tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68292017545510644842024-03-18T12:08:41.173-04:00Words That Matterby Andrea Merrell
Writer. Editor. Encourager.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.comBlogger487125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-89108761579500465512024-03-18T12:08:00.000-04:002024-03-18T12:08:08.827-04:00A Formula for Overcoming Stress<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4FwrpFrvhwUBBZSXOnLu1eb_-LsZbYkPigZLDvPjJZULe2ZTJZtUInfUJnaoVBCQSX2QkYC7R9F5uom9ZxoczHW7ySEVS40H14P8sxKrW4r2hjnpFbV0W09ubb3n3xuezfTX8PxPigMi5L6-tzz28jk_cpo1q5uTvzK43azlYPLJY9TAU2a2cAeh/s400/Stress%20-%20Stuart%20Miles.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4FwrpFrvhwUBBZSXOnLu1eb_-LsZbYkPigZLDvPjJZULe2ZTJZtUInfUJnaoVBCQSX2QkYC7R9F5uom9ZxoczHW7ySEVS40H14P8sxKrW4r2hjnpFbV0W09ubb3n3xuezfTX8PxPigMi5L6-tzz28jk_cpo1q5uTvzK43azlYPLJY9TAU2a2cAeh/w232-h232/Stress%20-%20Stuart%20Miles.jpg" width="232" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Stress. Some call it the silent killer. It can destroy our
peace, joy, health, sense of well-being—and even our life.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We all face it in one way or another. Even good things can
cause it, especially when decisions have to be made and time is a factor. We
can complain, medicate, or ignore the symptoms but instead of heading for burnout,
<i>The Word for You Today</i> gives us an acronym for overcoming stress:<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span></span></b><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">eek God’s guidance<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">God promises to be with us—always. To give us guidance. To
impart wisdom and keep us on the right path. When we seek Him first, He
promises to take care of all that concerns us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span></span></b><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">rust what God tells you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">God is trustworthy. People will let us down but God never
will. He is always working on our behalf even when we can’t see, feel, or
understand it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">R</span></span></b><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">emember past victories.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Sometimes we need to look back at all the times God has come
through for us and praise Him in advance for seeing us through this time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">E</span></span></b><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">xalt God above the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We have to get our eyes off the problem and put them on the
problem-solver. My pastor says, “Whatever you give your attention to, you
empower. Whatever you empower, empowers you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span></span></b><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">olicit the prayers and support of
others.</span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We were not created to face this life alone. That’s why the
body of Christ is so important. We should never hesitate to ask for prayer, especially
when going through a rough time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span></span></b><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">tand on the promises of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">God’s Word is truth, the ultimate and final authority on all
matters. Find out what God says and stand on that truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you’re facing a stressful situation, practice these six
steps, then watch what the Lord will do in your life. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><i>Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.</i></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-70332032503676107412024-03-11T13:07:00.000-04:002024-03-11T13:07:41.226-04:00Loving the Unlovely<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Love your
enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, </span></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">not the worst.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Luke 6:28 MSG</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6IQWpJqBM_9iwGdv92oURH7JGN365H3lreSm4A4wx4Zc2ZhNwXo1HCWU2pd6Z-a7iLXPj_IZZ_27S7gjgC17lemx2IXiV0so9Vp0TZ-3cut2F808uizOP8Fqra0DbJOSDnJBdiQFzS2I20Unn948HcSwv4bP_kKMchRxqh3hjibEsDDyVLHKC3CU/s400/Heart%20and%20hands%20-%20Stuart%20Miles.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6IQWpJqBM_9iwGdv92oURH7JGN365H3lreSm4A4wx4Zc2ZhNwXo1HCWU2pd6Z-a7iLXPj_IZZ_27S7gjgC17lemx2IXiV0so9Vp0TZ-3cut2F808uizOP8Fqra0DbJOSDnJBdiQFzS2I20Unn948HcSwv4bP_kKMchRxqh3hjibEsDDyVLHKC3CU/s320/Heart%20and%20hands%20-%20Stuart%20Miles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The topic was love. The assignment for the week had been for
the group to choose an “unlovely person” in their life and practice sharing
God’s love with them.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The leader of the group was anxious to hear the results. “So,
how did it go? Who wants to begin?”<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Silence filled the room for a long moment until one girl
finally spoke up. “That man I told you about, my next door neighbor. I tried. I
really did. I know I’m supposed to love him, but I just don’t like him. I fact,
I can’t stand him.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Her words caused a buzz in the room and a lot of agreement
from the others. Then a discussion followed about how we can love someone without <i>liking </i>them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Tell me what the Bible says about love,” the leader said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Answers came like shotgun fire. <i>Love one another. Love your
enemies. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love is patient. Love is
kind. Do everything in love. Love covers a multitude of sin. Love never fails.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pleased with the answers, the leader said, “So, how do we obey
the Word when someone is hard to love?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">After another long pause, the answers came, slowly at first. <i>We
can pray for them. We can forgive them. We can see them through God’s eyes. We
can be more concerned about their soul than their behavior. We can stop being
critical of them and look for the best.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The leader went on to explain that we don’t base our love on a
person’s words or actions. That makes it conditional. When we learn to see
others as God’s creation—those He loves and sent Jesus to die for—it changes
our perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible tells us that when we learn to love our enemies—the
unlovely—it brings out the best in us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you ready to love the unlovely?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><i>Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.</i></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-81321387055055064452024-03-04T15:19:00.000-05:002024-03-04T15:19:03.470-05:00A Clean Slate<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">If </span></i></span><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">we confess our
sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins </span></i></span><i><span style="background: white; line-height: 107%;"><span>and to cleanse us
from all wickedness.</span></span></i></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">1 John 1:9 NLT<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnCa8UsQ-8YbCoscnfVRcu8sjQ4Vdbi01XyDFE-pxxIycSbqaqXUcWZw8r5u6oGdqyiuaK_7Ugvsdn6KcePIYNk-dgSAW9IcS1uuVRt2b_az7XJyWvfTi_j9IlFGorH4uX6f0vK4GUADbYU1AFsMRQcqt4Lsdqt5wQsbOe7pt0nMltXz7ry8c8b5B/s360/Blackboard%20-%20winnond.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="360" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnCa8UsQ-8YbCoscnfVRcu8sjQ4Vdbi01XyDFE-pxxIycSbqaqXUcWZw8r5u6oGdqyiuaK_7Ugvsdn6KcePIYNk-dgSAW9IcS1uuVRt2b_az7XJyWvfTi_j9IlFGorH4uX6f0vK4GUADbYU1AFsMRQcqt4Lsdqt5wQsbOe7pt0nMltXz7ry8c8b5B/s320/Blackboard%20-%20winnond.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Remember the old chalkboards we used in school many moons ago?
