Questions for my friends:

1. What book(s) are you reading?

2. Who are your favorite authors?

3. What book of the Bible speaks to you right now?

4. If you had all the money you wanted and only had one day

to spend it, what would that day be like?

Answers I've received:

Ladyfromthewoods said...
Hi, Louise!

(1) I'm reading "Born Amish" and the books of Leviticus and Luke.

(2) My favorite authors are C. S. Lewis and Janice Holt Giles.

(3) I'm not sure as all the books seem to hold such treasures for me.

(4) Hmmm...I suppose I would actually spend the whole day at home to coordinate my spending. First I would pay off our mortgage so my sweet Hubby would not have that burden and could concentrate on other things. The rest of the day would be spent on the computer, giving to every charity I could think of, giving to those who have a great need, and supporting the ministries of those who help the helpless and lost. I might also splurge for all our future homeschooling books, books I'd like to have in our library, plants and chickens. lol.

Trish said...
1. I am reading the bible...haven't had time for anyhting else.

2. My favoite authoes are...Eugenia Price, Conrad Richter, Janette Oke and phillip Gulley.

3. Right now Matthew chapters 5 and 6...their words written in RED!

4. That day would be like every other day, caring for the Grandbabies and making sure that my family is taken care of...that they have all that they need. (not want)

Sara said...
1. Just finished "Loving Frank" and "The Shack"

2. Laura Ingalls Wilder, James Herriot, C.S. Lewis, Phillip Gulley

3. Joshua.

4. Homes for my family, college for my kids and then???? there's so much need I'm sure the day would be too fast to think of it all.

Amrita said...
i. Several books, mainly a devotional by Dr Martyn Llyod Jones and My family and other Animals by Gerald Durrel

2 Fav. authors, difficult to compile a list.

Corrie Ten Boom; Martyn Llyod Jones; Francis Scheaffer; CS Lewis; Elizabeth Elliot; Max Lucado; Phillip Yancey

3. Collosians

4.For my family and church and for sick people who cannot afford treatment.

Deb said...
1. 23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese

2. Karen Kingbury, C.S. Lewis, John Grisham

3. Hosea

4. In the morning I'd pay off my mortgage and bills and those of all my family and friends. Then I'd give money to everyone that I knew - as much as they needed. In the afternoon I would lie in a hammock and drink a glass of sweet tea while listening to praise music and reading a favorite book!

Louise said....

1. Bold Purpose by Dan Allender & Tremper Longman III

2. Randy Alcorn; John Piper; Elisabeth Eliot; Martyn Lloyd Jones; Steve Estes; Karen Kingsbury; Phillip Keller and others!

3. I & II Peter

4. One day & all the money I wanted: Give to our church; Pay off our children's mortgages; Put away money for grand-girls college funds; Give to missionaries; Give to the persecuted church through VOM; Pay off our car; Give money to homeless shelters & food banks; Provide medical care for anyone in need; Go to a local restaurant and pay for everyone's lunch/dinner for that day with the condition they accept and read a gospel tract telling of the love of Christ; Go to a local grocery store and seek those who seem to need help the most, then pay for their groceries for a month; Give money to family members who are in need. Give, give, give!

Margie said...
1) Believing God by Beth Moore

2) Linda Howard

3) Today it's Matthew

4) Since I've really been thinking about storing for the winter... I would pay off our trip to Austria, then pay off the house, store up food for the winter, buy a car for Phyllis, purchase a new furnace and roof for the garage.

Please say a prayer for two friends:

Melissa: Wearing a heart monitor and has been told she'll need a pace maker.
Her heart is beating 4 beats, then 'sticking' and missing a beat. She's very fatigued, must work a full time job and help her siblings care for their Mom.

Louie: Had a rib removed due to lung cancer 7 yrs ago. During the procedure nerves were cut and he's not experiencing severe pain. Morphine isn't helping and he sees another pain specialist next week. He's been told a procedure can be done that will freeze that area's nerves, but the risk involved is that it could also freeze all the nerves on that side of his body.

We don't have to be afraid ... of anything. The Creator of heaven and earth has chosen us to be His children. He cares for us. He knew us before we were born. If we are in Christ, He is our God and we are His people ... we don't have to be afraid. He gives comfort and hope and faith and love and joy and peace. He holds us as securely this day as He will every day to come. He alone is Awesome. That word fits nothing and no one else. I don't use that word lightly any longer for it describes my Lord and my Savior.

He is mighty to save. He holds us in the palm of His hand and nothing can really harm us. We can look forward to tomorrow because He is already there.

