tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57020006965137734262024-03-12T22:56:46.481-04:00Snack Time Devotions"Open my eyes, that I might see Wondrous things things from Your law." Psalm 119:18Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.comBlogger1050125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-9588888035946351922020-11-01T16:18:00.003-05:002020-11-01T16:18:50.260-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1HmWiaTD5f-P1Qb8tCwfbTHrQC6qzEl-L8vcUxpSS0VGn3pcMAD5SPRYRQ9ZOORLP57auXPcEnMbB3GbzaFjPpm3A0lbxjmDpRnvxHos0emlIeFYjlt1mQCRwA61_zb4cPy_3z0GS0jy/s500/photo-1501504413881-5888acd06076.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1HmWiaTD5f-P1Qb8tCwfbTHrQC6qzEl-L8vcUxpSS0VGn3pcMAD5SPRYRQ9ZOORLP57auXPcEnMbB3GbzaFjPpm3A0lbxjmDpRnvxHos0emlIeFYjlt1mQCRwA61_zb4cPy_3z0GS0jy/w489-h180/photo-1501504413881-5888acd06076.jpeg" width="489" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> O Lord, You have searched me and know me.</p><p> You know my sitting down and my rising up;</p><p>You understand my thought afar off.</p><p> You comprehend my path and my lying down,</p><p>And are acquainted with all my ways.</p><p> For there is not a word on my tongue,</p><p>But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.</p><p> You have hedged me behind and before,</p><p>And laid Your hand upon me.</p><p> Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;</p><p>It is high, I cannot attain it.</p><p> Where can I go from Your Spirit?</p><p>Or where can I flee from Your presence?</p><p> If I ascend into heaven, You are there;</p><p>If I make my bed in hell, behold You are there.</p><p> If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,</p><p>Even there Your hand shall lead me,</p><p> And Your right hand shall hold me.</p><p>If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me." Even the night shall be light about me;</p><p> Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.</p><p>For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.</p><p> I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.</p><p> My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.</p><p> Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.</p><p>How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!</p><p> If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.</p><p>Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.</p><p> For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.</p><p>Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?</p><p> I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.</p><p>Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;</p><p> And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.</p><p> PSALM 139:1-24</p><p><br /></p>Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-7784276224190053872020-10-25T12:44:00.000-04:002020-10-25T12:44:24.057-04:00<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAcCR8qmIfcBmmr6GfmL2_D0gUDAQznn3KZ6ECvhGTGi3j1jRu97XIqtYLjVAZdrCOkqqsNfPWFpr_Fk5ZGrLdIA4ef7Ou_VkO1FAmOd4t4HJBiPEg8cWob3ufbi787FwalOgevDPqKAx/s500/photo-1570786032462-2efc3ca8fccd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAcCR8qmIfcBmmr6GfmL2_D0gUDAQznn3KZ6ECvhGTGi3j1jRu97XIqtYLjVAZdrCOkqqsNfPWFpr_Fk5ZGrLdIA4ef7Ou_VkO1FAmOd4t4HJBiPEg8cWob3ufbi787FwalOgevDPqKAx/w469-h213/photo-1570786032462-2efc3ca8fccd.jpeg" width="469" /></a></i></div><i><br /><b><br /></b></i><p></p><p><i><b> I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, </b></i></p><p><i><b>My soul shall be joyful in my God;</b></i></p><p><i><b>For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,</b></i></p><p><i><b>He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,</b></i></p><p><i><b>As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, </b></i></p><p><i><b>And as a bride adorns herself with jewels.</b></i></p><p><i><b>For as the earth brings forth its bud,</b></i></p><p><i><b>As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,</b></i></p><p><i><b>So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to </b></i><i><b>spring forth before all the nations. </b></i></p><p><i><b> Isaiah 61:10-11</b></i></p><p><i><b> ---------------------------------------------------</b></i></p>Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-32733380589632393982018-10-14T15:21:00.001-04:002018-10-14T15:21:50.378-04:00Expecting Something"Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.<sup> </sup>And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, 'Look at us.' And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them." Acts 3:1-5<br />
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Uh-oh. Did I leave off at a cliffhanger? Sorry. Read the rest of Acts chapter three if you want to know what Peter does next. ;-)<br />
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Today, I'm focusing on the lame man. <br />
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Can you picture this man? <br />
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Each day he wakes up, and he can't move. Sores and aches probably covered his body as a result of being in the same position every. single. day. He can't take care of that number one need in the morning, so he either has to suffer through the indignity of his caretakers cleaning him or he sits in his own filth. He spends days, hours, and seconds just waiting. Waiting for someone to help him, to move him, to clean him, to speak to him. <br />
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Then he's carried through the streets like a spectacle. He's jostled and bumped and dropped. Pitying looks are thrown his way. Scathing comments always find their mark. But the indifference of those around him still stings his heart; try as he might, he's never gotten used to it. <br />
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And then he begs. Because that's all he can do: beg. That was the only contribution he can make to his family (if he even had any), to society, to his future. So day in and day out, he sits in front of the Beautiful Gate of the temple, the place where his fellow people go to worship Abba God. The place where many of those same people ignore him.<br />
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And some days he wonders if God ignores him, too.<br />
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Can you see this man?<br />
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As I was reading this chapter, something hit me.<br />
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"And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them." Acts 3:5<br />
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This man had every reason to feel hopeless. He had every reason not to expect anything for anybody, least of all God.<br />
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But he did. <br />
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He expected to receive something - anything - from Peter and John.<br />
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And he received more than he could imagine from God.<br />
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Guys, I don't know what you're going through right now. But I can tell you that I know what it feels like to stop expecting and hoping for something good, or for God to help, bless, or even touch your hurting heart. And our hopelessness is probably justified in some ways. We're broken. We're beaten down. We're hurting. Those tsunamis of heartache keep crashing over us, threatening to down us.<br />
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But if that lame man could expect something, than so can I! If he could keep going and hoping day after day despite the thoughts of worthlessness the enemy whispered into his ear, than so can you! And if Abba God could give the lame man so much more than he expected, then He will do the same for us! <br />
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"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.<span class="p">" Philippians 1:6 </span><br />
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<span class="p">(This verse literally popped into my mind as I was writing this post. Also, I've got a song recommendation for you guys: "Reckless Love" by Cory Asbury.)</span><br />
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None of us are forgotten. We are dearly loved by our Abba God. So keep expecting. Keep hoping.<br />
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Hugs, love, and blessings. <br />
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<span style="color: #f76576; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #f76576; font-family: "kunstler script"; font-size: 48px; font-weight: bold;">~V. Joy Palmer</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6DEHdCZYslWb9hbmejnAj-lJt3tZuASSk_8ARaIdJpzKSPgkS_U6XfUyVXE-Y0kGrItAz3y4u4sub3hkX6GkMQUw0Z1xcdr8_g9h9cpSIniUyXLcVQrn98vaL5t40pQbf9tqmoEr0slP/s1600/IMG_7230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6DEHdCZYslWb9hbmejnAj-lJt3tZuASSk_8ARaIdJpzKSPgkS_U6XfUyVXE-Y0kGrItAz3y4u4sub3hkX6GkMQUw0Z1xcdr8_g9h9cpSIniUyXLcVQrn98vaL5t40pQbf9tqmoEr0slP/s200/IMG_7230.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: #212121; font-size: 12pt;">V. Joy Palmer is the author of <em>Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations</em> and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "calibri";">Connect with Joy on her <a href="http://www.vjoypalmer.com/">website</a>, <a href="http://vjoypalmer.blogspot.com/">personal blog</a>, <a href="http://snacktimedevotions.blogspot.com/">devotional blog</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VJoyPalmer/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/VJoyPalmer">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vjoypalmer_author/">Instagram</a>!</span><br />