Did you ever get stuck with the task of cleaning one? I did. It was almost
impossible to get all the chalk off, so the board never looked really clean.<br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">With the invention of the white board and dry-erase markers,
the task became much easier. A few good swipes is all it takes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">With God, it’s even easier to erase mistakes. One sincere
prayer of repentance, and He wipes the slate clean. “</span><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">I will forgive
their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34
NLT).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">How
is that possible for God when we’re constantly bombarded with thoughts about
everything we’ve done wrong? Because the Bible says, “<span class="text">He has
removed our sins as far from us</span></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="text"><span style="background: white;">as the east is
from the west” (Psalm 103:12 NLT). If that’s not enough to convince us, Micah
7:19 says, “You will trample our sins under your feet</span></span> <span class="text"><span style="background: white;">and throw them into the depths of the
ocean!” (NLT). <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">God take forgiveness seriously—and so should we. When we mess
up, He promises that if </span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9 NLT).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">God
will never dredge up our sins and hold them against us, so why should we?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Do
you have a clean slate? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><i>Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and winnond.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #d10036; font-family: "noto sans", sans-serif; font-size: 26px; margin: 0.67em 0px 5px;"><br /></h1>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-85380182945933591092024-02-19T14:34:00.000-05:002024-02-19T14:34:16.493-05:00God is Up to Something<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Being confident
of this very thing, that He who has </span>begun<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span>a<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span>good<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span>work<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> in you </span></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">will complete </span>it<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> until the day of Jesus Christ.</span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Philippians 1:6
NKJV<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Crash!</span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"> The sound reverberated through the house as the young mother
turned to her husband. “What in the world is that child up to now?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8znQ8XJQONpWE7W1PUAxJoIyK1ypjV-4qHddHyQSNcuhqCkbTbZ7RFstUkieyNu_86yKq1yaBx2ccGw0QKfS3hGOwDkB-Z8anOrl6t3iqmpOKVRRR8rnBmHYabowu-f3STM3Jzkp3PW7Bh58db2JS5MF4mal206FqsmXjQwku-vXaO8TvORV6PF1v/s426/Good%20-%20Photo%20by%20Volkan%20Olmez%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="426" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8znQ8XJQONpWE7W1PUAxJoIyK1ypjV-4qHddHyQSNcuhqCkbTbZ7RFstUkieyNu_86yKq1yaBx2ccGw0QKfS3hGOwDkB-Z8anOrl6t3iqmpOKVRRR8rnBmHYabowu-f3STM3Jzkp3PW7Bh58db2JS5MF4mal206FqsmXjQwku-vXaO8TvORV6PF1v/s320/Good%20-%20Photo%20by%20Volkan%20Olmez%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">“Beats
me,” her husband replied, “but you can be sure it’s nothing good.”<br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">If
you’re a parent, you can probably relate. We want our kids to be good. To do
good. To be obedient. To follow instructions and stay out of trouble. Sadly,
that learning curve is typically very long and very tedious.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But
we can’t blame it all on the kids. As adults, we face the same temptations to
do things that are not always so <i>good</i>. Maybe God shakes His head and
says, “What in the world is my child up to now?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The
great news for us is that no matter what we’re “up to,” God is always up to
something—something good. In the Bible study “Experiencing God,” Henry Blackaby
tells us that God is <i>always</i> at work in, around, and through us. He
never stops. Even when we can’t see the results, we can trust that He hears our
prayers, sees our needs, and sets the answers in motion. At times the answer
comes quickly. At other times we have to wait, but God has promised to finish
the work He has already begun in us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">God is up to something good, and we should be about our Father's business. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">What
are you up to?</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com and Volkan Olmez.</span></i></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-23314277486184071422024-02-12T18:02:00.000-05:002024-02-12T18:02:56.380-05:00Double Jeopardy<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Resentment kills
a fool,</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="text"><span style="background: white;">and envy slays the simple.</span></span></span></i><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Job 5:2 NIV</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I listened to the woman’s story. Through tears, she told me
about the abuse she had suffered for years. “My life is ruined,” she said. “Things
could not possibly get any worse.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevcFlXpX1CgKeKWnSU4WCQ1ZXmPR_4oAg148fCsJTHIW_vxTShdmTzVAA1XNN8LSA4VDdUHmyQnHxHGPOX-aU5AMUqc9OjitPH7pyAnK7RVFhu6VyTibdNDclFsM3FpEz1Io_-Xa9a-y3JwI4o5MUk7Fdwu637B7nJj8rECKZgiTMPEKzwHdFSv8n/s379/Double%20Jeopardy%20-%20Photo%20by%20Jurica%20Koleti%C4%87%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="272" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevcFlXpX1CgKeKWnSU4WCQ1ZXmPR_4oAg148fCsJTHIW_vxTShdmTzVAA1XNN8LSA4VDdUHmyQnHxHGPOX-aU5AMUqc9OjitPH7pyAnK7RVFhu6VyTibdNDclFsM3FpEz1Io_-Xa9a-y3JwI4o5MUk7Fdwu637B7nJj8rECKZgiTMPEKzwHdFSv8n/s320/Double%20Jeopardy%20-%20Photo%20by%20Jurica%20Koleti%C4%87%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="230" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But they did.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Unable—and unwilling—to forgive her abuser and give the
situation to the Lord, the guilt, shame, and condemnation she carried became so
heavy she felt crushed beneath the weight.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The anguish deep within soon turned to anger. She developed a
victim mentality and found herself dealing with a root of bitterness that ruled
her every waking thought and invaded her dreams. It colored her words and
controlled her actions. It affected her relationship with others, her
self-worth, and her attitude toward God. She found herself living in double
jeopardy—persecuted and prosecuted twice for the same offense.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The suffering we go through in this life will eventually make
us wiser and stronger if we deal with it God’s way. But allowing it to fester can
eventually become worse than anything we’ve actually gone through. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">The Bible says, </span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">resentment kills
a fool and bitterness is like a poison. </span></i></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">They can harm you
mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—even physically. No matter what you’ve
gone through, don’t be foolish. Don’t allow it to ruin your life. Give it to
God. Forgive and move on. That’s how you experience His peace and His
unspeakable joy.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Don’t wait. Do it today.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@juricakoletic?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Jurica Koletić</a><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/photograph-of-woman-digital-wallpaper-oLU63uzhT88?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-30626494047437929652024-02-05T13:58:00.000-05:002024-02-05T13:58:23.232-05:00The Reward for Commitment<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">And whatever you
do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Colossians 3:23
NKJV</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I’m going on a diet,” my husband announced one morning. “Time
to get rid of this belly.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLu40yFRShFDNL5D_R5eWryur5oM1aQjo3e93ws8PSQ87b6GmW416uuHZ9fQucZ6I-DVhgyuJlKQh9gwMsSRLaKsD_ecUvDvGx3QY6awm5EhHQTV7XWZWMM5jXhh8m3HM7TgSN0utYy1eiiNcX7TcnJ4KLR_IMJwbpcUuAEsFrQGRiASycluTZv9d/s413/Stay%20on%20the%20path%20-%20Photo%20by%20Mark%20Duffel%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="413" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLu40yFRShFDNL5D_R5eWryur5oM1aQjo3e93ws8PSQ87b6GmW416uuHZ9fQucZ6I-DVhgyuJlKQh9gwMsSRLaKsD_ecUvDvGx3QY6awm5EhHQTV7XWZWMM5jXhh8m3HM7TgSN0utYy1eiiNcX7TcnJ4KLR_IMJwbpcUuAEsFrQGRiASycluTZv9d/s320/Stay%20on%20the%20path%20-%20Photo%20by%20Mark%20Duffel%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was up for losing weight myself, but the plan he suggested
(lots of meat and no carbs or sugar) ... something I didn't think I could
handle. I agreed to try it but told him I couldn’t promise to commit.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">He did his research. Talked to a pilot buddy who swore by it.
Listened to podcasts. He was all in. I was still skeptical.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span>After only one week, we both lost several pounds. We felt better.
