tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58043701718674519182024-03-13T04:52:30.627-05:00The Gross FamilyDavid and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-80607825460582178182017-10-31T14:17:00.001-05:002017-10-31T14:17:15.448-05:00The Beautiful Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6T0xGWA1FAFrDww5OEwq7TjO1IY19Zrws3UFe0BXOR9N_WiJGqlS00ZnC0_NA1XhGBzOqA8JifZ0G8c-FEEz8NMTHdzVwiTCU2PGyKfzuEKfkKRldqXWOSsQ9P1GphdMMB4TU9rOfgQE/s1600/word+of+god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6T0xGWA1FAFrDww5OEwq7TjO1IY19Zrws3UFe0BXOR9N_WiJGqlS00ZnC0_NA1XhGBzOqA8JifZ0G8c-FEEz8NMTHdzVwiTCU2PGyKfzuEKfkKRldqXWOSsQ9P1GphdMMB4TU9rOfgQE/s400/word+of+god.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Every wife enjoys a good compliment from her husband. My husband compliments me sometimes at the weirdest times. There seems to be no rhyme or reason. Hair up, hair down, make-up, no make-up, dress, sweatpants... what does he prefer? He doesn't even seem to know what sparks his compliments... I've asked. Then, one day, God made a surprising connection for me.<br />
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I'll come back to that. <br />
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But first, I need to share a burden of my heart over a recurring concern. The overall lack of knowledge in the Church brings an ache to my soul. Oh but aren't we more knowledgable than ever before? Only if we are concerned with worldly knowledge. No, this knowledge that is so lacking is the knowledge of God. There is certainly nothing new under the sun and even Israel, God's chosen people, had seasons of lacking knowledge of God.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">My people are destroyed for lack of </span><span class="criteria" style="background-color: #f8f8da; border-color: rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(158 , 11 , 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">knowledge</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">Because you have rejected </span><span class="criteria" style="background-color: #f8f8da; border-color: rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(158 , 11 , 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">knowledge</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">I also will reject you from being My priest.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">Since you have forgotten the law of your God,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">I also will forget your children. -Hosea 4:6</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">The L</span><span class="yhwh" style="background-color: #f8f8da; border: 0px solid rgb(0 , 0 , 0); box-sizing: border-box; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 0.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ORD</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;"> has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">To see if there are any who </span><a class="ftnt" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="ftntv_492002_1" rel="footnotes" style="background-color: #f8f8da; border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box; color: #8a8026; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-size: 0.6em; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: lowercase; vertical-align: text-bottom;">[fn]</a><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">understand,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">Who </span><span class="criteria" id="yui-gen35" style="background-color: #f8f8da; border-color: rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(158 , 11 , 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">seek</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="criteria" id="yui-gen36" style="background-color: #f8f8da; border-color: rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(158 , 11 , 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">after</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="criteria" id="yui-gen34" style="background-color: #f8f8da; border-color: rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(158 , 11 , 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">God</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">. Psalm 14:2</span><br />
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People not knowing God is nothing new. But today, on Reformation Day(google it if you don't understand the importance of this), it bothers me. As an American Christian, knowing God through His Word has NEVER been easier. <br />
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Dozens of translations of the Bible in the English language. Study bibles and websites galore. Books upon books written to give insight and commentary on the Bible. Most of us will settle to know a handful of "life verses" and highlight a few passages their pastor taught from on a Sunday morning. Many of us will never question the lyrics of the latest christian song to see if its words are doctrinally sound or test our pastor's teaching with the Word. <br />
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Oh yes, the message of the Gospel is simple! Faith in Christ alone is what saves.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">that if you confess with your mouth Jesus </span><em style="background-color: #f8f8da; border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">as</em><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;"> Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be </span><span class="criteria" id="yui-gen92" style="background-color: #f8f8da; border-color: rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(0 , 0 , 0) rgb(158 , 11 , 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">saved</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">; Romans 10:9</span><br />
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So do we really need to study the Bible, do we need to know it?<br />
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Yes, we do. His Word is living water that quenches our thirst. It is our bread, our sustenance. To know the Word is to know God Himself.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #e9eef1; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1</span><br />
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To KNOW your God, your Savior, is a treasure worth more than gold. We may believe the message of the Gospel, but do we know Him? Do we know His story? Do we know how great He is? Do we know the God of yesterday, today and forever? Do we search to know His character, His promises and His ways? Do we know His goodness, His sovereignty, His all consuming fire, His never ending love? We can study the Word for a lifetime and still have more to study!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #e9eef1; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">Oh, the depth of the riches </span><a class="ftnt" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="ftntv_1057033_1" rel="footnotes" style="background-color: #e9eef1; border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box; color: #8a8026; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-size: 0.6em; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: lowercase; vertical-align: text-bottom;">[fn]</a><span style="background-color: #e9eef1; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! - Romans 11:33</span><br />
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Friend, do you know Him in His Word? Do you only know Him as Savior? There is so much more!! Desire to know the Word, all of it. Hunger for truth, thirst for truth... He will satisfy! Your faith will grow. You will be tested as you apply it. You will be refined as you believe it.<br />
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The Beautiful Word. I am so thankful. I am so regretful for how often I neglect it. And how I long for all His children to want to know the Word too.<br />
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Yes, the mysterious timing of my husband's compliments became clear to me that day. How silly of me to think immediately of my physical appearance! I began to notice his compliments came after conversations we had about God's Word or what the Lord was teaching me about Himself in my studies. His compliments were not in response to my physical beauty but rather in response to the Beauty of God's Word within me. It all made sense(especially those days I just rolled out of bed ;) <br />
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<b>See the Beauty of the Word can't be hidden. It can't be concealed. It is a bright light for all who hear. It is to be shared and preached to all. It makes even the messenger beautiful!</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: #e9eef1; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “H</span><span class="nasb_smallcaps" id="yui-gen37" style="background-color: #e9eef1; border: 0px solid rgb(0 , 0 , 0); box-sizing: border-box; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 0.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">OW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE</span><span style="background-color: #e9eef1; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="nasb_smallcaps" style="background-color: #e9eef1; border: 0px solid rgb(0 , 0 , 0); box-sizing: border-box; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 0.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">WHO</span><span style="background-color: #e9eef1; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;"></span><a class="ftnt" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="ftntv_1056015_1" rel="footnotes" style="background-color: #e9eef1; border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box; color: #8a8026; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-size: 0.6em; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: lowercase; vertical-align: text-bottom;">[fn]</a><span class="nasb_smallcaps" id="yui-gen36" style="background-color: #e9eef1; border: 0px solid rgb(0 , 0 , 0); box-sizing: border-box; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 0.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS</span><span style="background-color: #e9eef1; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;">!” Romans 10:15</span><br />