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P.S. Any questions? Check out our <a href="https://snacktimedevotions.blogspot.com/p/disclosures-policies.html">Disclosures and Policies Page</a>!V. Joy Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14115986624694707503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-19500881074245309712018-06-04T11:22:00.000-04:002018-06-04T11:22:20.951-04:00Day or Night, There Is LightIn the beginning...<br />
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It's the Biblical version of "Once Upon a Time..." And just like in the fairy tales I grew up loving, what follows is the set up for an epic story, the ultimate story of love. Okay, rambling moment over.<br />
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In the beginning...<br />
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"And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:14-18, ESV<br />
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Have you ever confided in someone and heard that seemingly generic expression? You <em>know</em> the one I'm talking about... It has a few different forms, some pretty, some blunt, but the underlying message is the same.<br />
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Darkness can't last. Joy (not me) is coming in the morning. The night is only for a short period of time, then BAM! LIGHT!<br />
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All true.<br />
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But not always comforting.<br />
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I was reading my Bible a few weeks ago, and those verses in Genesis stopped me in my tracks. Suddenly, the full picture was just so much clearer in my mind's eye.<br />
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I love finding gold nuggets in my Bible reading. This was no exception. I love seeing clear examples of God's love and awesomeness in the things that seem small and inconsequential, but those things are momentous to me.<br />
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Once God created light, there was<em> always</em> light -- day <em>OR</em> night. At night, there is the moon, which reflects the great, big, guiding, revitalizing light of the day, as well as the stars that light the world with a Heavenly glow. Even when the sky is cloudy and dark, those lights remain steadfast.<br />
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Darkness doesn't last, but the light (God, yo) has never left us. It's there guiding us and whispering to our hearts that whether we can see Him or not, He's here. God put that amazing truth right there in the first chapter of the first book of the Bible for us to hold onto when the dark seasons threaten to be our undoing.<br />
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He's not going anywhere. His light is shinning on us.<br />
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Always.<br />
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I hope that blesses you as much as it blessed me. <3<br />
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See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!<br />
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Hugs!<br />
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<span style="color: #f76576; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #f76576; font-family: "kunstler script"; font-size: 48px; font-weight: bold;">~V. Joy Palmer</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6DEHdCZYslWb9hbmejnAj-lJt3tZuASSk_8ARaIdJpzKSPgkS_U6XfUyVXE-Y0kGrItAz3y4u4sub3hkX6GkMQUw0Z1xcdr8_g9h9cpSIniUyXLcVQrn98vaL5t40pQbf9tqmoEr0slP/s1600/IMG_7230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6DEHdCZYslWb9hbmejnAj-lJt3tZuASSk_8ARaIdJpzKSPgkS_U6XfUyVXE-Y0kGrItAz3y4u4sub3hkX6GkMQUw0Z1xcdr8_g9h9cpSIniUyXLcVQrn98vaL5t40pQbf9tqmoEr0slP/s200/IMG_7230.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: #212121; font-size: 12pt;">V. Joy Palmer is the author of <em>Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations</em> and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "calibri";">Connect with Joy on her <a href="http://www.vjoypalmer.com/">website</a>, <a href="http://vjoypalmer.blogspot.com/">personal blog</a>, <a href="http://snacktimedevotions.blogspot.com/">devotional blog</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VJoyPalmer/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/VJoyPalmer">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vjoypalmer_author/">Instagram</a>!</span><br />
<br />
P.S. Any questions? Check out our <a href="https://snacktimedevotions.blogspot.com/p/disclosures-policies.html">Disclosures and Policies Page</a>!<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: #212121; font-size: 12pt;"></span></span><br />V. Joy Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14115986624694707503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-82048056934441243952018-05-18T03:00:00.000-04:002018-05-18T03:00:03.172-04:00Updated Privacy Policy & Disclosures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-33919462407853238412017-08-28T01:36:00.000-04:002017-11-10T13:29:55.661-05:00"Be Holy"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey, check out our new 'Devotional Coffee Time Mugs' and find the perfect coffee mug for your early morning devotions.<a href="https://www.gearbubble.com/gbstore/snacktimedevotionalmugs"> https://www.gearbubble.com/gbstore/snacktimedevotionalmugs</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/Check%20out%20our%20new%20'Devotional%20%20Coffee%20Time%20Mugs'%20and%20find%20the%20perfect%20mug%20for%20your%20early%20morning%20devotional.%20%20%20https://www.gearbubble.com/gbstore/snacktimedevotionalmugs"><br /></a>Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-22133002696014835842017-02-23T00:57:00.000-05:002017-11-09T20:49:48.979-05:00"The Perfect Picture"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUDgdcQzxGi7Fb5gXcdKYSeQNxsTlEc9knUufe3_tOBPGcvGQVRM7IPnfls4FM5BoKwPCXQlhUxqziMyDSBj5Pj5EfwQvUphuGz0KcaN6l1gwZ6uD60AqifHoc4vBQYrkD_UE3LCQ8xvF/s1600/1561587-bigthumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUDgdcQzxGi7Fb5gXcdKYSeQNxsTlEc9knUufe3_tOBPGcvGQVRM7IPnfls4FM5BoKwPCXQlhUxqziMyDSBj5Pj5EfwQvUphuGz0KcaN6l1gwZ6uD60AqifHoc4vBQYrkD_UE3LCQ8xvF/s400/1561587-bigthumbnail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I love this picture! Well, to be honest, its not so much the picture I love as it is the truth it holds dear to my heart! I see a picture like this one ... where ... a little tiny, seemingly insignificant plant is making its way through difficult life situations and I am reminded of that dear to my heart truth. You know, the one that we so often lose sight of. This little tiny plant is not only surviving but growing and flourishing despite the hardships it is forced to endure because of that one basic truth. It grows towards the light! <br />
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Check out 2 Samuel 14:14 "... Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises the means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him." He has a plan! He has a way devised! Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father except through me." John 14:6 And in John 8:12 He says, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." Jesus is the Way! Jesus is the Light we need to look to. Life doesn't have to come to a halt when things get hard. It is just like with this little tiny plant, there is a way to see the light at the end of the tunnel in your situation. <br />
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With Him there is always a way through to the Light! "Seek ye first the kingdom of God," "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength." "Set your mind on things above!" These are all great ways to remember to grow towards the Light. The truth that I was telling you about, that one that is so dear to my heart isn't just that its important to survive the situation but to continue to grow and flourish despite the situation.<br />
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A picture like this ... speaks to my heart. It speaks a message that is so much more than that of just surviving. It is the perfect picture because it offers up a message of hope! It is all about hope and the possibilities that lay ahead despite the hardship that lay behind. Hope. Hope that we don't have to stay a struggling little seedling but that someday, if we grow towards the Light we too "...may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified." Isaiah 61:3<br />
