I Know!

One of my favourite portions of Scripture is Job 19:25:

"I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth."

After everything that Job had been through he could still say I KNOW that my redeemer lives! He knew that God would rescue him, even though it looked hopeless. He knew that  God would be with him during the trial. He knew that God would never leave him nor forsake him. He knew that God loved him. He knew that God was aware of his circumstances. He knew that God would always care for him. He knew that God would punish his enemies. He knew that God would provide for his needs. He knew that God had a reason for everything and he trusted him. He knew he didn't serve a false god who was dead. He knew that God, his Redeemer, lives! Praise God!

Just as surely as Job knew this, we can too. God is alive! Your Redeemer lives! And He is interceding for you right now. He is watching over you. He will rescue you from your trials. He will never leave you. He loves you. He knows what's going on in your life. He will always care for you. He will defend you. He will provide for you. He has a reason for what you are going through; remember His ways are not your ways, just trust Him. He is alive! Your Redeemer lives! Praise God!

I KNOW that my Redeemer lives!

Playing In The Rain

Have you ever noticed that when it begins to rain that grown up people tend to hurry and, sometimes, even run in an attempt to stay dry? How futile is that?! And why bother anyway? It's only water and you'll dry and you won't melt. When we were kids most of us couldn't wait to put on our rubber boots and rain coat and go outside to jump in the mud puddles or turn our faces towards the sky to get our faces (the only part of us that wasn't covered up) wet. 


We loved the rain. Just because it was raining didn't mean that we couldn't play outside, it just meant that we got to do so many other things. As I said before, we could jump in puddles, we could collect worms because the worms come out when its raining and we could dig ditches between puddles to empty one into another.  We could see huge black clouds rolling across the sky bringing with them the rain.We had our science lessons right in front of our eyes when it rained.


It was great when it rained... when we were kids. But then we grew up and didn't buy rubber boots and rain coats. We stopped playing in the rain and we lost something precious. I guess I'm like Peter Pan in the fact that I don't want to grow up in some respects. I still like playing in the rain. No, I don't collect worms or jump in the mud puddles, but I still like digging ditches between puddles with my shovel. I like working in my garden when the mud is wet and easy to dig. I guess it reminds me of making mud pies and cakes when I was a child. In the early years of our marriage, before we had kids, Brad and I would always go for a long walk when it rained. We would come home soaked to the skin and laughing. I think its time we did that again. 


Life is too serious at times and we take ourselves too seriously most of the time. Its time to play in the rain, to laugh, to get soaked and to celebrate being alive! God sends us the rain and like any good gift from God we shouldn't avoid it but should use it and find joy in it. So the next time it rains get out there and jump in some puddles and laugh!


 When the Lord changed Zion’s circumstances for the better,
    it was like we had been dreaming.
² Our mouths were suddenly filled with laughter;
    our tongues were filled with joyful shouts.
It was even said, at that time, among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them!”
³ Yes, the Lord has done great things for us,
    and we are overjoyed. (Psalm 1261-3)