Had more energy. Slept better. </span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Maybe this would turn out to be a good thing after all.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I started reading labels and getting stuff out of the house
that we couldn’t eat—chips, snacks, potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread. Time went on, and the
pounds kept coming off. In less than a month, my husband lost twelve pounds. I
dropped ten—the reward of my commitment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s the same with our commitment to the Lord. He wants us all
in. To love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength. To seek Him first above
all else. To do everything we do just as if we are doing it for Him, not others
or ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">God’s rewards are well worth our commitment. He gives us
salvation along with peace, love, and joy. He offers forgiveness, strength, and
wisdom. He promises to never leave us. His blessings are far greater than
anything we can ask for or imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">What are you committed to?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@2mduffel?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Mark Duffel</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/U5y077qrMdI?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; color: #767676; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-65704319375938695592024-01-29T15:01:00.000-05:002024-01-29T15:01:52.609-05:00A Great Big Love<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="small-caps"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 200%;">God</span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 200%;"> told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and
never will.</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></i><span class="indent-1-breaks"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 200%;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 200%;">Expect love,
love, and more love!</span></i></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 200%;"> Jeremiah 31:3 MSG<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 200%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There I was in the middle of the night, down on my knees in my
daughter’s room. She had just thrown up, and I can tell you, it wasn’t pretty. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5dMqOOZRM77nrIS-x9ETXovHrzIZXgj0YliJ2p6Y3dfEZi3tz-JC3PcEIjlToOo2R4BzPxHgSneUWCIctOE8Wyr9jwMx43V-2VtfvXqSwANEQct1Bm5mKt5lmViOqe8ujVIlTLmo1BB1LjjdIn-Kgy_wS1PNL8hqrSJIBdBqCdMEkJ7rZ_0V81-G/s378/Love%20-%20Photo%20by%20Kelly%20Sikkema%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="378" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5dMqOOZRM77nrIS-x9ETXovHrzIZXgj0YliJ2p6Y3dfEZi3tz-JC3PcEIjlToOo2R4BzPxHgSneUWCIctOE8Wyr9jwMx43V-2VtfvXqSwANEQct1Bm5mKt5lmViOqe8ujVIlTLmo1BB1LjjdIn-Kgy_wS1PNL8hqrSJIBdBqCdMEkJ7rZ_0V81-G/s320/Love%20-%20Photo%20by%20Kelly%20Sikkema%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I heard sniffling and looked up. She was balanced on her
knees, staring at me from her bed. Simply doing what mothers do—or so I
thought—her tearful comment took me by complete surprise. “I’m so sorry. You
must <i>really</i> love me.”<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Of course I do,” I said, trying to comprehend the tears.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Well, that’s a great big love. I love you too, Mom.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fast forward about thirty years. Back surgery and a reaction
to the anesthesia turned me into a hot mess. I could barely function and needed
serious help. My baby girl came to the hospital and stayed with me until I was
able to go home. I found myself staring at her and thinking, <i>I’m so sorry.
You must really love me. And that’s a great big love. </i>She saw me at my
worst, at one of the lowest points in my life. And she loved me through it all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">It made me even more thankful for the love God has for me.
Agape love. Sacrificial and unconditional. Nothing that can be earned by being
the best version of myself. God sees me at my worst when no one else sees. He
is aware of every low point in my life. Every failure. Every sin. Yet He loves
me with an everlasting love that goes beyond human comprehension, and sometimes
He shows me by using other people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Never doubt God’s love for you. It’s a great big love that
never stops.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Kelly Sikkema</a><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/text-p9rCr97HtTg?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-77950464324070389662024-01-22T17:33:00.000-05:002024-01-22T17:33:07.949-05:00Stop Meditating on Your Problems<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Help me
understand the meaning of your commandments,</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="text"><span style="background: white;">and I will meditate on your
wonderful deeds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Psalm 119:27 NLT<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It was all she thought about and the only thing she talked
about—her “situation.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLmyvAHqSrHykFK4u3ZRE9kfZsovgVsUv5DAfBWNShTeiRlTn3LBQSmAcwSG0ZZXG-09gql-Qk38k51r1IOpJfmYEzi30fddzqgtVxPJir3QB-UplH6BJu4rwcqu783UCRPTuDTYwvVUiDeLUyHmA9hOvuEVuUGPPgJm9e1VPDCQte3ew9MGFKfw9/s400/Woman%20stressed%20-%20Jolee%20G.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="400" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLmyvAHqSrHykFK4u3ZRE9kfZsovgVsUv5DAfBWNShTeiRlTn3LBQSmAcwSG0ZZXG-09gql-Qk38k51r1IOpJfmYEzi30fddzqgtVxPJir3QB-UplH6BJu4rwcqu783UCRPTuDTYwvVUiDeLUyHmA9hOvuEVuUGPPgJm9e1VPDCQte3ew9MGFKfw9/s320/Woman%20stressed%20-%20Jolee%20G.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We all have difficulties. <br />Problems. Even traumatic events.
They’re part of life. But God never intends for us to dwell on them until they
totally consume us. In fact, when we keep rehearsing them—in our thoughts and
in our conversations—we tend to experience them over and over, which only adds
to our suffering. It becomes a vicious and perpetual cycle.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So, how do we break the cycle? The Word has much to say on
the subject, but here are a few simple steps:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Give all your worries and cares to the Lord. (1 Peter 5:7)</span></span></span></li><li><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Don’t worry about anything and pray about everything. (Philippians
4:6)</span></span></span></li><li><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Meditate on His Word continually. (Joshua 1:8)</span></span></span></li><li><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Give thanks in every situation. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Or as
the Message translation says, “Be cheerful no matter what. Pray all the time.
Thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to
Christ Jesus to live.”</span></span></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Life is way too short to keep our mind and heart focused on the
negative things that come to steal our joy and peace. Start today to meditate
on God’s Word and not your problems.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><i>Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Jolee G.</i></span></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-794266466432727372024-01-15T10:18:00.000-05:002024-01-15T10:18:12.507-05:00Are You Wearing the Right Clothes?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Put on
God’s complete set of armor.</span></i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Ephesians 6:11 TPT<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2-ZI31IOKnYljVHigvTrQNTRAPZfL0__t9DfrBdPqj7aWn3r7zhrOviyLLebXveGo59mMOXTi4P_DNYbglErFBdsCWaDppI2s1oUB_WWXBOEQ_UR1GpLND2uly9nbXwcojwRRyi_jllSsO-BwEtBIy7-vLZd5JATnhmcKFCYzUW1kBQ_PKxcyd6d/s416/Armor%20-%20Photo%20by%20Anna%20Saveleva%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="277" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2-ZI31IOKnYljVHigvTrQNTRAPZfL0__t9DfrBdPqj7aWn3r7zhrOviyLLebXveGo59mMOXTi4P_DNYbglErFBdsCWaDppI2s1oUB_WWXBOEQ_UR1GpLND2uly9nbXwcojwRRyi_jllSsO-BwEtBIy7-vLZd5JATnhmcKFCYzUW1kBQ_PKxcyd6d/w193-h290/Armor%20-%20Photo%20by%20Anna%20Saveleva%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="193" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Choosing an outfit for the day is something I do without much
thought. It’s instinctive. But there’s another type of outfit I often neglect. Maybe you do as well.<br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">The Word for You Today</span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"> explains
it like this: “Your clothes closet is where you find what you need to wear in
the natural realm, and your prayer closet is where you find what you need to
wear in the spiritual realm.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">God’s holy armor is something we should never take for
granted, He gives it to us for our protection against the attacks of the Enemy
so we can stand strong and victorious. The armor is found in Ephesians 6:14-18.