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God Bless!!! <br />
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<br />Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-71155603214397377382017-02-09T10:50:00.000-05:002017-02-09T10:54:54.205-05:00The Tenth CoinCan you picture this?<br />
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<em><strong>A woman hurries around the house trying to get ready to leave. She's already late. Very, very late. Her oldest children are screaming over a toy. She estimates thirty seconds until her boys come to blows. Her toddler has just learned how to undress herself, and now she runs around the house laughing victoriously as she tears off each article of clothing - including her dirty diaper. </strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Finally, with only a dash of depleted desperation, she's ready to go. </strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>But wait...</strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<strong><em>An internal alarm blares in her head. </em></strong><strong><em>She realizes she's missing something. She can't put her finger on it... Oh, no! Grabbing her purse, she pushing miscellaneous items around, fingers the pockets, and finally dumps all the contents onto her kitchen counter.</em></strong><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Frantically she counts. </strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>"One...Two...Three...Four...Five...Six...Where are the others?" She mumbles under her breath.</strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>She spies Seven under an old receipt. </strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Grabbing Seven she sees that Eight and Nine have fallen onto the floor. She scoops them up.</strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Where is Ten? Where is Ten?</strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>If Eight and Nine fell onto the floor, then she theorizes Ten might have as well. She grabs a broom. She would sweep the entire house, look in every jar, and under every toy and dirty sock until she found it. </strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>And then she and her kids would celebrate with ice cream.</strong></em><br />
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Does this sound vaguely familiar? Perhaps you've lived this scene. (I imagine most anyone with children have experienced a variation of this particular day.) However, it's also inspired by The Parable of the Lost Coin. <br />
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"<span class="woc">Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?</span> <span class="woc">And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' </span><span class="woc">Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:8-10</span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
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<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">God is so amazing. So loving. So diligent. So merciful. S</span>o loyal. So forgiving.<br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">He will search for you. Always.</span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">That is an undeniable truth. </span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">But I felt Him whispering to my heart, adding another layer. </span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">He searches for us. But do I search for Him?</span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">I know I don't usually notice a missing penny. It's just a penny. However, in a sea of people God notices me. Truthfully, He notices my missing penny, my missing shoe (I hope it's happy, wherever it is...), and my missing book (Yeah, I'm going to want that back...).</span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">But do I always notice when I'm missing Him? Time? His Word? His Truths? </span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">The Tenth Coin. It works both ways. </span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">May there be more days where I search frantically until I find it. Him.</span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">Hugs!</span><br />
<span class="woc"></span><br />
<span class="woc">~V. Joy Palmer</span>Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-31607213212781042712016-11-23T22:52:00.000-05:002016-11-23T22:52:04.845-05:00What I'm Not Thankful for This Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you will have/are having/had an awesome Thanksgiving!!! <br />
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Isn't it amazing how reflective we get this time of year? I feel especially reflective. My daughter's first birthday is this week, so I'm really thinking about the days leading up to her birth. The labor. The surgery. My gorgeous daughter's little face now and then.<br />
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And turkey. I didn't get any turkey last year. I want turkey and stuffing this year. Yeah, I'm thinking about that, too. <br />
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I'm thinking about how this week five years ago, my husband and I started dating. <br />
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I'm also thinking about all the changes of the past year. Good and bad. I'm thinking about my daughter's first steps and the first time she got really sick. I'm thinking about my debut novel releasing. I'm thinking about my husband's new job. I'm thinking about my family.<br />
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These events play in my mind's eye. There are a lot of things that I am thankful for. So many blessings, opportunities, and triumph. <br />
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And there are a lot of things I'm not thankful. A lot of hurt and heartache. A lot of long days and sleepless nights. A lot of disappointments. <br />
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"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> gave, and the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> has taken away; blessed be the name of the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>.'" Job 1:20-21<br />
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I was thinking about Job and how he still blessed God in the good and the bad. I have definitely not done that.<br />
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"Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20<br />
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I have definitely not thanked God in the good and the bad, FOR the good and the bad.<br />
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My feelings towards many things this year wouldn't be described as thankful, but Job's words give me some perspective. Because all the things that I'm not thankful for this year could never outweigh the blessings I've been given. Starting with my God. <br />
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Give thanks.<br />
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Hugs!<br />
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V. Joy PalmerMarie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-35058801806606636382016-11-17T22:41:00.001-05:002017-11-09T20:48:44.944-05:00"His Hearts Cry"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words."<br />
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Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.<br />
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And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.<br />
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Then the word of the Lord came to me saying:<br />
<br />
"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!<br />
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"The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,<br />
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"if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.<br />
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"And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,<br />
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"if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.<br />
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"Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.' " Jeremiah 18:1-11<br />
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I love that He sent me to the potter's house today for the very same reason that He had sent Jeremiah all those years ago. The Lord sent Jeremiah to the potter's house to observe the potter and his ways for a very special purpose. He wanted Jeremiah to receive a important message. One that He wanted delivered to His people. Remember, His heart is to always take the marred vessel in His hand and rework it into a different vessel, a vessel of honor, made for His purpose. (Then the word of the Lord came to me saying: "O
house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord.
"Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O
house of Israel!") Jeremiah 18:5-6<br />
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He is the potter and we ARE the clay. Are we willing in this day and hour to do the very thing that He sent Jeremiah to the potter's house to do in his day. Are we willing, not only to receive this amazing message of hope for ourselves but are we willing to take it to the nations as well? Are we willing to call His people to a place of repentance? Are we willing to heed the words that He is speaking<br />
and call His people into a place of obedience to truly hear His voice?<br />
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Are we willing to use our voice to echo His hearts cry for our generation ... "Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good!"<br />
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God Bless!<br />
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<br />Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-15302290675923242512016-09-15T21:50:00.002-04:002020-10-25T11:52:51.769-04:00"Speak To The Wind"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."<br />
Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, "O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!<br />
Thus says the Lord God to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.<br />
I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."<br />
So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.<br />
Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.<br />
Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, "Thus says the Lord God, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath on these slain, that they may live."<br />
So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.<br />
Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!"<br />
Therefore prophesy and say to them, "Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.<br />
Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.<br />
I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it," says the Lord. Ezekiel 37:3-14<br />
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So, what do you think? Can they? Can the dry bones live? How would you respond if God was asking you and only you about the dry bones of today? Can they live? Can they be revived? I love how Ezekiel answers and is basically acknowledging that it is truly in God's hands. God knows the plans that he has to give His people a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) He even, not only knows, but plans for the dry, dead bones to regain muscle, sinews, and most importantly the breath of life. Like Ezekiel it is our job as His people to speak to the to the wind. We have to be inviting the Holy Spirit to come, to move, to bring life to everything that is causing us or those we love to feel dry, hopeless, and cut off. Instead of speaking words of death we need to be inviting the Spirit of God to bring His breath of life ... No matter how dead it looks in the natural. One touch from Him is all it takes to raise up and to bring any army to life! Speak to the Wind!<br />
<br />Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-62690915247199121142016-09-04T14:51:00.000-04:002016-09-05T01:12:06.552-04:00"No To The Choke Hold"Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Mark 4:18-19<br />
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I have to admit to the fact, that of late, 'the cares of this world' have had me in a pretty serious choke hold! I admit it. I'm guilty! Its not that I have walked away or not been spending time with Him because I have. What it is is this ... as a foster parent I have had a couple of kids that have been consuming so much of my time that I haven't been able to sit down and write. One ate up my daytime hours and the other continues to eat up the night! I found myself writing the blog at 2:00 in the morning and eventually I just needed sleep! The next thing I know its been forever since I've had a moment to share the things He has been showing me.<br />
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The truth is its just that easy for all of us to get distracted by all the situations in life. Its easy to fall into a "Martha Moment" and forget that the "One Thing" thing necessary is sitting at His feet. How does the Word put it? She was "distracted with much serving." Luke 10:40 I'm guilty! That is what I've been doing. I've made sure to stay in the Word and to have my personal fellowship time with Him, but and here is the thing ... I just stopped making it a priority to <i><b>share it</b></i> per His instructions. I know that it was and is His will for me to be sharing His word through this devotional. So, I'm here today saying, "No, to the choke hold! I'm sorry, Lord. Forgive me. Help me to do better in the days ahead as I PURPOSE in my heart to no longer let Your Word be choked out with my 'serving.' Lord, my hearts desire is that Your Word would always and forever be fruitful in both words and deeds each and every day of my life."<br />
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<br />Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-15120168035844365542016-07-08T00:13:00.001-04:002016-07-08T00:25:48.126-04:00"His Sustaining Touch"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. Psalm 3:5<br />
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I love this thought or rather this truth! The Lord sustains me and He keeps me in all my ways! According to the Strong's Concordance the word sustained comes from a primitive root meaning to prop (both literally or figuratively): reflex. it means to lean upon or to take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense.) What that means is that as His people we can rest, assured in the knowledge that He has our back! <br />
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We can lean on Him as He takes hold of all the things we deal with on a daily basis. It is easy to understand that we can look to Him when we are facing a difficult situation but how often do we acknowledge that He is the one we look to for everything else as well. I think that it is an all to often event for His people to take His "sustaining touch" on our day to day for granted! I think that all to often the thought of our heart is ... I've got this and we forget to even acknowledge that He holds us up in all that we do! <br />
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He has a good hold of us and He sustains us as promised ... "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me." Isaiah 49:16<br />
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<br />Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-7146982331404028442016-07-05T01:07:00.000-04:002016-07-05T01:07:23.558-04:00"Her True Token"By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. Hebrews 11:31<br />
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"By faith." Two words that we can easily see being used when talking about Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, David, Moses, Gideon, etc, etc, etc. So how and or why did Rahab 'the harlot' get a mention in this infamous faith chapter? What was that deal breaker moment that established her place as a woman who exhibited faith for all the generations to see?<br />
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According to this verse in Hebrews 11 it tells us that it was her faith that caused her and her family to be the only ones saved when the walls of Jericho came down. It also tells us that it was because she received the spies with peace ... so when did her deal breaker moment take place?<br />
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Some might think that it goes to the 'deal' she was offered, and took, I might add, to hang the scarlet cord so that she and all who pertained to her might be saved. While this action definitely confirmed her deal it was not the deal breaker moment I'd like to talk about today. What I'd like to draw attention to today is that first moment when she heard the reports about everything that God had done bringing the nation of Israel out of Egypt. She heard. She believed. She believed the reports of what the God of Israel had done and decided to align herself with The God who could do what God had done for His people... <br />
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"So before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men: "I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. <br />
For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordon, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.<br />
And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.<br />
Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token.<br />
and spare my father, my mother, my brother's my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death." Joshua 1:8-13<br />
