Trip to Charlotte (9-27-10)

Dave and I are on our way home from Charlotte. Our kids were getting over a cold a few days before our arrival. Apparently, a few stubborn bugs, nastily hung around just for us. Well anyway, Dave came down with a sore throat and some congestion and then a few days after that, I got an upper respiratory thingy that has made me quite miserable. My wretched nose has been spewing non-stop.




So, now that we are on the road, stuck in our car eleven hours a day for two days, with this monster cold, I’ve resorted to whining, in-between my sniveling - two behaviors that I truly loath in others. Opps! (Are we there yet?)



Today, Dave is better and I’ve graduated to coughing my stuffy face off. Meanwhile, my previously adorable Chihuahua has been shedding more than she ever has before. In other words, if we had an allergy to dogs, we would be dead by now! (Umm… what was that I said about whining?) Our little, “Princess Sweet Pea,” is still adorable. I’m just a little grumpy, I guess.



The very wonderful part of our trip was about visiting our kids and spending time caring for our grand babies. Our daughter, Jenna, was gracious and welcoming, as she usually is and our son, Wade, spent time with David, installing a new cooling coil, since the old one had a slow leak. David is so good at most anything mechanical or electrical. He has been a blessing to all our kids as they grew, maintaining all our vehicles, and fixing different things for us. He is still the same: He loves to help out and make our lives easier and our expenses less.



We went to one of Wade’s softball games. We sat in lawn chairs, while eating candy and sipping sodas. It brought back memories of those many hours spent at Little League games, watching our kids play their little hearts out. I can remember secretly thinking back then that I’d surely die of, just-one-more-season of Little League, as I’d cheer Wade and his brother on.



Wade is still that person who puts his whole heart into what he undertakes – Even with his MS, he devised a contraption that is strapped to his shoulder with a bungee-type cord that goes down his back and snaps to a gripper around his foot. This thing-a-ma-gig enables him to run around the bases. It made me so proud of him to watch. He got on base every time he was up and made it all the way around the bases. It doesn’t always work, so there are those times he trips and falls, while the umpire calls him out. That’s the price he’s willing to pay so that he can be a team player. (Notice, unlike his mom, Wade doesn’t whine about much!) He’s funny too. He always refers to himself as, “the good son.” He’s a joy to my heart and it does wonders for me to get to spend time with him and his wonderful family.



Sophia is two, (going on ten), and puts all her parent’s expectations in the dust - She is super bright and did not come with instructions! Since I parented her dad, I get no small pleasure in witnessing him “choosing his battles,” as I once did. Life sure can be funny sometimes.



Their newest addition, Mersades Marie, is now three months old. Of course, we find her to be precious and gorgeous, but Sadie, (her nickname), is so engaging and charming. She spends a lot of her awake time in a delightful mood. We just love her.



Anyway, our trip was great and God richly blessed us with our beautiful family and with the deep, pure love only found in His merciful grace.

Knowing God’s Will

How many times have you whispered to God? “Please, Father, show me your perfect will for my life.” I’ll bet you have earnestly prayed that prayer – I know I have. But what makes us so bold? Is it our pious lifestyles? Yeah, right! Well, then…why do we think we are ready to follow His will even more specifically than what the Bible already tells us?

Don’t we have to be obedient to His word first? You might think that literally living out our lives as He would have us do is an impossibly tall order – And you’d be right. But, is it possible? Jesus did it. The Holy Spirit is always available to help us. Still...who among us can imitate all that Jesus taught? (Just think of His sermon on the mount, or His capacity to forgive!)

Our obedience is the first order of business. God isn’t going to reveal His plan for us while there are still things clinging to our sin nature that knowingly violate His authority over our choices. You are probably as aware as I am that you’re not doing everything according to His Word… things we know aren’t in His will.

Listen, I’m not throwing any stones here - It’s just that we sometimes don’t think through what we are asking God in prayer. Why would God show us more if there’s disobedience in our lives? He wants us to get the basics right first. Do you ever tell any half-truths? We like to call our lying something else so we can feel better about our less than honest remarks. Do you ever get inappropriately angry? I know I have to count to ten more often then I’d like to admit. And then there are all the times my anger gets the best of me and I just say or do the wrong thing. How about you?

I think that we must take the first step of asking God to help us actually do what His Word tells us. We need to admit our need and lean completely on Him. He will gradually mold and make us better, as He helps us discover His will and empowers us to actually do God’s will…“on earth as it is in heaven.”

