New Vision…New Blog

Well, I know I’ve taken several months off from blogging.  I’ve still been around on the Internet…keeping up with friends and family through Facebook.  However, I realized the other day, that I really do miss blogging.  I’ve determined it has served an important purpose for me…it’s even been a kind of therapy for me in the past.

Anyway, a lot of changes have occurred for my family and I in the last few months or so.  As a result, even though I want to get back to blogging, I sense that I need to start afresh.  This blog covers one season in my life, and so as I begin another phase, it seems appropriate to start a new blog.

I also believe that God has begun to show me a new direction and vision.  So from now on, I will be posting at: “Receive Your Sight” With this renewed vision, God is still supplying the daily provisions (and revisions) for this spiritual journey.

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“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Prov. 29:18

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Prepared For A Mission

“God has a purpose and a plan for each of us, and in Christ, He has already given us all that we need to fulfill that plan.” –Mike Walters
May 11, 2008

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**For more Christian cartoons by Mike Walters, visit:  joyfultoons.com

Growing In Faith Daily

A small step is a giant leap

In growth and faith each day

If this step is your time with God

To read His Word and pray. —Sper

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“Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” –Ephesians 4:23

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**See Our Daily Bread devotional here.

Sarah’s Baptism…Sun. 6/28/09

I just love this pic, and I’m so happy for my Sarah Beth!

**I’ll post more about this later…just wanted to go ahead & post this photo! 🙂

Monday Message

Sometimes I feel as if I’m not getting the answers from the Lord that I so desperately need. Yesterday afternoon, it occurred to me (once again) that I needed to go separate myself from everyone and everything and just sit in silence before Him for a bit. I saw this cartoon in an email this morning, and I think it captures this need very well…We all need to get away from all of life’s distractions every once in a while, if we want to hear the Shepherd’s voice!

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**Cartoons by Mike Waters at: joyfultoons.com

Always Be Prepared…

…for a fight…and don’t be surprised or caught off guard!
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Word-Filled Wednesday, 2/25/09

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I sure can tell when I’m unprepared to face the day. The day starts to truly wear on me, when I don’t start out by renewing my mind! I can try to go on about my day without spending time in God’s Word, but I need NOT think that the devil takes a holiday! 🙂

Lately, when I’ve started to get frustrated, I’ve caught myself thinking things like:

–Why does this have to happen?
–Why do things have to be SOOOO difficult?
–Why is it so hard stay on track?

Well, it’s not that I’ve just started having these thoughts…it’s more like I’ve become more aware of them. Most importantly, the Lord has been making it clearer to me how very silly these questions really are! It’s not that I should expect the trials to stop coming, but that I need to learn how to handle them better with the Lord’s help! Of course, I cannot improve with this “spiritual warfare” thing, if I go out totally unarmed and unprepared!

I found this cartoon that truly illustrates this point so well. I just love it! It’s another one by Michael Waters, from a few months back. He states:

The Christian life is not a trouble-free life. We should be mentally prepared to face the challenges that we will have to face.
–August 24, 2008

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**To view more WFW participants, you may visit: http://the160acrewoods.com/

**Also, my daughter, Sarah joined WFW today! Please go by & check out her post too at: http://loveofthecross.wordpress.com/

Remembering God’s Love

I recently joined a group on Facebook, called: “Follow the legacy..Adam David Spencer.” Adam loved God, and poured out his heart to God in his music and journals. In a journal entry, Adam once wrote that he wanted to see more souls turn to Jesus…”Whatever it takes.”

Talk about LOVE…now that’s love! God gave Adam a special love for people and a desire to see others saved. God’s love…there is no greater! God loves each & every one of us, and He wants us to share that love with others!

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You may find out more about my cousin Adam at the following link:

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Twin Oaks Baptist Church – Adam’s Lifesong

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**You may also read about his legacy & ministry here:
http://www.witministry.org/

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Sparrows Don’t Worry…

…so, why should we?

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On this Thankful Thursday,

I’m thankful that I don’t REALLY have to worry…

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**To view more cartoons by Mr. Waters, you may visit: http://www.joyfultoons.com/

**To view more Thankful Thursday participants, you may click here.

Mountain…What Mountain?!

On this spiritual journey through life, who can’t use a little humor and encouragement? I praise God for the gift of laughter and for uplifting messages I receive all along the way. Today, a friend sent me an email containing several Christian cartoons by Michael D. Waters. I especially LOVE this one:

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Did you enjoy that as much as I did?! What a simple, yet very effective visualization! When we step out in faith and trust in God, His awesome power will be unleashed!! That mountain doesn’t stand a chance!

**For more Christian cartoons by Michael D. Waters, check out his website at: http://www.joyfultoons.com/

What I Need Most

Well, as usual, I find what I need most is a good quiet time with the Lord (see previous post). Today, the key verse in “Our Daily Bread” says:

“Walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” —Ephesians 5:15-16

The ending caption reads:

“When you find time on your hands, put them together in prayer.“

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Well, not that I often have a lot of time on my hands. It seems there’s always plenty I could be doing. However, the last couple of mornings, the kids have slept in a little later since it’s turned colder. They must have slept especially well last night…all snug in their warm, little beds. This morning, once they got up, they actually dressed promptly. Before long, Sarah was bundled up in a coat, hat, and gloves and asking if she and Kerry could go outside. [ O.k., how could I argue with that?! I wasn’t moving too fast this morning, and I certainly don’t get much quiet time to myself nowadays! Besides, that IS one of the major perks of homeschooling…having a flexible schedule! ]

Anyway, with this “extra time on my hands,” how would I spend it? Was sitting down to reading the Bible the FIRST thing I did? Well, quite honestly…”No,” but that’s what I always NEED to do foremost! You know, it’s quite often a great indicator when we don’t feel like opening God’s Word…Well, that’s when we definitely need to more than ever!! [ Why should we EVER go by feelings anyway? I mean, talk about fickle, unreliable, and deceiving!! ]

With the mood I woke up in this morning, what better message could I have read? What better use of time is there than spending time in God’s Word and prayer? Yes, my friend, the flesh is still weak, but HE is strong. When we feel we don’t have the strength to face the day, we haven’t yet tapped into our greatest source of strength!

Wait and, in waiting, listen for His leading;

Be strong, thy strength for every day is stored.

Go forth in faith, and let thine heart take courage;

There is no disappointment with the Lord. –Anon.

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**To read today’s devotional from “Our Daily Bread” in its entirety, you may click here.