Building Boats

     When I was a child, part of every summer was spent in Lockeport, Nova Scotia at my maternal grandparents' home. My Nanny loved children and would bake us special treats she knew we liked and spend her time teasing and cuddling us. But my Granddad didn't really take an active part in our visit. I don't think he knew how to interact with kids. He was never mean to us or anything like that but he left the cuddling and talking to Nanny.
      But there was one thing that he always did for us kids that I will never forget and I believe it has stood me in good stead ever since. Out in his barn, under the work bench he had a box full of small blocks of wood. He would get a big armful of this wood and dump it on the walkway for us. Then he would go back to the barn and get a plastic container of roofing nails and a couple small hammers (one was an actual cobblers hammer). We would pass many happy hours building boats and towers and being creative. It was better than Lego!
      Sometimes we would later take our boats to the beach to see if they would be seaworthy and usually we had built them too top heavy so they always capsized, but it was still fun to try. When our vacation was over Granddad would patiently take all the blocks apart again and store them under his workbench for another visit. I have always loved building things. I'm not a carpenter by any means but I do love a hammer and some nails. I love my Granddad for allowing us to be creative, it has given me a love to build. He may not have known how to interact with kids like my Nanny did, but in his own way he did.
     Recently, our eldest son, Benjamin, and I decided to build a shed. We used what we had: seven doors, three bi-fold doors, a kids metal swimming pool without the liner, nails of every size and some scrap 2x4s and boards. It doesn't sound like much but it worked. We used the three shorter doors for one side and the three taller for the other so that our roof would have a slant. We saved the last door as an actual working door for the front. We joined them together by a 2x4 across the top and the bottom horizontally and used scrap pieces of wood vertically for reinforcement. Once the walls were finished we joined them together by using the boards we had across the back of the structure. Then we put on the roof which was the metal swimming pool. We not only had enough to cover the roof but the back of the shed as well. We used 2x4s across the top and two of the bi-fold doors under the swimming pool to give it extra strength from the weight of snow or rain (they're actually quite strong). We used part of an old deck for the floor. We used everything we had. We still have to paint the shed and install the front door, but we're pleased with what we've created. It gives us a shed to keep our snow shovels and lawn mowers in and it doesn't leak. We plan on painting each door a different color and we left each door knob or latch in place for a whimsical look. Our shed won't win any awards for 'best built' but it serves the purpose and it didn't cost us a cent. We used what we had.
     Granddad used what he had too to relate to his grandchildren and I am so glad he did. He could have retreated into the background and not tried but he didn't. He found something to connect us and because of that anytime I see a roofing nail, I remember my grandfather and what he did for us.

Pure Praise

I am blessed every time I see a child worshiping and praising God. They aren't doing it for show, they are opening their heart towards God and praising Him. It is a beautiful thing. Oftentimes, while I am leading a song service or an after service, I will see a child who is unashamedly praising God and it always thrills my soul. This is pure praise, praise that honors God and pleases Him. 

The Bible tells us in Matthew 18:3 that "...unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." In other words we'll not see heaven if we don't become like little children. But what are children like? Well, to begin with, children are trusting. We need to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5) He knows better than we do. He had a plan for your life before you were even born. Isn't that just amazing? Trust Him to do what is good for you. He has promised in His Word that He would take care of you always if you trust in Him.

Secondly, children are innocent. They haven't learned the art of wearing a mask to hide   their true feelings. They are uncorrupted by the world. James knew that we had to be on our guard when he said "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27) We are daily bombarded with the filth of the world, yet we have to live in this world so what do we do? We need to shift our focus from the things of this world onto the things of God. We need to guard our hearts and our minds from anything that is not pleasing to God. Philippians 4:8 is a good guideline to follow to help you remain untarnished by the world. "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." 

Thirdly, children are humble. They haven't yet fallen into the pit of pride and arrogance. They haven't been given any titles to live up to and so they are not self-absorbed. Jesus said in Matthew 18:4  that "whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." When a child wants to know something, they run to the nearest adult to find out the answer to their question. They are humble enough to understand that they don't know it all, as we should be too. When we have a question that needs answering, we need to run to our Father and ask for His guidance. Then we need to be wise enough to follow His instruction.

A child will believe what you tell them. It is that simple childlike faith that results in miracles. God, Himself, said that we need to be like little children, pure and undefiled. Children also learn by watching the adults in their world. Our children need to see us praising the Lord and praying and singing songs of praise to our Father and when they do they will do the same with a pure heart. 

A Pure Heart--Hillsong

A pure heart, that's what I long for.
A heart that follows hard after Thee;
A pure heart, that's what I long for.
A heart that follows hard after Thee.


VERSE:
A heart that hides Your Word
So that sin will not come in.
A heart that's undivided
But one You rule and reign;
A heart that beats compassion,
That pleases You, my Lord.
A sweet aroma of worship
That rises to Your throne.

What Do You Do With Bi fold Doors?

On community clean up week Alannah and I found six shutter style bi fold doors. So we took them apart and made a great raised bed garden for her strawberry plants. Since we only used half of each door, I have enough left over to make two more beds for vegetables. We used 2 inch screws to fasten the doors to each other, then laid down landscape cloth to help with the weeds and filled it with top soil. Easy and very cheap.

