A New Beginning

I hope you had a great Christmas.  What do you know this is the last Friday in the month of December in the year 2012. This year has certainly gone by very quickly. How was 2012 for you?  Some of us started out 2012 with a lot of plans and dreams which somehow never materialized. Some of us made a lot of mistakes and bad decisions in 2012. Some of us may have gotten promoted, or demoted or lost jobs. Some may have gotten married or divorced or found that person of your dreams that you are now dating. Well I must say that this was an extremely difficult and challenging year for me and my family.  I felt like everything that could possibly happen came at us- the worst being the loss of my 28 year old son. Although bruised and battered and not understanding a lot of what has happened, I am still thanking God for His goodness and His faithfulness.  I know that because of His incredible love for me He will turn to good what was meant for bad. However, in whatever state we find ourselves, 2013 is looming around the corner and ready or not it will be here in a few days.  A new year heralds a new beginning; it signifies a second chance at our goals, dreams and aspirations.  Let's move forward! We can't undo what has been done in 2012 we have to now pick up the pieces and try to make our picture from a different angle. For those who had a good year, you also have a chance to make it even better.

 Here are a few suggestions for 2013:

Let us start by celebrating the New Year with thanking God in spite of what was.

Let us endeavor for a closer walk with God by praying more and reading the Word more.

Let us walk more in love and forgiveness, kindness and patience.

Let us not live with regrets; “I should”, or “I wish I could”.  Instead let us resolve with, “I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Phil 4:13.

Let us endeavor to enjoy our everyday life on purpose

Don't procrastinate in doing what God has called you to do.

In His Service,

Vilma

Its Not Just a Holiday

I wish for you a very happy Friday evening. Yesterday we completed our “50 States in 50 days” of praying for our children. I hope you were as blessed as I was praying each day. I had a wonderful experience, even just becoming familiar with the names of the various States alphabetically was awesome. Well in case you missed this experience, do not despair as I mentioned before, starting in January we will continue our prayers for children of various nations. Please stay tuned for more information.

In 4 more days it will be Christmas, one of the most important days for Christians as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately this has become much commercialized and most people spend hundreds of dollars and a lot of time shopping for gifts. Credit cards will be maxed out in trying to make sure we get everyone that very special gift.  There is nothing wrong with giving people gifts, but we should never make it the reason for Christmas.  Most of these gifts that you buy will be taken back to the stores or re-gifted or will be left in the box untouched, and then there are those gifts that will get broken by the end of the first day. Some of us who will receive gifts may be disappointed with it, because it does not meet with our expectations. In other words these gifts are not lasting.

Let me suggest that this year we do things a little differently. Let us resolve not to use our credit cards to shop. If you cannot pay for it in cash leave it alone. Do not be stuck with a bill to start the New Year. Next, you do not have to get every gift your child has on their Christmas list.  How about choosing two of the most important ones and reward them throughout the year with the rest you were not able to get for Christmas. They may be temporarily upset on Christmas day, but can you imagine their delight throughout the year receiving these gifts they may have forgotten about.

 I suggest that we give gifts that are needed and lasting such as the gift of forgiveness that you have held up for so many years from that friend or relative that badly needs it. How about giving the gifts of love, mercy, kindness and joy? You may not have thought about it but these are very valuable and lasting gifts that bring a smile each time they are given. If you think about it Christmas time can get very lonely for a lot of people. Some are depressed, others are sad, let us bring to them the message of hope, and remind them that Jesus Christ the Savior is born. Remind them: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.(Isaiah 9:6). One good thing is that this won’t cost you anything monetary and if it does it will not be an arm and a leg.

God gave us the greatest gift that any person could ever give or receive. He wants us to pattern our giving as He did by giving something that will last. So as you gather around your Christmas tree and open your gifts and see the joy on your loved ones faces, remind them of the real reason for the season.

In His service,

Vilma

Tradegy In Newton Connecticut

 I assume by now you have all heard about the horrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut where a 20 year old male massacred 20 children and 6 adults including his mother. This evening 26 families, no an entire community;  wait, the State of Connecticut, wrong again the  entire east coast, well as a matter of fact the entire United States of America is in mourning.  The majority of us have no idea who these people are, we don’t have their names, we have never heard their voices, or their laughter, neither have we seen their tears, but as people of compassion, as parents, and mothers we cannot help but choke back the tears and utter astonishment as this tragedy unfolds.

In October God gave me a strong desire to have mothers pray for our children in every State and hence “50 States in 50 days” was born.  Today we are at day 44 with just 6 more States to go and of course we already prayed for children in Connecticut.  So the question is if we prayed why then did this happen?  My response is can you imagine what this would be like if we did not pray?

Mothers we cannot should not allow ourselves to become complacent.  We cannot overlook what is happening around us.  We had the Columbine shooting, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Colorado, and now Newton, Connecticut.  We cannot stop praying for our children.  Satan is going to and fro like a roaring lion seeking people to devour.  He does not play fair.  He does not discriminate, he does not care how old you are, how rich, how pretty, how educated, how good or bad.  He will take anyone.  Ephesians 6:12 tells us- For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].  Satan will use any one to do his bidding.  Mothers we must P.U.S.H. (pray until something happens).  What makes a 20 year old shoot his mother and 20 innocent children?  I can see Satan’s hand prints all over it.

As we continue to pray for children in the assigned States, let us also pray for tighter gun   control; let us pray for the community of Newton, Connecticut.  Let us especially pray for those parents who have lost their children, and children who may have lost parents, that they will be comforted. With the upcoming Christmas holidays it makes even so much worse.

In His Service,

Vilma

We are God's Workmanship Created for Good Works

Let’s give praises to God who blesses us daily with good things.  I know we may not feel blessed on days when things seem to go crazy and we feel overwhelmed.  However always know that things could always be worse.  How has prayer been going for our children in each state?  Well it is day 37 and by now it should have become a habit for you- remember it takes 21 days to do something for it to become a habit. Well I am hooked!

The verse for this week comes from Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. What was Paul saying to the Ephesians?  Paul was reminding them that God was daily working in their lives so they would accomplish the works He pre-ordained that they should accomplish.  Why is this exciting?  Firstly in whatever state you may think you or your children are in God is reshaping and refashion us to what He wants.  Secondly God does not do things half-way.  He creates masterpieces that far surpass Picasso, and Rembrandt.  God does this makeover in Jesus Christ not just to be on display on a shelf, but to be on display for Him accomplishing against the odds, the work He pre-ordained for us.

So often we are bummed out by what is happening in our lives, because God does not always show us the whole picture.  He just shows us pieces of the puzzle.  Most time as we look at the piece of puzzle we have before us we tend to get even more anxious because we don’t know exactly where it fits in the big picture.  Sometimes when we start a puzzle it takes us a while to place each piece in the right place.  We keep putting a piece in, taking it out, shifting it around because the place we were so sure it would fit it does not.  That is where Trust comes in.  It will eventually all come together; God is the master craftsman of our lives.  Take your hand off the pieces and allow Him to put them together.  Some of us may be at the stage where the picture is starting to take shape and you can see more clearly- praise God and let us encourage those who may be just starting out on the road to their purpose.

So if you or your children are facing some challenges in your life at the moment and Feel as if God has abandoned you, keep trusting Him, do not give up because He is working behind the scenes.  He knows the plan.

In His Service,

Vilma