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May we be beautiful messengers of the Word. May we know the God of the whole Word(Genesis- Revelation). May we study diligently to soundly handle the Word for teaching, reproof, training and correction.<br />
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May the Beauty of the Word so richly dwell within that it's light brings BEAUTY to this dark world!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #e9eef1; color: #01103a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans serif"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-67807500551139601002016-09-27T11:05:00.002-05:002016-09-27T11:20:56.439-05:00My Unpolitical Response to the Debate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhf2WVF1gkRZmBKRDmeLv56TlZJrEcj8RzhReiNJGV1QJoJqteqPTQyzxNy41Z-2uh3EDV7DSPanykOmSI5K7sm1amCv8JUxpyI1PDiTFY5_icz13d7E5DsphQqnX7qaYCjMC1kKqixpI/s1600/285428-alexfas01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhf2WVF1gkRZmBKRDmeLv56TlZJrEcj8RzhReiNJGV1QJoJqteqPTQyzxNy41Z-2uh3EDV7DSPanykOmSI5K7sm1amCv8JUxpyI1PDiTFY5_icz13d7E5DsphQqnX7qaYCjMC1kKqixpI/s400/285428-alexfas01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This election reminds me of a season David and I walked many years ago. It was a season where my understanding of God's Word rubbed against my experiences, my world. A season where I cried out to the LORD to reveal the hearts of men. A season where I was confused about why the LORD seemed silent and removed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Through much inner struggle, He revealed Himself and where He was at work. He opened my eyes to a greater struggle outside of myself. He was inviting me to leave <b>MY</b> world and come see <b>HIS</b>. He was inviting me to see where His heart breaks, where darkness truly reigns and where He delights in bringing <b>light</b> that breaks forth like the dawn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The United States, our precious country, our homeland, is in trouble. We cry out for the LORD to expose the hearts of men. We pray for deliverance and direction. We fear for our children, for ourselves, and for our future. We pray for revival and repentance and for healing. We grieve that our America, our American way of life, could be coming to an end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Through our struggle and fear, could it be that the LORD is revealing where He is and where He is at work? Could He be inviting us to fearlessly leave <b>OUR</b> world and to come see <b>HIS</b>? Could He be inviting us to see where His heart breaks, where darkness truly reigns and where He delights in bringing <b>light</b> that breaks forth like the dawn?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We have an opportunity. An opportunity to see outside our world and see His. To see His Kingdom, and reveal the light and hope of its glorious future in the darkness! We have an opportunity to respond to His invitation, friends... let's not miss it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let your heart be encouraged by what Scripture says about healing, darkness and LIGHT!!</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Real Healing</b>: Isaiah 58:1-12</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="background-color: #fafafa; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">1</strong></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333;"> </span><span class="verse-1" style="background-color: #fafafa; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;">"<a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07121" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07121" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07121">Cry</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01627" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01627" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01627">loudly</a>, do not <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02820" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02820" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02820">hold</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02820" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02820" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02820">back</a>; <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07311" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07311" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07311">Raise</a> your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06963" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06963" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06963">voice</a> like a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07782" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07782" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07782">trumpet</a>, And <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05046" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05046" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05046">declare</a> to My <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05971" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05971" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05971">people</a> their <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06588" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06588" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06588">transgression</a> And to the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01004" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01004" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01004">house</a> of <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03290" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03290" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03290">Jacob</a> their <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02403" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02403" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02403">sins</a>.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">2</strong></span> <span class="verse-2" style="box-sizing: border-box;">"Yet they <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01875" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01875" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01875">seek</a> Me <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03117" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03117" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03117">day</a> by <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03117" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03117" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03117">day</a> and <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02654" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02654" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02654">delight</a> to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01847" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01847" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01847">know</a> My <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01870" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01870" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01870">ways</a>, As a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01471" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01471" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01471">nation</a> that has <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06213" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06213" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06213">done</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06666" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06666" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06666">righteousness</a> And has not <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05800" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05800" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05800">forsaken</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04941" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04941" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04941">ordinance</a> of their <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0430" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0430" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0430">God</a>. They <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07592" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07592" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07592">ask</a> Me for <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06664" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06664" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06664">just</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04941" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04941" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04941">decisions</a>, They <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02654" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02654" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02654">delight</a> in the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07132" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07132" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07132">nearness</a> of <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0430" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0430" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0430">God</a>. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">3</strong></span> <span class="verse-3" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04100" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04100" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04100">'Why</a> have we <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06684" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06684" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06684">fasted</a> and You do not <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07200" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07200" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07200">see</a>? Why have we <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06031" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06031" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06031">humbled</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05315" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05315" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05315">ourselves</a> and You do not <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03045" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03045" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03045">notice</a>?' <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02005" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02005" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02005">Behold</a>, on the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03117" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03117" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03117">day</a> of your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06685" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06685" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06685">fast</a> you <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04672" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04672" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04672">find</a>your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02656" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02656" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02656">desire</a>, And <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05065" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05065" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05065">drive</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05065" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05065" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05065">hard</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03605" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03605" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03605">all</a> your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06092" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06092" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06092">workers</a>. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">4</strong></span> <span class="verse-4" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02005" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02005" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02005">"Behold</a>, you <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06684" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06684" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06684">fast</a> for <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07379" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07379" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07379">contention</a> and <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04683" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04683" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04683">strife</a> and to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05221" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05221" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05221">strike</a> with a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07562" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07562" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07562">wicked</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0106" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0106" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0106">fist</a>. You do not <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06684" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06684" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06684">fast</a> like you do <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03117" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03117" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03117">today</a> to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="08085" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=08085" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 08085">make</a> your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06963" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06963" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06963">voice</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="08085" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=08085" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 08085">heard</a> on <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04791" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04791" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04791">high</a>. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">5</strong></span> <span class="verse-5" style="box-sizing: border-box;">"Is it a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06685" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06685" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06685">fast</a> like <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02088" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02088" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02088">this</a> which I <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0977" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0977" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0977">choose</a>, a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03117" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03117" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03117">day</a> for a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0120" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0120" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0120">man</a> to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06031" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06031" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06031">humble</a><a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05315" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05315" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05315">himself</a>? Is it for <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03721" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03721" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03721">bowing</a> one's <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07218" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07218" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07218">head</a> like a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0100" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0100" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0100">reed</a> And for <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03331" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03331" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03331">spreading</a> out <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="08242" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=08242" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 08242">sackcloth</a> and <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0665" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0665" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0665">ashes</a> as a bed? Will you <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07121" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07121" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07121">call</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02088" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02088" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02088">this</a> a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06685" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06685" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06685">fast</a>, even an <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07522" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07522" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07522">acceptable</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03117" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03117" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03117">day</a> to the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03068" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03068" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03068">LORD</a>? </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">6</strong></span> <span class="verse-6" style="box-sizing: border-box;">"Is <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02088" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02088" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02088">this</a> not the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06685" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06685" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06685">fast</a> which I <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0977" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0977" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0977">choose</a>, To <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06605" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06605" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06605">loosen</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02784" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02784" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02784">bonds</a> of <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07562" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07562" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07562">wickedness</a>, To <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05425" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05425" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05425">undo</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="092" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=092" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 092">bands</a>of the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04133" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04133" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04133">yoke</a>, And to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07971" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07971" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07971">let</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07533" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07533" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07533">oppressed</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07971" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07971" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07971">go</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02670" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02670" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02670">free</a> And <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05423" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05423" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05423">break</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03605" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03605" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03605">every</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04133" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04133" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04133">yoke</a>? </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">7</strong></span> <span class="verse-7" style="box-sizing: border-box;">"Is it not to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06536" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06536" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06536">divide</a> your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03899" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03899" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03899">bread</a> with the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07457" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07457" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07457">hungry</a> And <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0935" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0935" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0935">bring</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04788" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04788" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04788">homeless</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06041" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06041" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06041">poor</a> into the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01004" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01004" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01004">house</a>; <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03588" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03588" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03588">When</a>you <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07200" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07200" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07200">see</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06174" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06174" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06174">naked</a>, to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03680" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03680" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03680">cover</a> him; And not to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05956" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05956" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05956">hide</a> yourself from your own <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01320" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01320" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01320">flesh</a>? </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">8</strong></span><span class="verse-8" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0227" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0227" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0227">"Then</a> your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0216" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0216" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0216">light</a> will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01234" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01234" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01234">break</a> out like the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07837" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07837" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07837">dawn</a>, And your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0724" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0724" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0724">recovery</a> will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04120" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04120" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04120">speedily</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06779" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06779" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06779">spring</a><a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06779" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06779" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06779">forth</a>; And your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06664" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06664" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06664">righteousness</a> will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01980" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01980" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01980">go</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06440" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06440" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06440">before</a> you; The <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03519" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03519" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03519">glory</a> of the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03068" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03068" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03068">LORD</a> will be your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0622" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0622" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0622">rear</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0622" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0622" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0622">guard</a>. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">9</strong></span> <span class="verse-9" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0227" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0227" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0227">"Then</a> you will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07121" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07121" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07121">call</a>, and the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03068" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03068" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03068">LORD</a> will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06030" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06030" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06030">answer</a>; You will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07768" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07768" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07768">cry</a>, and He will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0559" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0559" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0559">say</a>, <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02009" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02009" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02009">'Here</a> I am.' <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0518" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0518" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0518">If</a> you <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05493" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05493" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05493">remove</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04133" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04133" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04133">yoke</a> from your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="08432" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=08432" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 08432">midst</a>, The <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07971" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07971" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07971">pointing</a> of the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0676" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0676" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0676">finger</a> and <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01696" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01696" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01696">speaking</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0205" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0205" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0205">wickedness</a>, </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">10</strong></span> <span