The Passion Translation tells us to “put on God’s complete set of armor—every
piece God has given us.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph.</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your
heart.</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Stand on your feet alert, then you’ll always be ready to share
the blessings of peace.</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it
is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the evil one.</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance like a
helmet to protect your thoughts from lies.</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword of the spoken
Word of God.</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Pray passionately in the Spirit as you constantly intercede
with every form of prayer at all times.</span></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Next time you choose your clothes for the day, don’t forget to
put on your armor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@paneva?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Anna Saveleva</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-woman-in-a-knight-costume-holding-a-sword-VNZJ_BGxBJA?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-82454353856263879172024-01-08T12:51:00.000-05:002024-01-08T12:51:07.198-05:00Look Up!<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Unto You I
lift up my eyes,</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="text"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">O You who dwell in the heavens.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Psalm 123:1 NKJV</span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYZeqoxpmQNctW-Sv37KlOkC86HgnwnB06HvOUNmjFxps6vIXJGxgGrEK8puiOOljTa3EsjI6Q60Ibsitudq-DuK5sBALpobKXkFAOIfHNxAbFyX5_mcm0BmpYJVv0lGEjiT4Fpe74zO2N9DTxbNvtus46rarsaclQUBvJQFiKVTbxufIOWXq3MNj/s403/Staring%20at%20cell%20phone%20-%20Photo%20by%20Courtney%20Clayton%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="403" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYZeqoxpmQNctW-Sv37KlOkC86HgnwnB06HvOUNmjFxps6vIXJGxgGrEK8puiOOljTa3EsjI6Q60Ibsitudq-DuK5sBALpobKXkFAOIfHNxAbFyX5_mcm0BmpYJVv0lGEjiT4Fpe74zO2N9DTxbNvtus46rarsaclQUBvJQFiKVTbxufIOWXq3MNj/s320/Staring%20at%20cell%20phone%20-%20Photo%20by%20Courtney%20Clayton%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">“Stop staring at your phone,” the woman told her teenage son. “You
have no idea what you’re missing. Look up!”<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I’ve wanted to say the same thing to people in a restaurant.
It’s sad when six people are sitting at a table, each one staring at their
phone. I recently saw a sign in a local restaurant that read, <i>We Don’t Have
Wi-Fi. Talk to Each Other!<br /><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But I’ve realized lately how much I miss when my own eyes are
staring at my phone or playing a game on my iPad, especially when riding
through the mountains or watching a good movie on TV.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It’s the same when my eyes are downcast, so focused on my
problems that I miss the abundant life going on around me. Most importantly, I
miss what God is doing in and around me—and what He wants to do through me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The psalmist said, “Unto You I lift up my eyes.” He knew with
certainty that’s where his help would come from.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">If you’re in a tough spot today, don’t despair. All you have
to do is look up!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@courtneyrclayton?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Courtney Clayton</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-using-smartphone-white-sitting-xJ6UlIIl-jQ?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-42749055367013044792024-01-01T12:12:00.000-05:002024-01-01T12:12:36.883-05:00Change the Channel<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">For as he
thinketh in his heart, so is he</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Proverbs 23:7 KJV</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_I16SC0QUnstxR9epIVyCkGtEIxwsXNFwXFcCJ1kjpKXkjPejzeME5NjOpKczRsUvTGDCyFZA8diXIBC-h0SoIyP9Cpxx1u8vbW0kP4rFuNhU87hGNdb2o1DkxUnIuC5b9Mi8x6aBe-ZPuT0idpPqvliHpPQSYLbhGKeiY7GUk3wfGlG-z66fn93/s324/Remote%20control%20-%20Photo%20by%20%C3%96nder%20%C3%96rtel%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="324" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_I16SC0QUnstxR9epIVyCkGtEIxwsXNFwXFcCJ1kjpKXkjPejzeME5NjOpKczRsUvTGDCyFZA8diXIBC-h0SoIyP9Cpxx1u8vbW0kP4rFuNhU87hGNdb2o1DkxUnIuC5b9Mi8x6aBe-ZPuT0idpPqvliHpPQSYLbhGKeiY7GUk3wfGlG-z66fn93/w266-h242/Remote%20control%20-%20Photo%20by%20%C3%96nder%20%C3%96rtel%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Ten minutes into the movie, I turned it off and switched to
another. Nope. Not this one either. Tried one more for about two minutes. Too
much bad language and vulgarity. Changed the channel back to a familiar and favorite
sitcom.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Changing our thinking is much like changing the channel on the
TV; we have to focus on something else. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">But what? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">The Bible makes it pretty clear
in Philippians 4:8: “</span><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right,
and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and
worthy of praise.</span>”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span>The
Word for You Today says, “The only place a thought can live is in your mind</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">,
and the only power it has over you is the power you give it.” </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">When we entertain
anxious and destructive thoughts and dwell on them, they have the power to
control our attitudes, words, and actions. When those wrong thoughts pop into
our mind, we can turn them off as quickly as we can turn off the TV.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The
Bible also says that a man is whatever he thinks in his heart (Proverbs 23:7).
What we think about the most will end up controlling our life.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span>What
thoughts are controlling you? </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Maybe
it’s time to change the channel.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">What better time to get control of your thought-life as we enter into this New Year of 2024. Happy New Year!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@onderortel?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Önder Örtel</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-close-up-of-a-red-remote-control-AifGcUJc1mQ?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-75499936445642197722023-12-24T07:42:00.000-05:002023-12-24T07:42:57.630-05:00Oh, Holy Night<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">And they came
with haste and found Mary and Joseph, <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">and the Babe
lying in a manger.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Luke 2:16 NKJV</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Jesus. The only begotten Son of God. Born in a manger. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXmIFET9v0iLKanK6sVm_KwgrJHHWd1LQAVm6gi71rbSADMFoiZ717nStMU0yCq_hkD7IcgV5WTAgOWRdL3XlcwuLRBVQR_zkTyK-aiDQL7NNm8H_U2TijvszX-TSgzlttcUJPc0w2w8unkpSshze_06Bm0L9CHGmEyx6UVUO0fWLMOW-RveXVDlI/s405/Star%20-%20Photo%20by%20Farid%20Askerov%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="405" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXmIFET9v0iLKanK6sVm_KwgrJHHWd1LQAVm6gi71rbSADMFoiZ717nStMU0yCq_hkD7IcgV5WTAgOWRdL3XlcwuLRBVQR_zkTyK-aiDQL7NNm8H_U2TijvszX-TSgzlttcUJPc0w2w8unkpSshze_06Bm0L9CHGmEyx6UVUO0fWLMOW-RveXVDlI/s320/Star%20-%20Photo%20by%20Farid%20Askerov%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Day Star from on high left the splendor of heaven to come
to earth to become the light of the world. God incarnate. Redeemer of all
mankind. Savior. King of kings and Lord of Lords.<br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">This Christmas, reflect on the beauty and wonder of what took
place on that special night. Experience the love poured out from above. The
joy. The peace. The hope.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The star shone bright. The shepherds bowed in worship. The
