May all your days have "Son Shine"

You never know when God is going to bless you. Good things happen when you least expect them to.

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you.

I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. And give the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.

I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.

Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement. I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who don't believe.

But I thank you that I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers and for each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it.

Just repeat this phrase and see how God moves in your life:God I love you and I need you, come into my heart and fill it with joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

May all your days have “Son Shine”.

AMEN AND AMEN!

Let Go & Let God

Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.

Most of the ground that Satan gains in the lives of Christians is due to unforgiveness. We are warned to forgive others so that Satan cannot take advantage of us (2 Corinthians 2:10, 11). God requires us to forgive others from our hearts or He will turn us over to the tormentors (Matthew 18:34, 35). Why is forgiveness so critical to our freedom? Because of the cross! God didn't give us what we deserve; He gave us what we needed according to His mercy. We are to be merciful just as our heavenly Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). We are to forgive as we have been forgiven (Ephesians 4:31, 32).

Forgiveness is not forgetting. People who try to forget find that they cannot. God says He will "remember no more" our sins (Hebrews 10:17), but God, being omniscient, cannot forget. "Remember no more" means that God will never use the past against us (Psalm 103:12). Forgetting may be a result of forgiveness, but it is never the means of forgiveness. When we bring up the past and use it against others, we haven't forgiven them.

Forgiveness is a choice, a crisis of the will. We choose to face and acknowledge the hurt and the hate in order to forgive from the heart. Since God requires us to forgive, it is something we can do. (He would never require us to do something we cannot do.) But forgiveness is difficult for us because it pulls against our concept of justice. We want revenge for offenses suffered. But we are told never to take our own revenge (Romans 12:19). "Why should I let them off the hook?" we protest. You let them off your hook, but they are never off God's hook. He will deal with them fairly--something we cannot do.

If you don't let offenders off your hook, you are hooked to them and the past, and that just means continued pain for you. Stop the pain; let it go. You don't forgive someone merely for their sake; you do it for your sake so you can be free. Your need to forgive isn't an issue between you and the offender; it's between you and God.

God's Winking at Us

We have been looking at houses for about 2 weeks. We finally decided to just try and see what happens. We have put it all in God's hands to show us the way through the process of purchasing a home. And, of course, me being the VIRGO that I am (per my little sister) I want control of the whole situation.

Wednesday of last week we found a home in Groves at 3301 Canal (3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bathrooms, 1 car garage). It sits on a on a corner lot 100 X 140 and has lots of trees, a back deck and a sun room. I printed all the information from the appraisal district, tax office and all the details of the home that was listed. We called Holly Hinds, the realtor that is helping us and scheduled a time to go see the home for Thursday evening. On our way there, Tim was looking through the papers I had printed and saw the name of the home owner - T B Snoek. He said "I wonder if that could be the same Snoek." I asked him if he knew him. Tim said that it had to be the same person he met on his Emmaus Walk. That he only knew of one Ted Snoek and he sat at Tim's table on this Christian walk. Tim even gave him the nick-name of Snoek the Hook.

We waited outside for Holly and walked up to the house. Mr. Snoek peeked through the front door window and asked us to go around back. As he opened the door, Tim said "Yep, that's him!". Tim took his hand and asked "Ted do you remember me?" Mr. Snoek had to take a long look and then Tim said "You were on my walk." Mr. Snoek was so excited to see him and gave Tim a great big hug. How awesome is that! Mr. Snoek walked us through the house and was enjoying Tim's company throughout. Gave us all the information needed to check it out. The house is in great shape considering it was built in 1954 (one year younger then me). Ted and his wife have been living in this house since. They took very good care of their home. Ted said he would love to see us in his house. God sent us there for a reason, I just know it.

On the way home Tim said "Have you noticed the address? Add the numbers up." I said them aloud 3 3 0 1 = 07 - we got married 07-07-07. WOW!!!

Friday we called Holly and told her we wanted to proceed with this house. Just something about it that fit our criteria. We made an offer, they counter offered on Saturday and we settled with the offer Saturday afternoon. The Snoeks are now in Birney, Texas visiting with their son and will be back on Tuesday. You see, they are wanting to move to Birney to be close to their son. I got down on my knees to ask God to send extra blessings to those who have helped me and Tim through this hurdle. If it is God's will for us to be blessed with a home, so be it. He is an amazing God. I give all thanks and praise to His glory.

I pray that you take the time in your life to sit still and listen to His voice in silence. Allow Him to guide you in what He wants you to do. God is winking at you when you least expect it.

Front & back of house - Please keep us in prayer.