to be purposeful for the next 30 days going into the new year with a genuine and  purposeful heart of giving!  I hope you’ll join me to bless others for the next 30 days!

Vicky

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Thanksgiving – George Washington

 

George Washington

George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.
 

 

G. Washington (his actual signature)

 Happy Thanksgiving Week Everyone!  Have a very blessed week and remember to give thanks always!

Vicky

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Faith & Perserverance

 
Perseverance

Image by kaymoshusband via Flickr

I have to say that studying Paul was such an exciting adventure with Beth and we’re going to do it again with JESUS next… but let me fill you in with a little of my own faith journey :)  

God is so good!  Yep after being unemployed for over a year, I started a new position with a child placing agency who does foster care and adoptions and my business as a Certified Life Coach kicked off as well … Empowered With Excellence.   I was learning so many new things and growing and stretching in so many areas with some amazing discoveries along the way.   Since the first of the year there have been numerous changes that I’ve had to walk through and step out in faith as God had been speaking to my heart since even the summer of last year.  Changes was one of them!  We don’t always know what the picture or the outcome may look like.   There were some tough decisions that I had to make,  but I knew that I had to follow what God was putting on my heart. 

Talk about walking by faith!  It was so good for me to study Paul’s journey right along with everyone and spoke volumes to me each week as well.  I also love Beth’s insight.  Paul truly loved the Lord and went through many trials but I believe one of his greatest accomplishments was his PERSEVERANCE through his entire journey.   What stood out to me towards the later years of his life was the love for people grew even deeper and richer.  And that’s exactly what happens when you fall in love with the Lord!  There are some whose hearts can become calloused, but when we grow closer to the Lord and stand on His Word of Truth, he changes our hearts and we see things that we may not have recognized before.  Truth… His truth! 

I remember years ago during a challenging time in my life that I was praying, reading God’s Word and asking him what about this that or the other.  He led me to a scripture reference and it was about perseverance!  I thought to myself are you kidding me, I had been persevering!  But really life is about persevering and it will always be about preserving in one form or another, one adventure with the Lord to the next, and one step of faith to the next …  I just hope to finish well to lay the crown at the feet of my Savior one day! 

Next step… It’s all about JESUS!  Can’t wait to start this next part of the journey with you!

God bless you richly!

Vicky

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