He is good! He is gracious! He is merciful and long-suffering! He desires that none perish but that all come to faith! His will is perfect because He is perfection. He IS and He always will be. He doesn't need us to do anything for Him ... but He receives glory when we desire to serve Him and love Him and when we take delight in who He is. He receives glory when we are obedient to His Word and when we delight to do His will. He has pulled us from the deepest pit to make us His own and I think it's His love that woos us into submission. And who can resist a love like His?

He IS LORD! To the glory of the Father, HE IS LORD and there is none other worthy to be called Lamb of God. Prince of Peace. Mighty God. Lion of Judah. Redeemer. Counselor. Shepherd. Everlasting God. Faithful and True. I AM THAT I AM. Jealous. Father. Abba Father!

May His perfect will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May His Name be kept hallowed and holy. May He give us (and He will) this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And Father, deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the power and the glory and the kingdom forever and ever and ever.

You are worthy Great Jehovah

You are worthy Mighty God

You are worthy Abba Father

You are worthy Lamb of God

This is my prayer for you this Sunday morning:

1Pe 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5
who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1Pe 1:6
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
1Pe 1:7
so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:8
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
1Pe 1:9
obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,
1Pe 1:11
inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
1Pe 1:12
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
1Pe 1:13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:14
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
1Pe 1:15
but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
1Pe 1:16
since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1Pe 1:17
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
1Pe 1:18
knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
1Pe 1:19
but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
1Pe 1:20
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake,
1Pe 1:21
who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
1Pe 1:22
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
1Pe 1:23
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
1Pe 1:24
for
“All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.The grass withers,and the flower falls,
1Pe 1:25
“but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

I found myself thinking along these lines this morning ... how much time do I spend in complaining about something or someone? Too much is the answer. And what good end is served by my complaining? None.

So, rather than complain about something or someone, what if I took that same breath and that same amount of time and began to give thanks in all things? What if, rather than talk about someone, I lifted that person to the Lord and asked Him to minister to them and meet their needs? Even if I don't especially care for them?

What changes might I see in people if I prayed for them rather than criticized them or talked about them? What changes might there be in me if I were to make these changes?

I'm not sure how it will all work out, but the precious Lord willing, I am out to change this aspect of who I am. I want to be all God desires me to be and that means growing up and letting go of my negative thoughts and speech patterns. It means taking the time to think about what's running rampant through my brain and then consciously 'take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ'. (II Cor. 10:5)

It means thinking Biblically before I speak, because our Father takes our speech seriously. He says in Matt. 12:36-37 that we will give an account of every idle word. That truth gives me serious cause to be quiet far more than I am.

I've heard that it takes 21 days to break a habit. Day one is almost over, and with the help of my Lord, I will change, for His glory, I will change.

Friends, please, please join me in interceding for this family:

"Please pray for Tim and Missy Hatchet and their daughters.Their oldest daughter, Mekenna, recently died (suddenly) from a staph infection. She was 14. (I actually saw the report on the news.)

They have two other daughters, one just started middle school (her name's Ramsey) and the other is around 8 and her name is Caden.

A friend of Missy's says that Missy takes the girls to school in the morning and comes home and sits in her chair and stares at the wall all day and the only other time she gets up is to go to church. The friend goes over to do the laundry. Everyone is worried that Missy will not recover from the grief. I'm sure that Tim and the girls need prayer also, as not only have they lost their daughter/sister but are missing their wife/mother too."

Thank you.
t.

Father in heaven, we come to you now on behalf of Tim & Missy and their daughters Ramsey and Caden. In the precious name of Your Son, we ask You to ease the grief and the burden they carry in the loss of their daughter Mekenna. Comfort them and give them rest and allow them to sleep. Minister to them through Your precious Holy Spirit and through the people who love them. Allow their pain to slowly evaporate into the knowledge You are with them and will see them through this seemingly unbearable time in their lives. Open their souls to receive from You all You seek to give them. Give Missy a desire to not only take her daughters to school, but to become involved in everyday household chores. Bring a smile to her face as she looks upon Ramsey and Caden and allow her to find You and your plan for their future in the midst of tragedy. Be all she needs. Be all this family needs. For your glory and in the name of Your Son we ask these things and we expectantly look for Your great and good answer to this prayer for this family. Amen.

Not sure why, but words just aren't coming for the blog the last few days. I find myself reading and praying more than writing. Thinking about things and about people more. However, I am reading your blogs and keeping up with each of you.

Sometimes it's better to be quiet, especially when you have nothing to say. Sometimes especially when you think you have something to say, it's best to remain quiet also.

Silence is golden ... isn't it?