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Saturday, July 01, 2006

The Eternal Instants Of Life


Good Morning Everyone,

Each of us have many choices each day. We usually
make decisions based on our background, our
mentality, our thought processes, and how we
have handled them before. It is a great thing
when we take time to change our normal mindset,
and search for a better and newer way of enjoying
life and changing our habits.

My own life has had many hard times, and curves,
unexpected losses, and hard times. It has taught
me so many valuable lessons, and I have often used them,
to write to you. For the hard times transform us
into a person who studies life more closely,
makes careful decisions, and savors the moments.
Hard times refine us, and make us better people
with stronger character and wisdom, IF we allow them to.

I am one of those people who analyzes life and people
all the time. I savor every moment I have with my family,
I notice the special moments with my children and
their children and when I go home I savor them,
remembering each of those special moments in
my mind. They will be etched there for many years to come.

It is really important to do this.. to take time to notice,
to take time to love, to take time to forgive. The fabric
of our life is often made up of simple times with our
family, nothing earth shattering, just a dinner, or watching
a movie together, or just time talking. But these times
overall make the memories we look back on.

As Father's day passed, I remembered my special Daddy
who always did all he could to make everyone else
comfortable and happy. He was cheerful, never grouchy,
always unselfish, full of fun, and made us laugh
everyday. He was a "safe" person, whom you could
trust with the thoughts of your heart. But above all,
he was a man of God, who taught me a love for God
and the scriptures, which I have passed on to my
children and they have passed on to theirs.

There is no greater heritage than that.

So whatever your life may have been, or may be,
savor the moments you have and the blessings
you have.. notice them, speak kindly, forgive easily
and enjoy the people in your life. Someday they
will be gone, and will not pass this way again.

Do not have unrealistic expectations of people,
learn to love them for who they are and forgive
them for who they are not, or what they have done.
Just as they need to do the same for us. How this
kind of thinking increases the joy of life!

Moments of life are made for treasuring.

love
millie



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Find Joy In The Ordinary
Author: Max Lucado

We played every game we knew. We ran up and down the hall. We played "find me" behind the couch. We bounced the beach ball off each other's heads. We wrestled, played tag, and danced. It was a big evening for Mom, Dad, and little Jenna. We were having so much fun that we ignored the bedtime hour and turned off the T.V. And if the storm hadn't hit, who knows how late we would have played.

But then the storm hit. Rain pattered, then tapped, then slapped against the windows. The winds roared in off the Atlantic and gushed through the nearby mountains with such force that all the power went off. The adjacent valley acted as a funnel, hosing wind on the city. We all went into the bedroom and lay on the bed. In the darkness we listened to the divine orchestra. Electricity danced in the sky like a conductor's baton summoning the deep kettledrums of thunder.

I sensed it as we were lying on the bed. It blew over me mixed with the sweet fragrance of fresh rain. My wife was lying silently at my side. Jenna was using my stomach for her pillow. She, too, was quiet. Our second child, only a month from birth, rested within the womb of her mother. They must have sensed it, for no one spoke. It entered our presence as if introduced by God himself. And no one dared stir for fear it would leave prematurely.

What was it? An eternal instant.

An instant in time that had no time. A picture that froze in mid-frame, demanding to be savored. A minute that refused to die after sixty seconds. A moment that was lifted off the time line and amplified into a forever so all the angels could witness its majesty.

An eternal instant.

A moment that reminds you of the treasures surrounding you. Your home. Your peace of mind. Your health. A moment that tenderly rebukes you for spending so much time on temporal preoccupations such as savings accounts, houses, and punctuality. A moment that can bring a mist to the manliest of eyes and perspective to the darkest life.

Eternal instants have dotted history.

It was an eternal instant when the Creator smiled and said, "It is good." It was a timeless moment when Abraham pleaded for mercy from the God of mercy, "But if there are just ten faithful." I was a moment without time when Noah pushed open the rain-soaked hatch and breathed in the clean air. And it was a moment in the "fullness of time" when a carpenter, some smelly shepherds, and an exhausted, young mother stood in silent awe at the sight of the infant in the manger.

Eternal instants.