May God’s peace and joy enfold you throughout your journey!

Nobody Shoots At Boone Anymore (A Story of Courage & Hope)

Back in the 1980’s, Bounpheng Panmuang (we call him Boone) lived in constant fear. Although Laos was his homeland, he felt alienated from a country that accepted war as an inevitable occurrence. As he approached his sixteenth birthday, the age which would demand his part in the endless chain of destruction surrounding him, he would soon be forced to fight in a senseless war; only Boone didn’t want to kill anyone. If he refused, however, he could be killed or jailed for the rest of his life.




Boone knew that to try to make the walk from the hills of Laos to Thailand would be certain death. Urged by his family to escape, he summoned his courage and planned to slip into the Mekong River and swim to safety. Leaving the people he loved most in the world, he was sustained by the desperate need they all shared for his freedom.



Several Laotian people set out that night to risk everything on a new life. Boone was the lucky one; the feared guerrilla gunfire did come, spraying bullets through the water as they swam. Finally out of the rifle’s range, Boone found himself miraculously alive, drifting toward sanctuary in Thailand. The tragic fact that he was alone in his victory weighed heavy on Boone’s heart. His other countrymen had disappeared, floating lifelessly down the blood stained Mekong River.



After his escape, Boone met a young Laotian named Sythien in a Thailand refugee camp. Sythien told officials that Boone was his brother so that Boone was included when Sythien’s family was accepted for resettlement in America under the auspices of our church through Immigration & Refugee Services. The refugee committee at my church became the family’s local sponsor at this time, greeting them at the Orlando Airport and taking responsibility for obtaining employment and housing for them.



Boone, along with three of the other Laotian children, stayed in my home while waiting for more permanent housing. Sythien, his wife and baby stayed with another committee member. There were some difficulties originally: head lice; skin ulcers, malnourished appetites; the language barrier; hesitant, formal feelings – all contributed to less than spontaneous relationships. My family and I prayed for God’s help and we fully expected Him to show us what to do and help us know how to cope with each issue as it presented itself. It’s amazing how resourceful people of God can be in a pinch. We communicated by using body language and pantomime and with the love of the Lord, which filled in all the other gaps, we understood enough. It was a cultural experience for us all. Continual reliance on the power of God, the bond of compassion and friendship He blessed us with, inevitably carried us through.



After 10 days, we located an adequate three-bedroom rental house and furnished it with donations from the church. Our Laotian friends were obviously proud of their new home and considered it very luxurious. Boone spent much of his time at my house, however, playing with my children, eating meals with us, cutting our grass or doing any chore he saw that he could do. It was soon apparent that Boone responded to my family and our home in a very unique way. We spent hours teaching him things and even enrolled him in a night school English class at the local high school. It was about this time that the facts about Boone’s true identity surfaced. When the Immigration & Refugee Services heard about it, they relocated Boone in a down town flophouse that was already overcrowded with many unmotivated refugees, collecting welfare and contributing little to their own improvement.



Things went downhill from there – Boone did manage to find himself a boring minimum wage job, but he lived too far away to continue attending school and his English slipped noticeably. At 17, Boone needed a better chance to make it in this country. My family felt God’s leading and so we interceded at this point. Boone moved in with us.



His situation didn’t improve immediately. Boone’s job was seasonal, so he was laid off. Receiving welfare was not an option for Boone. He said it would make him terribly ashamed. He tried constantly to find work, peddling his bicycle from place to place, approaching prospective employers with his faulty English. Eventually, we managed to find him a permanent position with the Marriott Hotel. No longer a jobless pauper, Boone had a really fine job with a good income, insurance and a paid annual vacation. His dream of having his own car became a definite possibility. Back in evening English classes, he studied endlessly to pass the written driver’s test.



Boone, unaccustomed to cold weather, would freeze waiting for buses in order to get to work by 8:00 a.m. when the temperature was in the 30’s or 40’s some mornings. He had to transfer to a second bus. He got lost many times, but he stuck it out and never missed a single day of work. He’d always smile, never showing the slightest irritation, always conscientious and amiable. He was such a precious child of God.