class="verse-10" style="box-sizing: border-box;">And if you <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06329" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06329" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06329">give</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05315" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05315" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05315">yourself</a> to the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07457" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07457" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07457">hungry</a> And <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07646" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07646" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07646">satisfy</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05315" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05315" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05315">desire</a>of the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06031" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06031" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06031">afflicted</a>, Then your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0216" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0216" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0216">light</a> will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02224" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02224" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02224">rise</a> in <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02822" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02822" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02822">darkness</a> And your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0653" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0653" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0653">gloom</a> will become like <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06672" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06672" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06672">midday</a>. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="background-color: #fafafa; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">11</strong></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span class="verse-11" style="background-color: #fafafa; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"And the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03068" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03068" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03068">LORD</a> will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="08548" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=08548" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 08548">continually</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05148" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05148" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05148">guide</a> you, And <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07646" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07646" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07646">satisfy</a> your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05315" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05315" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05315">desire</a> in <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06710" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06710" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06710">scorched</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06710" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06710" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06710">places</a>, And <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02502" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02502" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02502">give</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02502" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02502" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02502">strength</a> to your <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06106" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06106" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06106">bones</a>; And you will be like a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07302" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07302" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07302">watered</a><a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01588" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01588" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01588">garden</a>, And like a <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04161" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04161" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04161">spring</a> of <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04325" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04325" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04325">water</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="0834" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=0834" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 0834">whose</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04325" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04325" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04325">waters</a> do not <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03576" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03576" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03576">fail</a>. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">12</strong></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span class="verse-12" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Those from among you will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01129" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01129" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01129">rebuild</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05769" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05769" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05769">ancient</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="02723" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=02723" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 02723">ruins</a>; You will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06965" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06965" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06965">raise</a> up the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01755" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01755" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01755">age-old</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="04144" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=04144" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 04144">foundations</a>; And you will be <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07121" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07121" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07121">called</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="01443" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=01443" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 01443">repairer</a> of the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="06556" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=06556" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 06556">breach</a>, The <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="07725" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=07725" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 07725">restorer</a> of the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="05410" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=05410" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 05410">streets</a> in which to <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="03427" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=h&sn=03427" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 03427">dwell</a>.</span></i></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">Real Darkness </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>& Enemy: </b>Ephesians 6:12</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-number" style="background-color: #e0e0e0; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 3px;">12</span></span><span style="background-color: #e0e0e0;"> </span><span class="verse-12" style="background-color: #e0e0e0; box-sizing: border-box;">For our <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="3823" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=3823" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 3823">struggle</a> is not <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4314" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4314" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 4314">against</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4561" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4561" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 4561">flesh</a> and <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="129" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=129" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 129">blood</a>, but <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4314" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4314" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 4314">against</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="746" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=746" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 746">rulers</a>, <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4314" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4314" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 