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My point being, her deal breaker moment was the moment she heard and believed in her heart that God was The God she would choose to align herself with. That moment when faith to believe took up residence in, not only her heart, but her actions as well. That spark of faith caused her to 'receive the spies in peace' and to receive her 'true token' as a testimony of, not only her faith in God, but His provision and protection for her as well. <br />
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As believers we have all had this deal breaker moment. That moment when faith in God takes its place in our hearts and actions because we too have heard and believed the reports about all that He has done to save and provide for us. Rahab, the harlot, received a scarlet cord as her true token and as it hung out her window it declared her connection to the One True God. It declared that she belonged to Him. You and I have a true token given to us when we believe as well ... a blood stain cross. That blood stained cross and the events, the actions, that took place upon it by our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, declares our connection to Him as well. When we take a hold of our 'true token' in faith we too can know that we belong to Him. He becomes our Lord, our Savior, our King and all the protection and provision that goes with belonging to Him is ours to walk in. <br />
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Rahab, the harlot, displayed her true token and received all that it promised. Will you and I do the same? Will we share the message of our true token, a blood stained cross. Will we tell the world that we belong to the One who loved us enough to pay the price to save us! <br />
Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-31130967990178643332016-07-01T14:51:00.003-04:002016-07-01T14:51:51.166-04:00The WalkPaul knew this. He. KNEW. This. <br />
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But it was so different to hear it. Unsettling. Worrisome. Even frightening.<br />
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His friends, confidants, partners in ministry were worried. Their voices rose as they clamored for his attention, begging him not to go to Jerusalem. A few of them even tugged on his arms. <br />
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And a part of him wanted to listen. <br />
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He vehemently shook his head and waved his arms. His friends, people who had become family to him, quieted, waiting for him to speak.<br />
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The part of him that desperately wanted - needed - to follow the Lord knew different. The desire burned within him. He would go. He would follow the Lord anywhere. <br />
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Based on Acts 21:10-14<br />
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While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.<strong> </strong>And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.<strong> </strong>Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done." Acts 21:10-14<br />
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A man of God arrived, and told Paul that hard things laid ahead. That if he went to Jerusalem, troubles would come. Understandably, Paul's close friends tried to keep him safe. And I don't think there isn't any one of us who WOULDN'T listen to our friends and loved ones in this position. But the so-called "sensible" path is not always God's path. <br />
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Sometimes God walks us through difficult seasons to reap joys in the harvest.<br />
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Or as I like to say...<br />
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Sometimes we have to walk through mud to get to the bookstore. :)<br />
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But the thing is, God doesn't let us walk alone. He doesn't leave us. And He always brings us through it. We are not alone. No matter what we face, and in the Christian's walk, we face a lot of hardships, persecutions, uncertainties, and worries. But instead of giving in to the enemy's fear, give your fear to God. He's got your back and He says, "Let's do this thing." <br />
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V. Joy PalmerMarie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-89034545764982862522016-06-16T22:17:00.000-04:002016-06-16T22:18:53.390-04:00Release Day and Giveaway!!!IT'S RELEASE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
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Isabel “Izze” Vez, bridal consultant extraordinaire, has been helping brides find The Dress for years. She loves nothing more than helping make wedding dreams come true…but sometimes the happy endings grate on her. How many times can a girl discover someone else’s gown without dreaming of the day it’ll be her turn to wear one? <br />
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When James Miles Clayton walks into her life, he represents everything Izze can’t handle: change. He’s determined to bring the Ever After Bridal Boutique into the black…and to prove to Izze that she should give him a chance. <br />
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But if there’s anything Izze handles worse than change, it’s trust. She may have a few issues—fine, she knows she does. But will they keep getting in the way of any chance of her own Happily Ever After? She wants to trust God to give her those dreams of love and lace, but that’s going to require some…minor alterations.</td></tr>
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<strong><em>Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations</em></strong> is available now! This romantic comedy arrives just in time for all the June weddings. I'm so excited and nervous and nauseous and thrilled and awed!<br />
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I started writing this story six years ago when I was 18. I had never been on a date, and the guy I liked (who is now my husband) was frustrating me. One day while working, Izze popped into my head. She was spunky in all the ways I was too afraid to show the world. Obsessed with weddings like me, yet frustrated because she also wanted to be in a relationship and get married. I could almost hear "I Need a Hero" playing in my ears as I envisioned this girl. I had started writing dozens of stories before this one, but I had a Daniel moment and purposed in my heart that this was <strong><u>THE ONE</u></strong> I was going to finish. <br />
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And I did. After four-ish years, which can be broken down into fourteen months of frustration, fifteen months of dating, one ACFW writers conference, six months of engagement, and thirteen months of marriage.<br />
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Truthfully, I wrote about half of this book in the months leading up to my second ACFW conference. After hours and hours of typing, plotting, editing, and re-plotting, I climbed aboard a plan that took me to Missouri. There I meet Roseanna White (who is awesome, by the way!).<br />
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A few months and several rejection letters later, I got the best e-mail ever! My first completed manuscript was going to be published! I was so, so blessed. That rarely happens in the publishing world. <br />
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So here we are.<br />
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All I can think is that I'm so blessed. I hope you guys will do me the extraordinary honor of reading my book. I put so much of my heart into this story, but more importantly, I let God teach me through the ups and downs in the process of dreaming up, writing, and editing this book. I hope it blesses you. I hope you fall in love with Izze and Miles. I hope you can laugh and learn with them. But I hope you fall even more in love with the Great Lover of our souls.<br />
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Since this is a very special day, I'm running a very special giveaway. You have not one, not two, but three chances to win! <br />
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Two people will each receive a signed copy of <em>Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations</em>!! Yay!<br />
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And the third will receive a signed copy <em>Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations</em>, a $25.00 Starbucks gift card, a journal, a pink scarf, a box of jelly cookies, and two Lindt chocolate bars (dark chocolate with sea salt & dark chocolate with orange)!!! (<strong><u>*There are allergens in the cookies and chocolate. Do not eat without checking the ingredients first!*)</u></strong><br />
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<strong><u>*Important Giveaway Information:*</u></strong> Unfortunately this giveaway is only open to those who live in the United States of America. I'm so sorry if that means you can't participate. :( I will eat pans of brownies in your honor! <strong><u>Please</u></strong> share this post on Facebook, Twitter, and Google to enter. <strong><u>Also:</u></strong> The contest will be running from now until 12:00 A.M. July 16, 2016. <br />
