Morning Musing Over Coffee - Sharing God's Comfort



credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4


As a Christian I am a child of a wonderful Father. One of the blessings of being His child is receiving His comfort when we are in trouble. No matter what the circumstances He is always there to hear, to strengthen, to give strength and to help me through my problems. He does this because He loves me more than I can ever imagine.


And I am so glad to receive that help and comfort. I am quick to ask for it, and I am grateful and thank Him for it. And He wants that - He wants me to ask, He wants to give, and wants me to thank Him.


But He also wants me to share these blessings. He does not comfort me so that I can sit in my little corner and feel good. He loves me and wants good things for me, but He loves all those around me and wants the same for them.  He comforts me so that I in turn can share with others and they too can be comforted and strengthened. 


Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light. ~Norman B. Rice



The Simple Woman's Daybook - Wednesday March 7, 2012

For Today

Outside my window . . . Today was sunny warm and windy with highs in the 60s. When I looked outside this morning there were over 30 Robins in the yard, definitely a welcome sign that Spring is right around the corner.

I am thinking . . . that this week is a very busy week.

I am thankful . . . for friends and family.

In the kitchen . . . Not much of interest happened in the kitchen today. We had cereal for breakfast, leftovers for lunch and ate dinner at church this evening.

I am going . . . I'm home for the day now but earlier today I went with one of the kids for a neurological evaluation. Then this evening we went to church for the usual Wednesday evening activities - dinner, Praise & Worship, class and then choir practice for me.



I am hoping . . . that this video helps to makes a difference.
.


We are learning . . . Since this month is the birthday month of Dr. Seuss I thought it would be fun to do some Dr. Seuss activities with the younger kids. So we've been reading some of the Dr. Seuss books. We also have the Dr. Seuss 3 Games in One Tin that I had never introduced to this set of kids before so we've been playing those games this week.

Around the house . . . it is very quiet.

I am pondering . . . Thoughts and Words.


A favorite quote for today . . .  No man can follow Christ and go astray. ~ William H.P. Faunce

One of my favorite things . . . warm spring-like temperatures.


A peak into my day . . . Amanda with blue chalk dust all over her face. Why? Because she's goofy like that.

Morning Musing Over Coffee - Thoughts and Words



credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

 

For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. ~ 1 Peter 3:10

 

By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach. ~ Winston Churchill

 

There are days when it seems to me my mouth has a mind of it's own. Because things come out of it that I really did not mean or want to say.

 

And yet, I know that these words that I wish I had swallowed are a symptom of allowing my thoughts to go in directions it should not go.

 

So I have to go back to the source and ask God to renew my mind and heart. Then I have to make a conscious choice to change my way of thinking. When my thoughts change, so do my words.

 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~ Philippians 4:8

 

 

 

New Coupons from Coupons.com - Including Two New Claritin Coupons

$4.00 off Non-Drowsy Claritin-D Allergy

$4.00 off Non-Drowsy Claritin Allergy Product

$1.00 off one 11.5 oz. 6-pack of V8 juice.

$1.00 off off Kiss Artificial Nail Product

$1.00 off Kiss Premium Lash Product

$1.00 off Kiss Nail Dress

This post contains affiliate links.

Morning Musing Over Coffee - Perfect Faithfulness





credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

 

 

 LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” ~ Isaiah 25:1

 

 

You can tell the size of your God by looking at the size of your worry list. The longer your list the smaller your God.  ~ Author Unknown

 

 

This quote makes me stop and think. Of course, I know that size of my worry list has nothing to do with the size of God, He is the same Almighty God no matter what I choose to worry about. But I sure can make Him look small in the eyes of others if I am constantly walking around in a state of worry and stress.

 

 

Sometimes when my kids worry about a noise they hear outside and are afraid or concerned I tell them that God is bigger than anything out there so we don't have to be afraid. I have a couple of kids who are afraid of storms and I've also reminded them that God is bigger than any storm so we don't have to be scared.

 

 

It can be so easy to tell my kids this truth and yet so hard to live it out in my own life. But I'm learning, sometimes slowly, but still progress. And the reason I'm learning is because no matter how I feel, God is still the same and what he says is truth. His faithfulness is perfect, even though I am not. And each wonderful thing I see Him do increases my faith.

 

 

I do have to wonder though if God chuckles or is a little saddened by my amazement when He does wonderful things in my life and in the lives of others. After all He has promised over and over, and He has stood the test of time.

