The Lord is saying: Do not be afraid. Have I not said I will never leave you nor forsake you. Forget the past.... tomorrow will take care of itself..... Walk with me in the present. Here is where your joy and your peace is. Right now, the eternal now.... is where you will see.... All is Well!!!!

 

Entering into the Joy of the Lord

God's love and joy is a mighty river that flows from His heart towards us.

He longs for a people who will understand how He laughs at the giants and the walls of Jericho because they are just the means of showing His great strength and power and love and mercy towards these little people He has chosen. And that nothing is impossible to Him.

When I was a young Christian I asked my lovely friend Carol who introduced me to Jesus, if I would never have to go through hardship again? I was on cloud nine with the joy of the Lord. She replied that I would go through the same things the world goes through but now it would all work to my good and God's glory
Romans 8:28:
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (NRSV)

One of the first things God taught me, (and keeps having to remind me) was that I was requred to thank in all things.

1 Th 5:18] In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

For years and years I did not understand that but whenever I remembered I would thank even in bad situations, not understanding why God would want this of me.

The Father laughed

One Easter Saturday a few years ago, I had taken my husband's car into town to get a prescription from the chemist. Arriving back to the car, on opening the door to get in, I noticed a man in the car next to mine trying to get my attention. I asked him what was the matter. He indicated that I had a clamp on my wheel and mustn't try to drive the car. It soon became apparent that this man was the culprit. I knew that I hadn't got the money to pay him and that I needed to hand over £70 before he would unclamp my husband's car. The man would not unclamp me and kept telling me to ring my husband, I knew that this was out of the question. He would be furious. I didn't dare tell him. By this time I was getting frantic, I was stuck. I turned, leant on the car, and looked up to the sky. Suddenly I had an image in my mind's eye of the Father laughing. I couldn't believe it. He was laughing and here was I in this impossible situation. I heard the man behind me ask me "So what are you going to do?". As I turned towards the young man, I heard myself saying loudly and with great boldness, "The Lord has never let me down before, He won't let me down this time". Again he asked me "So what are you going to do then ?". I replied again, even more vehemently "The Lord has never let me down before, He will not let me down this time". This went on for a few minutes. The young man seemed to calm down. "Well", he replied "He hasn't let you down this time either!!. God's been good to me this week". He got out of his car and unclamped me.!!! Can you believe it!! I couldn't help it..... I just hugged the man and went on my way praising my God.
The Father loves and laughs at impossible situations.

 

Email: shirleyhowitt@yahoo.co.uk

 

 

Be God or let God. ~Author Unknown

When we rest God works - When we work God rests

A PICTURE IN WORDS.

The Fall of the Year,

The future is glorious and it is coming fast to meet us,
shrouded in mystery at present it's oncoming inspires us
with the wonderful hope of tomorrow as we stand at the
vestibule of the dawn.

Fleeing the grandeur of the earthly crown we head towards
the dawn chorus of tomorrow
As the shades of vermillion, ochre, russet and gold
enhance our surrounding existance
liberating our imaginations unto things eternal,
setting our souls free
to enjoy His grandeur,
displayed with profuseness of amazing colour on the landscape of autumnal delight,
putting all else into the shade.

Reminding us constantly of how great He is who made the
heavens and the earth
and splashed his colour where we may view to best advantage
and be lifted from " the miry clay"
into the brilliant exaggeration of the primary colours.

The fall of the year encourages rapturous applause and lifts our
being higher to the heavenly places of love , of joy, of amazement and exilarates our very being with
newness of expression enfolding
as it were the old self
and gently leading it into hibernation so to be
awakened into so much more beauty at the call of spring,
at a later date

Catherine O'Halloran.