A New Focus for the New Year

Another year has come and gone, and I assume many of us are thinking about what goals we have accomplished in the past year, and what goals still need to be met. We try and try at each new year to improve ourselves, which can be a good thing; but, should that be our main focus as each new year rolls around?

I often hear about New Year resolutions from those who want to quit smoking or start eating more healthy. I hear from those who want to attend church more often, or read their Bible on a regular basis. All of these goals will seemingly make their lives more meaningful, or more worth living; and it is definitely a good thing to want to improve ourselves in those ways. However, we don’t really need to wait until the beginning of each year to make those changes, do we? Those changes can be done at any time of the year.

So, here’s my suggestion for this year.... Instead of focusing on what the new year can do for us, maybe it would be better if we all focused on what we can do for others. How can YOU make a difference in this world? How can YOU minister to (or help) other people? Maybe changing your bad habits will help someone else. If that is the case, then great! The main point I am trying to make here is that, as James 4:14 says, we are only here on this earth for a little while. So, with that in mind, how can YOU make our time here on Earth a little better? If we all made plans and goals to minister to other people in some way, then I think that would be one kind of resolution that would definitely make our lives more meaningful and more pleasing to God.

So, how are YOU going to spend your time on Earth this year?

James 4:14 - Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are {just} a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. (NAS)

Have a Happy New Year!

GUEST BLOGGER: Carolyn McIntosh

For as long as I’ve been alive, I've heard my mother (today's guest blogger) confidently share her faith with me and my brother and sister. I know for a fact how life has not always been easy for her and my dad; but, she has never ceased to cling to the promises God has shown her through His Word.

One thing I specifically remember is a necklace my mother wore, containing a tiny little mustard seed on the inside of a clear ball. This necklace is based on Matthew 17:20, and I remember mom explaining to us kids how our faith can move mountains if we only believe.

Matt 17:20 – “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (NIV)

These mountains are not necessarily physical mountains. They can be mountains of illness, mountains of financial need, mountains of overwhelming discouragement, and the list goes on....

Personally, these past few months have had their share of difficulties and discouragements for me and my family. Because of that, I am now wearing my own mustard seed necklace (thanks to a Christmas gift from my husband's parents). I will wear this necklace as a reminder of the hope I have in the Lord, and will someday share my faith with my own kids, the same way my own mother shared with me.

I recently asked my mother to write down, in her own words, what faith means to her. This is what she said.... (Thanks for sharing, Mom! I love you!)....

What is Faith to Me?

By:  Carolyn L. McIntosh

I think of the words to a song, “Faith is just believing what God says He will do. He will never fail you, His promises are true.”

Faith is trusting in Jesus alone as the one who died for my and your sins. Believe He was buried and rose again from the grave. He promised He would forgive us if we believe in Him and ask His forgiveness.

Faith is believing, if we have the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). God has moved many mountains for me and my family - both physically and financially. Why? Because He promised to supply all our needs. Not our wants, but our needs.

I have a prayer journal and have had it for about 40 years. I encourage you to do the same. Then, occasionally go back and read how God was faithful to you, in good and hard times, sometimes even giving you some of your wants. That’s how good God is!

God is faithful to us. We need to be faithful to Him. Believe His Word (His promises), read it and obey it. Cling to His promises every day and, if you are His child, believe His promises are true for you - because He said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
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Christmas Blessings

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A Message from God

(Based on Luke 2:8-14)

Specially chosen shepherds,

were watching their flocks in the night.

They were people with no social standing.

Yet, important in God’s eyes.

Bright lights engulfed the darkness

as angels appeared in the field.

With peace and reassurance,

a message from God was revealed.

“A savior has been born!”

The angels declared the news.

They encouraged the shepherds to find Him,

praising God before they withdrew.

“Glory to God in the highest,”

The heavenly angels proclaimed.

“Peace on earth, good will toward men.”

They praised His holy name.

-Victoria L. Stankus

A quote from Charles Spurgeon: 
"We venture to assert, that if there be any day in the year, of which we may be pretty sure that it was not the day on which the Savior was born, it is the 25th of December... Regarding NOT the day, let us, nevertheless, give thanks to God for the gift of His dear Son."


May you be blessed this Christmas as you remember the birth of our Lord!
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GUEST BLOGGER: Rebecca Cade

Rebecca is a sweet young lady we attended church with while living in Petersburg, IL. She can be rather quiet, however, it is evident she has a love for the Lord and a desire to serve Him. Rebecca recently sent me this encouraging thought and wanted me to share it with all of you:

One thing most people may not know about me is that I have a habit of worrying. I know when I am worrying because I feel uneasy and weighed down. In fact, at one point, I think it made me sick.

But, recently I came up with an acronym for the word "worry". When I think of the first two letters of "worry", I think of the phrase: "Worthless Obsession." When you think about it, isn't that really what it is? We sometimes worry about things, and sometimes we are concerned. I have learned that there is a difference.

When you worry, you are only turning the thought over and over in your mind and making no real progress toward solving your problem. I like to think of concern as being aware of your problem but trusting God with it completely. On that note, I also thought of an acronym for "trust" which is: "Total Reliance Upon my Savior Today." 

