This past week at work has been very hard for me. And it has been wearing on me and bringing me down a bit. And I have been praying about my job a lot. I work in a very faced paced environment. But God has given me this verse. It is Joshua 1:9. I also read this verse from The Message. It was very empowering to me.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Joshua 1:9
The Message (MSG)

Joshua 1
1-9 After the death of Moses the servant of God, God spoke to Joshua, Moses' assistant:

"Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I'm giving to the People of Israel. I'm giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on—just as I promised Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon east to the Great River, the Euphrates River—all the Hittite country—and then west to the Great Sea. It's all yours. All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you. I won't give up on you; I won't leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take."

Passion of the Christ

This video really moved me. I have watched this movie and it was hard for me to watch it but it also opened my eyes. The song Awesome God on this video I really like. It takes me back to when I was going to an Assembly of God church in my teens. My friend Jennifer and I would always listen to this song. I will be forever grateful to her for inviting me to her church.

HE STILL MOVES STONES by Max Lucado

The Lord is Close to everyone who prays to Him,
to all who truly pray to Him.
Psalm 145:18

Healing begins when we do something. Healing begins when we reach out. Healing starts when we take a step. God's help is near and always available, but it is only given to those who seek it. Nothing results from apathy...God honors radical, risk-taking faith. When arks are built, lives are saved. When soldiers march, Jerichos tumble. When staffs are raised, seas will open. When a lunch is shared, thousands are fed.

Feeling Needy

I get several devotions a day and sometimes I read them and I can really feel God speaking directly to me. This one is a womens devotional that I get every Tuesday and this one I can identify with. She wanted God to heal her and in return He wanted her to tell her story. And when He healed her He also healed her spritual wounds by knowing Him and his power. I have experienced this myself over the last several months. While He is healing my back in his own time, at the same time He has come into my life and filled the void in my heart that I was so longing to be filled. So in return He wants me to tell my story. So this blog of mine is just that. My story.


Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him what she had done.
Mark 5:33


We live in a culture that idolizes health, independence, and strength while it shuns illness and weakness. Yet at some time in our lives we all find ourselves in real need of someone’s help. In some cases, we must swallow our pride and humbly reach out to receive the help offered, because we find ourselves in an extremely desperate situation. That’s when all pretenses of self-sufficiency have to be discarded.

The woman in Mark 5 had been desperately ill for years, spending all she had on doctors, without success. Although she tried her very best to take care of herself, she found herself without resources and without hope—except for Jesus. In desperation, she secretly reached out to touch not Jesus but just his clothing. She believed she would be healed and hoped she would be able to slink away afterward, without anyone noticing her presence.

Miraculously, the woman was healed by the power that simply went out from Jesus at her touch. He felt the release of his power at the physical connection—but did not let the woman disappear without offering that deeper connection. Before she returned home he asked one thing of her: the one thing she wanted to avoid. He asked that she show herself, tell her story, and in so doing allow Jesus to encourage her. Instead of letting her feel like she had stolen her miracle, Jesus wanted her to understand that he was delighted to heal her. He offered this woman much more than the physical healing she expected! He offered the gift of healing from her spiritual wounds and the privilege of knowing him.

When we come to Jesus in prayer, we may be confident that he has the power to help us, but are we encouraged that he delights in hearing all about it? When we tell our story to the Lord and allow him to heal our hurts, our faith is strengthened and our joy is increased as we see the kindness of our almighty God.

But what about accepting help from others? This step can still be very difficult. As believers in Jesus, we are called to be his hands and feet here on earth. Sometimes we will be the one bringing aid and comfort to others; sometimes we will be the ones on the receiving end. The amazing thing about God’s family is that we share his healing touch as we share our stories of his love in our lives and help each other through difficult times.

I read this tonight and it just blew me away.

Expect a move of God Suddenly!

