Joy!

Joy is in my heart

'Cause that's where Jesus lives,

The peace and hope I have in Him

Is because it's what He gives...

...But oh, so much more

And I know Him as my Lord

And that is why my heart is full

And what I'm living for!

I know no other reason

For why my heart does sing,

It goes beyond coincidence

It's because of Christ, my King.

You make me glad by Your deeds,

O Lord; I sing for joy at the works

of Your hands Psalm 92:4

Three Hearts!

Two people seeking acceptance and love

Wanting the will of the Father above,

But living their lives away from God's plan

And living in ways accepted by man.

Each coming back to the place they belong

With repentant hearts, each with a new song,

Giving their lives to God and each other

Exploring new life with love to discover.

Looking ahead to God's perfect will

Purpose and plans and dreams to fulfill,

Finding the one whose heart wants the same

To love and obey and praise God's Holy Name.

To make Him the focus and always a part

And give Him His place in both of their hearts.

Sharing their lives, rejoicing and free

Together with God they are now hearts of three.

As summer approaches and the wedding "season"

does, too, wouldn't it be nice for all marrieds to

"renew" their wedding vows? My husband and I

will celebrate our 44th anniversary this year. We

are so thankful that God has made us one in Christ♥

I love him, he loves me - We both love the Lord!

Best of all: He loves us:)

If I Could Pray...

one prayer today

Lord, it would be and I would say:

Please guide my loved ones as You will

Guard their hearts and bless them still;

Make them strong in their faith

And help them see their mistakes;

Give them tender love for all

And for their loved ones most of all;

Don't let the sun go down on them

With hurting hearts that need to mend;

Fill them with the desire that burns

For all of You they can learn;

Then give them peace and joy so great

With excited hearts as they wait;

For all You have in Your great plan

Hold them up and help them stand;

Bring them to that special place

Where joy is seen on each face;

Where Your love is deep within

And thankfulness and blessing win.

I pray this prayer because I know

In Jesus, You will make it so.

Amen.

Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

God who began a good work in you

will carry it on to completion until

the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

God - He Is In Control!

God is in control

And lest we ever doubt it,

He lets us know in His Word

And tells us all about it.

He tells us that "I am"

He is creator over all,

He made a way because He can

To save us from our fall.

Man could never save himself

From sin that entered in,

So God sent Christ to die for us

And then He rose again.

He lives in us and goes with us

If we invite Him to,

He loves us so and helps us grow

He's there for me and you.

I heard what sounded like a

great multitude, like the roar of

rushing waters and like loud

peals of thunder, shouting:

For our Lord God Almighty reigns."

Revelation 19:6

His Plan Proceeds!

Whatever place God has you in

Be thankful to Him, please thank Him!

When you prayed and first believed

Your answered prayers were gifts received.

Now doubts abound and fears close in

But don't forget to still trust Him,

See the sunshine, not the rain

When circumstances cause you pain.

His plan proceeds, look to your heart

Yield all to Him for a fresh, new start.

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God

our Father, who loved us and by His grace

gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,

encourage your hearts and strengthen you in

every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Those who plan what is good find love and

faithfulness. Proverbs 14:22

The cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Proverbs 15:15

The Word!

The Word of God is sharp

And gets to the heart of the matter,

We're taught the important things

And not just mindless chatter.

The message God conveys

Is one not to dismiss,

It's meant to ground us in His truth

We can depend on this!

Open the Word of God

Read with an open mind,

Check out the truth of Him

And leave deception behind.

All that we should know

Will deeply penetrate,

And sink into our heart

Why would we want to wait?

THE BIBLE - A LOVE LETTER FROM GOD❤

For the Word of God is living

and powerful, and sharper than

any two-edged sword, piercing

even to the division of soul and

spirit, and of joints and marrow,

and is a discerner of the thoughts

and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Hope!

What happens to hope

When things all go wrong,

When a heart is bereft

And just can't sing a song?

