If you have a desire to be used by God to minister to someone in need, but are not sure just where to begin,  this is a really nice idea...

http://www.chemoangels.com/Help%20Now/join_angel.htm

AAAAAAAAAAMEN!!!!

...or might i add from the highlands of persecution!

remember saul?

well, since Paul says he is the Apostle to the Gentiles, and 5 times time us to follow his lead ... i would say tha I am a disciple of Paul.

uh...disciple of a dead man?

so hows that working for ya  

I read this statement, and it contains such truth I had to  share it...

We are living in a day when so many professing Christians are being raised, spiritually, on commentaries and other good books about the Bible. Seemingly, very few in comparison know how to effectively use their Bibles -- to study it, memorize key passages, and meditate upon it.

In reality we are becoming disciples of key Christian leaders, but not of Christ, who said "If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32, NAS). Commentaries and good books have their place in our lives -- but they are no substitute for the Word of God itself.

Faith IS something separate from religion.

Faith can stand without religion, but religion cannot stand without faith.

   (face turns red in embarishment) (pay no attention to the MAN in the womens forum)

 Sorry ladies and girls for posting on your "just for women" post, I saw the lawyer post in the top ten posts on the home page and just responded because I liked the story. I didn't see that it was the womens only post until after I had responded. No disrespect intended... woops, I'll be leaving your womens only post now.

(feeling like I accidentally walked into the Ladies restroom! I didn't see or hear anything, honest!)    

FUNNIEST post on the thread!

 Paul deserves a medal for such bravado  

oh no this is the song I was trying to think of ( a little less thinking this early in the morning and a little more coffee does the trick    Enjoying your poems Crusader!

Less Of Me

Let me be a little kinder let me be a little blinder
To the faults of those about me let me praise a little more
Let me be when I am weary just a little bit more cheery
Think a little more of others and a little less of me mhmm mhmm

Let me be a little braver when temptation bits me waver
Let me strive a little harder to be all that I should be
Let me be a little meeker with the brother that is weaker
Let me think more of my neighbor and a little less of me mhmm mhmm

Let me be when I am weary just a little bit more cheery
Let me serve a little better those that I am striving for
Let me be a little meeker with the brother that is weaker
Think a little more of others and a little less of me mhmm mhmm

DAY BY DAY
Author Unknown
Let me be a little kinder, Let me be a little blinder
To the faults of those about me; Let me praise a little more.
Let me be when I am weary Just a little bit more cheery,
Let me serve a little better Those that I am striving for.
Let me be a little braver When temptation bids me waver;
Let me strive a little harder To be all that I should be.
Let me be a little meeker With the brother who is weaker,
Let me think more of my neighbor And a little less of me.
Let me be a little sweeter, Make my life a bit completer;
Keep me faithful to my duty Every minute of the day.
Let me toil without complaining, Not a humble task disdaining;
Let me face the summons calmly When death beckons me away.

<))><

A wonderful poem!

It reminded me of this old glen cambell song I have`nt heard in so long I had to go search for the lyrics (tho I like your version better)

Try A Little Kindness

If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he's sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and stay you're going the wrong way

You got to try a little kindness
Yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you'll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets

Don't walk around the down and out
Lend a helping hand instead of doubt
And the kindness that you show every day
Will help someone along their way

You got to try a little kindness
Yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you'll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets

Nothing says I love you like...the fine art of saying I love you without words. I love it!

...and If we dont hear "I love you honey," "I love you more than the whole world," "I love you so much," "I'm so in love with you that I can't live without you," and "I love you more."...perhaps we should try listening with our hearts instead of our ears  


Who said "I love you" to you today? If you're thinking, "No one," think again. There are a million ways to tell someone you love them -- and for lots of them, you don't even have to talk!

"So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He *said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He *said to him, "Tend My lambs."
16 He *said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He *said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He *said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
17 He *said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You."
Jesus *said to him, "Tend My sheep."

This shows us very clearly  the heart of God, and our answer shows where our heart is.  True love for Jesus Christ distinguishes true Christians from false Christians.
Its easy to say I love Jesus, but God requires something more than lip service.

The Lord was not content with merely a profession of Peter's love. Jesus wanted to see the evidence of Peter’s love: "Peter, if you love me, feed my sheep."
Although love is as an invisible entity as God Himself, its passion can be clearly seen.  Jesus came to save all who are lost, this is the passion and purpose of the very heart of God.  

11 And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.     1 Kings 19:11-12 (King James Version)


We expect God to get our attention with a shout or a monumental event, but God doesn’t always move mountains when He speaks. Contrary, God often whispers when He speaks to us. That being the case, how can we hear what God’s saying if we don’t take the time to listen?

God wants us to take time away from our hectic lives and spend it with Him. Our world is full noise: traffic, radios, TVs, friends, family and even our own thoughts batter the silence. Noise becomes addictive; it’s difficult for us to be without it. Those of us who live in the city have lost our understanding of what quiet means.

God calls us back to rest in Him. In Him, we’ll find peace. In Him, we’ll find comfort. In Him, we’ll be refreshed. In Him, our perspectives will be reshaped. In Him, our tears are wiped away. In Him, our hurts are healed. In Him is life.
http://www.ssvoice.com/week1.asp

Our God is a awesome God!

Be still and know that I am God.Psalms 46:10.