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Enter here ~~~<br />
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God bless you guys!<br />
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<span style="color: #f76576; font-family: "kunstler script"; font-size: 48px; font-weight: bold;">V. Joy Palmer</span>Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-32155764464409097962016-06-09T00:10:00.000-04:002016-06-09T00:10:11.240-04:00"The Gate Called Beautiful"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;<br />
who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.<br />
And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said "Look at us."<br />
So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.<br />
Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."<br />
And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.<br />
So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. Acts 3:2-8<br />
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According to the Strong's Concordance the word Beautiful means ... "belonging to the right hour or season (timely) i.e. flourishing (beauteous)" and that is what I would like to talk to you about today. This guy spent all his days sitting and waiting for people to show him compassion and give. He spent all his time asking with an expectation that lay below the surface. Expecting but not expecting. I say that because ... even though he was sitting there begging, asking for alms, (expecting help) he was asking by rote ... and not really expecting. John and Peter had to speak to him and tell him to look at them when they approached. It was only then that his level of expectation jumped to the surface and he really looked at them with a valid expectation to receive. <br />
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As I was praying about this message God reminded me that we all have this "right hour" ... this "right moment" where we are at the Beautiful gate waiting for our "right season," This "day of visitation." The question is, will we respond with an expectation to receive or not? Even now we are in this season of visitation and the Holy Spirit is saying, "Look at Us." I believe that we are even now coming into a day and an hour where we not only can, but need to look at God expecting to receive far above all that we need or have been asking for! Its time that we as His people stop waiting for the right season or the "flourishing" to happen sometime in the future. Today is the day that He is saying to us, His people, that sitting at the Beautiful gate by rote is no longer enough. We need to be looking to Him with an expectation to receive because it is His heart that we would receive everything we need to be walking, and leaping, and praising God.<br />
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<br />Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-32254634742632116722016-06-08T21:02:00.001-04:002016-06-14T22:21:40.319-04:00Sign Up to Help Promote V. Joy Palmer's debut novel, Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations!Guys! So excited! This is the influencer sign up form!!! I'm looking for some more reviewers and influencers, so if you are interested, I'd love to have your help!<br />
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Once you fill out this form, you are volunteering to be an influencer. What does an influencer do? Well, that depends on the agreement between author and the influencing individual. Here's what I'm asking my influencers to do:<br />
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1. You will receive an e-book copy of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations. Please read Izze and Miles' story and post a honest review on at least one retailer website - especially Amazon. If you have a blog, that is good, too. It doesn't have to be big and flowery. Simple and short is good, too. If you are looking for suggestions, this is a good example: "Super Awesome!" ;) <br />
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In the event you don't like the story, that's okay. We will still be friends. :) However, please post a review anyways. No review at all is worse than an honest, negative review, especially on Amazon. However, please try to note some positive points in your review. <br />
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2. Please try to commit to sharing at least one of my book promo posts on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter on your profile pages once a week for six weeks. Simply share one of the posts from one of my profiles onto yours.<br />
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3. Talk the ears off of everyone around you about Izze and Miles. :)<br />
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That's all! Pretty simple! If you still want to help, and the ears of those around you remain intact, you are welcome to (but not required to) request a copy for your local library, recommend it for your next book club read, or lend it to a friend. <br />
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*IMPORTANT* Unfortunately, everyone may not be able to participate. There is only a limited number of spots available. I wish everyone could participate, but influencers will be selected on a first come basis. If you are not able to participate as an influencer, I hope that you will still buy the book and tell your friends. Also, influencer copies will be primarily e-books. I'm so sorry if that prohibits anyone from participating. <br />
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Thank you so much for your help, guys! You are all supremely awesome. I'm sending you hugs, and I will eat pans of brownies in your honor! <br />
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Thanks to Google, you can sign up <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Nj_4SapA7f4QIQQIyFNMglAGjaGH6GEhS-JP_c_RrF4/viewform" target="_blank">here!</a> You'll see the same instructions on the form.<br />
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Thank you! God bless you guys!!!<br />
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V. Joy Palmer<br />
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P.S. Book cover and description below! ;) <br />
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Isabel Izze Vez, bridal consultant extraordinaire, has been helping brides find their perfect wedding gowns for years. All the happy endings are starting to grate on her. How many wedding dresses does Izze have to help other brides find before she actually gets to wear one herself? After experiencing a failed romance several years earlier, Izze begins barraging God: When will it be her turn? <br />
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When James Miles Clayton walks into her life, a fragile relationship is formed, but will their rocky start and a misunderstanding at work destroy everything? More importantly, will Izze let go of her shattered dreams, and trust God for a beautiful future?<br />
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Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-24065009014721533122016-06-03T11:44:00.000-04:002016-06-03T22:47:13.311-04:00I Refuse to Accept This! "This is your fault." <br />
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Some people mumbled it. Others said it with their dark, angry eyes. One man had marched up to him, and jabbed a finger into his chest.<br />
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His fault.<br />
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Were they right? He didn't want to believe it, but could it be true? Was this death laid squarely at his feet?"<br />
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"NO!" A voice spoke to him. The Lord. Paul took a deep breath to regain his composure. He would not let the lies of the devil distract him. <br />
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Ignoring his instinct to panic, Paul knelt over the young man. Then a calm washed over him like a cooling mist on a hot day. His spirit leapt within him.<br />
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Eutychus was alive.<br />
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Based on Acts 20:7-12<br />
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"On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.<strong> </strong>And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.<strong> </strong>But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, 'Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.' And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.<strong> </strong>And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted." Acts 20:7-12<br />
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So I love how casual Paul is here. I think of <em>The Princess Bride</em> when I read this... He's just like, "Guys, he's not dead. See? Help him get up so we can finish talking."<br />