Boone taught us all a great deal about perseverance and the human need for freedom and growth. We helped him as much as seemed reasonable, but his life was an inevitable chain of mishaps and frustrating experiences. There were people who took unscrupulous advantage of his generous nature, repeatedly begging rent or food money from him; money they never intended to repay, having no jobs or prospects. But Boone felt that he had been given so much that he could hardly do less for others, so he continued to give without reservation. His only transportation, his bicycle, was stolen. Boone learned many lessons the hard way, yet he always remained the same optimistic young man we all loved.



Each time Boone took the written driver’s test, he’d show me his failure slip from the traffic bureau. He’d just smile, fold the paper up and tuck it into his pocket to save with all the others. "That’s OK," he’d say. "I’ll try again next time." Each time, you could see God’s special peace that truly does pass all understanding, firmly emanate from within him - Boone was authentic and truly blessed.



He finally passed the written test on his seventh attempt. That night, he came home with success written all over his face, carrying two steaming pizzas for the family, to celebrate. "Tonight is party. Today, I pass test. Really!" He beamed as he showed us his greatly prized driver’s permit.



Many years have passed since Boone first stole our hearts. My family feels great admiration for the man Boone has become. Each step has brought him closer to the independence he has worked so steadfastly to achieve. He struggles on, but with an unshakable confidence in himself and the love that brought him to this place in his life. He has been blessed by God to preserve his need to love and cherish life against all odds. He continues to see new dreams in his life come true. We have been deeply blessed and enriched for having been used by God to share in Boone’s journey toward fulfillment.



Boone no longer lives with us. He has his own place now. He visits often because he knows that we are his family. He doesn’t peddle over on his bicycle, however. He’s now driving the love of his life – his 1990 Camaro. I guess he did deviate somewhat from our typical American tradition. Being a poor refugee with no credit, he paid cash!



“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint . . . “ Romans 5:3-5 (NASB)

Allen meets Jesus

Allen Meets Jesus
By Toni Smothers

I was running some errands in town yesterday when I came across a mentally challenged young man named Tim. Everyone around knew him. He was usually a very cordial young man – just a bit simple.
Tim was swinging a picnic basket as he walked. "Going on a picnic Tim," I asked.

"Nope, caught me a bunch of baby chicks; want’a see?" On the bottom of the basket, there were three little, dainty, trembling, yellow chicks looking near scared to death.
I stopped Tim and asked him, "What are you going to do with those little fellas Tim?"

"Take ‘em to my house to play," he answered. "I'm gonna see if they can roll around, maybe … or pull some of those pretty, fluffy feathers out to play with. I dunno, just play some fun games with ’em. I'm gonna have lots of fun with ’em I bet."

"Don’t you think they might get hurt Tim? What will you do if you hurt them by accident?"

"Oh, I won’t do that. Besides, they’re just plain little chicks. Who cares about plain ole chicks?" said the simple boy. "What’s the difference? They ain’t good for nothing and they mostly die pretty quick anyway."

I tried to think of what to say to Tim to make him give me those chicks. "Want to make a trade, Tim?"

"Huh??!!! Why? You don't want them chicks. They're just plain ole chicks. They don't do anything but poop and they’re all skinny and little."

"How about it?" I asked again. "I’ll trade you an ice-cream cone for them."

"Really? Boy, I sure would like an ice-cream cone!" Tim said as he handed over the basket.

I went with him a few blocks to the ice-cream store and bought him his cone. He was happily licking his treat as he walked away – all thought of the little chicks totally forgotten.

I carried them back to the nearest farm down the road, and sure enough, there were several adult chickens squawking about. I carefully placed each chick on the other side of the fence, pretty certain that was their home. I was their hero; the little chicks were free and all it cost me was an ice-cream cone.

I couldn’t help telling the story to my seven-year-old son, Allen, because I thought there was a good lesson to be learned from the story of Tim and the chicks. Jesus set us free too – but instead of an ice-cream cone, He paid for our freedom with His life. So after supper, when bedtime rolled along, I scooped my son up into my lap and said, "How’d you like to hear a little story?"

"Sure," he replied excitedly. Allen always loves to hear a good story.

First I showed him the basket and told him about Tim and the chicks. After that I really had Allen’s attention, so I wanted to take the opportunity to teach him something deeper than just my saving some chicks at a pretty cheap price. So, I made up a parallel story to teach him a little bit more about our real Savior.