I think it is important to note, however, that when one has a habit of being anxious and worried, it is not something you just "get over", it's something you work through, and it is something I continue to face on almost a daily basis, but I keep going and I know that if I allow the Lord to help me with it, I can overcome this nasty habit!

-Rebecca Cade

T - TOTAL
R - RELIANCE
U - UPON MY
S - SAVIOR
T - TODAY

Matt 6:34 - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV)


 

Peace Be With You

A woman from one of my online communities (lets call her Margie) wrote a message one day about how she has never experienced peace from God, even though she had accepted Him as her Savior. Here is what she said:

“Before I became saved, I heard from ministers and others that walking with God would be a wonderful experience and my life would be changed forever. In many ways that has been true, yet I hear of other Christians as having peace and rest in God. I do not see that in my life. I feel no peace since becoming a Christian. If anything, my life is harder. It seems that, now, I am constantly having to make some "spiritual change" in my life, or some trial comes along, or I am constantly worried about whether I am raising my kids right, or wondering if ‘x situation’ really is God's will or my own will, since I do not seem to ‘hear’ from Him as others do. Where is the peace Christians talk about? What would it be like if I ever did have it? I feel like such a baby in the faith and it is not growing. What do I do?”

J.I. Packer, in his book, “Knowing God,” addresses this very issue in chapter 21. To be brief, he mentions how it is cruel for a Christian to tell an unbeliever that his life will be like a “bed of roses” once he accepts Christ into his life. (And, on the flip side, it is also not a good idea to stress only the “rough side” of the Christian life.) To be fair to an unbeliever, we must be truthful about the positive difference Christ has made in our own lives, but remember to give a balanced approach in what a person might encounter.

While it is true that a Christian can experience peace and rest through knowing Christ, the truth is that, in many ways, life does become even harder for us. Satan hates it when we turn to Christ, so he will do everything he can to keep us from becoming effective for the Lord. He tries to influence our attitudes, actions, and thoughts. It is definitely not an easy life! But, if we continue to stay in the Word, continue to learn what God's Word says, and continue to seek guidance through prayer, then we will GROW in the Lord, and we will have confidence in knowing He will always be there to help us through the difficult times.

As for peace, Margie had a misunderstanding as to what peace from God really means. Another definition of peace is "contentment." God does not promise we will never go through struggles. But, through Him, we can be content in whatever situation we are in - Contentment with the thought that God knows what is best for us; contentment in knowing the things He allows us to go through are used to help make us stronger Christians; contentment in realizing we are reaching our goal of becoming more like Him. Peace and contentment does not always come easily, but the more we walk with the Lord, the more He will show us that peace is something we encounter when we choose to abide in Him.

I hope this encourages you in your Christian walk - not only to explain things accurately to unbelievers, but to also realize we CAN have peace in the midst of our trials. In Christ, we have hope that others do not have. So, take courage, my friends; and, may peace be with you...

John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."(NAS)

Thanksgiving Suggestions & Ideas

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I thought I'd share the following suggestions. I found these several years ago on  ANNIE'S HOME PAGE. 

• If you know a single person make sure that they don't spend Thanksgiving alone. Let them become part of your family for that day.
  
  
  
• Spend one hour as a family at a shelter or nursing home volunteering.
  


• If you can afford it take a single mother or father to the grocery store and pay for their thanksgiving day groceries.
  


• Make two of each of the pies you make and give one away to a busy mother or senior that can't bake this year.
  


• Be creative, there are so many ways to use your abundance to help those in need. Your abundance may be that you have a family that loves you and you can even share that with a lonely widow or widower who never had any children of their own. They can become an adopted grandparent for your children for Thanksgiving Day or any day for that matter.
  


• Often it is just a matter of using your organizational skills to check and double check to make sure that NONE will be lacking in your church or neighborhood for the holiday season. Consider starting with your Sunday School class and make sure that each one will have a place to go on Thanksgiving instead of being alone.
  


• Call one of your neighbors and see if they can come over for a piece of pie or have dessert with you this Thanksgiving Day.
  


• Share your abundance of clothes and blankets this year. Gather some extra blankets and even the coat that is a little too small. Maybe bring that extra pair of gloves that you never really liked and take them to a homeless shelter.
  


• Make some sandwiches and cookies and take them to the homeless people in your town. Get some empty shoe boxes and put a few seasonal treats and treasures along with some Thanksgiving cards in them. Then they can be handed out at the nursing home this Thanksgiving. While you are there you can ask the director if there are any people who might need a visit or some fresh flowers to cheer them up this year.
  


• If you love the tradition of Thanksgiving Football games, that's great. BUT make sure you don't watch them alone. Invite a single person over to watch the game with you. Not everyone will either want to or be able to travel home for the holidays. You can even PRAY for the athletes as you watch the game this year. Also consider praying for the announcers or those in the stadium that are watching the game.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving as you celebrate with family and friends!

