The Cross in Our Bodies - Divine CREATOR

I received this in email format from a friend and wanted to pass it along for a larger audience - GOD, THE Designer, THE Creator - His essence is displayed in everything HE does, including "knitting you together in the womb"...

This is a pretty neat story and an interesting thing that few of us know. It's brief, so please read.  (FROM A DOCTOR)   A couple of days ago I was running (I use that term very loosely) on my treadmill, watching a DVD sermon by Louie Giglio... And I was BLOWN AWAY!   I want to share what I learned.... He (Louie) was talking about how inconceivably BIG our God is.... How He spoke the universe into being... How He breathes stars out of His mouth that are huge raging balls of fire..  Etc. Etc. Then He went on to speak of how this star-breathing, universe creating God ALSO knitted our human bodies together with amazing detail and wonder.   At this point I am LOVING it (fascinating from a medical standpoint, you know.)  And I was remembering how I was constantly amazed during medical school as I learned more and more about God's handiwork. I remember so many times thinking... 'How can ANYONE deny that a Creator did all of this???' Louie went on to talk about how we can trust that the God who created all this, also has the power to hold it all together when things seem to be falling apart...how our loving Creator is also our sustainer. And then I lost my breath. And it wasn't because I was running my treadmill, either!!! It was because he started talking about laminin.  I knew about laminin... 'Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue' You see.... Laminins are what hold us together... LITERALLY.   They are cell adhesion molecules. They are what holds one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we would literally fall apart. And I knew all this already. But what I didn't know is what they LOOK LIKE. But now I do.  And I have thought about it a thousand times since (already)....  Here is what the structure of laminin looks like...   AND THIS IS NOT a 'Christian portrayal' of it.... If you look up laminin in any scientific/medical piece of literature, this is what you will see....

 

Now tell me that our God is not the coolest!!!  Amazing.  The glue that holds us together.... ALL of us..... Is in the shape of the cross.  Immediately Colossians 1:15-17 comes to mind.

          'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or Authorities;  All things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him All things HOLD TOGETHER.' Colossians 1:15-17

Call me crazy. I just think that is very, very, very cool.. Thousands of years before the world knew anything about laminin, Paul penned those words.

And now we see that from a very LITERAL standpoint,

we are held together...

One cell to another.... By the cross.

I've been fixing a lot of computers lately so...

...When a friend of mine sent this to me I had to share with you. Funny how perspective changes everything. Thanks to Tim for brightening my spirits without even knowing what kind of week I had. Please enjoy - author unknown but very insightful.

For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on.

At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated,

'If Ford had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.'
In response to Bill's comments, Ford issued a press release stating:

If Ford had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash.........Twice a day.

2.. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3... Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single 'This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation' warning light.

I love the next one!!!

7. The airbag system would ask 'Are you sure?' before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10. You'd have to press the 'Start' button to turn the engine off.

PS - I'd like to add that when all else fails, you could call 'customer service' in some foreign country and be instructed in some foreign language how to fix your car yourself!!

Please share this with your friends who love
- but sometimes hate - their computers!

A Mighty Fortress is Our GOD - The National Day of Prayer - May 5, 2011

FATHER,

Give us an awakening in our spirits

We cry out to YOU GOD

Thank YOU for being in control

Thank YOU for who YOU are

Thank YOU that YOU are and always have been and always will BE

Forgive us and forgive our nation for turning away from YOU

We've turned our hearts away from YOU GOD

We've turned down YOUR blessings

We've paid the price for those actions...dearly

GOD, please renew our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus

Give us YOUR heart

Give us YOUR mind

Give us YOUR strength

Make us a holy and righteous people

Fully submitted to YOU

Fully submitted to YOUR WORD

Obedient

Faithful

Unselfish

Servant-Hearted

Loving

Caring

EVANGELIZING

UNCOMPROMISING

while still loving, caring and servant-hearted

Non-cannibalistic toward our brothers and sisters in JESUS CHRIST

Give us hearts that bleed for the lost

spirits that cry out for more of YOU

give us GODLY homes

loving families

Make us Great Examples of what YOU have done for us

Give us Holy Spirit fire

Don't let us settle

Don't allow us to grow cold or melancholy or apathetic

(key word = pathetic)

Give us GOD-produced drive to serve you every living moment

May our actions...

our words...

our thoughts...

our intentions...

our motivations...

our joy...

our excitement...

our peace...

come from YOU ALONE

and exhibit YOU ALONE

Help us to be real

to be tangible

to be transparently overwhelmed with the love of JESUS

Not worked up about the economy

Not wrapped up in the things of this world

Priority One=JESUS and His Kingdom and the furtherance of it

Help me to extend grace and servant hands to

my family

my Pastor and his family

my church leadership

my friends

my church family

my neighbors

my co-workers

my fellow drivers on Route 1

my grocery checkout person

my bank teller

the teenager that looks like a rebel without a cause just like I used to be

the mom who looks stressed out in WalMart

the coffee lady at Wawa

the Starbucks barista in the drive-through

my teenager's friends who "aren't quite there yet"

I could go on...