angels sang. The whole earth rejoiced at His birth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Oh, holy night … the night that changed everything.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Merry Christmas!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@whereisfarid?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Farid Askerov</a><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/silhouette-photo-of-body-of-water-under-blue-sky-at-night-5BtJwm-CCK0?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-37678626697984725512023-12-18T14:19:00.000-05:002023-12-18T14:19:45.819-05:00When the Good Outweighs the Bad<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35r_xWoqLz32dgbhYMAqts-ZTRxLFiykT5XKkdQamPKrtJTaQycQ5FbtBN0CXKs63BWZEW6vIqIJFuSdqQUXuDmRw2-fCWzV-Xl6qTeWqbQhtHuVvPdlF0NFm3V4BBsFGXbTPb1nrdkSO_TUtDPTcVQ5tD4eQ1Lgl0Sfa1ODIH65mDQwVCN83xUBv/s426/Good%20-%20Photo%20by%20Volkan%20Olmez%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="426" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35r_xWoqLz32dgbhYMAqts-ZTRxLFiykT5XKkdQamPKrtJTaQycQ5FbtBN0CXKs63BWZEW6vIqIJFuSdqQUXuDmRw2-fCWzV-Xl6qTeWqbQhtHuVvPdlF0NFm3V4BBsFGXbTPb1nrdkSO_TUtDPTcVQ5tD4eQ1Lgl0Sfa1ODIH65mDQwVCN83xUBv/s320/Good%20-%20Photo%20by%20Volkan%20Olmez%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">For many of us, 2023 has been a long year. In my family, we
are trying to recover from a terrible fire in our backyard that destroyed two storage
sheds full of items. I had back surgery earlier this year, and a few months ago
my husband had a bit of a health scare.<br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But through every unsettling circumstance, God sustained,
protected, and provided. He turned everything around and worked it for our good
and His glory. We have so much to be thankful for as this year comes to a close.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">What about you? Has this year turned out as you’d hoped? Maybe
you’ve been through some hard times as well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We’re told to “count it all joy” when life happens, something
that goes against our fleshly nature. The key is in how we handle things and
what we learn through them. The Message translation of James 1:2-4 calls it <i>faith
under pressure</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you
from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into
the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything
prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not
deficient in any way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">God’s desire is for us to trust Him and to have a grateful
heart, no matter what we’re facing. When we place our faith in Him and start
counting our blessings instead of dwelling on how much we’ve lost or what we’ve
gone through, it changes our perspective. It fills us with His peace and joy
that nothing can take away from us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">As you look back over this past year, remember that in God’s
kingdom the good always outweighs the bad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@volkanolmez?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Volkan Olmez</a><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-walking-beside-graffiti-wall-BVGMRRFQcf8?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></o:p></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-78720969656108658462023-12-11T12:33:00.000-05:002023-12-11T12:33:12.018-05:00Beauty Out of Ashes<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">To give them
beauty for ashes,</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="text"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The oil of joy for mourning,</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="text"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Isaiah 61:3 NKJV</span></span><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQwnE4vUryTybevJkUVKutcxg9OviuVuLYvsBhxXcziCwrcmcixyk-_vfYQaDyi_MPDrAETypZjySbAWd102qMVfx-d3FRvbbqbgYv4HPElakVLFeOvUbnW2bufxkxIL98h-dFKUvqsq34roWbmUF-gR3y3vowdyoU2a0_hyphenhyphendiY7OxGo1LnnAQXWI/s320/Shed%201.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQwnE4vUryTybevJkUVKutcxg9OviuVuLYvsBhxXcziCwrcmcixyk-_vfYQaDyi_MPDrAETypZjySbAWd102qMVfx-d3FRvbbqbgYv4HPElakVLFeOvUbnW2bufxkxIL98h-dFKUvqsq34roWbmUF-gR3y3vowdyoU2a0_hyphenhyphendiY7OxGo1LnnAQXWI/w222-h266/Shed%201.JPEG" width="222" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It sounded like gunshots. Then an explosion. By
the time I raced out the door, part of the backyard had already gone up in flames. It looked
like an inferno as I stood there, helpless.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">With two utility sheds side by side, one caused the incident.
Before the fire department could get to our home and get the flames under
control, the other shed caught fire as well.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">You see it on TV and in the movies. You read about it
happening in other far-off places but never think it can happen to you.
That’s why the Bible tells us to be alert. To be aware that the Enemy’s purpose
is to steal and kill and destroy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In 1 Peter 5:11 (MSG) we read:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised
to pounce and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your
guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same
with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The
suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has
great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you
put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">God,
indeed, always gets the last word. Although we lost much, we have even more to
be thankful for. It wasn’t our home. No one got hurt. My husband (who had just been in the shed moments earlier) was not inside when it happened. Our chickens survived
(their coop was slightly down the hill from the first shed). The woods behind
our house didn’t catch fire. Our motorhome got moved before it could catch fire
and explode. We had an outpouring of help and support from our neighbors.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPatB6ilEybEolrz7tihabPhruJFEJt_rzgAzKkYnqA0sM3vxtyOMYxj7CX_-llUeaiDOb39wuVVZydLNhNxEOWH4gd4GoMYVmamgYRmz2ljWK_FCU1svMGvM3WDNlbLXG7LP0OjHKBfGuYiAy8bKp4aSNRp71hKhKZ3YVeeEvasHXsGuu8wRzdolo/s320/Shed%202.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPatB6ilEybEolrz7tihabPhruJFEJt_rzgAzKkYnqA0sM3vxtyOMYxj7CX_-llUeaiDOb39wuVVZydLNhNxEOWH4gd4GoMYVmamgYRmz2ljWK_FCU1svMGvM3WDNlbLXG7LP0OjHKBfGuYiAy8bKp4aSNRp71hKhKZ3YVeeEvasHXsGuu8wRzdolo/w291-h218/Shed%202.jpg" width="291" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Once
again, God protected our family from potential disaster. And He promises to
work all things together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28) as we deal with the aftermath and the insurance company.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Whatever
you’re facing today, trust the Lord. He makes beauty out of ashes.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-89826946406059189212023-12-04T12:06:00.000-05:002023-12-04T12:06:41.443-05:00A Different Kind of Rest<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">He restores my
soul</span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Psalm 23:3 NKJV</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHknssy7r8FjcLDVnEeF0CLMsqWx4ej_buJ1eTmFD5_JFElkT6apPkwP7gIFISfZWsRjhQcuxipYZElAD3oUr8mki-IOdeFUrsadQnw8RJSzOJpGVcKBTxKDNMD-AFsf2xbjQh4Zgix7ELkaagsSpH8PM5RgciZzXU_-1aoGUwplzMvp1N33ve9Gr/s358/Rest%20-%20Photo%20by%20Sincerely%20Media%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="239" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHknssy7r8FjcLDVnEeF0CLMsqWx4ej_buJ1eTmFD5_JFElkT6apPkwP7gIFISfZWsRjhQcuxipYZElAD3oUr8mki-IOdeFUrsadQnw8RJSzOJpGVcKBTxKDNMD-AFsf2xbjQh4Zgix7ELkaagsSpH8PM5RgciZzXU_-1aoGUwplzMvp1N33ve9Gr/s320/Rest%20-%20Photo%20by%20Sincerely%20Media%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="214" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“What is your word for the year?” I’ve often been asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Until this year (2023) my answer has always been, “I don’t
have one.” But at the beginning of the year, God gently spoke the word <i>rest</i>
to my weary soul.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rest has always been hard for me. I feel guilty going to bed
early, sleeping late, or even taking a nap. I can’t stop thinking about all the
other things I should be doing. Even sitting still without accomplishing
something (mending, ironing, folding clothes) has been a challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Giving our bodies a break is a necessary part of life to keep
us healthy. But there is another kind of rest: rest for the soul. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The psalmist David tells us that our Shepherd will cause us to
lie down in green pastures beside still waters. Why? So He can restore our soul
(Psalm 23:2-3). Jesus Himself invites us to come to Him when we carry heavy burdens. Why? So we can find rest for our souls
(Matthew 11:28-29).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you weary? What heavy burden are you carrying today? Fear?