Kicking Against The Goads

Acts 26:14

21st Century King James Version 

 And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, `Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.'

Have you ever known someone who insisted on doing something they knew would end up hurting them? They won't listen to anyone who tries to stop them because in their mind they think they're right in their action and that 'this' time the situation will be different. Sure you have, we all have known people like that. Saul was persecuting the church and God basically told him that he would only hurt himself if he continued to 'kick against the goads'. Kicking the goads evidently referred to the futility of his persecuting the church. God had already said that He would build His church and even the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

To fully understand what God was saying we have to know what a 'goad' is. A goad was a sharpened stick that was used to prod animals along when they were plowing. When God said that Saul was kicking against the goads, He meant that Saul was only causing himself pain as if he was kicking against a sharp stick. 

How many times have I seen Christians who feel they are right in persecuting a pastor or his family! (Remember Saul was a religious person too.) They feel that this pastor isn't who God wanted in the pulpit, or that it is time for the pastor to move on to another church or they don't like how the pastor preaches or does certain things. So they withhold their tithe, which by the way doesn't belong to the pastor anyway, they are only robbing God. Or they skip church or worse they come to church with a scowl on their face and their arms crossed over their chest and stare the pastor down while he is attempting to bring the Word the Lord has laid on his heart. How these things grieve the heart of God!

But Christians like these are just being 'Sauls'; they're kicking against the goads. God will judge those who persecute His chosen. (Luke 18:7) God places pastors in pulpits, not men. We are to respect our pastors. (1 Thess. 5:12, 1 Timothy 5:17) And we also know that God does not repent of His calling. He doesn't change His mind about who He wants to be a pastor. (Romans 11:29) We know all these things yet there are still those who think they know better than God as to who should be in the pulpit and sadly because of these 'Sauls' many pastors have given up and left the ministry. 

They haven't given up on God and they still serve Him but they have given up trying to pastor people who do not want to be pastored. Oh the silly things I have heard from Christians over the years! One elderly woman said that she no longer attended Bible study because 'there is nothing any man can teach me'. Another middle aged woman said that she and two other women met faithfully every week to pray against her pastor, that God would remove him from their church! How can these people think they are pleasing God? They're kicking against the goads. God will not bless them for such actions but He will take care of His faithful servant who continues to pastor them. 

If you saw someone jabbing themselves with a sharp stick, you'd quickly tell them to stop because they would hurt themselves. But when we hear someone tearing down a pastor in malicious gossip, oftentimes we either don't say anything in defense of the pastor or we join in the conversation showing our agreement. Unwittingly, by doing so, we have joined forces with Satan to attack this man's ministry. 

If you have been guilty of kicking against the goads, why not repent today and ask the Lord to direct your paths. God will not bless a rebellious spirit. You may be a deeply 'religious' person but if you are rebelling against the authority God has placed over you, then you are clearly out of God's will. 

It's never too late to turn your life around and honor God with your actions, your words and your heart. Saul did and he became Paul. He changed from being the greatest persecutor of God's people to being one of the greatest, or perhaps the greatest preacher of all time! Just imagine what God can do with your life if you stop kicking against the goads, like Saul did. 

"There are always people eager to falsely accuse a man of God. They may do so because they resent his calling, reject his teaching, resist biblical authority, resent virtue, or are jealous of the Lord’s blessing on his life. Ultimately, however, they demonstrate by making such accusations that they have become messengers of Satan. Such false accusations are one of his most dangerous weapons. Joseph, Moses, David, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, and our Lord Jesus Christ all suffered from false accusations" 

(The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Timothy, 20-21).

He Did It Again

We have a Basset Hound puppy who is growing longer by the day. We had a travel kennel for him to sleep in while we are out but it was getting too small. We priced the larger kennels and found that they are $130. plus tax, more than we could currently afford. So our daughter prayed that God would provide a kennel for Duke. I didn't know she had prayed. She just kept it between her and God, but she trusted that the same God who had supplied our needs time and time again, would do it again. And He did! As we were driving to Kids Club last Wednesday night, Alannah shouted for me to stop the van. I couldn't stop it on a dime but I eventually got turned around and we went back to the place where she had told me to stop. There on the side of the road, in someone's discarded pile of junk was an extra large dog kennel. It was in perfect condition! God did it again. 