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GUEST BLOGGER: Mary Lee

Mary is a good friend of mine. We both attended the same college, but at different times, and I "found" her one day in our alumni magazine. I was interested in getting to know her, as I thought she looked familiar, and I also saw she was a mother of special needs children (something we definitely had in common). I e-mailed her one day, and we became friends almost instantly. We have shared prayers and support, shared several family "outings," and have studied God's Word together. It has been a blessing to know Mary, and she has allowed me this opportunity to share a poem she wrote in her college days. It is a poem about Wisdom and how it's important for us to strive at living our lives in a way that would make God want to say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." 

Matt 25:21 - "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'(NKJ)

Now, here's Mary....

In college I spent some time serving the elderly in a particular apartment complex. We ran errands, fixed things, and spent time talking. One woman stood out in particular to me.

Wisdom

“Enjoy your youth,” the woman said,

Imploring with her eyes

I could not grasp her full intent

But knew that she was wise.

“I was young once, just like you,

And felt I’d always be;

But now I look back with regret

On all I did not see.

If I could relive my youthful days

I’d get it through my head

That life is short and I must grasp

Each moment, each word said.

Don’t demand love from your friends

And don’t expect too much.

Love them each for who they are

Don’t use them as your crutch.

Look for ways to be content

With what God gives to you

That way you’ll not regret

And to His word You’ll be true.”

As she spoke she brought me

To a state of deepened thought.

I thanked God for wiser people,

Praying others could be taught.

~ Mary Lee ~

Happy Veterans Day!

My family and I attended the Veterans Day ceremony in town this morning. Here are a few pictures we would like to share....

Honor Guard veterans lined up on the courthouse lawn.

The Jr. High band played several patriotic songs

and did a great job!

There were over 400 flags on the courthouse lawn, with names on each one to recognize the deceased veterans in the County.

It was quite a site!

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What is Veterans Day?

What is Veterans Day? Oh, I know, I know.... it’s a holiday that lets us stay home from school and work. We get the day off from our regular duties and get to do whatever we want to do, right? Well...yes....but why? Have you ever really shared with your children or grandchildren what Veterans Day is all about? I would guess that half the population really doesn’t have a clue as to what its for, aside from it being a day to sleep in.

Well, here's the scoop... Veteran’s Day is an annual American holiday that encourages us to honor all veterans (past, present and future) for their service to our country. 

So, who are veterans? They're the men and women who have served (or are currently serving) in the various branches of the armed forces: Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Marines Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air Guard, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve.

By the way, the men pictured on today’s blog are all United States veterans. They are all related to either me or my husband in some way. This, by no means, is ALL of the veterans in our family lines. However, these are some of the photos I was recently able to gather.

Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day, which specifically honors military members who have DIED in service to their country. While deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day, the focus is on their faithful service, and not on their death in battle.

Everyone who owns a calendar should be able to see that Veterans Day is coming up this Wednesday, November 11th. As the day approaches, please remember it is not a day to debate whether or not we should or should not be at war with someone; And, it is not a day to voice your opinions about the military and whether or not you think they are doing a good job. What it is a day for is a day to honor and remember all the men and women who have served for YOU and for the freedom you have here in America.

As Veterans Day approaches, I want to encourage us all to keep patriotism alive in this country and find some way to help our children (and ourselves) appreciate the sacrifices our veterans have made for us. This article from eHow.com has some good suggestions on how we can do that:

HOW TO CELEBRATE VETERANS DAY

In closing, I want to personally thank each and every veteran out there for your service to our country. God bless you all,
and God bless America!

Click below to hear Celine Dion sing a wonderful rendition of
God Bless America!

GUEST BLOGGER: Dr. James L. McIntosh

I'm pleased to present my dad as a guest blogger today. He is an Instructor and the Academic Dean at Brookes Bible Institute in St. Louis, MO. A couple of years ago, he wrote this short message for the back of a church bulletin. With his permission, I am sharing it with you now....

I Love Fire Departments

While teaching a class in our small Bible Institute, one day a student asked what it means to be a disciple and how that relates to going to heaven. The Lord provided me with a good answer, as we have a fire department across the street.

In response, I told [the students] how one could become a “disciple” of the fire department. (They do like visitors, you know.) Each week, I could go there and learn what they have to do to put out fires. They could teach me about cleaning the equipment, getting it all ready for the next emergency, and what wax to use to polish each item. They could show me what mask to use for each kind of fire and what tank to use to breathe properly in each situation. They could teach me how to put the hoses away. They would call me by name and be glad I came, as we all are friendly. However, when the bell rings and they leave, I would be left behind. You see, I am only a learner, or a disciple. Not a part of them.

Each week, we have in our churches the same situation. Many friendly folk come and are learners. They can tell most of the facts of what Jesus Christ did for mankind. They can tell of His virgin birth, sinless life, death, burial, resurrection, and even ascension. Yet, when it is time to leave this earth and go to heaven, they will be left behind, as they were only learners. They were not a part of Him.

A disciple is a learner. Become a “truster” in what He did, not just knowing what He did. Place your TRUST in Him today.

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