You've had them. We all have. Sharing a porch swing on a summer evening with your grandchild. Seeing her face in the glow of the candle. Putting your arm into your husband's as you stroll through the golden leaves and breathe the brisk autumn air. Listening to your six-year-old thank God for everything from goldfish to Grandma.

Such moments are necessary because they remind us that everything is okay. The King is still on the throne and life is still worth living. Eternal instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession and the future is nothing to fear.

The next time an instant in your life begins to be eternal, let it. Put your head back on the pillow and soak it in. Resist the urge to cut it short. Don't interrupt the silence or shatter the solemnity. You are, in a very special way, on holy ground.

“Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.” - Job 8:19

Wherever You Go, There You Will Be


Good Morning Everyone,

Ever sat and pondered what the true meaning of goal is?

It is a interesting concept. Something you hear all the time.
Set your goal to do this, or set your goal to do that.

Well exactly what is that? I mean how do we define
and set our goals? It isn't easy to change from our
normal way of thinking and truly "focus" on a new
way of thinking or living.

People that really accomplish their goals are so focused
they often deny other things in the course of their pursuit
to accomplish what they set out to do. They refuse
to get distracted from what they feel they must accomplish.

Whatever your mind is set on... is where you are going.
(read that again)

If your mind says I am a loser, nothing ever goes right,
I knew that would go wrong, it has been that way all my life,
you are self prophesying defeat into everything you seek
to do or accomplish. Your goals will never be achieved
because you believe they won't and you are working
to make sure they don't.

If you desire to lose weight, quit smoking, quit overspending
money, change careers, change habits, make better relationships, or any other major change.. you have to set
clear defined goals, and not be distracted.

One day at a time. One step at a time. You say I will do this,
I know I can, nothing is impossible to God, and He is with me
all the time, and I will accomplish it in his name and for his
glory.

I have had to do this many times in my life. It has absolutely
changed my mindset. I have overcome huge obstacles.
It wasn't easy. I had a negative attitude most of my life,
and I still fight that disorder.. but the secret is, I fight it.
I also look back and see all the times I poured my heart
out to God, and he helped me through dire, heartbreaking,
lonely, overwhelming times, and I made it through to the
other side.

Which ever direction you are pointed in is where you
are going.

If you are pointed towards defeat... you will receive it.
If you are pointed towards anger, you will show it.
If you are pointed towards unforgiveness, your life
will be a bitter, unhappy existence.
If you are pointed towards depression, you will stay
in it.
If you seek to satisfy yourself with things such as shopping,
addictions, over eating, or any habit that robs you of
the joy of life, then how can you expect to see anything
better.. you are the one who has chosen to live this way!

No one else chose it for you~!

It is true of any other flaw in you.

You have to make the decision to change your strategy
and move on. Many have done it before you, who were
no different than you. I for one, am no one special,
but God has helped me in my little corner of the world
to turn situations around in my life by changing my
goals, mindset, and focus.

Think today about what you want to change.. and
take the steps to do it.. write down what you want.
Write steps down you know can get you there.
Then point yourself in that direction and ask God for help.
And don't take no for a answer.. say I will accomplish
this with God's help.. and then believe in yourself.

Otherwise.. you will be pointed the wrong way.. and
be spinning your wheels, never growing, changing,
moving, improving or even joyful.

You only have this one life, make it sing with success!

Love
millie

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Changing our strategy

One day, there was a blind man sitting on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet and a sign that read: "I am blind, please help"

A creative publicist was walking by and stopped to observe. He saw that the blind man had only a few coins in his hat. He dropped in more coins and, without asking for permission, took the sign and rewrote it.

He returned the sign to the blind man and left. That afternoon the publicist returned to the blind man and noticed that his hat was full of bills and coins.

The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked if it was he who had rewritten his sign and wanted to know what he had written on it.

The publicist responded: "Nothing that was not true. I just wrote the message a little differently." He smiled and went on his way.

The new sign read: "Today is Spring and I cannot see it."
Sometimes we need to change our strategy. If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten.

And remember too, sometimes it's not WHAT we say, it's HOW we say it!!

Chinese Proverb: "When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others."