I began, "One day a mean and dangerous man named Sin and a rather gentle young man named Purity were having a conversation. Sin had just come from abusing a young family and was bragging. "What fun – I just caught the boy by the ankle and caused him to break his leg. Got the Dad while he was running to help his boy. He tripped over the skate in the driveway and busted up his nose and chin pretty bad. Then, the best part of all, the young mother flies out the front door across the yard and trips on a rock. Hurt her hip, but the best, best part is she’s pregnant and now she’s gonna lose her unborn baby. Got 'a love it! That was really fun."

"Why’d you want to do all those cruel things," Purity asked?

Sin answered with a snicker, "Oh, I'm not done with them! I'm gonna teach them, and lots of others too, how to ruin their marriages, how to belittle each other and be prejudiced and backstabbing. I’ll teach them about war and revenge and pain. Let them be burdened with addiction to all kinds of harmful substances. I’ll make sure they learn how to kill each other, maybe even start a war or two. I'm really gonna have fun!"

"And what will you do when you get done with them?" Purity asked.

"Oh, I'll torture some of them … kill all of them for sure," Sin boasted.

"What can I do to make you stop?" Purity asked.

"Oh, why should you care about those people? They‘re absolutely no good and never will be. Why, I’ve already made most of them hateful. They’ll just hate you, spit on you, curse and kill you. You don't have any reason to want those people!!"

"What can I trade you that you will accept?" He asked again.

Sin looked at Purity and got really mad. "You’re a fool – give me your life if you want to be the big hero! And be sure that if you agree, you will die very painfully!"

Purity said, "I agree. It is finished!"

"Eventually He paid up and died a terrible death on the cross, just like Jesus did for us." I told Allen.

I picked up the basket that held those little chicks. We both looked inside, and it was empty. "Those little chicks are free, just like us sweetie." I said.

"I sure hope Purity didn’t really die." The concern in Allen’s voice was very real.

"Oh, but that’s what the story is all about, Allen. Purity is just a story name. He’s just like Jesus, who really did die for us. He protected us from Sin and saved us with his own life."

A tiny tear rolled down Allen’s sweet cheek. "I think Jesus is my best friend."

"Mine too." I said.

*********************************************************************************
Let’s all try to start remembering that Jesus truly wants to be our very best friend. He is as close to us as our own breath. His love is always available and each and every one of His beloved family, which means you and me, are so important to Him that He gave His very life to prove it.

                                                          Happy Easter!

Can a Believer Lose Their Salvation - What does the Bible say?

Once a person trusts Christ as their Savior can they lose this relationship? Is the salvation that Jesus offers conditional? If it is unconditional, then there is nothing we can do to lose it. If it is conditional, then there is something or some things that we can do to lose it. The real question is - What Does The Bible Say?
As the Scripture is carefully studied, we find that a true believer in Jesus is safe and secure eternally. The following relevant passages make this issue pretty clear.

1. Never Perish
Jesus said those who believe in Him will never perish.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27,28)

These verses could not be stronger. Those who trust Jesus will never perish. Jesus said nobody will take believers out of His hand. This is because believers are securely held in the arms of God the Father.

2 .Eternal Life
The Bible promises eternal life to all who believe in Christ. The often quoted verse in the Bible says:
“For 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)

The promise of eternal life is not true if it can be lost. There is, however, only one condition stated in this promise: if a person believes in Jesus, they shall have everlasting life. Everlasting means forever.

3. Possession Of The Believer
Those who believe in Jesus already possess eternal life.

“I tell you the truth; whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life”. (John 5:24)

Salvation, therefore, is not something that is far off in the future—it is a present possession of the believer. Salvation is not looked upon as a day-to-day thing. We do not keep ourselves saved day after day. Scripture treats our salvation as something that is secure forever.

4. Eternal Life Defined
So, eternal life has already begun for the believer. The Bible defines eternal life as knowing Christ.

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

4. Nothing Shall Separate
The Bible says nothing shall separate us from Christ.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword . . . For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35, 38,39)

This passage makes it clear that nothing will be able to separate Christ from those who have trusted Him. Nothing! This includes the believer separating themselves from Christ. If you turn your back on Christ, He always awaits your return. Isn't that incredible?

5. Christ Remains Faithful

“That is why I am suffering. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

The Apostle Paul stresses the fact that once you have committed yourself to Christ, He is able to keep that which we have committed.

6. He Keeps Us from Falling

“To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy”… (Jude 24)

The idea here is that He is the one who keeps us from falling, we are not keeping ourselves. We have no power.

