In Memory of LOUIE

Here are just some of the passages of Scripture that the LORD gave me to write in my journal this morning at 5AM when it was still dark and all seemed calm and peaceful:

Deuteronomy 31

3 The LORD your God Himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the LORD said.
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."
8 The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

As I wrote those words I glanced over at a pamphlet on the table with the title that said:
HARD TIMES ARE COMING... An ominous feeling came over me as I continued to write the rest of the verses God was giving me...

The Song of Moses
30 And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:

Deuteronomy 32: 1-4

1 Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.

I turned the page of my journal to write the next passage the LORD gave me:

1 Timothy 6 Paul's Charge to Timothy

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession .... [all emphasis mine]

5:55AM

It was at that moment as I finished writing those words of "Fight the good fight of faith" that my dog, Chloe, began barking out the back window. It was - still dark - so I could not see well. She just whimpered in panic at the back door. I looked out the window kneeling on the living room sofa and asked God to show me what was wrong. There were no deer there. I had thought perhaps the blue heron had been in the pond stealing my last two fish again - but saw no signs of him or anything. I prayed and waited a bit longer til the light dawned a little brighter - before hooking the leash on Chloe to walk her. We went out the back deck and did our normal routine walk around the left side of the backyard. I took note of the beautiful moon sliver - reminding me of God's covenant love for me. As I looped around taking Chloe to her pen, she continued to whimper like a scared child. I put her inside her pen and latched the gate. I heard leaves rustling and saw something scurry through the woods. I ran over to that side of the woods to see if it was a flock of wild turkey's that sometimes walk through that part of the yard. Nothing. Then, as I turned to walk toward (the goose) Louie's pen to let him out - I saw it. A turkey vulture had killed Louie. His feathers were strewn in a circle where the struggle had taken place.

This is not what I had longed to write about today. This is not what I desired to deal with today. But God (in my tears) has walked me through the entire situation. I was able to piece together all that had happened. My son came over right away, then two friends; one who dug the hole to bury Louie. I asked God who I should call and he showed me - they came - he dug [with a brand new pick ax that I found in my shed with the sticker still on it - one that I had never seen before - God provided] - we buried - we prayed.

Yesterday marked my final day of teaching in Newfield for the summer.... [satan] always comes against me after a time of fruit and blessing.... but he cannot win. My God is bigger and stronger. And I will not be discouraged or afraid because the LORD my God is with me. Our struggles are not against flesh and blood - they are against the spiritual forces of evil [Ephesian 6:12].

Many of you have walked through this journey with me as God continues to unfold His plans for my life. I praise Him for Who He IS and what He is doing.

The passage that I was writing from 1 Tim. 6:12 when the dog began to bark finishes with these words... in the presence of many witnesses.

"The LORD giveth and the LORD taketh away; Blessed be the Name of the LORD!" Even Louie 'fought the good fight'. God will even use the life of my pet goose to praise His name forever. [Louie was 11 years old in July].

Choosing JOY in sorrow,

Stephanie [I AM the BELOVED of CHRIST]

SEEDTIME and HARVEST

Matthew 13:1-23

The Parable of the Sower

1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.

3 Then He told them many things in parables, saying:

"A farmer went out to sow his seed.

4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

9 He who has ears, let him hear."
10 The disciples came to Him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"
11 He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

"Though seeing, they do not see;

though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

15 For this people's heart has become calloused;

they hardly hear with their ears,

and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.'

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:

19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." [emphasis mine]

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[I AM the BELOVED of CHRIST]

FOREVER FAITHFUL

Yesterday, the LORD led me to find my very first Bible. I knew it was somewhere in the house but I had searched for several days on my own to locate it to no avail. Finally, I asked the LORD to help me find it and within 24 hours He led me right to it! These were the first passages He showed me - dated August 26th, 1971 [when I was less than 2 years old in the LORD]. His faithfulness and truth have counseled me since the day I received Him as Savior and He wanted to remind me of that now! Only GOD!