I tell you that story to tell you this one: as I was singing during the after service the other night I noticed a person in visible physical discomfort, sitting in the congregation. Frankly, they were in quite a bit of pain. My husband had asked for people to come forward for prayer and many had but not this person. Although they are a born again Christian and they knew that God could and does heal people of their sicknesses, they chose to remain in their seat. I couldn't understand why. When you know that help is there why wouldn't you take it?  I knew I needed a kennel for Duke, God had provided one for me, why would I then pass by it and never stop to take it home?


So being the curious person that I am, I approached this person after the service and asked why they hadn't gone forward for prayer and this was their answer: "God has more important things to take care of than me." I couldn't believe it! God cares about the tiniest sparrow. He knows us intimately. He's concerned with our troubles and He wants to help. This person who was in so much pain knew all this. They had sat in church for many years under good teaching. They know that God loves them and that He cares for their every need. Or do they? 


We can read the Bible and never apply it to our own lives in a personal way. We can sit under good teaching and hear all the promises of God but always think that they are for other people. We can have the truth laid out for us, right in front of us, and still not see it. We can be spiritually blind. I felt so bad for this person that they were so close to being relieved of their pain and they didn't think that healing was for them; that God didn't care. 


But I KNOW that God cares. I have seen Him move in my life and in the lives of others so many times. He has not only healed me, my husband and our children of very serious illnesses but He has provided for our needs so many times that I have lost count. God cares about all of His children. Both of our sons were born with clubbed feet and we were told they would both need multiple surgeries to correct their feet but neither one ever had one surgery and their feet are perfectly straight. God healed them both.  I have seen a tumor disappear, after prayer, from my father's back. I have been without food for our family and God has provided food in abundance for us, just in time for supper. I could go on and on telling you of how God still heals today and provides for us, and how He has proven Himself over and over again to me, but I think you have to experience His power for yourself to truly know what He is capable of. 


It begins with trust. Do you trust Him to meet your needs? Do you trust Him to heal your sicknesses? He loves you. He wants to take care of you. If you were dying of thirst in a desert and someone offered you a drink of water, wouldn't you take it? I think of this person, who was in so much pain during the service, as that person dying of thirst and refusing to drink any water. The promises of God are for all people who will accept them and trust Him. 


We believe the Bible is true; that it is God's inerrant Word. If God did the things the Bible says He did, can't He do them today? Yes! Of course He can and He does! We sing the little chorus "God can do it again and again and again, He's the same God today as He always has been, Yesterday, and forever, He's always the same, there's no reason to doubt, God can do it again". These are not just words that were put to music and we enjoy singing, they're the truth. Trust God and see that He can do it again! He will provide for all your needs and He will heal your sicknesses if you put your trust in Him. 


Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26


And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19


And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

Deny Myself? Who Me?

I was reading the Word this morning and came across this verse: 

"Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it."

(Luke 9:23-24)

I thought, as I read it, how hard it is to live up to this Scripture in the world we live in today. The media bombards us with messages telling us not to deny ourselves anything. "You deserve it" seems to be the mantra most are following now. Credit card companies tell us how easy it is to "have it all". "Rent to own" and "no payments til _____" are ways companies are enticing us to enjoy now and pay later. 

Years ago, people would save up for an item they wanted or they would use a layaway plan. We learned to deny ourselves the immediate gratification and wait until something was paid for to actually own it. But now many stores are doing away with layaway and credit is being toted as the only way to enjoy life. If we wanted to eat out, we went to a restaurant and actually sat down. Now we grow impatient when the drive thru is slow. We want instant gratification.

So bearing all this in mind, no wonder it's hard to live a Christian life and actually deny ourselves, as this verse tells us to. But what are we suppose to be denying? I believe its our sinful nature that needs denying. We are sinful people by nature, it's born in us. But when we fight against that want to be sinful we are denying ourselves. When we choose to do what is right, not, necessarily what we feel like doing, we are denying ourselves. We fight against the 'sins of the flesh which so easily beset us' (Hebrews 12:1) and we choose to take up our cross and follow after Him.