Promise Yourself--
* To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
* To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
* To make all your friends feel there is something in them.
* To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
* To think only of the best, work only for the best and expect only the best.
* To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
* To forget the mistakes of the past and press onto greater achievements of the future.
* To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
* To give time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
* To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
- Christian D. Larson

Caretake this moment. Immerse yourself in its particulars. Respond to this person, this challenge, this deed. Quit the evasions. Stop giving yourself needless trouble. It is time to really live; to fully inhabit the situation you happen to be in now. - Epictetus


Don't spend your precious time asking 'Why isn't the world a better place?' It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is 'How can I make it better?' To that there is an answer. - Leo Buscaglia

The World Believes - False Positives


The World Believes - False Positives.
copyright Millie Plastaras 6/24/2006

This is one of the most needed messages today.
Please take time to read it ... and pass it to your
friends, it is vital we get the Word out to those
this is written for.

As you venture into the public arena,
and get around the generation growing up now,
you find a striking thing about their spirituality.

They not only question God, they do not see the
validity of the life of Christ, they do not recognize
sin, they think if they are good enough, God will
be forgiving enough. They say he is a loving God,
he will not dare send anyone to hell.

As I was listening to a young man recently, a cynic
at best, he said, if I was of the reformed theology,
and believed God had chosen me to be saved, I would
live like hell all my life, because I know I was one of
the elect, and then when I die, I will go to heaven.

Why has this happened? Why are so many kids growing
up not believing they need God?

Their parents didn't believe it was important to go to church.
They didn't believe in organized religion.

Some kids felt they were forced to go to church, and that
everyone in church is hypocrits. (Something that never
fails to make me laugh, for in some form, we all are)

I mean folks, what better place for all of us hypocrits to go,
than to church to get straightened out?

Some kids fall prey to peer pressure, listening to those
around them, and wanting to fit in.

Some kids want to do what they want to do, and no "God"
is going to stop them. Rebellion being the key word.

The sad thing is.. this seems to be the last generation
growing up around Christians. So many reject church,
reject the Bible, reject the need to be saved.

I blame some of this on the churches, who now teach
a pop psychology kind of teaching. Where they don't
teach that we are sinners, in need of salvation.
(Romans 3:23) They teach anything but hell, and they
don't like to talk about satan.
Why not? It isn't popular to the people coming.
People don't want to feel uncomfortable, they want to be comforted only.

This is getting away from the basics. God created us all.
Some place along the way, we went astray. It started
with Adam and Eve and the first sin. From then
it trickled down to all mankind.

If you read the old
testament you get a picture that no matter how much
God did for people (such as the children of Israel
in the wilderness with Moses) those people rebelled
the minute Moses back was turned. They built
a graven image of a cow and worshipped it. Yet for
months God had provided food, water and a pillar
of a cloud to guide them by day, and a pillar of fire
to guide them by night. Yet with all this provision,
these miracles happening right before them, they
rejected him and made a graven image.

To those who say they want a sign, the signs that have
been shown until now still fail to persuade those who
deliberately wish to turn away from God.

So God made the ten commandments. Basics.
Rules for us to follow. Men still could not keep them.
No matter how they tried. That human nature inside
of them rebelled against the authority and will of God.
So God had pity upon us, and sent his only begotten
son to become the blood sacrifice for our sins. He
knew we needed that salvation from our sins.

Many today, laugh at such concepts. They find
every excuse in the world. Why would God create
satan if he knew he was going to do such evil things?
Doesn't God know everything? Why would we need
a blood sacrifice? Almost since the beginning of time
a blood sacrifice was done for the repenting of sins.
Jesus changed that. He took our place, upon the
cross,shed his blood for our sins,
and bore all of our sins upon himself, that we might have forgiveness of sins.

If this makes you uncomfortable, I question why?
Are you afraid to be convicted of your sins? Are you
unwilling to sit quietly in God's presence and ask
Him to tell you what you need to change, and to forgive
you and to receive His son into your life? What are
you afraid of? Are you afraid of changing?

The greatest disaster facing the youth of this world,
is growing up without the knowledge of how much
God loves them, and what He has given for them,
and what they must do to be saved.

They can have all the technical knowledge in the world,
do all the activities known to man, try every job, make
all the money, have all the finest and most expensive toys,
travel around the world, succeed at any business
or venture, but until they know God, they are lost.