7. Kept By God's Power
The Bible says that we are kept by God's power, not our own.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)

8.We Have Been Glorified
The Bible already speaks of us as being glorified:

"And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:30)

9. It Is A Gift
Salvation is a gift. A gift is often confused with something earned. No one can earn their salvation; it is God's gift to us.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9)

Salvation has been given to us by Christ. The fact that we had nothing to do with earning it can not be stressed too much!

10. We Are Joined To Christ
Once a person has been born again by the word and the Spirit of God, he receives new life in Christ. God puts Christ's righteousness in the place of the sinner’s account, which totally cleanses him before God.

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

11. Christ's Sacrifice Is Adequate
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was more than adequate for our salvation.

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)

There is nothing that can be added or taken away from His sacrifice.

12. He Will Complete What He Started
The Bible says it is God's power that saves us:

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

He started the salvation process, He will finish it.

13 .Kept By God's Power
Furthermore, that which keeps us saved is God's power, not our own.

“…who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:5)

We did not save ourselves; we do not keep ourselves saved.

14. We Are A New Creation
We are identified with Christ as a new creation, clean and equipped for service. We can then begin to live out God’s plan for our lives.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“And raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6)

15. Christ Paid The Penalty Once
Jesus Christ has paid the penalty once and for all for sins. God will not demand payment for a second time. The Bible says: Since Christ has died for our sins we will never have to die for them!

Questions To Be Answered -
If someone believes salvation can be lost, then there are a number of questions that must be asked. What sin or sins would cause you to lose it? How do you know when you've lost it? If you lose it, can you get it back? Do you have to get baptized again? What does the Bible mean when it promises eternal life for those who believe? How long is eternal life? Finally, if a person can lose their salvation, then how can you explain what John wrote:

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)

If a person could lose their salvation then no one could know, from moment to moment, whether they are saved or not. Yet the Bible says that we can know. This is because once a person truly trusts Christ as Savior, they cannot lose that salvation.

Summary:
Once a person trusts Christ as Savior they become His child forever. Because He saves and keeps us, nothing shall separate us from His presence.

I do agree that John 10:27-28 says it all. We are forever His, friends. Happily for us, His precious love is totally unconditional. I deliberately found so many verses to quote on this subject so that you can hereafter know that you’re saved by the love and grace of our Lord Jesus. This is not merely my opinion. This is what Jesus promised us. Controversial or misguided thinking will always exist. That’s okay, it will keep you from taking the things you believe for granted. But remember, whenever you have a question, go to the Word for your answer. You will find what you need to know in the Bible.

We worship a risen, living Savior who has promised to give immortality to all who believe in His name. No longer do we need to stumble in the fog and darkness of hopelessness. He is risen - A light shines brighter than the noonday sun, offering hope to everyone who has been born again. Jesus promised, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25–26)

    Happy Easter everyone!

Question about Christianity...Can we improve as Christians?

Q: How can I be a better Christian? I get along pretty well most of the time, but then I'll get upset at something and lose my temper, or fall down in some other way, and then I realize I'm not a very good Christian after all.


A: Dear One,
The first step to being a better Christian - is to be sure you truly are a Christian! Have you confessed your sins to Christ and turned your life over to Him? If you are unsure of your relationship to Christ, commit your life without reserve to Him, and ask Him to help you walk with Him every day.

Then realize that you can't become a better Christian on your own, or in your own strength. You need God's help, and you need the resources He has provided to help you grow stronger. In ourselves, we are weak - but when we seek God's help we discover that the Bible's promise is true: "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him" (2 Peter 1:3).

Just as we need food to keep us strong physically, so we need the spiritual "food" God has already provided for us through His Spirit if we are to be strong. What is that spiritual "food"? First, God has given us His Word, the Bible. Make the Bible part of your spiritual "diet" every day, both by studying it on your own and by hearing others teach it. Job said, "I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread" (Job 23:12).

Then God also has given you the privilege of prayer, and the privilege of fellowship with other believers. Prayer connects you with God; fellowship connects you with other believers. Through these means, God will encourage you and use you to help others.

Question about Christianity...

From time to time I receive questions about the Bible and Christianity. It occurred to me that these subjects might be interesting to my cyber friends. So,while keeping the identity of those asking the questions annonomous, I thought I'd share with whoever might be interested.

Q: I'm in prison, and everyone here is talking about an inmate who claimed he found God just a week before he died of cancer. How could he live like the devil most of his life but still get into heaven? He didn't deserve to be saved. — L.H.