We live in a world where the accumulation of possessions seems to be the ultimate goal. We surround ourselves with bigger and better 'things' in an effort to have a 'good life' and to be happy. But like this verse tells us, we only end up losing our life by trying to make a life. Our 'things' cannot bring happiness.  But if we lose our life, if we lay down our own desires and choose to live for Christ, we will not only have a full, rich, vibrant life now but we will have the ultimate life when we live eternally with Him. 

Hidden In Plain Sight

My parents once had a small dog named Muffin. Muffin had many idiosyncrasies but one in particular always caused much laughter for the humans and much chagrin for poor Muffin. Whenever she was given a dog biscuit she wouldn't eat it but would 'hide' it instead. She never looked for a place out of sight or behind a table or chair. No, she 'hid' her treat in plain sight. She would drop the treat onto the carpet in the living room, usually at the head of the stairs, and proceed to 'bury' it by pushing her nose close to it several times. Then she would give us all a sideways glare and walk away from her now 'hidden' treat. If we ignored the treat and walked around it, all was well in Muffin's world, but if we pointed it out to her and 'discovered' it, oh, she would get mad. She's harrumph and sigh, pick up the treat and proceed to find another suitable-only-to-her spot for the snack. 


We'd always get a great laugh at Muffin's expense but aren't we the same way as Muffin sometimes? We have a bad habit or a sin and we try to cover it up, thinking that nobody can see it when all the time it's out there in plain sight. Or we have a problem in the home or with a friend and we ignore it instead of dealing with it, pretending that it's not there, hoping it will go away. Just because we choose to ignore something doesn't mean it's not still there waiting for us. 


It's easy to allow an offense or hurt to distance us from relationships that we once enjoyed but how much richer our lives would be if we apologized quickly and gave forgiveness just as quick! The Word of God tells us to "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32) 


Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

---

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.


Is there something, some problem, you've been trying to ignore? Today is the day to deal with it. Maybe it means saying you're sorry or maybe 'I forgive you', whatever it is don't keep walking around it pretending its not there; deal with it and be done with it. 

Five Things

I recently read an article about the five most common regrets people express as they are dying and that got me thinking about what I would regret. So here is my list:


1. I wish I had been more faithful to God. I was saved at ten but my pathway hasn't always been a straight one towards God. It has had bends and turns and times when I got caught in the briers along the way, but I would find my way back and God would always take me back. When I think of the times I have disappointed Him, it makes me wish I had been more faithful. 
2. I wish I had been more patient. Patience has never been my strong suite. I have tried and tried to emulate my father's patience and quiet, methodical ways but I come up short every time. He is a VERY patient man. Now that I am almost 50 I can say that the things that at one time bothered me, don't anymore and I am becoming a more patient person but I do wish I had been more patient earlier on in my life.
3. I wish I had had more confidence when I was younger. I spent so many years thinking I wasn't thin enough or I wasn't pretty enough and other such silly things instead of being content with who I am. I'm comfortable in my own skin, now, but I wish I could have been when I was younger. I wonder how different my life would have been.
4. I wish I had been a better daughter. My stubbornness and rebellious attitude was so ungodly! When I think back to my teenage years and how I talked back to my mother it causes me deep regret. How I wish I could take those words back! But words spoken can't be called back. I am thankful that I still have my parents with me so that I can be a better daughter now. 
5. I wish I had been a better wife. Again stubbornness and a rebellious attitude caused so many problems. I have been blessed with a godly husband and yet there were times when I didn't want to give him the leadership in our home and my actions caused so many unnecessary hurts. We have been blessed with almost 27 years of marriage and I'm learning every day to be the wife God wants me to be. 


It's hard to come up with a list of only five regrets because once we start thinking about all the things we would change if we could we realize there are so, so many but we can't focus on those things. What we need to do is to learn from them. A very wise woman once told me that everything in life is a lesson, if you choose to ignore it you are bound to repeat it but if you choose to learn your lesson you won't only avoid repeating it but you will be a better person because of it. And I guess that's true. Every situation, every problem, every trial can be a learning experience or it can cause you to become bitter and bitterness not only eats you up on the inside but spills over onto the people around you. 