By Joyce Meyer

When the time was right,
man and woman were created,
the flood subsided,
Jericho's walls were defeated,
the lions' mouths were shut,
the baby was born,
water became wine,
the storm was silenced,
blind eyes were opened,
the tomb was emptied,
He ascended to heaven,
tongues of fire came down...

And when the time is right,
the King of Kings will return.

God is never early
and He's never late-

He's always right on time.
His plan for you is GOOD!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

All this I read tonight then I went to barb's site after having my prayer time and well I was overwhelmed at the devotional she had posted. God just has been working in my life and I am overwhelmed! The depth's of my soul has been touched! And my heart is just overflowing. It is so awesome that God knows our every need and His timing is perfect.

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and
purifier of silver."


This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study
and they wondered what this statement meant
about the character and nature of God. One of
the women offered to find out the process of
refining silver and get back to the group at
their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and
made an appointment to watch him at work. She
didn't mention anything about the reason for her
interest beyond her curiosity about the process
of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece
of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He
explained that in refining silver, one needed to
hold the silver in the middle of the fire where
the flames were hottest as to burn away all the
impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a
hot spot; then she thought again about the verse
that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of
silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he
had to sit there in front of the fire the whole
time the silver was being refined. The man
answered that yes, he not only had to sit there
holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes
on the silver the entire time it was in the
fire. If the silver was left a moment too long
in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she
asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the
silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and
answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my
image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire,
remember that God has His eye on you and will
keep watching you until He sees His image in
you.

This was my devotion I read today by Charles Stanley(On Holy Ground)

Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20

How do you respond when presented with a challenge that calls for a surge of faith in God? Hesitantly? Tentatively? Fearfully? Optimistically?
The key to breaking the faith barrier and anchoring our trust in God is an exalted view of God Himself.
"But I thought to have more faith, I had to work at it more,: you say. You do, but your work is to see God for who He really is, not to struggle to obtain more faith or have a more positive mind-set.
When the disciples thirsted to have more faith, Jesus told them all that was necessary was faith the size of a mustard seed. "Use what you have," Jesus was saying, "and your faith will grow in the process."
We use what faith we have, as little as it may seem, by magnifying the heart's view of God. When Moses was scared to go to Pharaoh, God exploded Moses' worries with the revelation of Himself: "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you" (EX. 3:14).
We grow in faith by seeing God in a new light. Our faith is as big as our God. If your notion of God is grand, your faith will soar. If it is little, your faith will sag. How big is your God? See Him as He is, and the faith barrier will shatter before you.

Dear God, let my faith soar. Grow faith in me that is as big as you are. O God, I want to see You as You are. Shatter the obstacles of fear, disobedience, and faithlessness in my life. I want to break through the faith barrier.

I prayed this pray today and God just showed me that He is with us and He is the I AM! It did not take very long for Him to answer my pray. Shortly after praying that prayer I was looking at some of the other blogs that were out there. The first blog I could not read it was in another language so I went to the next blog and there was my answer to my pray at Eddie's blog at Kingdom Fellowship with a post that coincided with my devotion. I was overwhelmed when I read his post for January 11th on Exodus 3:12.

This pic is of my sister and her daughters. My sister is the one with the baby. My other two neice's are growing up fast. The oldest Brittney is already taller then me. I like the other pic of Brittney and Dixie.

These are some pic's from Christmas in Arkansas. This is at my Aunt and Uncle's house. I enjoy going here. This is where I can go to get away from it all. We always end up on the front porch. My Aunt always decorates the house so nice for Christmas. She makes everything herself. All the quilts are made by her. They have recently built a new house next to the old house my grandpa built in the 1940's. We got to stay in the new house. I got a chance just to sit on the back porch to read and just spend some time with God. It was cold and raining but it felt good since we don't get much cold weather here. I wish I had more time to spend there. This is where I got my christian background from my grandparents.

