Category: Fresh Start

January 16, 2019

2019— Make The Best Resolution |New Year 2019

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New year resolutions come and go. Some want to get fit for the new year. Some want to eat healthier. Some want to go back to school. Some want to start new jobs or businesses.

—This year make the best decision of your life. Get to know God personally and intimately. Ask Jesus to forgive you of all your past mistakes and shortcomings.

Remember, most resolutions don’t last. And that’s okay. Some are meant to kickstart us into doing other things that will benefit our lives.

—The best benefit is knowing Christ.

Get to know God who never quits on you; even when we try to quit on Him!

How to Know God:

December 28, 2018

Christmas Comfort & Peace |Christmas Series 2018

Christmas Series Part IV

As all of us are trying to make this Christmas Season special and joyous for loved ones, may we not forget those that are hurting during this time of the year. Some people will be spending Christmas alone. Some may be going through some tough financial times. Others may have bad memories of this season. Some may have lost a loved one too close to this Holy day period.

Screen Shot 2018-12-14 at 4.52.20 AM.png — ***Jesus in the gospel of John 14***

Whatever the reason, may we be sensitive to the needs of others.

May we first pray for those that need comfort.
May we then extend a hand to them and bring them closer to Christ.
May we add to their joy instead of bringing them more sorrow.
May we love them so that they see Jesus in us.
Especially those that choose to hate this Holy day season on purpose. Those that have decided not to believe in anything.

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May the God of comfort bring all who are hurting in silence, peace and joy of knowing that one day, Jesus will wipe all their tears away and then and only then, will each of us see how much God cared.
Enough to know the exact number of tears we shed during our times of sorrows. Enough for those that may think no one cares to finally find out how much a little child born in Bethlehem cared. So much so, that He came to earth to bring goodness and joy by one day dying on a cross. Taking the sins of all who call upon Him, even though He was innocent of any wrongdoing.

This season, if you are one of those that are hurting, whether you have lost a precious person, or are going through something traumatic, I invite you to feel joy this Christmas, like those that heard the greatest of news about two thousand years ago.

That a Child was born in a manger, to bring mankind back to a lasting relationship with their Creator. His name is Jesus, the Savior of the world.
He is here to comfort all who need comforting.
He is here to counsel anyone who asks for His wisdom because He is called A Wonderful Counselor.

He has come to bring peace because He is the Prince of peace.

The baby in the manger is Jesus, who is all this and more. He is the Eternal, Mighty God, Everlasting Father.  He will bring you comfort and joy if only you should ask Him. Go ahead ask Jesus to heal those wounds you have. I promise that He will take all the burdens you have and make them lighter…

Need God?

December 14, 2018December 14, 2018

Thanksgiving 2018 |Gift of Salvation

As this month draws closer to the Thanksgiving weekend, I have been writing on my journal all the things I am thankful for. Yet I missed putting it on social media. This was done on purpose, so I could simply give you the most important thing I am thankful in my life.

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I am thankful for…

The gift of salvation through Jesus our Lord and Savior.

This is the most important blessing in my life. It is God’s greatest of gifts to mankind. It is where I have become who I am. It is nothing I have done but everything that God is doing for me.

Jesus died on the cross and paid a horrible price. For me!
The price I should have paid. But didn’t!
Jesus took my sins and paid for them by dying on the cross. For me!
As soon as I knew what Christ had done for me, I felt an emptiness in my stomach and knew I had to ask Jesus to forgive me.

You see, whenever there is a car chase on television, you see the helicopter lights are turned on in darkness, every detail on the place the spotlight is pointing to, showing incredible and minute detail.

Ault-Bright_Light_at_Russell's_Corners_1946.jpg — Ault-Bright Light at Russell’s Corners 1946

Anything crawling on the ground can be seen. Anything which is hidden in the darkness is brought up front and center of the light.

As I asked God to forgive me from all the bad things I had done and thought of, something happened in that instant.
Jesus, took those sins and as if by a space-time continuum, nailed them at the cross where He was hanging.

When Jesus hung on that cross, He took every sin there ever was, and would be, and absorbed them into the bloody cross, dripping with His perfect blood.

As if the wooden beams which made up the cross were absorbing everything unholy into the cracks and crevices, never to seep out of the grainy, splintery pieces ever again.

Just like the scarlet worm which digs itself into the grainy wood when it’s time to bring about the next generation of scarlet worms; the worm will never move again while the little ones start nourishing from its body. Jesus hung in that cross and gave His life for us to be forever sustained by Him spiritually. Add I am the bread of life and Take this and eat it…this is my body…

Brings me back to thinking about the Psalm regarding the verse saying but “I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.”

I was one of those offspring who killed my heavenly Dad in order for me to be forever nourished and counted to be saved by that scarlet blood…

May all of you be blessed this Holy Day Season. May you come to know the saving grace of Jesus…

Get to know Jesus. You won’t regret it!

