Do You KNOW That LOVE

Deuteronomy 32:9-11
9 For the LORD's portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance.
10 In a desert land He found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
He guarded him as the apple of His eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest
and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them
and carries them on its pinions.

Psalm 17:7-9

7 Show the wonder of Your great love, You who save by Your right hand those who take refuge in You from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings 9 from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.

As I understand these verses from the original Hebrew - the phrase "apple of His eye" cannot be translated literally. The understanding is that God holds us so close to His face that we can be seen in the reflection of His own eye. Just ponder that for a day or two. Do you KNOW THAT KIND OF LOVE? The true love of the Father - the God of the Universe - the very personal God made flesh in JESUS!

Choosing JOY in suffering,

Stephanie
[Kneeling in Prayer]

Back to BELIEVING GOD

I am amazed at God's faithfulness to me. Many of you have been praying so earnestly for me while I am going through these different tests concerning my back. I am upright for the moment fighting off the headache that accompanied the Myelogram yesterday. The LORD gave me so much as I read His word from my past journals - He spoke volumes. He brought me back to the BELIEVING GOD study [Beth Moore] again - where He got a hold of my heart for good. There has been no turning back since that day 3 years ago.

This is just a glimpse of what God showed me today in the order He gave it. I had asked Him one question this morning concerning a personal matter in my life. I asked Him, "When, Lord?" Here are just a few of the answers He gave.

Psalm 4:7
Thou hast put gladness in my heart... I thought I felt unexpectedly happy! [from a post-it note verse]

EXPECT MIRACLES

Psalm 131:1-3
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel [Stephanie], put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.

Isaiah 43:10
"You are My witnesses," declares the LORD,
"and My servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe Me
and understand that I am He.
Before Me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after Me.

Faith to BELIEVE!

Psalm 32:7-8 7
You are my hiding place;
You will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

John 11:40
Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

I read these words below from my own hand - penned back in early February:

Psalm 46:10 NASB
Cease striving and know that I am God.

"Yep. Be still and know it ourselves. Don't default into our past. Don't jump the gun for our future. Just behold and know...
BEHOLD
... Instructions will come when the time is right. In the meantime just BE--- even though being is so much harder than doing." [Beth Moore]

JUST BE...

a prayer I had written:
Lord--- I will trust Your heart as You hold my hand. I will keep Your commands and be faithful to You alone. I will rest in the reality of the Mighty God that You are - until You show me the next path to take. I will wait.

A note written from LIVING WATER by Brother Yun:
"Jesus came to bring the kingdom of God to the earth. He came to completely transform individuals, families and nations from the inside out - a radical revolution that would change the world through obedient, blood-bought servants who are willing to bow their knee and say, 'Lord, after all You have done for me, what would you have me do for you?"

From another Believing God Journal:
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. [all Scripture emphasis added]

"Suffering is a compulsory part of human existence...[God] uses it in a way of empowering and purifying His people... [and] frees me to believe Him more!... Why? Because I'm free from what scares me most about visibly, vocally proclaiming that my hope is resting entirely on Him. There have been times when I've been afraid He wouldn't come through for me, dignify me with a 'yes', and prove faithful to me. But if I'm convinced that God really loves me and has certain priorities for me that may take precedence over the perceived desires of my heart, then I am safe to walk by faith... Yes, we are safe with God---- safe to believe Him for miracles, even if they come in ways we weren't expecting or didn't particularly want. Neither His dignity nor ours is at stake. We are His priority, and our trust in His sovereign will places us on the firmest ground there is." ~ Beth Moore [my emphasis added]

I hope this will help us all to EXPECT MIRACLES and BELEIVE the God who is the same yesterday, today and forever - our JESUS CHRIST, the NAME above all names!

Choosing JOY in suffering,

Stephanie
[Kneeling in Prayer]

Welcome Collin Robert

Collin Robert Cartwright

my 8th grandchild [7 boys - 1 girl]

Weight: 8 lbs. even

Born at 4-something this morning

Height: 20 1/2"L

Collin arrived on his own date and time! Praise God! He was due to be delivered by C-section on the 22nd but God allowed his entrance into the world on this beautiful warm and sunny day here in Southern New Jersey. Mom [Amy] and Dad [Daniel] are doing great - a bit tired - but excited that he is here! Collin was welcomed first by his brothers, Justin [5] and Ethan [3]. His paternal grandparents are Lee and Debby Cartwright.