Can't give every burden

So hard to bear,

To God who's the Father

And the One to most care?

Just pray and ask Jesus

To draw you to Him,

He'll stretch out His arms

And hold you within.

"I know the plans I have for

you," declares the Lord, "plans

to prosper you and not to

harm you, plans to give you

hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

May the God of hope fill you

with all joy and peace as you

trust in Him, so that you may

overflow with hope by the

power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

Easter!

Easter is here again

A hopeful time returned,

And a reminder to all men

That salvation isn't earned.

It's given to us freely

Bought and paid for in our place,

It came from the Lord who loves us

Who extends unmerited grace.

The Father gave His Son

Both willing to bear the loss,

All to redeem the souls of men

He died upon the cross.

We know we can't repay

And that we don't deserve,

This gift that we've been given

The best news ever heard.

'Cause Jesus rose again

We can have eternal life,

New birth is ours forever

Given through Jesus Christ!

"The Son of Man must be delivered

into the hands of sinful men, and be

crucified, and the third day rise again."

Luke 24:7

"I am the Resurrection and the Life...

Whoever lives and believes in me

shall never die." John 11:25

God Sees And Knows All!

Our country belongs to God

As every nation does,

He watches men everywhere

And that would be because...

He sees it all together

The just and the unjust,

And only He can oversee

So in Him we place our trust.

He doesn't lie to get His way

We know He never will,

When we look to Him and pray

Our spirits can be still.

There is good and evil

Of that we can be sure,

But God's the One over all

And only He is pure.

His only motivation

Is to bless us with His love,

His agenda isn't hidden

And He has a plan for us.

Midst the strife, deceit and lies

He knows the heart of man,

His grace and mercy covers all

But for justice He will stand.

He won't be excluded

Or denied His rightful place,

And He knows where to find us all

And that evil has a face.

God is ever vigilant

He protects us from our foe,

He knows who He can call His own

And those who've lost their soul.

His Word will stand forever

It never changes nor will He,

In knowing Him and loving Him -

No matter what - we are free!

The eyes of the Lord are on the

righteous, and His ears are open to

their cry. The face of the Lord is against

those who do evil, to cut off the remem-

brance of them from the earth. The

righteous cry out, and the Lord hears

and delivers them from all their

troubles. Psalm 34:15-17

"For everyone practicing evil hates

the light and does not come to the

light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

But he who does the truth comes to the

light, that his deeds may be clearly seen,

that they have been done in God."

John 3:20-21

Every word of God is pure; He is a

shield to those who put their trust in

Him. Do not add to His words, lest He

reprove you, and you be found a liar.

Proverbs 30:5-6

"For what is a man profited if he gains

the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Or what will a man give in exchange for

his soul?" Matthew 16:26

Be Surprised!

Open up your heart

And open up your eyes,

When you see what God's about

You might be surprised!

He waits with open arms

His love won't be denied,

You can't escape His love

Even if you try.

And just like His creation

The sun and moon and stars,

You are special to Him

Just because you are!

He loves you irregardless

Of all your flaws and sin,

It's why He sent His gift of Christ

Your soul for Him to win.

So open up your heart

You can believe your eyes,

The Word of God explains it all -

We all need Jesus Christ!

"For God so loved the world that

He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him should

not perish but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

The Coming Storm!

How often we can't see

What's right before our eyes,

How much are we missing

What comes as a surprise?

So much is hidden from us

It's sad what we don't know,

We want to form opinions

It's hard when we don't know -

Man can be corrupt

Even evil through and through,

But God steps in and acts

When we don't have a clue.

He says He will protect us

And shelter us from harm,

We can place our trust in Him

As we face the coming storm.

The Lord loves the just and will

not forsake His faithful ones. They

will be protected forever, but the

offspring of the wicked will be cut

off. Psalm 37:28

"Because he loves me," says the Lord,

"I will protect him, for he acknowledges

my name. He will call upon me, and I

will answer him; I will be with him in

trouble, I will deliver him and honor

him." Psalm 91:14-15

East From West!