A: Dear L.H.,
Wow, I hear you, but if God only let people into heaven who deserved to go there - then heaven would be empty! We all have sinned, and even one sin - just one - would be enough to keep you out of heaven. In other words, someone who has followed Christ all their life doesn't deserve to go to heaven any more than this man who had been a Christian only a week. No one "deserves" heaven because we are all sinners. As the Bible says, "There is no one righteous, not even one ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10, 23). This is hard for us to accept, because down inside we all think God ought to reward us and allow us into heaven if we're good enough. But it isn't true, because God's standard is nothing less than perfection.

This is why we need Christ, for only He can save us. He was without sin - but on the cross, all our sins were placed on Him,(your sins, mine and this criminals - all sin), and He died in our place. Now God in His grace offers us salvation - not as a reward, but as a free gift. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

Don't let another day go by without Christ. No matter what you have done or how others may look at you, God loves you and wants to forgive and save you. And He will, if you ask Him to come into your life. Open your heart to Christ today.

Start Praying More

Do your prayers sometimes become a bit formalized because you think you have to stop whatever you’re doing, bow your head, and then enter the presence of a holy God? When you think that way, exclusively, leaving prayer for a separate, specific time of quiet, you will inevitably pray less – and you may be missing much comfort and support that God wants to make available to you. Though there is definitely a time and place for that kind of reverence in your attitude of prayer, you can also just start talking to God throughout your day, like you would your spouse or closest friend. Whatever you’re doing, include Him in your thoughts and decisions. Imagine that God is with you, listening…because He is!

This kind of continual prayer can keep you closer to Him than you’ve ever imagined. Talk to Him while you prepare breakfast and see if your morning isn’t better. Ask Him how to best listen to and speak to your rebellious teen, right in the middle of a conversation that is going badly. He will give you the words that will communicate rather than alienate. We shouldn’t always make the practice of prayer a formal matter. Too many things happen in a day to remember to pray about the troubling things after the fact.

God wants much more than an occasional part of your day. No matter what your situation is, decide to be hopeful and trust God with all the details of your problems. He wants to be included in your tough times, not just your times of rejoicing. Lean on Him as you live through troubles and challenges. Give God your fear. He will replace it with faith. Faith can always defeat fear. There is tremendous strength in faith.

And finally, know that you can rest in the knowledge that your heavenly father is very present and He is looking out for you and protecting you… Feel His presence. Praise and thank Him for his tremendous love…Stand in awe of how privileged you are!

“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You...” (Psalm 63)

Dump Negativity - Think About What You're Thinking

Have you ever been deliberately mindful of who and what you allow to enter your consciousness? There’s too much unrestricted input that comes to us from moment to moment throughout our day. I have a new plan: censorship…censorship...censorship!

That’s right – Censorship is not always a bad thing. If I can stay attentive to all the stimuli that pushes for attention, trying to make me absorb it, if I can stop it just as soon as it is flung in my direction, maybe I can attempt to distinguish and immediately dismiss all things negative. You might think me condescending, but wait – Think about what the media usually reports. Consider all the stuff that insidiously seeps out from those around us who seem intent on complaining about practically everything in their lives. We all know those people who thrive on drama, who seem to live to bring us down to a level that is often less than desirable.

I want to capture and sustain the rich pleasure that resides within a joyful life. Hope tells me that it is possible to intentionally welcome and enhance the positive while rejecting and weakening the negative in those influences that I permit to touch my heart. We were meant to live joyous, fulfilling lives

If I ask God to help me live out His will and plan for my life, morose or argumentative thinking can play no part. I’m sure that I’ll be much happier if I can train myself to instinctively repel all negativity, including my own, that would otherwise casually slip into my mind whenever my guard is down. It makes me smile just to imagine living a consistently positive, expectant lifestyle, filled with happy gratitude for all that God has already given me. We all know that we, as Christians, often profess that attitude, while behaving and speaking quite differently. In plain words, we don't always practice what we preach. (Ouch!)

So, if you agree that life is absolutely meant to be sweet, regardless of problems or challenges, take the acid test – Refuse to loose even a moment of your joy. Take the time to actually think about what you’re thinking. After all, negativity will always exist as long as God allows Satan to exist. The choice belongs to us. I choose the abundant life. How about you?