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I know that if I was in this situation, I would have been blaming myself for Eutychus' death. "Oh, no," I'd moan and sob. "It's all my fault!" You don't see Paul take that attitude, and I would be willing to bet that some of the people - people who had just been praising him - were now throwing fiery darts at him. They were probably shouting, whispering, and criticizing him, saying, "This is your fault. He's dead because of you, because you kept droning on and on instead of letting us go home and sleep!"<br />
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But Paul didn't let those fiery darts take him down. Not the ones from the people, and not the ones from his own insecurities and doubt. He continued in God's ministry. He did not take responsibility for this lie. It was not his to bear.<br />
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I think all of us can relate to this. I know that I can. It's something that's been on my heart. People, even other Christians - will throw darts and jabs from the devil at you. Don't let them take you down. They aren't your responsibility to bear. Jesus took those lies. Your responsibility is to continue in God's will.<br />
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Repeat after me, "I REFUSE to accept this lie!" <br />
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V. Joy PalmerMarie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-72717492865822284262016-05-21T12:32:00.003-04:002016-05-22T02:29:12.279-04:00Word ThirstHis eyes drifted shut.<br />
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He blinked furiously. Must. Stay. Awake.<br />
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Dull light flickered from the lamps in a lazy dance that lulled him deeper and deeper into a trance-like state. It was after midnight, and Paul continued to talk and talk and talk. He desperately wanted to hear what Paul was preaching. He wanted to know God. <br />
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An ache formed in his hip and back from trying to balance on the windowsil.<br />
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His eyes slide shut again. Maybe if he kept his eyes shut for a few minutes, that stinging feeling from trying to hold them open would go away. Then he would be able to focus.<br />
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Just a few more minutes... <br />
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Based on Acts 20:7-9<br />
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"On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead." Acts 20:7-9<br />
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Paul was a talker. And let's be honest. He was gabbing away here, and while he was droning on and on, people were getting tired. It was past midnight. They were exhausted, and the dim lighting from lamps wasn't helping. <br />
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But they stayed. <br />
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And a young man named Eutychus was so devoted to hearing this message, that he didn't leave even though he was dead tired - excuse the pun. <br />
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Is our thirst for God so strong that we wouldn't, couldn't leave even though we could be watching TV, hanging out with friends, checking things off our to-do list, or sleeping? (As a mom of a baby on a sleep strike, I don't underestimate the severe, deperate need for sleep.) Does our thirst for God outweigh all other things? <br />
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I know that I want my thirst for the Word of God to be stronger than anything else in this life. I, we should want to be like all those people - Eutychus included - who stayed. <br />
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V. Joy PalmerMarie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-85553990492631898282016-05-12T03:14:00.000-04:002016-05-12T03:14:07.273-04:00"The Secret Place"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Isaiah 55:2-3</div>
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"Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good.</div>
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And let your soul delight itself in abundance.</div>
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Incline your ear, and come to Me.</div>
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Hear, and your soul shall live;</div>
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And I will make an everlasting covenant with you --</div>
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The sure mercies of David.</div>
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Psalm 91:1-2</div>
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He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High</div>
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Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.</div>
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I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;</div>
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My God, in Him I will trust."</div>
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Psalm 63:1-2</div>
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O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You;</div>
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My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You</div>
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In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.</div>
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So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,</div>
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To see Your power and Your glory.</div>
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Psalm 46:10</div>
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Be still and know that I am God;</div>
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I will be exalted among the nation's,</div>
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I will be exalted in the earth!</div>
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Psalm 34:8</div>
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Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;</div>
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Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!</div>
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Psalm 27:8</div>
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When You said, "Seek My face,"</div>
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My heart said to You,</div>
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"Your face, Lord, I will seek."</div>
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These are just a few verses that remind me that it is His heart that we as His people need to spend time in His presence. We need to draw close! We must meet with Him in the secret place of His presence! It is in this place that He speaks! It is in this place that we encounter Him and realize that it is His desire is to share His heart with His people! In case your not convinced ... read the book of Isaiah and highlight every time He says the words, "Listen to me." (For example 46:12, 48:1, 12, 16, 49:1, 51:1,4,7) </div>
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Still not convinced that it is crucial to the life of a believer? There is always, always, always the example of Jesus to consider ... "So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed." Luke 5:16</div>
Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-38567784830099535432016-05-08T01:54:00.000-04:002016-05-08T01:54:37.739-04:00"Call Her Blessed"<a href="http://www.google.com/url?url=http://www.mothersday-2014.org/2015/04/happy-mothers-day-images-best-of-2015.html&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwj89_zJ_8jMAhVLKiYKHR3dCusQwW4IFjAA&sig2=QA1Z8vp_bKLJGoLntChptg&usg=AFQjCNFBZvmRH1CU4glq5Vy6kDA5JZ8nlQ" saprocessedanchor="true"><img alt="Image result for happy mothers day" height="320" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1wkJg0dVql8eLiLZ2Yrs0FVd6iSPW7YMAZvwMTQaOm9RoKUGu5NY3iTqBKg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Happy Mother's Day! <br />
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My mom and I were talking a couple days ago. I asked her what she wanted for mother's day, and she said she didn't want anything. I pressed her, and she jokingly said a bag of dirt for her flower gardens. <br />
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Nothing says "I love you, Mom," like a bag of dirt.<br />
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Yeah, right.<br />
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But that's a mom for you. They love to bless their children, help them, make life easier for them, and they will love any bizarre gift that comes from the heart.<br />