Take the next steps to truly knowing God:

November 21, 2018November 19, 2018

November 16, 2018November 16, 2018

An Incredible Mosaic of Love |Adoption not Abortion

In Roman times when a baby was born, the midwives would gently swaddle the newborn and lay the baby right in front of the father. If the father picked the baby up from the floor, he or she was accepted into the family.

On the other hand, if the baby was left on the floor he or she was taken outside for “disposal”.

Because promiscuity was normal in Roman society, mistrust was common in the family structure. Having babies born in a house with doubting husbands, was a disadvantage.

A husband with the smallest of inklings that the baby was not his, would instruct his servants to get rid of the baby. It was up to the father to approve of the newborn and accept it into the family. Not a very good way for a baby to come into the world but this was how it was.

In came the new religion of those who called themselves Christians. Ever growing numbers from all walks of life; slaves, masters, free men, and women were coming into a personal relationship with Jesus the Jewish Messiah.

Christians who saw rejected displaced babies would pick them up, take them home and made those infants their very own.

We have to remember that a great percentage of Romans were slaves and had very few means to provide for their own children. Yet, they would still bring another mouth to feed. The kindness they showed to strangers’ babies would have a huge impact on all Roman Society witnessing these incredible acts of love.

We find the same thing happening presently. Where people are “disposing” of their newborns like the Romans did two thousand years ago.

But the great news is, that Christians are once more stepping up and adopting children fortunate enough to be born and given up, instead of being aborted. Christians are bringing babies into their households. I have, with exceeding joy witnessed this among our circles and see that Christ’s love still reigns.

Even if people think that this world is getting darker, the Light of Christ still has the power to change modern societies with its overwhelming sense of compassion.

God is so amazing, He turns everything that is meant for bad in this world, into good. By Christians fulfilling the love of Jesus and bringing in kids from all over the world, from different ethnicities, they are turning God’s people into an incredible mosaic of love.

References:

Percentage of slaves in Roman times

Blind Faith — Unseen & Eternal |Christian Faith

I just met a couple in their mid twenties. Both of them are visually impaired. The young lady was leading her husband. Both were very kind and cheerfully going through their obstacles courageously.
I noticed how slow they were going, and figured that this may have been their first time in this restaurant. The wife was struggling with direction and coming towards me. Looking at them I felt horrible that they were blind with no one to help them. I said “hello” to them, so as not to have her bump into me. She was very cheery in her response, which surprised me a bit. She happily asked if they were going the right way towards the parking lot. I calmly and gently started giving her specific directions, letting her know about different things in front of them within the small fenced in area they had entered into.

She gladly took my directions, and they made it through the gauntlet of tables, chairs, and fencing we who can see, take for granted.

I saw them finally making it to the edge of the sidewalk where they would await their ride and was joyful to have helped them in a small way.
The young couple was waiting a while for their ride and I called out to them if they wanted to join me while waiting, the young wife turned towards my voice with a soft, peaceful smile, thanking me again and said that they liked standing. I know that feeling since I sit behind a desk long periods of times.

I thought to myself how we, who have eyesight, have it pretty made in this world. Yet, I can’t help thinking that the young, joyful blind couple is more blessed than those of us with vision.

You see, these young visually impaired adults, have to have full-on faith the minute they wake up. They can’t see the world, yet they go out into it every single day with such courage and enthusiasm, ready to take on every obstacle that comes their way.

I can’t help but think that those of us who have the precious gift of eyesight may learn a thing or two from them. At least I have. It made me ponder…

Are we going out into the world with our faith, ready to take it on?
Or are we wasting our valuable and precious gift of sight squandering the time and wishing how life could be better for us if we just were able to have God do this or that for us?

I choose to have that blind faith of the couple I just met. May God use me to go and spread more of the incredible and courageous faith of going into the world and making a difference for Christ….

Need God?

November 14, 2018November 14, 2018

Resources:

Scripture

November 9, 2018November 9, 2018

Laughter Is The Best Medicine — So Be Joyful! |Letters to my Kids Series

Letters to my kids:

Romans 15:13

There will be some great times ahead for you and the rest of the grandkids. I want you to know that even when things get tough for you or your mom and dad, always remember that Jesus loves you and that He will always be there for you. Even when life seems to get you down, God will always give you joy.

A wise man once told me that a person of God never stays down, because God always lifts them up from the floor.

I want you and the rest of the kids to know that Poppa and Nana had some incredible times on our journey together. But we also had some tough times. It was in those tough times that we learned more about our Mighty God and held on to his promises more.

I want you to do the same thing. Always depend on God guiding you. Always be joyful no matter what life brings you.

Always love your family and family in Christ. They will be there alongside of you because nobody can get through life without Christ and people around them to be there for them. And when those you love need your help, always joyfully lend a hand!

Love you kids & always praying for you!

Poppa

Picture made with Canva.com

Scripture from biblehub.com