MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR GOD, FOR THE LIVING GOD . . .

Perhaps this has been a difficult year for you. The future stretching out before you may seem gloomy or threatening . . . In you're moments of quiet, you may wonder, Where is God?

He's right there at your side, my friend. He has never left. He has never removed His eye from you, nor has His attention wandered to other matters.'

Not even for a heartbeat. He has never ceased caring for you, thinking about you, considering your situation, and loving you with a passion and intensity beyond comprehension.

WHAT ARE A FEW OF YOUR * HOMEBASED TALENTS OR SKILLS *?

GOD is aware of every single one of your Talents and Skills. In fact, he gave you all our Godly Ones at birth or helped you Develop them along the way. It gives him Great Pleasure to see you use what you have been Given. The first step in appreciating your Talents and Skills is recognizing them! Today is all about doing that, so you can dedicate them to the Lord for his Service.

So, you are not a Talented Harpist, Gifted Communicator, or Respected Surgeon? But have People commented that you are a natural of Cross-Country Skiing, Landscape Painting, or Computer Repairs? Do you even remember when you learned to be a Stenographer, Mechanic, or Carpenter? Are you an Incurable Inventor, an Avid Researcher, or a Party Planner Par Excellence?

Do you wonder why GOD gave you the Gift of Thinking Clearly under pressure or of having a Photographic Memory? Have you Mastered a Foreign Language or discovered that you have a Special Ability in an Area like Music, Dance, Graphics, Problem Solving, Marketing, or Supervising People? We must Inspire others to make Powerful, Positive Choices that will Transform their Lives.

We can Encourage others through Biblical Insights and Real~Life Examples, to show People how to put Life's Trials into a Heavenly Perspective, by Facing each New Challenge with Grace and Setting their Sights on Eternity. We must be clear about our Life's Current Purpose: To bring New HOPE to those in seemingly Hopeless Situations and to Encourage them to Develop a Closeness with GOD, by * Trusting Him Fully. *

We can Impact Principles and Techniques to Motivate people to TAKE ACTION!

"Some of our Abilities are GOD~GIVEN from birth and others are Learned over many years of Diligent Practice. When we Commit them All Totally to the Lord, asking Him Daily ~ to Guide our Every Step in using them, we find True Satisfaction."

A MAN WAS GIVEN A TALENT

(In New Testament times, a Talent was the Largest Unit of Silver, with an Approximate Monetary Value of One Ox.) JESUS told a Parable using a Metaphor about a Man who was Rebuked by his Master for burying his Talent. Read Matthew 25:14 ~ 30. Today, let's extend the Metaphor to include your Natural Talents and Acquired Skills. What would JESUS say to you? Are you using your Talents and Skills Wisely or are you burying them?

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

Then the LORD said . . . "And I have filled him with the

Spirit of GOD, with Skill, Ability and Knowledge

in all Kinds of Crafts."

(Exodus 31:1, 3)

So . . . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step Has GOD Laid on Your Heart Today?

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HOW DID GOD USE A CRISIS OR PROBLEM TO BRING GOOD INTO YOUR LIFE?

Recall one of the worst times of your Life and the Circumstances that surrounded it. Was it the death of a Loved One, an Unexpected Divorce, or perhaps an Eating Disorder? Now go ahead and ask today's important question about the good that GOD was able to bring out of it. *GOD will use all your troubles in his Plan for Your Life ~ if you let Him.*

NO SHORTAGE OF CRISES AND PROBLEMS,

NO SHORTAGE OF GOD'S GRACE

What crisis or problem have you faced in your Life: an addiction, infertility, a stock market crash, a kidnapping, an abortion, a job loss, an angry teen, or a hateful acet of discrimination? How did GOD use your pain or sadness? Did he fill you with Empathy for Others, draw you Closer to Him, or Teach you to obey Him? Did it cause you to bond with someone more closely?

Did you end up taking a risk you would not have taken? Did your grief or frustration turn you in a new direction, protect you from a greater harm, or give you Wisdom you could share with others who are hurting? Did someone else ask you about your *Strong Faith* during your trials?

Did you learn to *TRUST GOD* and let Him Help You? We must experience the *BLESSING* of how Christian Women can walk side ~ by ~ side to help each other.

*GOD will use our Heartache, whatever its cause, to Build our Character, draw us closer to Him, and make up Pliable Tools for his Purposes. And, he will call on each of us from time to time to go through something, so we can better Minister to others.*

Joseph had a Series of Crises that GOD used for Good

Joseph, son of Jacob, was sold into slavery and later imprisoned, but that's

not the whole story! Read Genesis 37:23~28; 39:1 ~ 19; 41:39; and 50:18~20.

How do you think you would have fared if you were Joseph?

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

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.

(Romans 8:28)

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WHO IS YOUR HERO OR ROLE MODEL?

JESUS is, of course, our Primary Hero and Role Model. Secondary ones might include a Biblical Character, Historical Figure, Family Member, or even a Literary Character. Who has been a Beacon of Light, a Ray of Hope, or an Inspiration to you?

Who invested him or herself in your Life? Who has filled a Critical Role for You? We all need someone we can look up to and learn from. Give this some thought Today, because such people will nudge you toward God's Best For Your Life.