Worry, Anxiety? Depre</span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">ssion? Whatever it is, give it to Jesus. He is ready to
give you rest.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@sincerelymedia?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Sincerely Media</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/white-and-blue-i-love-you-print-textile-CWL6tTDN31w?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></p></div>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-29744073704392394832023-11-27T11:17:00.000-05:002023-11-27T11:17:49.649-05:00God’s Holy Fingerprint<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">In the
beginning God created</span></i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"> … Genesis 1:1 KJV<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSqrLwoGZ_ece9wCyo5Eq7eWZHtj97qj1o446lIXRQv6CoqoaEsInxfuXTPDu0yhPmhaTsuku2bnlFWJstODV2lmUN7R86ItryKCElEzKFSTQfBjetx8A5xeFa4qk3EmxoNFANI8XdMPZUJkuUvqlzfTxkfcNBLbDNVqAwoR9v79askD82eX6WaDO/s400/Fingerprint%20-%20Photo%20by%20George%20Prentzas%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="400" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSqrLwoGZ_ece9wCyo5Eq7eWZHtj97qj1o446lIXRQv6CoqoaEsInxfuXTPDu0yhPmhaTsuku2bnlFWJstODV2lmUN7R86ItryKCElEzKFSTQfBjetx8A5xeFa4qk3EmxoNFANI8XdMPZUJkuUvqlzfTxkfcNBLbDNVqAwoR9v79askD82eX6WaDO/s320/Fingerprint%20-%20Photo%20by%20George%20Prentzas%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There they were
again—fingerprints. All over the refrigerator I had just cleaned. Keeping the
fridge free of them had become an impossible task.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I started thinking about all the
other items we touch each day, leaving our unique, one-of-a-kind prints. We generally
can’t see them, but they’re still there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s the same with creation. God
created everything we see around us, from the highest mountain to the deepest
ocean. The Master Creator hung the moon and stars and fashioned the beauty of
nature that covers the earth. His Word. His touch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the best part is He created
each of us. We carry His seal of approval and acceptance</span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: x-large;">—</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His holy fingerprint. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Look around you. Marvel at His
handiwork. “All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made
that was made” (John 1:3 KJV). And what He created, He calls “good.” That
includes you.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@georgeprentzas?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">George Prentzas</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/round-black-and-white-light-SRFG7iwktDk?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-60477794740497268382023-11-20T13:30:00.000-05:002023-11-20T13:30:06.499-05:00One Size Does Not Fit All<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am the way, the truth,
and the life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">No one comes
to the Father except through Me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">John 14:6 NKJV</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I pulled the hanger from the rack and examined the dress.
Perfect. Then I looked at the tag to make sure I had the right size. The tag
read, <i>One Size Fits All</i>.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">All? Seriously? All of whom?</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZV9aLbcfsHfnjVQmX8IODAPiDBqVnhzZKsnjQO2NdoP78ez6jMb5mpDMe9Pe6VpJa3siLTp6tKv56stIs1nuhZ1L7MQ1pz6y2pelyOmrfn5BOFDDntRgXzN8GgLmtkggJiB18IvTKNbhAfywcIppMyLpQSdbfr23pqaXKTY26Bd67cHjzd6uyJTN/s386/Tape%20Measure%20-%20Photo%20by%20patricia%20serna%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="386" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZV9aLbcfsHfnjVQmX8IODAPiDBqVnhzZKsnjQO2NdoP78ez6jMb5mpDMe9Pe6VpJa3siLTp6tKv56stIs1nuhZ1L7MQ1pz6y2pelyOmrfn5BOFDDntRgXzN8GgLmtkggJiB18IvTKNbhAfywcIppMyLpQSdbfr23pqaXKTY26Bd67cHjzd6uyJTN/s320/Tape%20Measure%20-%20Photo%20by%20patricia%20serna%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just for grins, I tried on the dress. If I had been about
thirty pounds heavier and two feet taller, I could have made it work. Too bad.
Back on the rack.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">God is a God of diversity. Just look around. Even in a small
group of people, you will find different heights, weights, and shoe sizes.
Unique individuals with varying tastes when it comes to colors, music, and
entertainment. Some enjoy country life while others thrive in the big city.
Some adventurous souls travel the country while others prefer to be homebodies.
As they say, to each his own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the grand scheme of everyday living, one size does not fit
all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Not so when it comes to gaining access to God’s kingdom and
becoming part of His family. Jesus said, “I am the way, the </span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
In all our diversity, there is only one way to heaven, and that is through
Jesus Christ. When we accept Him as Lord and Savior, He gives us everything we
need—salvation, healing, strength, peace, love, joy, wisdom, and eternal life
with Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">One-stop
shopping. No need to look elsewhere. In this case, one size fits all.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@sernarial?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">patricia serna</a><span style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/yellow-and-white-checkered-textile-fOgyHkEkaOY?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-41795413685717145022023-11-13T13:25:00.000-05:002023-11-13T13:25:20.270-05:00Time to Renew<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Do not be
conformed to this world, but </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
you may </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">prove what </span>is<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God.</span></i><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Romans 12:2<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQQgCjScRCqNVj0ZoyvlZXCMvVESJ9W7US0fDQvpaeExodRD5fZLH1nPAU9QM2WsCPvs4RZeQQXRuFyDHEz-ZmemONfwawzjNd0wA03E_dvKOE_ucczrY_dKCQsF1WlbPt6eNTOKdvp5yafuUGziedwzti3e3Hp2cx4apvi5X_ylad0rC-5EKIwD-/s432/Renew%20-%20Photo%20by%20Tim%20Mossholder%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="432" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQQgCjScRCqNVj0ZoyvlZXCMvVESJ9W7US0fDQvpaeExodRD5fZLH1nPAU9QM2WsCPvs4RZeQQXRuFyDHEz-ZmemONfwawzjNd0wA03E_dvKOE_ucczrY_dKCQsF1WlbPt6eNTOKdvp5yafuUGziedwzti3e3Hp2cx4apvi5X_ylad0rC-5EKIwD-/s320/Renew%20-%20Photo%20by%20Tim%20Mossholder%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">They say when it rains, it pours. In my case it happens once a
year. All of a sudden, requests come flooding in for me to renew
something—insurance, credit cards, memberships, dues. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">At times it feels a bit overwhelming handling them all at
once, but it’s important to take care of each one in a timely manner or I lose
my benefits.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The same is true in my spiritual life. The Bible tells me to
renew my mind—not just once a year but on a regular, ongoing basis. Sounds
complicated, but the Message breaks it down like this:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So, here’s what I want you to do,
God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating,
going-to-work, and walking around life—and place it before God as an offering …
Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even
thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside
out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">God is always with us. That’s a promise. And He wants our full
attention to be on Him, not on worldly pleasures or problems.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">When I fail to keep my mind renewed, it tends to focus on
problems and a myriad of other negative influences. It robs me of peace and
joy and interferes with my time in God’s presence. But when I turn my attention
to Him and renew my mind with His Word, everything changes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Have you renewed your mind with His Word? Try it. You’ll love
the results.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@timmossholder?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; color: #767676; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Tim Mossholder</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/AA9jQIT1NPQ?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; color: #767676; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-45777931220017481642023-11-07T13:26:00.001-05:002023-11-07T13:29:24.084-05:00Who Are You?<br />
<div class="MsoTitle">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoTitle"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoTitle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">For now we see in a mirror,
dimly, but then face to face. Now
I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. </span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">1 Corinthians
13:12 NKJV<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoTitle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Hi, Andrea.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0HohJGZv2Qb9yUTlz1HeJi-Ej9kgJwASnRgts0FMhKJx-fRNVQhD9dfQcrRyd21q0RxyEXtOXYmjvpnOfBNUkF8KTHskhxd9sa7qVjvWxG9ldaEKerdrjHcJq8cFcLJKCC8txMHrEQ/s1600/Woman+smiling+-+David+Castillo+Dominici.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0HohJGZv2Qb9yUTlz1HeJi-Ej9kgJwASnRgts0FMhKJx-fRNVQhD9dfQcrRyd21q0RxyEXtOXYmjvpnOfBNUkF8KTHskhxd9sa7qVjvWxG9ldaEKerdrjHcJq8cFcLJKCC8txMHrEQ/s320/Woman+smiling+-+David+Castillo+Dominici.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The woman gave me her brightest smile, and every
nerve in my body went on high alert.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I had no clue who she was.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the confused expression that must