As far as the east is from the west,

so far has He removed our transgressions

from us.

Freeing us from sin,

He displayed His grace among us.

All around the world,

He gives the gift of His salvation

To every tribe and every tongue

And to every nation.

Complete forgiveness comes through Christ

God's love and mercy overwhelming,

Grace and all His gifts

Come down from heaven, streaming.

He bore our sins for us

Removed them far away,

Forever they are gone

No, forever and a day!

As far as the east is from the west, so

far has He removed our transgressions

from us. Psalm 103:12

I acknowledged my sin to You and did

not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will

confess my transgressions to the Lord" -

and You forgave the guilt of my sin.

Psalm 32:5

Free In Christ!

God, You are the glorious One

You offered us life through Jesus, Your Son.

It's ours for the taking and why would we not?

He won the battle, and it was hard fought.

We couldn't have done it, wouldn't have tried

He did it for us, "It is finished" He cried!

A new heart we'll have with life begun new

If we accept Your love gift, giving our lives to You.

We can have all that was bought for us at the cross

And we will have gained what we knew was once lost.

He knew He was dying to give us new life

Thank God for His gift of Jesus, the Christ!

Jesus said, "if the Son sets you free, you will be

free indeed." John 8:36

It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Stand firm,

then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again

by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

By dying to what once bound us, we have been

released from the law so that we serve in the new

way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the

written code. Romans 7:6

Rest In Him!

Lord,

You give us days and nights of peace

Of lighter hearts with sweet release.

You lift our burdens, take our cares

Go with us always everywhere.

But,

We must always do our part

And come to You with open heart.

Giving up and giving in

Shedding doubts from deep within.

While,

Allowing You to work Your will

Waiting, trusting, being still.

Knowing Yours is a perfect plan

And with Your own, You will stand.

Because,

You only want to lead us to

Your heart of love and all You do;

To care for us and fully bless

Those who come seeking rest.

For I know the thoughts that I think

toward you, says the Lord, thoughts

of peace and not of evil, to give you a

future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Come to Me, all you who labor and

are heavy laden, and I will give you

rest. Matthew 11:28

Friendship!

Friendship is a gift

A blessing from God to us,

It meets a place within

When our seas are tossed and rough.

It leads us to the One

Whose example is the best,

With open arms and tender

He gives to us His rest.

The friends we take in life

The friendships that we make,

Can bring sweetness to our life

Like "icing on the cake".

The love of Christ is shown

When a friend is there to care,

With support and listening heart

In the burdens that we bear.

Thank God for Christlike friends

And the blessings that they bring,

That draw us close to Jesus

And the friendship of the King!

Jesus said, "I no longer call you

servants, because a servant does not

know his master's business. Instead,

I have called you friends, for

everything that I learned from my

Father I have made known to you."

John 15:15

You understand, O Lord; remember

me and care for me. Jeremiah 15:15

God, who has called you into fellowship

with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is

faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:9

Remembering WHO's The Cause!

Dear God above

Fill me with love

Make me open to You.

Open my eyes

To realize

And see things as You do.

Help me serve with others

And remember WHO's the cause,

Help me love You and them

As a witness to the lost.

Might I be an encourager

As I return to my first love,

Sharing Christ who gave His life

Accepting them as He does.

Let me see the picture

As You see it from on high,

And know the greatest purpose

Is to share the love of Christ.

"A new command I give you: Love

one another. As I have loved you,

so you must love one another. By this

all men will know that you are my

disciples, if you love one another."

John 13:34-35

Above all else, guard your heart, for it

is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

And the peace of God, which transcends

all understanding, will guard your hearts

and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

Don't Be Confused!

Life is full of questions

Confusion settles in,

There's so much to absorb

Causing heads to spin.

There is a "go to" place

Where we can find relief,

And get our questions answered

To see confusion cease.

God doesn't try to fool us

With trickery and deceit,

He is Truth and His Word

We know can be believed.