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WHO'S YOUR INSPIRATION?

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Take a moment to think about one of your Heroes or Role Models. Is it a Parent, Sibling, Grandparent, Mentor, Teacher, Pastor, Missionary, Benefactor, Counselor, Coach, or Doctor? Have you ever cut out a Newspaper Article on a Local Hero you admire? Have you learned a Great Deal by studying the Life of the Apostle Peter, Eleanor Roosevelt, General Patton, or Don Quixote?

Or, have you learned about Courage from a terminally ill Friend? We must Embrace Life's Lessons through Pain to find Real Peace, Freedom, and Truth.

*I have learned that we Make our Plans, but that GOD Directs our Steps. I also know that his way and timing are Perfect, and that he wastes Nothing. I have Encountered Truth ~ JESUS CHRIST. That Relationship has Challenged me, Changed me, and continues to bring me New Life as I Surrender Daily to Him.*

**Real Heroes and Role Models are ordinary People, who have developed Character that has taught them to Obey Christ. Their choice to follow GOD'S Principles and Listen to his Spirit is Life ~ Giving to those they are sent to Serve.**

Daniel was a Hero

Daniel faced lions rather than bowing to a King whom others adored as a GOD.

Read Daniel 6:1-28. Do you tend to hang around People who are this Bold and Daring for the LORD? What might such Role Models inspire you to do?

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

Therefore, since we have a Great High Priest who has gone

through the Heavens, JESUS the Son of GOD, let us hold firmly

to the Faith we Profess. (Hebrews 4:14)

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~ DIVINE HELP, DIVINE POWER ~

Whenever God's Spirit

is Working and Blessing,

there will always be the Sweet

fragrance of Kindness.

It is staggering to remember that Peter walked with Jesus for three Years and received Teaching, Discipleship, and a Moral example unparalleled in all of History. And yet all of that never made Peter the man God intended him to be.

It is not until we see Peter "filled with the Holy Spirit" that things really turned around. No wonder Jesus excitedly assured them that greater days were coming for all of them when the Holy Spirit, their invisible Helper, came upon them in Power.

Ministry is especially Hopeless without the Holy Spirit. Our attempt at Ministry will be an absolute exercise in futility if we are not expecting and experiencing Divine help through the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Blessings can either Humble us

and draw us closer to God,

or allow us to become full of Pride

and Self~Sufficiency.

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~ AMAZING GRACE ~

{Jesus said,} "God so Loved the World that He gave His only begotten

Son, that whoever Believes in Him should not Perish but

have Everlasting Life."

JOHN 3:16 NKIV

During a Conference on World Religions held in Great Britain, some o the greatest Theologians in the World began a friendly Debate as to what Belief ~ if any ~ in the Christian Faith made it unique from the other Religions of the World.

The Debate soon grew heated as possibilities were considered and eliminated. Could it be the Incarnation? No, there were other Religions that had Gods who took on the form of a Human. Could it be the Resurrection? No, there were some Religions in the World that held claim to accounts of a return from death.

Eventually C.S. Lewis entered the room to see what the commotion was about, and when he heard the topic up for Debate, he nonchalantly responded. "Oh, that's easy! It's GRACE." After further discussion, the "Experts" had to agree.

The idea that God freely offers Salvation ~ no matter what good or bad deeds we have done ~ is unique among all Religions of the World. Buddhists in China, Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Hindus in India ~ all are seeking a way to Please God by the things that they do, the Sacrifices they make, the Penances they perform. But God's Love is Unconditional: Your performance doesn't matter!

Jesus has already paid the price ~ and because of "HIS SACRIFICE", "GOD'S GRACE" is available to you today. All you have to do is "ACCEPT IT".

No wonder the Famous Hymn calls this sort of GRACE, "AMAZING"!

GRACE FOR TODAY:

Salvation cannot be earned. It is a "Freely Given Gift", unearned and unmerited.

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Let us seek Peace and not Confusion . . .

God is not the Author of Confusion,

but of Peace, as in all Churches of the Saints

1 Corinthians 14:33

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Hatred and Bitterness

can never cure the

disease of Fear; only

Love can do that.

Love is Patient, Love is Kind . . .

Love does not delight in evil but

Rejoices with the Truth. It always Protects,

always Trusts, always Hopes, always Perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13:4, 6 ~ 7 NIV

~ STRENGTH FOR YOUR DAY ~

* WE SHALL PRAISE YOU *

Lord Jesus Christ
You said:
May they all be one, just as, Father,
You are in Me and I am in You,
So that the World may Believe
It was You who sent Me.

Dear Lord, bring together in Love and
Peace all who Believe in You . . .

Amen

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All shall be Amen and Alleluia.
We shall Rest and we shall See.
We shall Know and we shall Love.
We shall Love and we shall Praise.
Behold our End that is no End . . .

Amen

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Lord, Enlighten us to see the Beam that is in our own eye, and blind us to the mote that is in our Brother's. Blind us to the Offenses of our Beloved, Cleanse them from our Memories, take them out of our Mouths for ever . . .

Amen

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