have been on my face, she said, “You don’t know who I am, do you?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s a terrible feeling when someone walks up to
you—someone who apparently knows you well—and you don’t recognize them. It becomes
an embarrassing and vulnerable moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This has happened to me many times over the years. Thankfully, the Lord has kept my foot from sliding into my mouth on a few
of these occasions … especially the one where I thought one of my former
classmates (who turned out to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">younger</i>
than me) might have been one of my former teachers. That would have been a
grand faux pas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The good news is when we get to heaven, we won’t
be faced with this problem, even with our brand-new, glorified bodies. It will
be the best reunion ever, and we won’t have trouble recognizing a single soul. The best part is that Jesus, who knows us better than anyone, will be standing there with arms wide open and our name on His lips, ready to welcome us home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But then I
shall know just as I also am known. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">(Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos.net and David Castillo Dominici.)</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br />Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-15209638965535190692023-10-31T12:43:00.000-04:002023-10-31T12:43:05.860-04:00Count Your Blessings<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Let all that I am
praise the </span></i></span><span class="small-caps"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 107%;">Lord</span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">;</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="text"><span style="background: white;">with my whole heart, </span></span></span></i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white;">I will praise His holy name.</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="text"><span style="background: white;"><span id="en-NLT-15528" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Let all that I am praise the </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="background: white; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord; </span></span></span></i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><span class="text"><span class="text"><span style="background: white;">may I never forget the good things He
does for me.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">Psalm 102:1-2 NLT</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenmk42RsG2H_fwCA8iFi5VEgc-AAoaWG-2eTo7aq_0upd6z_F2fNIwNKUZql5PbbpuaO9DcMY2VOUtnALNwq_UshWKa8vyTUFq0KpLViv3JJukNyaBqJft7dDAo-Wx3AEQqheaaVRVMrccjBNTKUn0Jn9-BdO0znLyJdtXyyt0kzJqeRMPOrlsqOx/s360/Sheep%20-%20AKARAKINGDOMS.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="360" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenmk42RsG2H_fwCA8iFi5VEgc-AAoaWG-2eTo7aq_0upd6z_F2fNIwNKUZql5PbbpuaO9DcMY2VOUtnALNwq_UshWKa8vyTUFq0KpLViv3JJukNyaBqJft7dDAo-Wx3AEQqheaaVRVMrccjBNTKUn0Jn9-BdO0znLyJdtXyyt0kzJqeRMPOrlsqOx/w295-h295/Sheep%20-%20AKARAKINGDOMS.jpg" width="295" /></span></a></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">“I can’t sleep,” the woman told her counselor. “Even that
sheep-counting thing doesn’t work.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The counselor nodded her understanding. “How about counting
your blessings instead?”<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Unfortunately for many, that’s a foreign concept. They would
much rather bellyache and complain about what they don’t have rather than give
thanks for what they do have. They wait for the biggies and fail to recognize
all the little blessings along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The psalmist David reminds us that God loads us with benefits
on a daily basis. They begin when we first open our eyes each morning, giving
us a new day full of new mercies. Then there are a multitude of little
blessings to be grateful for as we go about our day: A roof over our head. Food
in our pantry. Heat. Air conditioning. Reliable transportation. Family.
Friends. A good church. Sunrise. Sunset. The list could go on and on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Someone once asked what we could give back to the Lord for all
He blesses us with. The answer is a grateful heart. We can thank Him
for every single blessing He pours out—no matter how big or small.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The old song says we should count our blessings, naming them
one by one. If you’re having trouble finding things to be thankful for, here’s
a suggestion. Designate one day to create a gratitude list. Write down how many
times during the day you can thank Him. Before you know it, your heart will be
overflowing with praise … and your sleep will be sweeter than ever before.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><i>Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and AKARAKINGDOMS.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #d10036; font-family: "noto sans", sans-serif; font-size: 26px; margin: 0.67em 0px 5px;"><br /></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-41276841954648537622023-10-23T10:31:00.007-04:002023-10-23T17:05:37.512-04:00The Danger of Being Double-Minded<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">But let him ask
in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven
and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive
anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all
his ways.</span></i></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"> James 6:1-8<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XTZl6PlM1IYMvXvD1QTOJj3zXWfaZd6XVniY7KToXrOy7iIZuZ6RUTGiymtlI_uSczQinzsNvzZU1mQbpBPS-ShM8q8W6k13TNy2qePe9D90qdJodQyWMsbC6cQvAGvrlDGYGhjkDvmLjzqYqY886x2aC-3cv86tOICyOp3JUOtFykGWOVz15ghs/s400/Double%20minded%20-%20Graphics%20Mouse.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="400" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XTZl6PlM1IYMvXvD1QTOJj3zXWfaZd6XVniY7KToXrOy7iIZuZ6RUTGiymtlI_uSczQinzsNvzZU1mQbpBPS-ShM8q8W6k13TNy2qePe9D90qdJodQyWMsbC6cQvAGvrlDGYGhjkDvmLjzqYqY886x2aC-3cv86tOICyOp3JUOtFykGWOVz15ghs/s320/Double%20minded%20-%20Graphics%20Mouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was hard to listen. Her conversation changed drastically
depending on the listeners. She became the perfect little chameleon, blending
in with the crowd and saying whatever she thought they wanted to hear,
especially when it came to the Bible and her faith.</span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">No one knew what she really believed or where she stood on
certain subjects. Was she confused? Undecided? Some labeled her as having
spiritual schizophrenia. It came as no surprise that her life was a mess and
most of her prayers unanswered.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Webster’s describes double-minded as being hypocritical and
insincere. The Bible calls it unstable and tells us not to expect to receive
anything from God when we don’t ask in faith. The Message puts it this way:
“People who ‘worry their prayers’ are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think
you’re going to get anything from the Master that way."<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever heard someone “worry their prayers”? It’s much like
the old adage of talking out of both sides of your mouth. First, they are full
of faith. Then they negate everything they just prayed by being negative. The
Bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith and that He
rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the words of our mouth and the thoughts and intents of
our heart line up with God’s Word, we can pray in faith, believing that God
will do what He says He will do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Don’t be double-minded. Be intentional with your faith.</span></span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><i>Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Graphics Mouse.</i></span></span></p></div>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-81908054276056298922023-10-16T11:03:00.007-04:002023-10-16T11:06:45.825-04:00Are You Weary?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-N6fsbyHVGzO6hxPof7VsngBf7CqfI0dn9JNXSJ_EeoFio8xZssRedjm4l8JLFqru4AOQzsaQpda1UBKUohhY3dekYFl92lP1FB8racbvfgfc_LkjSbsTibOXt_CYZNnIFvtV8As3fublkljCZiPKrAq2hNTM7z8pJeEnGHx1H3O6EsWJgxWvXea/s400/Weary%20man%20-%20imagerymajestic.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-N6fsbyHVGzO6hxPof7VsngBf7CqfI0dn9JNXSJ_EeoFio8xZssRedjm4l8JLFqru4AOQzsaQpda1UBKUohhY3dekYFl92lP1FB8racbvfgfc_LkjSbsTibOXt_CYZNnIFvtV8As3fublkljCZiPKrAq2hNTM7z8pJeEnGHx1H3O6EsWJgxWvXea/w212-h291/Weary%20man%20-%20imagerymajestic.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The man (we’ll call him Jake) was spent. Exhaustion claimed
him as he fell into a deep depression.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jake was a go-getter. A workaholic. He needed to stay
constantly busy but had a tendency to do things for the wrong reason. While his
job claimed most of his time, church work took up the rest. Everything he did
was good, but his family life suffered as well as his physical, mental, and even
spiritual well-being. There was no sense of balance in his life.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we, as they say, burn the candle at both ends, the candle
doesn’t last long. We become weary. Everything in our life suffers. Weariness
can cause us to make poor decisions, withdraw from every healthy relationship and
situation, or just simply give up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible tells us not to grow weary or lose heart while doing
good. So, how do we keep from falling prey to weariness? The answer is found in
Matthew 11:28 where Jesus invites us to come to Him. The Message puts it this
way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you tired? Worn out? Burned
out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me, and you’ll recover your life.