Eternity waits. For everyone. Some day death
will visit us all. The only thing that reassures us
of eternity is the knowledge that we have made
Jesus our Savior.

His message was simple. He was a simple man.
He said you must be born again. Repent of your
sins (walk away from the old life) and walk with God.
Ask Jesus to be your Savior, and then follow his concepts
and teachings.

What are the rewards?
Peace, joy, guidance, you are never alone, you have
eternal life, your sins are forgiven, you find new
strength and courage through God each day, because
you know He is watching out for you. You have his
promises to depend upon. He gives you a hope,
and a future. No one else can supply this to you
on a permanent basis. IN Him you find
eternal life.

Many will come and go from your life, only
Jesus is with you from birth to death.

All the false positives in the world only lead one
direction - away from God.

Jesus said: Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luke 13:3.

John 3:3 - Unless a man be born again, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God.

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn
the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
He who believes in Him is not condemned. BUT HE WHO
DOES NOT BELIEVE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, because
he has not believed in the name of the only begotten
son of God.
John 3:17-18

My friends, if you do not get this right, and teach it
to your children, we will watch a whole generation
grow up without the hope and knowledge of God.
Believing they can do it on their own, they can
be good enough, and not do anything else. That
they can spend their lives on their pursuits, laugh
at God, and being with him is already a done deal.

The Bible says if our Gospel is hid, it is hid to those
who are lost. Are you hiding the gospel of Christ?

Who will go
out and be obedient and tell this generation,
that Jesus loved them, gave himself for them, and longs
to have a relationship with them.

There is no other way! The time is short. Make haste!
We don't want to see any soul lost, and regretting that
decision. They need to know the whole truth from
God's word, for their sake. Nothing in life is more important.



remember
Only one life, will soon be past
Only what is done for Christ will last.

Who Is In Control?


Good Morning Everyone,

Some of the hardest learned lessons in life, are
when we try to control it, and find we made things
worse. Have you ever tried to control a relationship?
You might as well try to control the wind. People
have a mind of their own ... We never truly control them.

Sometimes we try to control our circumstances.
You might as well try to control a hurricane.
Circumstances change and transform and often
get bigger, and cannot be contained in a box of
our thinking and effort to control. Because
circumstances not only contain situations
but relationships, the effort to control all of that is
futile and wearying.

Have you ever lost sleep over situations? Sat
up all night and worried yourself sick over them?
Wow.. I sure have. I think I spent a good part
of my life doing so, because of such heavy
circumstances me and my children went through.

Later on in life, as my health changed, and sleep
became so evasive, I learned to use my time at night
when I was wakeful to pray for people. I cannot
tell you how many prayers I utter at 2, 3 or 4 AM.
I have seen many of them answered. Actually thinking
back, I believe all of them were answered. Because
it is a quiet time, nothing to distract, and my praying
is focused. I have seen many miracles, deliverances,
reconciliations, and financial changes through prayer.

God surely cares about all of this.

Maybe that is a big problem with our prayer life,
we let too many things interrupt us. Our mind is
on other things and we say a half-hearted prayer
and then go back to worrying?

I don't suppose anyone out there would admit to doing
that? I didn't think so :)

My friends, there are countless verses in the Bible
that talk about the provision of God, his compassion
for us is not limited, his mercies are new every morning.
He saw yesterday, He knows tomorrow, He knows
what will work out best and how to walk you through
all the difficult times without you needing to do anything
but trust.

Here are some of my favorite verses, I hope you
will find comfort and encouragement from them
for your hard days, or lonely days, or days when
you just don't know which way to turn.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed,
we are perplexed, but not in despair,
Persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8,9

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble,
and He knows them that trust in Him.
Nahum 1:7

And we know all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are called according to
His purpose.
Romans 8:28

I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy, for you have
considered my trouble, and have known my soul
in adversities.
Psalm 31:7
(See God does know about and cares about the
details of our lives)

I will lift my eyes unto the hills, from whence
comes my help. My help comes from the Lord, who
made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1,2

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you!
1 Peter 5:7

God bless each of you dear friends around
the world. Trust and do not be afraid, God is
with you even now.

love
millie

ps.. Hope you enjoy the wonderful story below.