 

 

I am so thankful for a loving God who is always faithful to His children!

The Simple Woman's Daybook - Monday March 5, 2012

For Today

Outside my window . . . Snow!!!! I was so surprised when I woke up this morning to see snow falling and the ground covered. We got around 4 inches here although some places nearby got six or more inches.

I am thinking . . . about how lost I felt the last few days without my computer. It crashed yesterday morning and Doug was finally able to get it going again this evening. In the meantime I really missed it. It's like my lifeline to the outside world some days.

I am thankful . . . for good news from Michael's geneticist today. All three of the tests they sent in came back normal. They tested for Prader-Willi Syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis, and a general test. In an otherwise crazy day this was some wonderful news and I'm thanking God for it.

In the kitchen . . . Michael has been a little put out that the other three kids make meals a couple times a week and he doesn't. So last week I had him help me pick out a few things that would be simple for him to make. Of course, I'm right there with him, but as much as possible I let him do it on his own. So today for lunch he made pizza and salad. He worked very hard to tear open each box of frozen pizza and put the pizza on the pan. And he was very proud of himself for putting them in the oven. And tearing the lettuce for the salad was fun too.

We are creating . . . a day off from school - both homeschool and public school - meant lots of drawing, beading, and crafting. CJ was busy most of the day making various interesting things out of cardboard and tape.

I am going . . . There were two appointments I was planning to go to today. I had planned to be the Community Services Board this morning and then an IEP meeting this afternoon. But because of the snow those appointments were canceled.

I am reading . . . I wanted to share a blog post that I read earlier this evening. Sarah Markley at The Best Days of My Life shared this post -  The Best Days of My Life: Revisited. It's a good reminder to enjoy the season of life we are in now, knowing that God is in charge.

I am hoping . . . that we get some paperwork this week that we've been waiting for. I've called the office we need it from several times and just can't seem to get further than voice mail. I've left several messages stating what I need and my phone number and address and nothing happens. It's getting frustrating, because we need this paper for taxes and for getting Michael's new medicaid card.

I am looking forward to . . . the warmer weather in the forecast for later this week. Snow the beginning of the week and temperatures in the 60s the end of the week.

I am learning . . . to live, love and laugh more and worry less.

Around the house . . . It's been a busy day in spite of all the appointments being cancelled.

I am pondering . . . a sentence from Dave Burchetts book When Bad Christians Happen to Good People. In chapter 6 Our Walkin' Ain't Matchin' our Talkin' is this sentence - "Our Christian lives should create interest, not validate cynicism." How true, and how sad that it even needs to said. 

A favorite quote for today . . . We need to find God and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how the move in silence.... We need silence to be able to touch souls. ~ Mother Teresa

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . a couple more appointments, volunteering with Amanda at the SPCA, and church are a few of the things coming up this week.

A peek into my day . . . This picture isn't from today but is one I found on my memory card from a few weeks ago. I thought it was too cute not to share. I love how peacefully he's sleeping and those little baby feet sticking out from under the blanket.

Homemade Chalkboard Table

For the longest time I've been fascinated with chalkboard paint and the endless possibilities for it. I looked at pictures and read blog posts about all the fun things people were doing with chalkboard paint. And I bought a spray bottle of chalkboard paint
. At first I thought I would paint a section of one of the playroom walls with it. But I couldn't decide which wall and there never seemed to be a good time to do it when there wouldn't be little fingers in it long before it dried.

Then we made some room changes which put Michael and CJ in room with a closet where the doors refused to stay on their sliding track. It drove me crazy, because nearly every day those doors would come off the track and I never could get them back on. The we would have to wait for Doug to come home to put them on, only to start the whole cycle over again the next day.

Finally, one day I'd had enough and took the those doors completely off the track and out of the room. And I knew exactly what I was going to do with them. We have four small tables that we were using for the kids to do activities on. I took each closet door and laid it over two of the small tables, making a large table. The kids loved it. There was so much more room for larger projects. I loved it. No more irritating closet doors!

And then Doug pointed out that we could make one of those tables into a chalkboard table. And even better than just pointing out the option, he took the door and the paint out to the garage and painted it for me.

So now we have a large chalkboard table. Today, I bought a big box of sidewalk chalk
  and let the kids break in the table. CJ and Michael enjoyed it today and I think the other kids will love it on Monday.