God wants to be our guide thru every moment of every day, to be the center of everything we say and do, and be with us everywhere we go, but how often do we miss the gentle nudges He gives us, because we do not still our own thoughts, waste precious  time trying to come up with answers to our own prayers, or are too busy struggling to figure out solutions to our problems.  I am determined not to miss anything he wishes to do for me or to give to me, simply because I did not believe it possible, or wasn't looking, or was too busy with my own thoughts and duties to  be listening when he spoke.  "My sheep know my voice," said Jesus, "and they follow me."  When He leads us beside still waters, and nothing seems to be happening, and that mountain doesnt look like its going to move,  it`s then He desires for us to be still, that we quiet our hearts and minds, and listen. GOD IS GOD. He has the answers to all lifes questions, He knows what we need to say or what we need to do to resolve every situation, He even knows how to reach that person you cannot seem to reach.  How oft does He find us not listening?  

May It Be Well With Your Soul

by Perry G. Brackin

In this world it may not take one long to realize that problems and tragedies can appear on the scene rather unexpectedly. Suddenly and surprisingly, serious questions about God's presence and loving care can plague the mind. A Christian character is not revealed necessarily by the lack of nor quantity of problems or unfortunate circumstances which come (historical example and present experience illustrate that Christians are not immune).

Definitely, one's faith is challenged when terrible things happen. When one's world is shattered by sickness, death, broken relationships, or persecutions, the absence of answers can shake the foundations of the soul. The magnificent motifs of divine provision and protection which once adorned the corridors of the mind can suddenly appear defaced. Where is God? Where is his glory? Where is the good in all of this?

During this writer's personal struggles for answers and the return of the joyful heart, the silence became more endurable by listening to the saints behind and around him; by looking to the Son above him; and by learning from the Scroll before him. Some of the most wonderful inspiration came from hearing echoes of distant voices over their own unfortunate tragedies and letting their reverberations resonate in the soul.

The Spaffords returned to the United States and resumed their lives only to suffer further sorrow. In 1880, Scarlet Fever took the life of their only son. Receiving little sympathy from their friends upon his death, Mr. and Mrs. Spafford decided to move to Israel. In 1881, the Spafford couple along with two small daughters who had been born in the later 1870's moved to Jerusalem. There they were involved in an American colony which offered medical and spiritual help. Their ministry was fruitful, especially among the Arab communities. One of their daughters, Bertha was only three at this time. She was particularly creative and courageous. She lived a long active life in Israel, was known as a gifted writer and artist, and recorded the story of her father's trials and triumphs in a book titled Our Jerusalem.

Horatio Gates Spafford died in 1888 and was buried in the Protestant Cemetery on Mt. Zion. His soul was now at rest with the Lord, yet his misfortune had not ended. In one of the later wars between Israel and her Arab neighbors, angry Arab soldiers who were occupying Mt. Zion emptied some of the graves of the Protestant Cemetery. Thinking the graves were Jewish, they threw the remains into the Hinnon Valley below (New Testament Gehenna Valley). One of those graves belonged to Mr. Spafford. Ironically, thousands of Arab inhabitants of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas had been helped by the Spaffords and the Spafford Memorial Children's Hospital throughout the years.

When the war was over, the skeletal remains were placed back into the cemetery. An inability to identify the remains, however, resulted in a common grave for approximately six people. Today, if one walks outside the old city walls to the right of the Joppa Gate, up to the entrance of the Jerusalem University College, proceeds upon admittance through the courtyard to the Protestant Cemetery, a tall granite gravestone containing several names can be seen on the right just inside the cemetery. Horatio Gates Spafford's name is at the top of the list. Many folks have paused within this garden cemetery to remember the faith of Horatio Gates Spafford who suffered such disastrous circumstances, but whose life counted for God and others in spite of it all, because it was well with his soul.

May your heart receive new strength as you meditate upon the Lord of glory and learn from the tragic story of "It Is Well With My Soul."

Anyone ever heard Spafford's story? What was going on when he wrote that song?

I had never heard the story behind that song, thank you Tibby for noting that,  what wonderful faith the author had, very humbling!

"Spafford's wife, Anna Lawson Spafford, and their four daughters-Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie-boarded an American ship named the S.S. Ville du Havre. Detained due to business, Mr. Spafford stayed behind but intended to follow his family in a few days.
On November 22, 1873, the S.S. Ville du Havre, sailing off the coast of Newfoundland, was struck by an English ship, the Lochearn. The Ville du Havre sank in twelve minutes. Two hundred and twenty-six lives were lost, including the Spaffords' four daughters. After hours of floating in the turbulent waters, Mrs. Spafford was rescued. Arriving in Wales, she cabled her husband with the message, "Saved alone."
Receiving the horrifying news, Spafford left immediately to join his wife. He asked the captain of the ship on which he was sailing to notify him when they approached the approximate area where the Ville du Havre went down. Notified that the area was near, Spafford went down into his cabin, and near the scene of his daughters' tragic deaths, penned the words of "When Peace Like a River," better known today as "It is Well with My Soul." The hymn refers to Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Gloria

from "Watermark"

 

I wish I could crash like the waves

Or turn like the autumn leaves

In effort to praise You

 

I wish I could smell like the forest

The fragrance lifting a mighty chorus

In effort to praise You

In effort to praise You

 

Chorus:

But I’m such a limited creature

And my word can only paint so many pictures

But somewhere I think I read that I am

Treasured over all creation

So I know that I must try

 

I wish I could roll like the thunder

To leave the earth below in wonder

In effort to praise You

 

I wish I could fall like the summer rain

And every drop would sing Your name

In effort to praise You

In effort to praise You

Every breath that I breathe

Every moment in my history

Is an effort to praise You

An effort to praise You