I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how
I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or
ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and
lightly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">What I’ve learned over the years is that not every <i>good
thing</i> is a <i>God thing</i>. We can get so busy working <i>for</i> God that
we forget to spend time <i>with</i> God. Or we forget about Him completely.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">God invites us to take His hand and walk with Him. Work with
Him. Rest with Him. To experience those unforced rhythms of grace.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you weary? Turn to the Lord. He is always ready to restore
and refresh.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and imagerymajestic.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #d10036; font-family: "noto sans", sans-serif; font-size: 26px; margin: 0.67em 0px 5px;"><br /></h1><h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #d10036; font-family: "noto sans", sans-serif; font-size: 26px; margin: 0.67em 0px 5px;"> </h1>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-40211520175749567762023-10-09T19:56:00.000-04:002023-10-09T19:56:43.341-04:00From Nothing to Something<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">When you
created me in the secret place,<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">carefully
and skillfully you shaped me from nothing to something.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Psalm
139:15 TPT<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">How do you make something out of nothing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhYfA9ttKULgJ2t0cWYOSFfip_s7MmssZJRcR_zobtNNwTYWMpysOB-Dht3QsLDtuJWwDC7Bh3jcJ25JqQ5y-oEK5cvzHdLM4ABZvgv9GH2sVrVaA6KhxYG7c9a9e0gGTiV1h7XU3WmL78bTy_DcU0os0QsHXXPck0ZQPT84q9YQFvRa9RBhTtkx-/s436/Potter%20-%20Photo%20by%20Robert%20Linder%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="436" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhYfA9ttKULgJ2t0cWYOSFfip_s7MmssZJRcR_zobtNNwTYWMpysOB-Dht3QsLDtuJWwDC7Bh3jcJ25JqQ5y-oEK5cvzHdLM4ABZvgv9GH2sVrVaA6KhxYG7c9a9e0gGTiV1h7XU3WmL78bTy_DcU0os0QsHXXPck0ZQPT84q9YQFvRa9RBhTtkx-/s320/Potter%20-%20Photo%20by%20Robert%20Linder%20on%20Unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I’ve seen people do some pretty amazing things with what most
would consider nothing. Waste. Scrap. Throwaways.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My husband can carve out a peach seed and turn it into a tiny
little basket. Some can turn a tree trunk into a work of art with a chainsaw.
Others can create a masterpiece from a blank canvas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">That’s what God does with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>us.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Bible says God is the potter. We’re the clay. I never thought
much about that until I actually took the time to watch a true artist take a wet
lump—<i>nothing</i>—place it on a potter’s wheel, and carefully guide it, molding that
clay until it became a lovely, well-crafted vessel</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">—</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>something</i>. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The psalmist David understood that concept well. In His praise
to the Lord, he said, “When you created me in the secret place, carefully and skillfully
you shaped me from nothing to something” (Psalm 139:15 TPT).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Each one of us is a unique, one-of-a-kind being, carefully and
lovingly shaped and fashioned by the Master Potter. And He makes no mistakes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Don’t ever doubt your worth. Sometimes you might feel like
nothing, but God sees you as something—or rather someone—very special.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; text-wrap: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@rwlinder?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; outline: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Robert Linder</a><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; text-wrap: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/rZqFQd2EzjE?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; color: #767676; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-wrap: nowrap; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Unsplash</a></span></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-90254680779247133982023-10-02T10:02:00.000-04:002023-10-02T10:02:13.756-04:00The Spirit-Filled Life<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">And be not drunk
with wine, wherein is excess; </span></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">but be filled with the Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Ephesians 5:18
KJV</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You’re so different,” the woman said to her friend. “What has
happened to you? What’s changed?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDf9bNXvOZ_kCKzpE6FbbAaMtsZEOJ1VOrJuqmcjGGmTKdQmotxz7soDYnmC_k2TWWaV5LEtDYovuPDej8T_5tXQCJme6JXJorXtKtsGa0OHOc2oLzKoRTnJVEtLDsC70I-s1rO77AY9vrJBHLoIqOKo0bGbpgg3jV9xvsOCb20HkEAIDsh_th4yg/s400/Woman%20with%20outstretched%20arms%20-%20%20tuelekza.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="400" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDf9bNXvOZ_kCKzpE6FbbAaMtsZEOJ1VOrJuqmcjGGmTKdQmotxz7soDYnmC_k2TWWaV5LEtDYovuPDej8T_5tXQCJme6JXJorXtKtsGa0OHOc2oLzKoRTnJVEtLDsC70I-s1rO77AY9vrJBHLoIqOKo0bGbpgg3jV9xvsOCb20HkEAIDsh_th4yg/s320/Woman%20with%20outstretched%20arms%20-%20%20tuelekza.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The friend smiled and said, “Everything has changed. I’ve gone
from living a despair-filled life to living a Spirit-filled life.”<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">She want on to explain that when she finally surrendered to
the Lord and invited Him to be her Lord and Savior, she gave up her old life
and embraced a new one—a life filled with peace, joy, and a love beyond comprehension.
“While I used to depend on alcohol to keep me going, I now depend on the Spirit
of God to sustain me,” she admitted. “I’ve finally found purpose and
fulfillment.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible tells us not to be drunk with wine but to be filled
with the Holy Spirit. <i>The Word for You Today</i> explains the difference:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">One causes you to be out of control, while the other enables
you to be in control.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">One is counterproductive, while the other is productive.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">One makes you powerless, while the other empowers you.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">One brings you sorrow, while the other brings you joy.</span></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Being filled with God’s Spirit doesn’t end all our earthly
problems, but it gives us a different perspective. Helps us change our focus.
Enables us to stay positive and hopeful in a negative world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you living a Spirit-filled life?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><i>Photo courtesy of FreeDigtalPhotos.net and tuelekza.</i></span></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829201754551064484.post-37305666022290389952023-09-25T13:49:00.000-04:002023-09-25T13:49:14.877-04:00God’s Still Working<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Andrea Merrell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Being confident
of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will
complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. </span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Philippians 1:6
NKJV<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When my kids were very young, we used to sing the song, “God’s
Still Working On Me.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJUnHFhGh3Em_tSZ6449pFvu9twhndKLN_j7tOVC3nIoT2PKgYJWcdAZV3jWJzZOcfziWFBBRku2oMRgw-oqZ6FvCKnRbxfpmfOyJg0q2SEdZL-8sQyG6nuJynLfYJ_dbDwwNhB1Quv0LBG7E7LBxhkJR3z8Xu1w7OtXVqhyvg7kqsGET-ldbjqnG/s400/God%20-%20Stuart%20Miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJUnHFhGh3Em_tSZ6449pFvu9twhndKLN_j7tOVC3nIoT2PKgYJWcdAZV3jWJzZOcfziWFBBRku2oMRgw-oqZ6FvCKnRbxfpmfOyJg0q2SEdZL-8sQyG6nuJynLfYJ_dbDwwNhB1Quv0LBG7E7LBxhkJR3z8Xu1w7OtXVqhyvg7kqsGET-ldbjqnG/w252-h252/God%20-%20Stuart%20Miles.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The truth is He never stops working. But how does He
accomplish all He wants to do in and through us, making us all He created us to
be?<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I read an interesting story recently about how fine wine is
made. Apparently, it never stays in the same container long, but is
consistently poured from one vessel into another. When the wine leaves one
vessel, it leaves behind the dregs—that which needs to be removed. Each vessel
serves a different purpose, and only the winemaker knows how much time the wine
needs to spend in each one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">God works in us much the same way, pouring us into different
situations to face challenges that will refine us. When we leave one situation
and go to the next, we leave the <i>dregs</i> behind—those things that need to
be removed from our heart and our life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">The next time you find yourself out of your comfort zone and
experiencing pressure, know that God is still working and remember this verse: </span><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Being confident
of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until
the day of Jesus Christ.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: 107%;">Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.</span></i></p>Andrea Merrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886398056031430593noreply@blogger.com2