~ Linking Here ~

SUNDAY - Strut Your Stuff, Sharing Time, Creative Bloggers Party and Hop, So Sweet Sundays, Sunday Showcase , Not “Baaad” Sunday, Think Pink Sundays, Sunday Linky Party, DIY Project Parade, Just Something I Whipped Up, Sew Darn Crafty, {K.I.S.S.} Blog Bash, MONDAY - Made by You Monday, Savvy HomeMade Monday, Inspire Me Mondays, A Marvelous Mess, I Made It, Making the World Cuter Monday, More the Merrier, Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Making Monday Marvelous, Motivate Me Monday, Market Yourself Monday, TUESDAY - Titus 2sdays, A Little Birdie Told Me, Domestically Divine, One Project at a Time, Teach Me Tuesdays WEDNESDAY - Homemaking Link-Up, Made by Me Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesdays, THURSDAY - Delightfully Inspiring Thursday, Creative Juice Thursday, It's a Party, Link It Up Thursday, FRIDAY – Fridays Unfolded, Finer Things Friday, Fridays on Remodelaholic, Pomp Party SATURDAY - Weekend Wrap-Up Party, Get Schooled Saturday

~ And Here ~

SUNDAY – Hey Mom, Look What I Did, Science Sunday, Craft Schooling Sunday, The Sunday Showcase, Link & Learn, MONDAY - Learning Laboratory, Made by Little Hands Monday, TUESDAY - Fun Sparks, Noted Show and Tell Blog Hop, WEDNESDAY – All Things Wonderful, Kids Get Crafty, THURSDAY – It's Playtime, FRIDAY – Preschool Corner, For the Kids Fridays, Outdoor Play, The Play Academy, Fun For Kids Friday, Read, Explore, Learn,

The Simple Woman's Daybook - Saturday March 3, 2012

For Today

Outside my window . . . 37 degrees and breezy.

I am thinking . . . of Doug tonight as he's putting in his monthly volunteer time at the Rescue Squad. It's a 12 hour shift and although there are places there for the volunteers to sleep he always has a hard time sleeping between calls. Besides his monthly 12 hour shift he also runs calls as needed if there are calls back to back and more volunteers are needed.

I am thankful . . . that there are people willing to put in the time to get the training needed to be available to help others in times of crisis.

In the kitchen . . . Often on Saturdays we have a late breakfast and early dinner, skipping lunch. Saturday is our shopping day and the kids always want to use a little of their money for snacks so they aren't lacking for food between those two meals. For dinner Doug grilled Black Angus Burgers for us.



This evening CJ, Michael and I baked Peppermint Sugar Cookies. These were from a roll of cookie dough that CJ bought last week and we finally got around to baking.

I am going . . . We did our grocery shopping today as well as running a few other errands - post office, bank, etc.

I am wondering . . . if Doug will have to run many calls tonight or if it will be a quiet night.

I am hoping . . . that the Ibuprofen I gave Michael before he went to bed keeps his ear from hurting so he can sleep well tonight. It was bothering him alot earlier this evening. Just two more weeks and he'll have those tubes in his ears.

I am looking forward to . . . Daylight Savings Time beginning next Sunday. I like the idea of daylight later in the evenings.

I am learning . . . that apparently Amanda's cat will eat just about anything. Amanda just caught her trying to get to the Peppermint Sugar Cookies!

Around the house . . . the dog is barking at every little sound outside. Austin is using his new walkie-talkie he bought today to talk to his cousins who live just down the road a little way.

I am pondering . . . Jeremiah 29:11

A favorite quote for today . . . A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. ~ Harry Truman

A peek into my day . . . Amanda playing tug of war with our dog, Roni, with the new toy she bought for her today.



The Simple Woman's Daybook - Friday March 2, 2012

For Today

Outside my window . . . it's is dark and rainy. There is a flood warning in effect here until shortly after midnight. I just heard a rumble of thunder a few minutes ago.

I am thinking . . . about the storms and tornados crossing our country tonight.

I am thankful . . . for a day filled with blessings - laughter, meaningful work, love, family, baby smiles, good food, coffee - so many blessings if I just stop to pay attention.

In the kitchen . . . I made homemade crackers in five flavors today. I'm looking forward to making more of them in the future and experimenting with different flavors.

I am wondering . . . if this is going to be another Spring filled with devastating storms. There have already been quite a number of tornados this week, although not near us.

I am hoping . . . for  a productive weekend. I would love to get to do some writing and work on some other projects I have started and can't seem to finish.

I am looking forward to . . . another day of blessings tomorrow.

