Thankful Thursday

My people know my voice

John 10:27-28 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand."

I’m so very thankful this morning for Christ. For the sacrifice he made for me on that day he went to the cross. He would have gone even if ONLY FOR ME!

I have questioned at times if I was truly saved. Why can’t I hear his voice. Why doesn’t he just come down and speak verbally? The older I get the more I realize and notice that “still small voice” within my spirit. He speaks gently.
Holly – don’t say that. Don’t go there or better yet. Look here. See my need here.

Yes – I have also discovered that my heart can deceive me so easily if I allow my flesh and my emotions to control me. My heart always wants its way even when God is trying to direct me in another path. Recently I just knew that I knew what God’s perfect plan was. Where he wanted me – even what church he needed me to serve.
I set out on the adventure to FOLLOW CHRIST WHEREVER HE WOULD LEAD ME.. Knowing and trusting that he was going before me and preparing the way.

Little did I know that he was in fact doing that very thing. BUT OH – the outcome was so very very different than my little miracle I had worked up in my heart. In the end, the true miracle was finding God’s love meeting me – holding me – loving me through a hard and painful experience. His love was my miracle. Assuring me that he loved me and that he has an amazing and perfect plan for my life – regardless of what I do to mess it up….lol

Isn’t this the truth in the end:
Jeremiah 29:11-12 “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.”

Reconciliation With God

2 Corinthians 5:19
that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.


Isn't that a wonderful word? Reconciled. To think that the God of Heaven
wants reconciliation with a sinful people. People that have abandoned his word, his commandments, his truths!

But yet he desired to forgive. Not to count our sins against us.. Because of Jesus Christ (crucified) we are able to be viewed as his children and loved. When I think of where I was - lost and no way to get to God by my own deeds and then
his amazing love that searched me out - called me - and reconciled me back to him....

I have to consider how do I forgive?
How do I seek reconciliation with fellow believers?

I pray that I become more and more like Christ. That I view all things through his heart. When I forgive....That I'm able to TRULY FORGIVE and let the offense go and give it over to God. When I work at a relationship and say with my mouth - we are reconciled....That we are one in the spirit again.

Today I say with all of my heart oh Lord:

Let the words of my mouth - the meditations of my heart - be acceptable in thy sight oh Lord my strength and my redeemer.......

May your world be filled with forgiveness and reconciliation of broken relationships and hearts...

Thankful Thursday

Today I am so very thankful for the "awe" moments in life. For months I have

been standing in faith and waiting on the Lord. Waiting on his guidance, direction, answered prayer.

While waiting we go through so many different phases. At first we question "WHY" something

happened? How it happened? What could I have done differently to change the out come? Many times we are saddened by the situation. At times angry. Other times just at a lose for words.

I know during some of these seasons in my life I have cried out to God - Why must I wait Lord. If the situation isn't ever going to change - please Lord, release me. Bring me to something new or at least remove the PAIN...... You all know what I'm talking about. We have all been there.

BUT - then there are times when you have waited and waited and you get one small glimmer of hope! One glimpse of the Lord moving and working in your situation. You still don't know the final outcome.

You still don't know that he will answer yes.

BUT YOU HAVE THAT HEART KNOWLEDGE THAT "WOW, GOD REALLY DOES WORK FOR OUR GOOD!"

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Today I can honestly say that God has me in "AWE" mode just knowing that he loves his Sons and Daughters in such an amazing way that he truely is working together for each and every one of his children to bring us to that place of total dependency upon him and the realization that I don't want my own way any longer. My desire has become his desire. I always thought that I couldn't give up control of my life - what if he would never give me what my heart truly wanted!

What peace I have this day knowing that I now desire his way far above my own and it is so

simple. ALL OF A SUDDEN - He is filling my heart with bliss as I see him directing my path and keeping it brightly lit as I seek him with my whole heart!

Be blessed regardless of your circumstance!!!

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

True Love is on my heart this morning. Many homes have been broken by divorce.
What actually lead to the divorce? Was it adultery? Financial problems? Boredom? Not getting what you deserved?