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Because you gave it to them.<br />
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I haven't been a mom for very long, but from the moment I knew I was pregnant with my baby girl, there isn't anything I wouldn't have done for her. I would give my life for her, almost did. Since becoming a mom, I have a new appreciation for all that my mother and all the motherly women in my life have done for me. I'm so thankful that they continue to be there for me.<br />
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Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, stepmoms, mother-in-laws, aunts, birth moms, adoptive moms, and "second" moms out there. You guys are amazing.<br />
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"Her children rise up and call her blessed...." Proverbs 31:28a<br />
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V. Joy PalmerMarie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-40865080119990345062016-05-06T02:11:00.001-04:002020-05-24T20:55:06.575-04:00We Can't Understand<span class="ln-group">"O <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>, you have searched me and known me! </span><span class="ln-group">You know when I sit down and when I rise up; </span><span class="indent">you discern my thoughts from afar. </span><span class="ln-group">You search out my path and my lying down </span><span class="indent">and are acquainted with all my ways. </span><span class="ln-group">Even before a word is on my tongue, </span><span class="indent">behold, O <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>, you know it altogether. </span><span class="ln-group">You hem me in, behind and before, </span><span class="indent">and lay your hand upon me. </span><span class="ln-group">Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; </span><span class="indent">it is high; I cannot attain it." Psalm 139:1-6</span><br />
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<span class="indent">I just have a thought today, guys. </span><br />
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<span class="indent">We don't understand the magnitude of God's love for us.</span><br />
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<span class="indent">More than that. We can't understand the magnitude of God's love for us.</span><br />
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<span class="indent">The first five verses in Psalm 139 talks about how well God knows you. When you sit and when you stand. When you go to the grocery store. God knows all your little habits, and how you like your coffee in the afternoon. He knows your thoughts, and what you're going to say before you say it. He knows where you're going in life, and He has awesome plans to help you. His hand is guiding you. He wants to do all this, to know all this. Because He ardently loves you.</span><br />
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<span class="indent">And then verse six says this:</span><br />
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<span class="indent">"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it." Psalm 139:6</span><br />
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We don't understand God's love. God tries to convey it in the Bible. He tries to help us understand, but our broken hearts, our limited understanding, and our doubt gets in the way.<br />
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"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39<br />
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You have no idea how much God loves you. You don't understand it. I certainly don't understand it! But it's true. He does love you, me, us. So next time you forget, when you feel unloved and unworthy, say this to yourself:<br />
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"I have no idea how much God loves me... <strong><em><u>But</u></em></strong> He loves me!"<br />
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V. Joy PalmerMarie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-43644195255241725532016-05-02T01:16:00.000-04:002016-05-02T01:16:10.943-04:00"We Are Asking!"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Joel 2:23-29</div>
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Be glad then, you children of Zion, </div>
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And rejoice in the Lord your God;</div>
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For He has given you the former rain faithfully,</div>
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And He will cause the rain to come down for you--</div>
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The former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.</div>
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The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,</div>
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And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.</div>
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So I will restore to you the years that the </div>
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swarming locust has eaten,</div>
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The crawling locust, The consuming locust, </div>
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And the chewing locust,</div>
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My great army which I sent among you.</div>
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You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,</div>
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And praise the name of the Lord your God,</div>
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Who has dealt wondrously with you;</div>
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And My people shall never be put to shame.</div>
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Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,</div>
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And that I am the Lord your God and there is no other.</div>
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My people shall never be put to shame.</div>
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"And it shall come to pass afterward</div>
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That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;</div>
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Your sons and Your daughters shall prophesy,</div>
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Your old men shall dream dreams,</div>
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Your young men shall see visions;</div>
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And also on My menservants and on My maidservants </div>
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I will pour out My Spirit in those days.</div>
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Zechariah 10:1</div>
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Ask the Lord for rain, </div>
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In the time of the latter rain.</div>
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The Lord will make flashing clouds; </div>
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He will give them showers of rain,</div>
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Grass in the field for everyone.</div>
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Lord, with our hearts set on You, we as Your people cry out, "Holy Spirit, come! Bring the former and latter rain together. O Lord, send Your rain!"</div>
<br />Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702000696513773426.post-73445155801393751452016-04-28T02:22:00.000-04:002017-08-19T23:35:53.912-04:00"All Nations"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Psalm 86:8-10</div>
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Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;</div>
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Nor are there any works like Your works.</div>
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All nations whom You have made </div>
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Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,</div>
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And shall glorify Your name.</div>
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For You are great,</div>
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And do wondrous things,</div>
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You alone are God.</div>
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Even now in this very hour there is a call going forth throughout all nations for 'true worshipers who will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and He is looking for a people who will worship Him in spirit and truth.' John 4:23-24</div>
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Marie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11700293643235853357noreply@blogger.com0