We are learning . . . Michael and I finished Earth and Space (EXPLORE AND LEARN, VOLUME 1) today. This is the first of five Explore and Learn books we will be working through.

CJ is working on learning to knit. This was his evening to cook dinner so he decided to bring his knitting to the kitchen and get in a few stitches while he waited for the macaroni to cook.

 Around the house . . . since I almost always write this post in the late evening it seems like I'm always saying everyone is asleep or on the computer. It's just the way our late evenings are around here.

I am pondering . . . Laughter.

A favorite quote for today . . . Many an opportunity is lost because man is out looking for four-leaf clovers. ~ Author Unknown

A peek into my day . . .



Homemade Crackers in Five Flavors

All week I've been wanting to make homemade crackers. This morning Doug was home from work and could take Lauren to and from preschool for me and that opened up some time for me to finally make them.

I ended up making five batches, using different seasonings and flavorings in each batch. It was fun and made the house smell good.

I started with this recipe from Recipetips.com and then made my own modifications.

Here are the five different variations I made today.

Basic Recipe

1 1/4 cups white flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons water

Add Ins

1

 1 1/2 teaspoons soul food seasoning

2

 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3

1 1/2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese

 1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary

4

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

5

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix together the ingredients for the basic recipe and whatever add ins you want. Roll the dough out as thin as possible on a aluminum foil the size of the baking pan you will be using. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until

lightly browned.

Let cool and break into pieces.

Most of the family really liked these, some liked one flavor more than another but overall they were a hit. Interestingly, Amanda who is usually the pickiest eater here really liked these, while CJ who will usually eat almost anything did not like them at all.

One of the commenters on the original recipe said she liked to cut the dough into small squares or even us small cookie cutters for cute crackers. I like the idea but I get too impatient. In fact, I've made homemade crackers before, using a different recipe and on of the reasons I hadn't tried it again was because of how long it took me cut all the dough into cracker sized pieces. So I just broke mine up after it cooled a little and loved how fast it was.

I'm looking forward to trying more variations of these crackers with different seasonings as well as with cornmeal and whole wheat flour.

~ Linking Here ~

SUNDAY – Strut Your Stuff, Sharing Time, Creative Bloggers Party and Hop, So Sweet Sundays, Sunday Showcase, Not “Baaad” Sunday , Think Pink Sundays, Sunday Linky Party, DIY Project Parade, Savory Sundays, Just Something I Whipped Up, Sew Darn Crafty,{K.I.S.S.} Blog Bash, MONDAY – I Made It, More the Merrier, Inspire Me Mondays, A Marvelous Mess, Made By You Monday, Making the World Cuter Monday, Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Market Yourself Monday, Making Monday Marvelous, Motivate Me Monday, Sharing Monday, Making a Home, TUESDAY - Titus 2sdays, Domestically Divine, One Project at a Time, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table, Tuesday Time Out, Tuesday Confessionals , Let's Do Brunch, Teach Me Tuesdays , Tip Me Tuesday, A Little Birdie Told Me WEDNESDAY - Homemaking Link-Up, Made by Me Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesdays, What's Cooking Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, {Wow Me} Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday THURSDAY – Full Plate Thursday, Delightfully Inspiring Thursday, Creative Juice Thursday, It's a Party, Bake with Bizzy , Link It Up Thursday FRIDAY – Fridays on Remodelaholic, Feasting in Fellowship Fridays, Fridays Unfolded, Pomp Party SATURDAY - Weekend Wrap-Up Party, Sweets For a Saturday, Get Schooled Saturday

Printable Coupon for $1.00 off Nuetrogena Hand Cream

$1.00 off Neutrogena Hand Cream

 

 

 

This post contains affiliate links.

Morning Musing Over Coffee - From Doubtful Laughter to Joyful Laughter



credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

 

 

¹⁵ Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. ¹⁶ And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
¹⁷ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” ~ Genesis 17:15-17


¹⁰ And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.^[12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” ~ Genesis 18:10-12

And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. ² For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. ³ And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac. ⁴ Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. ⁵ Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. ⁶ And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” ⁷ She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.” ~ Genesis 21:1-7


God promised.


Abraham laughed.


God promised.


Sarah laughed.


And really, who can blame them. This thing that God promised, it was impossible! It demanded that the laws of the natural world, as known then, as known even today, be made null, that life would spring forth where there was no longer any hope of life.


But God had promised.


And God's promises go much further than the laws of the natural world. The natural world was created to give a framework for the limited human mind.


God is not limited.