[Side note: My original Bible has a White Cover and I had drawn a large Butterfly on the front of it with colored markers - the same markers I used to date and highlight verses on the inside. The Butterfly is now faded away from age. I believe God just gave me another Butterfly Kiss!]

Isaiah 25 KJV
1 O Lord, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name;
for Thou hast done wonderful things;
Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
8 He will swallow up death in victory;
and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces;
and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth:
for the LORD hath spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day,
"Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD;
we have waited for Him,
we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."
10 For in this mountain shall the Hand of the LORD rest…

Isaiah 26 KJV
1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks [walls of protection].
2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 20 Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth [radical trust] in Thee. [emphasis mine]

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[I AM the BELOVED of CHRIST]

THAT CLOSE

When my three kids were little we taught them how to give "Butterfly Kisses". I am amazed to find out that so many people don't know what they are or how to do it. In case you're one of those people - it's when you come face to face with another person and put your eyes close enough to touch each other's eyelashes. Then you bat them - like the wings of a butterfly! Simple - special - face to face and very close.
God has been THAT CLOSE to me over the last few weeks... pouring on His Butterfly Kisses - reminding me how close He is and how much He loves me.

Psalm 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 85

7 Show us Your unfailing love, O LORD,

and grant us Your salvation.
8 I will listen to what God the LORD will say;
He promises peace to His people, His saints—
but let them not return to folly.
9 Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him,
that His glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before Him
and prepares the way for His steps. [all emphasis mine]

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie
[I AM the BELOVED of CHRIST]

The Very Same JESUS

God has been revealing Himself in magnificant ways lately. At my husband's funeral celebration service I spoke about God - calling Him "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." I had no idea why I said that or referred to Him in that manner [then]. Afterward, I asked my Pastor why I said that. He replied, "Why don't you ask God that question?" So I did. Now - nearly two years later - God has answered in volumes. Here are some of His answers - straight from the pages of His own [God-breathed] Word.. and in Jesus own words no less and the words of St. Paul as well.

Mark 12:26-27

26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but [the God] of the living.

Galatians 3: 6-9, 26-29

6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Sons of God
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. [all emphasis mine]

I hope you can grasp the full impact of these passages.

The GOD of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is >>>>>>>>>

• The God of the LIVING
• The One True and Living God
• Faithful to the Promises He makes
• The I AM
• The Ancient of Days
• The Same = Yesterday, Today and Forever
• Our very same = JESUS

Praise HIS NAME FOREVER!!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie.......... [I AM the BELOVED of CHRIST]

ABOUND

God's Word for the day: ABOUND

Psalm 15:1-2

A psalm of David.
1 LORD, who may dwell in Your sanctuary?

Who may live on Your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless [upright]

and who does what is righteous,

who speaks the truth from his heart…

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. [all emphasis mine]

PROVIDER GOD = JEHOVAH-JIREH

GIVEN GENEROUSLY

GRACE ABOUNDS = GOOD WORKS ABOUND

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[I AM the BELOVED]

A CRY for HELP

Anybody just need a rest? Need a reprieve? Need the burden lifted? Don't look for wise and profound answers. Just reach out and receive it - the revealed faith - like the faith of a child.

Matthew 11:25-30

Rest for the Weary

25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure.
27 "All things have been committed to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
28 "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

God's Word for today is : GIVEN
Thought to ponder: What have you given to God today, this week or this year? What has God given to you? May we give thanks for ALL that is given!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[I AM the BELOVED]

SET APART

LORD - You have made each of us unique. You have called us to Yourself and in that calling we are set apart for You... to love You and honor You with our lives. We are set apart unto Christ!

Leviticus 20:23-24

You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. But I said to you, "You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey." I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the nations.

Deuteronomy 10:8

At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today.

Psalm 4:3

Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself; the LORD will hear when I call to Him.

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect... [all scripture emphasis mine]

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[I AM THE BELOVED]