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A Rock In Your Sandbox

A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox.
He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a
shiny, red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and
tunnels in the soft sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of
the sandbox. The lad dug around the rock, managing to dislodge it from
the dirt. With no little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged the
rock across the sandbox by using his feet. (The boy was very small and
the rock was very large.)

When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he
found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall.
Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time
he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell
back into the sandbox. The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed,
shoved -- but his only reward was to have the rock roll back, smashing
his chubby fingers. Finally he burst into tears of frustration.

All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as
the drama unfolded. At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow moved
across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but
firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had
available?"

Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all
the strength that I had!"

"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the
strength you had. You didn't ask me."

With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it
from the sandbox.

Do you have "rocks" in your life that need to be removed? Are you
discovering that you don't have what it takes to lift them? There is
One who is always available to us and willing to give us the strength
we need. When the apostle Paul faced times of a broken spirit and
sapped strength, he proclaimed to the Corinthian church, "My grace is
enough for you. When you are weak, then my power is made perfect in
you" (2 Corinthians 12:9b NCV). When we are broken in spirit and our
strength is spent, we can turn to our Father, Jesus and ask for his
strength.

Finding Refuge


Good Morning Everyone.

God is everywhere, never failing, always mindful,
always on call, he sees all we say and do, knows
our past, our tomorrows, and loves us dearly anyway!

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee
from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven you are there,
If I make my bed in hell, behold You are there.
If I take the wings of the mroning, and dwell in the
uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall
lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 139:7-10

How precious is Your lovingkindness Oh God! Therefore
the children of men put their trust under the shadow of
Your wings. Psalm 36:7

Lovingkindness means: steadfast love, mercy, goodness,
unfailing love, and it is equivalent to the New Testament
word "grace".

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust. My shield and the
horn of my salvation and my stronghold.
I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, so shall I
be saved from the hands of my enemies.
Psalm 18:1-3

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a Refuge
in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put
their trust in You; for You, Lord have not forsaken those who
seek you. Psalm 9:9-10

The secret? Seek Him. Trust Him. Cling to Him.
Believe In Him, Rely on Him. Hide under His wings.
Make Him your refuge, your truth Your strength your hope.

When you start your morning off, by talking to God,
by praying and releasing your burdens to Him. Your day
will be started on a much more positive, hopeful, full of
strength basis, than if you try to control this old out of control
world by yourself. A day hemmed in with prayer is less
likely to unravel.

God is never failing. All He is, Is All You will EVER need.

Love always
millie

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God's Wings

A little something to put things in perspective...

An article in National Geographic several years ago provided an interesting picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.

One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.

When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings.

The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.

She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. Then the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live.

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." (Psalm 91:4)

Being loved this much should make a difference in your life Remember the One who loves you, and then be different because of it.

The Spirit of Fear


Good Morning Everyone,

Have you ever had profound, dark fear come in your
home and take residence? I know I have.

When someone in my family is terribly ill, close
to death, when a new illness is diagnosed,
when the money runs out and all the bills are due,
when you are sleeping and strange noises awake you.

These can bring on great fear. Even the news
today brings fear upon people... The world seems
chaotic at best, unstable. Nothing we can count on.

I can remember one particular time (I have had many
such) that I was very, very ill with asthmatic bronchitis,
and I was not responding to antibiotics well. I couldn't
lay down at night, I couldn't breathe. At the same
time my mother was about 18 hours away, in intensive
care, in a medical coma, slowly dying from a botched
surgery. I remember such fear taking me over.
Everything seemed so uncertain. Life was unstable,
how could I cope? There were other things going on
too, I felt like my life was falling apart. Each time I
struggled for breath, that fear would strike my heart
and say.. you are not going to make it this time.

Then I remembered. For God has not given us a spirit
of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

I started speaking that verse out loud, rebuking
that spirit of fear. Amazingly, it left immediately!

Each time I felt
fear creep in my thinking I would say that verse outloud
again. A valuable lesson in the greatest times of crisis
times is to speak God's word out loud. Satan hates it,
he cannot dwell where it is spoken. Remember when
Jesus was in the wilderness and spoke the word to
satan, he had to leave! God's word is powerful,
it accomplishes things, it is alive, it provokes good
and rebukes evil.