This is the lyrics to a song called His love is Reaching by David Meece.
This is such an awesome song. It is very personal to me. It really sums up my life. I did not realize it but God was with me along when I thought he was not. It just amazes that he loved me so much to get me where I am now. He knew where I needed to live and he knew the people I needed in my life. He knew me that well. And his timing was perfect. It was his Hand that was reaching for me and I grabbed on and I am still holding on with no intentions of letting go.

HIS LOVE IS REACHING ( Odyssey)

Lyrics by Gino Vannelli and David Meece
Music by David Meece
Copyright, 1987 Meece Music (admin by) Word Music/Black Keys Music

Where should I begin to tell my thoughts
What can I say that would do
Where are the words when I need them most
To show my gratitude

Though the times I was burdened
Yet I did not fall
Though the times I was certain
There was no one at all

His love was reaching
An invisible hand pulling me through
His love was reaching
Touching my life in more ways than I ever knew

As I lay beneath the southern cross
The stars tell more than I could
And if the words don’t say want I really mean
I pray I’m understood

When I thought I had nothing
Yet I had so much
Though the years when it seemed
We were out of touch

His love was reaching
An invisible hand pulling me through
Touching my life in more ways than I ever knew

How could I think I was living alone
How could a man be so blind
How could I have come so far
Without His hand in mine

His love was reaching
An invisible hand pulling me through
His love was reaching
Touching my life in more ways than I ever knew

"The mystery of the Holy Night, which historically happened two thousand years ago, must be lived as a spiritual event in the ‘today’ of the Liturgy," the Pope clarified. "The Word who found a dwelling in Mary’s womb comes to knock on the heart of every person with singular intensity this Christmas."
Pope John Paul II

Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado

This was the devotional I read this morning from my Grace for the Moment daily devotional.This verse has a very special meaning to me.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20

Jesus goes from heart to heart, asking if he might enter....Every so often he is welcomed. Someone throws open the door of his or her heart and invites him to stay. And to that person Jesus gives this great promise...."In my father's house are many rooms"....What a delightful promise he makes us! We make room for him in our hearts, and he makes room for us in his house.

Sharon’s Microwave Fudge

I am making this fudge for gifts this year. This is my sister's recipe. This is the best fudge I have ever had. It melts in your mouth. I like it without the nuts. Enjoy!

1 lb powdered sugar

½ cup cocoa (I used nestle's cocoa)

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup evaporated milk

½ cup butter (1 stick) (I used unsalted real butter not margarine)

1 tbsp vanilla (I like the imitation vanilla better than pure vanilla)

1 cup chopped nuts

Combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and milk in a microwavable bowl. Stir together and place the butter on top. Place in the microwave on high for 2 minutes(I had to do 4 minutes until the butter melted). Stir together add vanilla and nuts stir again(it will be somewhat stiff). Spread on wax paper and chill in the refrigerator for one hour or freezer.

Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman

This is one of my favorite passages in the bible. It is so powerful to me.

1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

4Now he had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."

17"I have no husband," she replied.

Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."

19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"

28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ^[b]?" 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."

32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."

33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"

34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

Many Samaritans Believe

39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.

42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

This psalm means so much to me. For the last several months it keeps finding it's way back to me. It seems everywhere I turn there it is. So I thought I would share this tonight.

Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

Yesterday we went to go see the nativity story. I enjoyed this movie. It made me feel at peace. The story of Christ is so awesome.

I pray that you will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is.
Ephesians 3:18

But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him. Deuteronomy 4:29

This picture was taken in Heidelberg, Germany at the Heidelberg Castle

Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado

Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us everyday. Psalm 68:19

Christ will not turn away from you. He came first and foremost to those who have no hope. He goes to those no one else would go to and says, "I'll give you eternity." Only you can surrender your concerns to the Father. No one else can take those away and give them to God. Only you can cast all your anxieties on the one who cares for you. What better way to start the day than by laying your cares at his feet?

I have so many pictures from Germany. I took about 700. Every moment was a picture perfect moment there. So here are a few more of the trains and train station we took.