Life Lessons
And the king turned his face
about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;) And he said, Blessed be
the LORD God of Israel,
which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying, Since the day that I brought
forth my people Israel
out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose
David to be over my people Israel. And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God
of Israel. And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in
thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. Nevertheless thou shalt not build
the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name. And the LORD hath
performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as
the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein
is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
(1 Kings 8:1-21 KJV) Jesus knows our hearts. He knows every intention and every
purpose we have. I wonder if most of us have a desire in our hearts to honor God or just live how we want to live, as
long as we're happy? How did we become a community of people that has that attitude, oh well, as long as they are
happy? I feel bad as I look back and I can see where I have had that attitude. How wrong I was not only to let
that person down, but the Lord as well.
I
was talking to a lady yesterday and she was telling me about her son who is in his early 20's and is struggling between
being a kid and trying to grow up. Wants to go to college, but doesn't know what he wants to do. Works a job
 - but hates it. She said I wish that I had made different choices while he was a teenager. I wish I would have
made him get a job while he was playing sports. I said to myself ... note to self, encourage my children to want to
work for things in life. If our intentions are to honor God and glorify God, we will be blessed. By that I mean,
that is what will bring a happy and content life. You can't have peace ~ until you know the Prince of Peace!
I hope you all have had a great week.
It is hard to believe another one has passed us by and it almost July. Please continue to remember Jeanne in prayer
as she heals from her surgery yesterday. Have a great Thursday ~ count your blessings! When I first typed that
I wrote lessings. I suppose we really should count our lessings as a blessing too!
Be thankful in
all things!
Love, Tracy
Following the Path
"My
soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence;
I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust
in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us." (Psalm
62:5-8 KJV)
"God, the one and only— I'll
wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not? He's solid rock under my feet, breathing
room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I'm set for life. My help and glory are in God —granite-strength
and safe-harbor-God— So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe
place to be." (Psalm 62:5-8 The Message)
In
the first line of this scripture, it says "for my expectation is from him or I'll wait as long as he says. Everything
I hope for comes from him ... He only is my rock and my salvation." Are these your thoughts today? I was
thinking about something that was asked in my Sunday school class Sunday. You are asked the question, who is Jesus
to you? What does He mean to you? This scripture is our answer. Or should be. He is our Salvation,
our Hope, our refuge, our help, our provider, our Rock, He is our confidant, He is our counselor, He is our healer, our Father,
He is everything!
I hope today that you do not feel hopeless ... because
if you have Jesus in your heart and life there is only hope ahead. He is your refuge! Seek Him. Only the
Lord can give you the peace and comfort you need in your heart ... look to Him to guide you each day and direct your ways
in a direction that will give God the Glory.
I hope you all have a great
Wednesday. Please continue to remember Jeanne Dost. She will be having surgery today. Count your blessings!
Love, Tracy
Living in a Big World "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I
will declare what he hath done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If
I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice
of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me." (Psalm 66:16-20
KJV)
I started watching this show on TLC (Discovery) called, Little People, Big World. Everytime I watch
it I see my life differently. This family amazes me. 2 little people, (Matt and Amy), that have 4 children, twins
- Jeremy, who is the size of an average teen and Zach who is a little person. Molly and Jacob. The Roloff's.
This reality show, shows the viewers how this family survives in a world catering to big people. It really
makes you think about all the things in life we take for granted. Starting with a normal pregnancy to a healthy birth.
Their son that is a little person, inspires me. I don't know what I thought the personalities of a dwarf would be,
but this particular family is no different from most of American families. This is one reality show that I think will
be a hit, because it gives an average person insight to what these people go through on a daily basis when they have to survive
in a world where everything is out of reach. Even down to the kitchen they have to use every day, the washing machine
knobs, light switches, shower heads. I could go on and on. In one episode, Matt was visiting hotels
to sell a product (I believe he and another little person came up) with for hotels to have on hand that will help little people
when they stay in a hotel, so they do not have to stand on chairs to brush their teeth or stand on the toilet to fix the shower
head in the bathroom. It really opened my eyes to how I take so much for granted.
In my daily walk I do forget sometimes to just thanks the Lord for all the blessings
He has given me. I mean the blessings I take for granted. Like just being able to sit and write this devotion
this morning. I hope that you have a chance to watch this program. Let your children watch it, explain to them
that people are different and how blessed we are to know that. I hope you all have a great Tuesday. Really think
outside the box today. Love, Tracy
Jesus Prayed for You. "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also
for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am
in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave
me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know
that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me
where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous
Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them,
and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
(John 17:20-26 NIV)
After Jesus prayed for His Disciples, He prayed for all believers, which included us today that would hear
His message. If we can actually believe it, there are people in this world today that have never heard of Jesus
the Savior. We were discussing in Sunday School yesterday, even the demons of hell believe in Jesus. Many people
in the world know there was a man named Jesus, even believed He was born of Mary by a virgin birth. But is there
anything personal about your relationship with Him? As you get up each day what are your thoughts? As you lay
awake at night, are you thinking about your relationship with Jesus? As you are reading this are you thinking ~ what
is she talking about? As I think about my daily walk, I think about how blessed I am. I think about the journey
I am on and I am so thankful for all that the Lord does in my life. I pray for my children each day, that the Lord will
be a huge part of their lives always and that they will never be ashamed of Him.
I hope that prayer is a part of your daily life and that you can strive to share a word of testimony each day.
Pray for your friends and the people you may come in contact with each day that the Lord opens a door for you to encourage
someone. I hope that you all have a great Monday! Count your blessings! No matter what you face today,
you are so blessed. Love, Tracy
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