The marriage union has been a deep prayer of mine for quiet some time now. I watch loved ones struggle to actually love each other. I watch them become angry with one another and desire the OTHER PERSON to change and become WHAT THEY DESIRE. I've watched them tell one another how they DO EVERYTHING and it would be nice if their spouse would at least DO SOMETHING. My heart cries out to see TRUE BIBLICAL MARRIAGE.

So - I search the scriptures. I search for what our Lord says about marriage. There lies the answer! All we have to do is walk with the Lord. Its that simple. By walking with our Savior we become that DESIRABLE SPOUSE. We become the other person's EVERYTHING!

Love isn't touchy: 1 Corinthians 13:5 says that Love does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it (pays no attention to a suffered wrong)....WOW. So what do we need? We need God's love in us in order to not be TOUCHY... Right? So by starting our day with our sweet sweet Lord will equip us to be his vessel. He will keep us "sweetened up" and full of confidence.
The more we discover the Lords kindness and gentleness the more we become BUILT UP and strengthened by his spirit to be like Christ.

I am certain God's heart desires the marriage union on earth to be an example to the lost world of his great love for his church. How much could "GODLY MARRIAGES" change our world? I believe it would astound the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Psalm 86:11 is what I ask the Lord to give me - Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart....

I may not be married at the moment. BUT - I so desire that God create in me a heart of Christ that when he brings the Man of God into my life....I will be a bride that
represents his church. A bride that is not touchy and self seeking but rather one that desires to SERVE and SUBMIT to an amazing man of God.

If both can ever come to the realization that their marriage is joined together by God and for God's devine purpose... Oh, how their lives would flourish!

Praying for the many marriages to be restored and renewed by God's grace.....

God Bless,

Learning to Stand and lean at the same time?

One of the hardest lessons I have had to learn is how to stand in faith? Trusting that God
has his best for me at all times.

When I went through a divorce 5 years ago I couldn't see how any of that horrible nightmare
could have any good in it whatsoever. How could my family falling apart be good? How
could my children hurting be good?
How could such an angry person (ME) ever soften her heart ever again?

Looking back on the past 5 years I still have memories that try and haunt me. BUT - I now
realize that many of the hard times I've experienced in this life of mine have been due to
my lack of faith and yes - usually disobedience to GOD'S WAY. I believe the word of God when
he says " He will always provide a way of escape"...... There is always that way - but the choice
is ours to walk through his door or continue on our own path of destruction.

The difference in my today trials you may ask? Oh my - the difference is the trust that I have in my
Savior. I now can say with assurity that my trust lies only in Christ Jesus as my Savior. There is nothing
I can do on my own to gain his love any more than what I did in the past could cause him to NOT LOVE ME!

I'm learning 1 Corinthians 2:5 - that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
and also learning James 1:3 - to be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen..... Now I have had to struggle with this one. Making my faith BE THAT SUBSTANCE in place of the things hoped for. Knowing that my faith is in God....... Knowing that he is working ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR MY GOOD!

I had a dear sweet friend in my life continually tell me that if we know that we know that God is for us and has only good intentions toward us, has and wants only his best for us - how can we not rest in that and have peace! I so agree with them today.

Before I struggled thinking - how can you have peace when your heart is broken? How can you have peace when you have a disease that threatens to take your life or a family members life? How can you have peace when you have no job and can't see one in sight? This is when I have learned to LEAN.....................

That is how I stand! I stand in faith because of the strong arm of my Lord... He calls me to come to him - those who are heavy laden and need rest! Then we can know as Colossians 2:5 states = For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit ( HE IS WITH ME) rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. That keeps me STANDING.. .Standing on his word, his promises and trusting that he is leading and guiding me each and every day. I only have THIS DAY!

So for today.... I will stand as I lean upon my Holy Lord and my prayer is that my life is pleasing to him for today and that I can say with confidence as Galatians 2:20 says... I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. No longer the old Holly -
I can wake each morning (Lord willing) and grant him total control and authority over my life *****BY FAITH!!!!! :)