I am reminded that our Lord and Savior is the
prince of peace. He brings great peace. If we
are not feeling it, two things are happening.

We are not spending enough time in his presence
telling him how we are feeling and asking for his help.

We are receiving the negative of fear and not allowing
in the peace of Christ. This is a mental choice.

There is not a fairy to come around and sprinkle peace
dust on you when she sees things are going badly for you.

You have to make the choice. I refuse to recieve fear.
I refuse to be discouraged. I refuse to allow the circumstances of life to overwhelm me. I will trust
in the Lord and not be afraid.

I have been there, done it, it works... and things change.
I can testify to the greatness of God to change any
situation no matter how dire, no matter how impossible
it seems. I have seen God change many situations that
were desperate, people who were lost, people who
were dying, people who were very ill, people who
walked away from my life. God turned all this around.

What satan meant for evil, God used for good.

My suggestion is for you to read God's word. Let
it impart hope into your spirit. You will see it
lift your soul and encourage your heart like
nothing else. Read Psalms 91. Believe it,
cling to it, trust in it.. for God breathed his word,
that we might have hope and strength in the time
of trouble.

Reading the Psalms should be part of every morning.
For in it are the heartaches of the average man,
and the great sufficiency of God to provide and
overcome all obstacles in this life.

God is never limited by our minds, our fear or
our thinking. He is God. Just trust, and never
receive that fear. He has plans for you, a hope
and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Count on it,
speak it, believe it, receive it, find peace in it,
dwell in it, and live like you believe it.

Your life is a testimony to those around you,
if you really believe what you say, or are giving
it lip service. Walk a walk of faith. The world
needs to see you believe, and what God works
out in your life.

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord;
be brave and of good courage,
and let your heart be stout and enduring,
Yes, waith and hope for and expect the Lord.
Psalm 27:14

I love you my friends. If you need prayer, if
you are experiencing fear. Please remember
God is only a prayer away. And He can change
any situation. As thy faith, so be it unto you.

love always
millie


ps.. for those of you on my list who say satan is not
real, and he doesn't exist and everything is about what
we think.. think again. Jesus spoke to satan, he knew
he existed. You cannot seriously read the Bible and deny
the existence of satan. You would be in absolute denial.
A huge mistake. We do have a enemy of our souls
who roams the earth daily seeking whom he may devour.

We also have a anchor for our soul, that holds
us firm when the storms of life hit.

What choice will you make?




THE BANDIT OF JOY ----
by Max Lucado

Black Bart terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line for thirteen
years, roaring like a tornado in and out of the Sierra Nevadas,
spooking the most rugged frontiersmen.

During his reign of terror between 1875 and 1883, he is credited with
stealing the bags and the breath away from twenty-nine different
stagecoach crews.

A hood hid his face. No victim ever saw him. No artist ever sketched
his features. No sheriff could ever track his trail. He never fired a
shot or took a hostage.

He didn't have to. His presence was enough to paralyze.

He reminds me of another thief-one who's still around. You know him.
Oh you've never seen his face, either. You couldn't describe his
voice or sketch his profile. But when he's near, you know it in a
heartbeat.

If you've ever been in the hospital, you've felt the leathery brush
of his hand against yours.

If you've ever sensed someone was following you, you've felt his cold
breath down your neck.

If you've awakened late at night in a strange room, it was his husky
whisper that stole your slumber.

You know him.

It was this thief who left your palms sweaty as you went for the job
interview.

It was this con man who convinced you to swap your integrity for
popularity.

And it was this scoundrel who whispered in your ear as you left the
cemetery, "You may be next."

He's the Black Bart of the soul. He doesn't want your money. He
doesn't want your diamonds. He won't go after your car. He wants
something far more precious. He wants your peace of mind-your joy.

His name?
Fear.
His task is to take your courage and leave you timid and trembling.
Fear of death, fear of failure, fear of God, fear of tomorrow-his
arsenal is vast. His goal? To create cowardly, joyless souls.
_____________________________
From The Applause of Heaven
Copyright 1990, Max Lucado