His name "Collin" means: VICTORY of the people; One who is VICTORIOUS ... His middle name is a tribute to my late husband, Robert, [his maternal grandfather] for whom he was named. Two grandchildren now carry Bob's [first and middle] names... an honor to his life.

Because Collin was born on the 18th of the month I bless his life with Psalm 18 which shares the meaning [VICTORY] of his name [only God could plan that]!! Another "Mighty Warrior for the kingdom of God"!

Psalm 18 (selected)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

1 I love You, O LORD, my Strength.
2 The LORD is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer;

my God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge.

He is my Shield and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold.
3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,

and I am saved from my enemies.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;

He rescued me because He delighted in me.
20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands He has rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;

I have not done evil by turning from my God.
22 All His laws are before me;

I have not turned away from His decrees.
23 I have been blameless before Him

and have kept myself from sin.
24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
25 To the faithful You show yourself faithful,

to the blameless You show Yourself blameless,
26 to the pure You show Yourself pure,

but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.
27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;

my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With Your help I can advance against a troop;

with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, His way is perfect;

the word of the LORD is flawless.

He is a Shield for all who take refuge in Him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD ?

And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength

and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

He enables me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;

my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You give me Your shield of Victory,

and Your Right Hand sustains me;

You stoop down to make me great. [emphasis added]

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Choosing GREAT JOY,

Stephanie

[Kneeling in Prayer]

GENTLY

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1 Corinthians 4:20-21
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

The LORD brought me to the passage yesterday morning before I had to deal with a situation that was in front of me. As I read it - and prayed over it - I saw God's gentleness rather than the whip. I needed to follow His example with these same words and principles. And guess what? It worked!! Praise Him. God was able to accomplish HIS work - HIS way - for HIS GLORY!

A simple passage with a profound message. Anyone else need this one?

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie
[Kneeling in Prayer]

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I was blessed by Alleluiabelle @ Click here: Humble As I Go today with this award. Thank you so much for blessing me today!

I always break the rules of these awards because I choose to give it to just one person at a time. Several of you have already received this award. I have been talking about how amazed I am at the true sisterhood of the Blogland 'siesta's' lately. To me they are like 'a little taste of heaven' - the unity that we will know - there - is seen right here and now with the care and encouragement of these true believing sisters in Christ.

I wish to pass this one on to Barbara @ Click here: B His Girl . "B" has a unique style of writing and we collect feathers together [from the Lord] . We're gathering them for our 'wings to fly'!

All of you that I drop by and leave comments on are my sisters-in-Christ, so if you're not listed here, grab the award and place it on your blog site because all of your sites are well worth visiting for encouragement and inspiration and so much more.

PREEMINENT - I want THAT

Matthew 7:13-14
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. [emphasis added]



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F.B. Meyer wrote:

In all His people Christ is Present.

In some of His people Christ is Prominent.

In a few of His people Christ is PREEMINENT.

I don't know about you, but I want to live a life where Christ is Preeminent. That's the kind of life that He desires for us so that He can rule and reign and bring forth victory and abundant blessings - even in the struggles of everyday life.

The definition of "Preeminent" is:

outstanding; superior; eminent above and before others; surpassing; first and foremost

I desire for Christ to be 'IT' in my life. How about you? This world is not about us - it's all about HIM! What will it take to get there?

ASK - He'll show you... SEEK - you'll find it... KNOCK and you can be one of the 'few'!

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Looking UPward and Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[Kneeling in Prayer]

He is RISEN, Indeed

"He is not here,

HE IS RISEN!"

~ Luke 24:5b

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And He is my Rock, my Portion, my Strong Tower - ...and He'll never let me go!

Will you join me in response?

"He is risen..."

[Fill in your comments with what He means to you...]

...........Indeed!"

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Looking UPward

and Choosing Great JOY,

Stephanie

[Kneeling in Prayer]