Don't miss an opportunity

to give JESUS

to anyone

anywhere

Don't miss out on personal time with GOD

every day

in a car, a boat, a plane or in your office

Get to know HIM - How?

Read HIS WORD

TALK to HIM...YES

Real conversation

Enjoy HIS presence today

as you bow your heart before HIM

Thank HIM for the opportunity

and massive privilege it is to know HIM and to be KNOWN by HIM

I am HIS and HE is mine

PRAY hard

Show JESUS

Love and Serve

and

Have FUN doing it!!!

The prize doesn't always go to the most deserving

  


 


Irena Sendler  

There  recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena.
During  WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Nurse.
She had an 'ulterior motive' .. She  KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews, (being German.)
Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried in the back of her truck. She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out  of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog  and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.
During her time doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500  kids/infants.
She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs,  arms and beat her severely.
Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar ,buried under a tree in her back yard.
After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.

Last year  Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize ... She was not  selected.
Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global  Warming.

In MEMORIAM  - 63 YEARS LATER

Please  read the little cartoon carefully, it's powerful. 

It is now more than  65 years after the Second World War in Europe ended.  
This post serves as a  memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million  Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who  were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and  humiliated.

Now, more than ever, with Iraq , Iran , and others,  claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth,' it's imperative to make sure  the world never forgets, because there are others who would like  to do it again.

This was originally sent as an e-mail which is intended to reach 40 million  people worldwide..

Be a link in the  chain and help us distribute the link to this page around the world. Your right to worship freely is at stake. It is a right I hold as a precious treasure.

"Will You Give This To My Daddy?"

Will You give this to my Daddy?


As a Company, Southwest Airlines is going to support 'Red Fridays.'

Last week I was in Atlanta , Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed One of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.

Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camos. As they began heading to their gate, everyone (well almost everyone) was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.

When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and Cheered for, it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red-blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.

Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear of reprisal.

Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our Service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old ran up to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said 'hi...'

The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her...

The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter Courtney missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.

When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second... Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military-looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it..

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, 'I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you.' He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying 'your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon.'

The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.

As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.

We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority'. We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers.

Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday - and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.

If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED.
The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is.....We need your support and your prayers.

Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example. 

-Unknown
A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America', for an amount of up to and including my life.

 

Thank you to my friend Kim for passing this beautiful piece on...

Two Guaranteed Ways to Help Fight Depression

I have found the there are at least two guaranteed ways to fight depression without a visit to any therapist or physician.

1. Lose myself in the WORD of GOD - When I am spending my time engulfed in GOD's love expressed through HIS words that I am privileged to read, I re-focus on who I am in Christ Jesus, how insanely much I am adored by my Savior, the fact that I am not alone but He shares this walk with me everyday and the reason for the journey...which leads me to #2...
2. Lose myself in the service of others - When I am spending my time serving all those precious souls around me whom JESUS died for, it gives me NEW PERSPECTIVE. I quit internalizing and start engaging. I see things differently and react differently. I grow in THANKFULNESS, which brings true joy.

 So when you are feeling down, think of those key words - LOSE MYSELF. When I lose myself in JESUS and His will for my life (which is simply being obedient to His Word and following the Holy Spirit's lead) I find joy, peace, understanding - LIFE!

Dance with Daddy

I want to be so close to GOD that it's like when you were a little kid and you held onto your dad's hands and stood on his feet as he walked. That's the experience I want - to literally walk WITH GOD. GOD moves - I move simultaneously with HIM because there is no separation, no seams - like a dance - flowing with His Spirit.

Do we REALLY get it????

Psalm 81:6-7 (The Message)

 "I took the world off your shoulders,
      freed you from a life of hard labor.
   You called to me in your pain;
      I got you out of a bad place.
   I answered you from where the thunder hides,
      I proved you at Meribah Fountain.


When we allow GOD to open up our spiritual eyes to things formerly hidden, it can be both enlightening and frightening at the very same time. Some believers are content with letting GOD hand out the "Sesame Street Version" as I call it because that is all they are willing to open themselves up to. Me being the radical child of GOD that I tend to be, I'm always asking GOD for more. Sometimes you really need to be careful what you ask for.

