What Are You Planting?

How deep is God's Word planted in your heart? Is it deep enough to bring forth a harvest to be shared with others?

When we spend time in God's Word, pouring over it and pondering His words to us, it is for the purpose of changing our hearts to match His will and purposes. Then we must respond and obey what He speaks through it. After that - we are not supposed to keep that to ourselves - it is to be shared with others around us. That's "profit sharing"! So, what are you planting, what are you sowing, what are you reaping? Is is enough to feed a dying world? Enough to feed your own [church] family?

Luke 8:15 NLT

And the seeds that fell on the good soil
represent honest,
good-hearted people
who hear God’s word,
cling to it,
and patiently produce a huge harvest.
1 Peter 1:24-25

24 For, "All men are like grass,

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall,

25 but the Word of the Lord stands forever."
And this is the Word that was preached to you.

Psalm 126:5-6

5 Those who sow in tears

will reap with songs of joy.
6 He who goes out weeping,

carrying seed to sow,

will return with songs of joy,

carrying sheaves [the harvest] with him. [emphasis mine]

May we sow God's Word deep in our hearts daily - be changed by it - and share the benefits with others around us.

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

A Planting for His Splendor

Isaiah 61

The Year of the LORD's Favor

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on Me [Christ],

because the LORD has anointed Me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those [us] who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They [we] will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the LORD

for the display of His splendor.
4 They [we] will rebuild the ancient ruins

and restore the places long devastated;

they will renew the ruined cities

that have been devastated for generations. [emphasis mine]

So many are in despair this week because of being focused on their circumstances - rather than on the God of the Universe who sent His own Son [Jesus Christ] to heal and restore. When will be stop believing the lies of the evil one - who says, "nothing can be restored" - his lies say that, "things are too long devastated to be restored"? BUT GOD - says otherwise.

Look what Christ came to do:

• Preach
• Bind up
• Proclaim Freedom
• Release
• Comfort
• Provide
• Bestow Beauty

When we allow Christ to do that in our lives - then we become those Oaks of Righteousness - A Planting of the LORD - for the display of His Splendor! Wow! Can you even take that in?

I've shared this passage often and have written about it before. It is important to grasp and to live out. If you are depressed over your circumstances - bring them back to Christ - and let Him replace your despair with a garment of Praise - for where there is PRAISE - there can be no despair or depression! Try it - it works!

The results? He will rebuild, restore and renew what the enemy has stolen. Praise Him now!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

My Lips Shall Speak

After spending an incredible weekend with the LORD and with the women from Christ Community Church, the LORD brought back these verses today. My life has gone from the "pit" - to the "ROCK" - to TRUST - to His Word - to Speaking - to Praise. God is faithful in all His ways!

Psalm 40:1-4a, 8-10

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
He turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust...

8 I desire to do Your will, O my God;
Your law is within my heart."
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide Your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of Your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal Your love and Your truth
from the great assembly. [emphasis mine]


Praise God and on Him cast your care.,
O praise Him, O praise Him,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him, O praise Him,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Who Are You?

When I was in the shower this morning I began thinking about all the ways we identify ourselves when we meet new people. Or perhaps we run into someone who knows another person that we know - so in order to make a connection - we identify ourselves with someone else. Put yourself in my place and think about how you presently identify yourself.


Here's my list:

• I'm Bob's widow
• I'm Becky, Amy and Jeff's Mom
• I'm Justin, Ethan, Drew, Tessa and Jyden's "Mom-Mom"
• I'm JoAnn's High School Friend
• I'm Renée's neighbor
• I'm Terri's friend
• I'm Allison's mentor
• I'm Polly's sister
• I'm Kay and Paul's daughter
• I'm Emma & Hugo's granddaughter
• I'm a Bible study teacher
• I'm a Motivational Speaker
• I'm a Worship Team member
• I'm a singer (harmony only) ;-)
• I'm a sewer
• I'm a photographer
• I'm an athlete (in my dreams and in my past) ha!

Those are just a few names I might use to identify myself presently. Here are some ways that might identify who I was - from my past.

I USED TO BE:

• The Owner of "Sugar Barrel" (for 16 years)
• The Craft lady (as called by some)
• An Antique Dealer
• A Furniture Saleswoman
• A Bridal consultant
• A Paraprofessional Chiropractic Assistant
• An Athlete (see it fits much better in the past) UGH!
• A room mother for my kids
• A coach
• A Stained Glass Artist
• A aspiring novelist
• A runner (I hated every minute of it)

Did you identify with any of those? The truth of the matter is that no matter who I used to be or who I am now - my true identity is found in Jesus Christ alone!

• I am a sinner - saved by God's grace (Ephsians 2:8-9)
• I am forgiven by God through Jesus' shed blood
• I am identified with Christ because I received His gift of new life
• I am no longer condemned (Rom. 8:1)
• I am a child of the King
• I am an heir to God's kingdom and all the benefits thereof

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: [emphasis mine]

Galatians 6:14-15

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. [emphasis mine]

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

HANDS TO BEHOLD

Lisa Received Christ TODAY!

Christ Community Church Women's Retreat at Black Rock Retreat Center in Quarryville, PA

What amazing Hands to Behold - God's Hands and Our hands - working together for His kingdom purposes!

I'm praising God and applauding HIM with my hands for the work that He did this entire weekend with His Hands!!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

His Mighty Right Hand

The LORD's Right Hand is the place of His strength, power and authority.

It is the very place where Christ is seated!

PSALM 118:14-15

14 The LORD is my strength and my song;

He has become my salvation.15 Shouts of joy and victory

resound in the tents of the righteous:

"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

I'll be away speaking at a Retreat in PA at Black Rock Retreat Center. God's theme for our weekend is Hands to Behold. We'll be looking at His Hands and our hands working together for kingdom purposes!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

A Long Winter's Nap

My pet goose, Louie (who will turn age 11 this July) has waited all winter for this day. No, not my birthday, but for the day when I would clean and fill his swimming pool again. All winter it was covered in dead leaves with ice frozen over it. When the first warm day appeared just a few weeks ago he stood inside the dirty, leafy pool waiting for it to be filled. When I would clean and fill his water buckets each day I'd have to tell him that he had to wait until winter was over before his pool could be used again. Today his winter had passed and a season of singing (or bathing) has come.

Have you had a long cold, dark, damp, winter? Some of us have been waiting for the promises of God to be revealed or to be a reality. Today the waiting is over and the new has begun. Waiting is a hard thing to do for any human (or goose). But it is always worth waiting for God's best for us. Nothing else will do.

Psalm 27:13-14

13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD. [emphasis mine]

Song of Songs [Solomon] 2:11-12

11 See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come. [emphasis mine]

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie
PS: Louie can do amazing things in only 1 inch of water. You should see what he does when his pool is filled to the brim.