We continue to give thanks

 I hope you had a great time of fun and fellowship with your family yesterday as you all celebrated Thanksgiving.  I actually hosted Thanksgiving dinner -and had my family over, everything went well -Praise the Lord. Two years ago I never knew that I would have gotten to this point. God has brought me a mighty long way. Please continue to keep me and my family in your prayers.

 In addition to your meal, what else were you thankful for this holiday season? I hope you were able to identify at least one other thing that you were grateful for. It is so easy to focus on that one thing that we do not have rather than on the many things that we do have.

I Thess. 5: 18 sums this up very well. Here is what it says.

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 I don't want you to miss what Paul is saying here when he says- In everything give thanks. Paul is not saying that we should give thanks for everything, but that we should give thanks in everything. If we have this attitude it means that we recognize God's sovereign hand is in charge, and not blind fate or chance.

 Paul continues to tell us that we should give thanks because "this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you":  The thought isn't "this is God's will, so you must do it." The thought is rather "this is God's will, so you can do it."

 It isn't easy to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks, but we can do it because it is God's will.  Let us pray that we will always strive to display a heart of thankfulness and that our children will also develop a grateful heart.

 

 In His service,

  

Vilma

Happy Thanksgiving

 I wish for all of you a great and HAPPY thanksgiving day. I do realize that for many of us the holiday season can be extremely difficult especially for those of us who have lost loved ones- spouses, children, parents. The pain for some is still very piercing, as this may be the first, second or third holiday without our precious loved ones.

However, let us make the best of to...day and:

Give God thanks for those that are still with us and for a chance to still let them know how thankful we are for them.

Give God thanks for a place that you can call home, where you are sheltered from the cold and wind.

Give God thanks that He woke you up this morning and that you are in your right mind.

Give God thanks for the food that He has provided for you today, whether in your own kitchen or in someone else's kitchen.

Give God thanks for all the leftovers you will have for days and the creative ways that He will allow you to use up your left over.

Give thanks that He keeps His word and the spirits of your loved ones are secured in His arms until He returns when you will all be united once more.

In His Service,

Vilma

God's name can never be erased.

What a reassurance to know that our God is always in control. He does not get concerned about the various methods that mere mortal men have tried to keep him in a box. He knows that His position can never be usurped and He will never abdicate it.

 As much as we know this, we tend to get concerned when He seems to be too quiet. There are times when certain things happen we tend to question how did that one slip by Him? There are times when it appears that the wicked are prospering while the righteous appears to suffer, So many times we see one nation overpowering the next and it appears that God is nowhere to be found. I have learned that these are times when we must go on what we know about God and not on the appearance of things.

Earlier this week someone shared with me about her husband a football coach, receiving an e-mail from ACLU telling him that he could not participate in prayer with his students. He was also told that he should be a certain number of feet from the students when they prayed. Just  prior to this incident it was on the news where another football coach was disciplined and also told that he could not join the circle if his football players chose to pray before their games. In addition 2 school districts in Maryland decided that their students would now have winter and spring break instead of Christmas break or Easter break. This is truly amazing as we can clearly see what is happening in schools and with our children with them trying to remove the name of Jesus/God from schools.

  Do you realize that try as we may we cannot erase the name of the Lord? Did you know that no one else can take His place even if to some of us He does not seem to be functioning the way we think He should?  Here is a great passage that was shared at our time of prayer at my church - Isaiah 40:12-18 -This passage has certainly put things into perspectives, please take a minute to read it.

God is so big that he measures the seas by holding them in the palm of his hand

Do not get anxious. God is still in control and we will never be able to erase His name. Try not to get trapped in going along with the status quo, but keep saying Christmas and Easter holidays and teach your children why it is important.

Have a great Thanksgiving and remember to extend the generosity beyond your immediate family

In His service,

 Vilma

 

God's Faithfulness

I trust you and your family are doing well and realizing all the blessings that God has promised to you.  I am doing well and just celebrated a very big birthday this past week. I am grateful for this awesome blessing but had mixed emotions as I thought about my son who never had even a half of what I celebrated. What can I say? God has been and continues to be faithful.

  

I am sure that you can also think of instances where God has proven His Faithfulness in your life as well as in the life of your family.

  David knew of God's faithfulness as well? Here is what he said in Psalm 37:25 - I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. David had been through many situations in His life but never felt that God had forsaken Him or allowed his offspring to be in want of food.

  Are you dealing with a situation in your life where you cannot see a way out? Are you overwhelmed with "stuff". Are you worried about your children- their choices, their health, their future? Well it is time to let go and Let God, knowing that He is Faithful to keep both you and your children from falling or suffering defeat. What a consolation !

  

 In His service,

 

Vilma