This verse reminded me of something that GOD showed me one time regarding someone I was praying over. That person still had a literal heavy chain around their neck in the spiritual realm. Satan had them bound with a chain that looked like something out of a horror movie. Yet, they conducted themselves throughout life unaware of any of this...only reaping symptoms, circumstances and consequences.

That is really scary to me...to unknowingly go through life with really nasty things attached and no hope or means to get them off.  Feelings of rejection, abandonment, anger, guilt, rebellious tendencies, abusive behavior, violence, 0% self worth...all the things that Satan loves to use against those GOD created for His glory.

So, the good news is...if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Saviour - He can and will deliver you from all the things that bind you and keep you from your destiny in HIM. Read the verse again. He's already declared it over us. We don't think about our slavery to Satan as hard labor until we feel life without the chains. For me it's not enough to just get rid of the sin chains at salvation. I want to be TOTALLY free. Free from all of the other baggage that poor decisions and sins of the flesh have afforded to me because I've allowed it. Okay...read the verse again. Are we living a life that is truly delivered? Set Free and Free Indeed? If He's gotten you out...why are you even thinking about going back in? Say NO to the chains, say NO to the brokenness, say NO to the control of the enemy who only seeks to kill and destroy that which the blood of the Lamb has already purchased. You have authority over your own flesh. Speak obedience into your own flesh and let this mind be in you...

Ephesians 6:10 (The Message)

A Fight to the Finish

 ^10-12And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

It really is an everyday affair, not just the warring on behalf of others but the war for our minds. Be aware, be sober, be vigilant - always aware of your spiritual surroundings. The enemy has a better chance with your own mindsets, etc because they are often ignored and "undealt with" as well as subtle. Guard your heart and your mind so that you can have the "mind if Christ" - not logic, wisdom, mindset, heart and passions. 

Hello My Name Is Beth Anne

Its source is Elisheva, a Hebrew name meaning "God's promise."

I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed.
I have Holy Spirit power.
I've stepped over the line, the decision has been made;

I'm a disciple of His.
I wont look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still...

SPIRIT & TRUTH

John 4:23 -ESV

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

 

John 4:23 - The Message

23 But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship.

 

John 4:23 - NIV

23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

 

 ENOUGH SAID...

 

GOD's Releasing for Results

GOD did such amazing things this weekend. It started out kinda' rough with what we thought was a broken well pump and thanks to the help of an awesome friend and brother in Jesus working with my husband 'till about 12:30 AM, what began as a $400 crisis turned out to be an $8 fix/blessing! Woohoo!

Next...have been struggling with sickness and asthma issues and was scheduled for Praise and Worship at church on Sunday. Simply said, GOD said don't cancel. Sunday AM did a breathing treatment at 6 AM and again at 8:20 AM at church and GOD not only took the whole thing over and miraculously moved, but released me, giving me freedom from a fear that has been plaguing me for years. What an amazing and awesome GOD we have and how very small we attempt to make him in our own eyes and futile minds...how silly we are!

I am waiting to see "what's next"....there is a restless anticipation in my spirit that I am thoroughly enjoying. GOD's on the move as always - are we ready to move with HIM. Like Pastor Bill said, "we need to follow - that means CLOSE". Don't wait for GOD to completely cross the bridge - get up there and hold onto His robe and go. It is GO TIME!!!

I Totally Relate

I can totally relate to the Old Testament in the way that GOD encouraged His chosen people to continuously REMEMBER.  When GOD did something, they constructed an altar, a remembrance at the spot so that no one could forget. They continuously incorporated symbols, visual, tangible memorials into their daily lives because GOD knows our human frailty. The phrase "Oh how soon we forget" is the story of my existence. In a world of chaotic multi-focusing, I am all about GOD reminding me of things over and over and over again. I need it. I can't do without it. I also love it when He tells me what to tell myself repeatedly. He of all people knows when I haven't GOTTEN IT yet. The mighty hand of the CREATOR surely spends a lot of time on me and I so don't deserve it, but boy am I a thankful heart because of it. Stop. Be STILL. Know that HE's GOD because you took the time to shut everything off around you and then you will be able to truly connect with the all-knowing GOD of the universe Who so desperately desires connection with you.

New Grace for the Day

Psalm 103:6
God makes everything come out right; he puts victims back on their feet. He showed Moses how he went about his work, opened up his plans to all Israel. God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he's rich in love. He doesn't endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins. As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. He knows us inside and out, keeps in mind that we're made of mud. Men and women don't live very long; like wildflowers they spring up and blossom, But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly, leaving nothing to show they were here. God's love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, Making everything right for them and their children as they follow his Covenant ways and remember to do whatever he said.