Grief with a Leagcy of Hope

Grief with a Legacy of Hope

By Toni Smothers

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NIV), it says, "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope." Yet my husband and I do grieve. You see our seventeen year old grandson passed away this April.The news media were all over the accident, reporting it even before some of our family members knew about it. His other grandmother actually got to find out about Brandon’s death on the television. The media called it another reckless, fatal, car-surfing prank. The family had to issue a restraining order to keep the camera crews from pursuing the family to the funeral.Brandon was hanging around with some friends in the early evening hours on a seemingly normal day when he impulsively jumped onto the hood of his friend’s car. No big deal, he was just fooling around. He had a mischievous way about him – just part of his nature, like his innocence and his huge heart. There were no drugs or alcohol involved. Brandon was a good kid. Whatever possessed the girl behind the wheel to start the car and accelerate, is unknown to human logic. Before she realized what she had done and could stop the car, she had spilled Brandon to the ground and run over him with the front tires, trapping him beneath the car.
Brandon died instantly; the girl behind the wheel faces vehicular homicide.

It is devastating when someone we love dies. Sadness devours every thought. It feels like a portion of ourselves is gone too and there is a permanent void torn into our family forever. Yes, we are Christians and yes, we do believe in heaven. We also want to know why one we love dearly, who was so young and good, could be so abruptly plucked from our lives. In an isolated instant in time a young man made a foolish, irrevocable decision to jump up on a car hood. That’s what happened – there is such a squeezing in our chest as we remember him.Brandon was a boy with many friends. He knew the Lord and served his fellow man in the Second Harvest Food Bank as a volunteer. He was a good person, a normal person, just like anyone’s grandson, maybe. He was no model citizen, he got a few C’s, had a fight or two in his time, but he was good and loving also.

Scripture doesn't tell us not to be sad. It doesn't expect us to bury our pain and anger and just get on with our lives. Instead, Paul gently reminds us that as believers in Christ we are different from those without faith. Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we can grieve with hope.His ROTC team was at the funeral, all dressed in uniform, as they made the flag presentation to Brandon’s mother and carried Brandon from the building. Also, his friends from school swarmed the place. It was a full house. Every one of those kids got up to say something good about Brandon that they remembered because they wanted to honor him.There is life beyond this life. As Christians, we can still go on because we know that truth in our hearts. Our eternal hope means we will never again be separated from God. "And so we will be with the Lord forever" (1 Thessalonians 4:17 NIV.)

Our daughter Sonji, Brandon’s mother, wanted to be sure that all of Brandon’s friends knew about Jesus. She had a meeting with the Pastor prior to the service and asked that he find a way to make an altar call, an invitation to any who did not yet know Christ to receive Him in that service that day. Brandon would have liked that.My husband and I have a small ministry that gives away free literature. We brought a box of 65 new testaments. The assistant minister held the box by the exit giving the books away to whoever had made a decision for Christ to take and read about their salvation.As we were leaving the funeral, the box was completely empty! We couldn’t believe it. There were even a few kids that came up to us asking for more, so we gave out a few pocket sized books of John. God used this most horrendous tragedy for the good of many hearts that day. So Brandon left more than a loving family, he left a legacy of hope in the truth and strength of salvation.

Our hope assures us of a new life, without sin or death. "God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4 NIV.)Knowing that Brandon’s death may have sparked the rebirth of many of his friends makes the awful squeezing in our chests just a bit more bearable.


"Toni Smothers is a child of God, wife, mom, grandmother, writer and lay-speaker. She has had serious exposure to the rougher side of life and from that experience has been left with a heart full of love for others who struggle with learning about our beautiful Savior. Through her writing, Toni delights in helping young people especially, who are seeking to find a true, intimate relationship with their Heavenly Father." Faithwriters Magazine.

Spread Joy

Spread Joy! By Toni Smothers
Delight in God’s way – Rest serene and safe,
Simply spread out your joy to all –
Open your heart, as His love He imparts,
Be changed – Then rejoice in His plan.
But for your smile, that has warmed for a while,
And the gift of your heart graced with love,
The day would unfold, both bitter and cold,
The world’s snares would steal peace away.
So, watch for the chance – Love’s wings want to dance.
Give flight to the joy you have found.Behold!
Though your life was once small and weak,
You’ve spread joy through the world this day!

Live in the Light

We live in a culture that puts cell phones in almost every teen’s hip pocket or purse and computers in most of your bedrooms. The media bombards you with what to want, what to wear, what size to be and what is and is not cool.