What's done is done, there's no fixing the past, we can only make our present and future better with the Lord's help. I am so thankful that He is willing to forgive us and take us back time and time again. I am thankful that I have parents who have always shown me a godly example and forgave a disrespectful teenager. I'm thankful that I had people come into my life to build up confidence in me over the years so that now I can do the work God wants me to do. I'm thankful that the Lord has put good examples in my life so that I can emulate them and be more patient, more understanding, more loving. And I am thankful that I have a godly husband who loves me. I have never doubted his love and I am thankful he has never stopped loving his fallible wife.


What's your list? If you were facing death tonight what would you wish you had done differently? Let me encourage you to start living the life you wish you had lived. Don't live with regrets, just make today and tomorrow and the next day and so on and so on, better. Be a better person. Be the person you wish you had been. It's not too late until you breathe your last breath. Today is the new beginning you've been given, make the most of it with God's help.


Isaiah 43:18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.


2 Corinthians 5:17 "Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence."


Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Women of God

‎"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who 


are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we


 need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who 


are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We 


have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. 


We have enough popularity; we need more purity" Margaret Dyreng Nadauld

Taking On Goliath

When my husband and I were first married we had a small black dog named Lacey Jean. She was a spaniel mix and weighed around 25 lbs when she was full grown. My parents lived on the same street as we did and had a small mixed breed dog of their own named Muffin. She was around 20 lbs and was a few years older than Lacey Jean. 


When we first brought Lacey Jean home, Muffin was not impressed. She didn't like having a puppy pulling on her ears and nipping at her heals and basically being a puppy. But after awhile she not only bonded with her but she took her over as her own. Whenever Lacey Jean needed correcting, it was Muffin who would do it and Lacey Jean listened to her. She became a surrogate mother to the new puppy. 


Mom and Dad's house was on the same side of the street as our house and was four houses further down the road. Oftentimes the dogs would run to each other's house to visit or to get a dog treat. We never had to tie them up because they stayed on the pathway which ran behind all the houses at the edge of the treeline. There was only one dog between our two houses, besides our own. It was a young golden retriever that was always penned up. It would bark a lot when our dogs passed by but that was the only interaction they had until one fateful day.


I was in our back yard working in the garden when I heard terrible screams and yelps coming from the side yard. I started running, knowing that Lacey Jean was in horrible trouble. As I came around the side of the house I saw the golden retriever had Lacey Jean pinned on the ground and it was biting her belly. I could instantly see that the dog had drawn blood. I started yelling at the dog to get off of Lacey Jean when out of the corner of my eye I saw a streak of brown charging at the two dogs. It was little Muffin! She had heard the cries of 'her baby' and was coming to her rescue. 


Muffin lunged at the larger dog, latched onto its neck and wouldn't let go. Lacey Jean was able to run to safety because Muffin risked her life for her. The big dog shook its head back and forth trying to break free of Muffin, but Muffin wouldn't let go. Even though the other dog outweighed her by at least 70 lbs she bravely fought to protect Lacey Jean. Eventually the golden retriever was able to shake Muffin loose and ran for home. 


We were so proud of little Muffin and what she did. We cleaned Lacey Jean up and found that her cuts weren't deep and we praised Muffin and gave her extra treats that day. She was a hero. She gave no thought for her own life but bravely faced a Goliath of a dog to protect another.


This true story reminded me of how brave David was when he faced the giant, Goliath. The entire army of Israel was afraid to go out and face Goliath of Gath, yet David, a simple shepherd boy, dared to do what an army of seasoned fighting men could not. King Saul offered David his own personal armor but David chose not to wear it because it was too big and he had never worn armor before. David was comfortable with his simple slingshot, a weapon he was skilled at using. 


When you are facing a giant in your life, don't worry, God will use the unique skills He's already placed in your hands. Don't try to do things like others do them.  Just be yourself and use the gifts and talents God has given you. He will work miracles through you.

 The Israelite army saw a giant but David's faith in God caused him to look at Goliath differently. David knew that Goliath was only a mortal man defying the One and only true God. David looked at the battle from God's point of view. If we look at giant problems and impossible situations from God's perspective, we realize that God will fight for us and with us. When we put things in proper perspective, we see more clearly and we can fight more effectively.