So take the time to read it

To find the answers there,

You'll find peace and refuge

Which you will want to share.

The unfolding of Your words

gives light; it gives understanding

to the simple. Psalm 119:130

Every word of God is flawless; He is

a shield to those who take refuge in

Him. Proverbs 30:5

Love Each Other!

It is sometimes said that christians

Are the only bible that others see,

What do they read between the lines

When seeing you and me?

Does the love of Christ stand out

Does His heart of compassion compel,

Is the love for our christian family

A story our lives clearly tell?

Do our eyes and our lips speak highly

Of those God puts in our lives,

Who, like us, are being changed

To be more like Jesus Christ?

I must admit that sometimes

I don't tend to think this way,

And don't see the bigger picture

Black and white becomes quite gray.

But I long to be an example

To be supportive, compassionate and "there"

To encourage and love unconditionally

With the love of the Savior we share.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and

dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear

with each other and forgive whatever grievances

you may have against one another. Forgive as

the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues

put on love, which binds them all together in per-

fect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your

hearts, since as members of one body you were

called to peace. And be thankful. 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. And whatever you do, whether in

word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:12-17

Go, In His Love!

Lord, help me to love with Your love

With the love I see in Your eyes,

With compassion and forgiveness

Through the tears I know You cry;

For the lost who need salvation

And the lonely who need a friend,

For the hurting in need of healing

To these is it me You'll send?

Make me ready to go, Lord

To hear when You call to me,

To be alert and watchful

To be obedient to thee!

Help me not to be wasteful

With the life You've given me,

Help me know and use the gifts

To share with those in need.

This is my prayer to You, Lord

It comes from deep within,

There is nothing more important

Than the Gift You are to men!

But how can they call on Him to

save them unless they believe in

Him? And how can they believe in

Him if they have never heard about

Him? And how can they hear about

Him unless someone tells them?

Romans 10:14

We are to God the fragrance of

Christ among those who are being

saved and among those who are

perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:15

Go And Tell!

God asks us tenderly

To care for the souls He made,

To love them unconditionally

Because of the price He paid.

He asks for us to trust Him

To leave our comfort zone,

To show the way to the lost

To guide them to Him and home.

We are His hands and feet

He's empowered us to share,

His heart to those in need

Of His Word, so just and fair.

They need His great Good News

He's appointed us to tell,

So the lost will be found in heaven

'Cause they were saved from sin and hell!

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

Habits Die Hard!

They are pesky things

That have a life of their own,

And when we want to say "goodbye"

They just keep hanging on!

So many times we try

To get away from them,

As far as we can go

But they pull us back again!

What is the hold they have

And why we want to know,

When we really want to separate

Why, then, is it so...

So difficult to ease away

And give up what they gave,

And replace that with the One

Who has the power to save?

We know that He can do it

He says that we can pray,

And ask Him in His Name

To throw that thing away!

And just because it's said

That habits will die hard,

Habits can be broken

There's no better time to start!

So no matter what the habit

The vice, the thing to quit,

Give it up to Jesus

Say a prayer and then submit!

I can do all things through

Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

Take Off The Mask!

It's time for the mask to go

To be uncovered and real,

To let the God of the universe

Cause us to hurt and feel.

To feel for the lost and lonely

Those who need Him so,

To put ourselves in the place of them

Who don't know where to go.

To relate and reveal who we are

And why we need our Lord,

So they will also understand

It's Him they are searching for.

If they see Christ in us

And know He is love and truth,

If we are witnesses to His cause

And sharing His love is proof;

Then skeptics will pause and ponder

And hopefully come to believe,

That Jesus is Who they want

And Him they will receive.

Oh, let us bear our hearts

And open our lives to care,

And ask for God to give us

People with whom to share;

The blessings God has given

And continues to give and give,

Are given to us to give away

Because they are really His!

John 4:35 "Behold, I say to you,

lift up your eyes and look at the

fields, for they are already white

for harvest!"