Decadence hides behind tolerance and far too many of us fall for its lure. Hormones rage, but the Bible says that pre-marital sex is sinful. "Are you kidding me?" You ask. Everyone you know is having sex – or at least they talk and act like it. Still, you've been taught by your pastor and others you trust that abstinence is God’s way.


Your skin suddenly looks like the surface of the moon and hipster jeans don't seem to be made for any normal body. Although you can have freedom from sin’s confusion and walk in the light, all that sometimes gets mixed up with what to wear, what’s on the schedule and who is that new kid you saw sitting all alone in the cafeteria? He must have been a loser. Oops, that wasn’t nice. Maybe he’s just new. Well, you could help him out. No way! You can’t worry about some strange kid - Not with all that’s on your mind!


The most amazing part about your "messed up life” is that it really doesn't have to be that way. In-between all the confusion, you can be totally forgiven and at peace – Sometimes, it's easy to forget that.


How can you strive to become more like the One who died for you? How do you actually do that "walk in purity" scenario? It’s not like it comes naturally. Don't beat yourself up about falling short. It’s not easy to deny yourself - Often you just don’t want to do the things your parents or other adults want you to do. They sometimes seem to treat you like a wind-up toy. But, maybe that's not such a bad thing, since half the time you don’t know which direction to go next.


Parents wind you up with advice that seems overly simplistic, like, "Just say no", or "Remember that you are a child of God." Adults honestly seem to think that your life’s nothing but charmingly simple and that, because you are a Christian, your choices are easily made. So, off you go into the real world where you are exposed to a great deal more than "simple".


In the end, it’s mostly up to you to figure out how to do the right thing. So to successfully manage your swirling thoughts, you need to rely on someone to help you figure out the how? Who can you trust with the boiling emotions within?


When it all gets too much and you feel like you could just freak from the pressure, where do you turn? Jesus… is the answer to your dilemma. Sound simplistic again? Well, it is! When you have Jesus with you all the time, when you make contact with Him through prayer every day, He won't fail you. He can be the best "best friend" you'll ever have.


Tell Jesus what confuses and tempts you. Find friends who will help you learn to rely on Jesus, instead of all the world’s mixed messages. He will really be there for you in a way that no one else ever could. Check out your local church and Christian youth group. Stay connected to Christian fellowship. And, don’t get me wrong - I want to be clear on this; not every kid in that group is "for real" either! You have to understand that sin is alive and well in this world of ours. Prepare yourself for the truth that there are imposters everywhere in life. Some kids in the group just want to get out of the house on a week night. Others are honestly seeking the right answers but none of those kids will be perfect either. God is still working on us all. In a youth group, however, you do have a better chance of hooking up with some genuine friends.


You can expect to make some friends that won’t talk behind your back, or rag on you for relying on a higher power than yourself, or them. You can comfortably go to the source – Jesus, who waits with baited breath for your love and worship. Give Jesus a chance and see if He isn’t everything He claims to be. Know that Jesus doesn’t want to condemn you or make you feel like a failure. He does want you to see your need for Him.


We all mess up - Show me someone who has never lied, or stolen something, or gossiped about others, or gone too far with the opposite sex - I’ll show you a mannequin! There isn’t any one of us that can claim to be continually walking in the light like Jesus Christ. No one can do the right thing 24/7. So you’ll have to resist that prideful part of you that doesn’t want to admit mistakes and just tell Him what you have done in the past. He can take it. Ask for His forgiveness.


Pour your heart out to the most compassionate man who ever walked the earth. He can renew you and fill you with his Holy Spirit. A lot of teens blow the whole religion thing off. They figure that’s for the older generation. But don’t wait till later to find your destiny and purpose. Don’t miss today’s opportunities because you’re too busy to see them or too proud to search for them. Seek the Lord and all He has for you, just as you are. He will slowly guide you down paths that cleanse and restore your spirit.


Jesus is the only one who will love you and understand you unconditionally. In Ephesians 5:16-17, (NLT), it says, "So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict."


So... now you are prepared to cope with your life and make the right choices. Begin by welcoming that new kid who looks lost and dorky. You know he’s got to be suffering, sticking out in the crowd, all alone with no one to talk to. You may be the only one all day who tries to help him feel acceptance. You can do as Christ commanded in Matthew 25:40 (NLT), "And the King will tell them, I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me."