The promise was fulfilled.


Life sprang from that which gave no hope of life.


Dreams were made reality.


And Sarah laughed.


But this time the laughter was from the joy and amazement that is always present when God works. Joy in the gift. Amazement because the human mind cannot comprehend the infinite and limitless power and love of a God who works outside the framework of the natural laws we know.


And the God of Abraham, the God of Sarah, He is the same God today.


We pray, we dream, we know His promises.


And far too often we laugh at ourselves and even others. Maybe (dare we say it?) we laugh at God.


Because like Abraham and Sarah, we too are human. It's so easy to get sidetracked by the laws of the natural world.


But the same God who transcended time and natural law then moves in the same way today. Because He loves us, because He has a plan that includes us and yet is further reaching than any of us can comprehend, He moves. And when our laughter born of joy and amazement fill His ears I believe He laughs with us.


 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

The Simple Woman's Daybook - Thursday March 1, 2012

For Today

Outside my window . . . it's been a warm but very windy day.

I am thinking . . . about our appointment with ENT Dr. yesterday. The doctor we saw yesterday is the same doctor who performed Michael's cricoid split operation when he was eight months old. In January we had a hearing screening that showed mild hearing loss in his left ear and moderate hearing loss in his right ear. So we were referred back to the ENT for further assessment. Yesterday we found out that Michael has a submucous cleft palate. The good news is that Michael is one of the fortunate ones whose speech is not effected by the muscle malformations in his palate. The bad news is that it is effecting the ability for his ears to drain fluid and that is probably what is causing the hearing loss. So, this means that on March 16th we're going to have tubes put in his ears. I didn't know this before, but apparently their are several different types of tubes that can be put in. Most of the time tubes are put in that will come out on their own in six months to a year. Because this will likely be a long term problem for Michael the doctor is putting in tubes that will (hopefully) stay for two or three years so that we won't have to go back as often to have them replaced. The surgery itself should be quick and we should be coming back home as soon as the surgery is over and he's fully awake.

I am thankful . . . that I do not have any appointments tomorrow.

In the kitchen . . . we had baked chicken for dinner.

I am going . . . to bed soon.

I am wondering . . . if there are seeds at the post office for me. Either Doug or I are going to have to check tomorrow because I'm impatient.

I am reading . . . still reading When Bad Christians Happen to Good People by Dave Burchett and Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo.

I am hoping . . . for a quiet weekend.

Around the house . . . it is quiet except for the dog and the cat who cannot seem to stop irritating each other. They are worse than children sometimes!

A favorite quote for today . . . A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in a doctor's book. ~ Irish Proverb

One of my favorite things . . . a good book.

A peek into my day . . . No pictures today. Doug was home from work today because of a stomach bug and Amanda was still really tired from being sick yesterday. Austin and Michael spent the evening at grandma's house. CJ started learning how to knit. We had a meeting here this afternoon to help determine eligibility for one of the kids for more services. The little kids (Michael, Khristian and Lauren) and I played with playdough this morning, focusing on identifying beginning letter sounds of the things we made and also making playdough letters.



New Coupons From Coupons.com - Baby & Toddler, Food, Personal Care and Household

Baby & Toddler

• $1.50 off ONE Pampers Cruisers or Baby Dry Diapers
• $1.50 off ONE Pampers Swaddlers Diapers
• $0.75 off ONE Pampers Wipes 60 ct or larger

Food

• $1.00 off any 3 General Mills Cereals
• $0.50 off two Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts
• $0.75 off two Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough
• $0.40 off three Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls
• $0.40 off two Pillsbury or Grands! Sweet Rolls
• $1.00 off 2 Cheerios cereals
• $0.40 off six Yoplait Yogurts

Personal Care

• $1.00 off one imPRESS Press-on Manicure
• $1.50 off any JOHNSON'S NATURAL product
• $3.00 off any Slo-Niacin
• $1.00 off one Bronkaid product

Household

• $0.50 off ON (1) BOTTLE OF ANY PALMOLIVE

Morning Musing Over Coffee - The Strength of My Heart



credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

  "My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

Yes, my flesh and my heart do fail, often, but I do not have to stay in, or continue to live in a state of failure. Because I do not have to live in the power of my own flesh and heart. The second half of this verse is such a blessing and so true.

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.


When God is my strength I continue to step out in victory. The things I see around me that may seem like trouble are completely overshadowed by the presence, power and love of God. And because of this I live the life described by the Psalmist in Psalm 23.


 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.