When the giant criticized, insulted and threatened, David didn't stop or back down. Everyone else shook with fear, but David ran to the battle. He knew that something had to be done. David did the right thing in spite of the insults and threats Goliath threw his way. Only God's opinion mattered to David. David knew that Goliath's words were only that: words and he couldn't be killed with mere words.

Sometimes when we are facing a problem we allow fear to dictate what we do; how we handle it. But instead of cowering in fear we need to be more like David, more like little Muffin and run out to meet the battle. We need to remember that we have the Lord on our side and we cannot be defeated. 

 ⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:45-47

"For the Lord your God is going with you!
He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’"
Deuteronomy 20:4

"Do not be afraid of them,” the Lord said to Joshua, “for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you.”
Joshua 10:8 

We can face our Goliaths because we have the Lord with us. He has promised in Scripture that He will fight for us and He will give us victory. Trust in the Lord! Don't be afraid He is with you and will be always! You don't fight alone. You can stand up to the enemy with confidence that he has already been defeated. 

Just Casseroles

Almost eighteen years ago our baby girl was born and our lives were changed forever. Alannah has brought such joy into our hearts that its hard to imagine what life would be like without her. On Friday we will celebrate her birthday and, as we do with all of our children, I asked her if she would like to go out to a restaurant or to stay home for a special meal. She chose to stay home and have casseroles for her birthday meal. Now that's funny. Just ordinary casseroles. I offered to make a fancy lasagna, one of her favourites, or home made pizza, always  a hit, but she declined. She just wants casseroles. She likes them.

I personally think the whole meal idea of casseroles is so typically Alannah that I had to share this with you. Casseroles are comfort food; they make you feel good inside. They're made up of many different ingredients that blend together to create the finished dish with its own unique flavour. That's Alannah. She is made up of many parts that all blend together to create the woman you see. She is one of a kind.

Alannah is creative. She is not only good at making jewelery but she is a good cook and photographer, too. She can make beautiful floral arrangements and has an eye for beauty in the world around her. She can sew her own clothes and knit and is willing to try her hand at just about anything. She has laid flooring with her father and even installed a toilet. She loves to garden and produce food for others to enjoy, especially strawberries!

Alannah is compassionate. She has been teaching Sunday School since she was twelve and she loves the little children who are in her care. When they hurt they crawl onto her lap and she gladly gives them the comfort they need. She loves animals, especially her cocker spaniel, Lilly Rose. She loves seniors and sometimes bonds with them much quicker than she does girls her own age. She once told me that when she gets married she wants the older ladies of the church to be her bridesmaids simply because they are the ones she loves and who love her. I think that would be a beautiful sight to see: an honor guard so to speak of wise women who love her and who have been an example to her.

Alannah is a woman of God. She reads the Word daily and studies it. She prays. Oh, is she a prayer warrior! Every time I have been asked to speak to a group of people I have taken her with me and she has sat on the front pew and prayed for me. The first time she did this she was so young her feet didn't touch the floor, yet she sat there fervently praying that the Lord would touch people through her mama's message. I am blessed. Alannah has kept herself pure and follows after God. She lives to please Him. She is quick to forgive and to seek forgiveness.

Alannah is unique. She is modest and she is a lady in the truest sense of the word. She isn't swayed by popular opinion but relies on the Word to be her guide. She is fiercely loyal and protective. She is the friend you want to have. If ever I knew a true Proverbs 31 woman, it would be Alannah. She is wise beyond her years and is excited about what God has in store for her.

 In September she is going off to university to become a teacher. I'm so happy for her. This is a dream come true. She wanted to attend a Christian university and the Lord has opened the door for her to do so. She is so much a part of my life that I don't even want to think about not having her around all the time, but I wouldn't wish it to be any other way. I know that she is going to be a wonderful teacher and that many young lives will be changed because of her.

So to celebrate this wonderful woman God has brought into all of our lives, we are having casseroles. Not a very fancy meal; not ostentatious in the least. A meal of many layers and ingredients. A meal that brings comfort and makes you feel good. Yes, a casserole is the perfect meal to celebrate Alannah.