4314">against</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="1849" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=1849" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 1849">powers</a>, <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4314" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4314" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 4314">against</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="2888" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=2888" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 2888">world</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="2888" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=2888" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 2888">forces</a> of <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="3778" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=3778" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 3778">this</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4655" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4655" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 4655">darkness</a>, <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4314" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4314" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; 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<u><b>Real LIGHT: </b> John 8:12</u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="verse-12" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;"><a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="3767" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=3767" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 3767">Then</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="2424" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=2424" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 2424">Jesus</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="3825" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=3825" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 3825">again</a> <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="2980" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=2980" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 2980">spoke</a> to them, <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="3004" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=3004" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 3004">saying</a>, <span class="red-letter no-red" style="box-sizing: border-box;">"I <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="1510" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=1510" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 1510">am</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="5457" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=5457" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 5457">Light</a> of the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="2889" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=2889" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 2889">world</a>; he who <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="190" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=190" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 190">follows</a> Me will not <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4043" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4043" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 4043">walk</a> in the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="4653" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=4653" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 4653">darkness</a>, but will <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="2192" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=2192" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 2192">have</a> the <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="5457" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=5457" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 5457">Light</a> of <a class="strongs disabled-link" data-strongs-number="2222" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/strongs/?t=nas&ll=g&sn=2222" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Strong's Number: 2222">life</a>."</span></span></i></span></div>
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David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-48353959828396430412016-09-27T11:05:00.001-05:002016-09-27T15:36:46.322-05:00My Unpolitical Response to the Debate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This election reminds me of a season David and I walked many years ago. It was a season where my understanding of God's Word rubbed against my experiences, my world. A season where I cried out to the LORD to reveal the hearts of men. A season where I was confused about why the LORD seemed silent and removed. </div>
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Through much inner struggle, He revealed Himself and where He was at work. He opened my eyes to a greater struggle outside of myself. He was inviting me to leave <b>MY</b> world and come see <b>HIS</b>. He was inviting me to see where His heart breaks, where darkness truly reigns and where He delights in bringing <b>light</b> that breaks forth like the dawn.</div>
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The United States, our precious country, our homeland, is in trouble. We cry out for the LORD to expose the hearts of men. We pray for deliverance and direction. We fear for our children, for ourselves, and for our future. We pray for revival and repentance and for healing. We grieve that our America, our American way of life, could be coming to an end.</div>
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Through our struggle and fear, could it be that the LORD is revealing where He is and where He is at work? Could He be inviting us to fearlessly leave <b>OUR</b> world and to come see <b>HIS</b>? Could He be inviting us to see where His heart breaks, where darkness truly reigns and where He delights in bringing <b>light</b> that breaks forth like the dawn?</div>
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We have an opportunity. An opportunity to see outside our world and see His. To see His Kingdom, and reveal the light and hope of its glorious future in the darkness! We have an opportunity to respond to His invitation, friends... let's not miss it!</div>
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Let your heart be encouraged by what Scripture says about healing, darkness and LIGHT!!</div>
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<u><b>Real Healing</b>: Isaiah 58:1-12</u></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">1 Cry loudly, do not hold back; Raise your voice like a trumpet, And declare to My people their transgression And to the house of Jacob their sins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">2 Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">3 Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice? Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">4 Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">5 Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing ones head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD? </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">6 Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke? </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">7 Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">8 Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">10 And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness And your gloom will become like midday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">11 And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">12 Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.</span></div>
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<u style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">Real Darkness </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>& Enemy: </b>Ephesians 6:12</span></u></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "helvetica";">12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.</span><br />
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<u><b>Real LIGHT: </b> John 8:12</u></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.</span></div>
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David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-78430728160627220522014-09-08T22:12:00.001-05:002014-09-08T22:16:45.237-05:00Joy Made Full<div style="color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;">
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<i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that</span><span style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> <b>your joy may be made full.</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As far back as I can remember, the idea of JOY, the expression of it and the desire for it, has been meaningful to me.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My grandparents and parents encouraged a joyful disposition in me to the point that throughout my life I received figurines and ornaments symbolizing joy or art pieces with Scripture about joy for presents at Christmas and birthdays.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I liked the thought of being joyful and hopefully bringing joy to others.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">However, the past several years, this hope filled word, full of promise and satisfaction, has been far from me. This is my testimony of struggle for joy. A little over 4 years ago, my side of the family began facing some difficult challenges. The pain from the sin,rebellion, and division in this situation has been deeper than all other pain I have known in my life so far. Simultaneously, our foster daughters came into our home from their own broken and painful situation. I know many of you have experienced this kind of pain, sorrow and grief. Pain that buckles your knees and makes your breathing difficult. Some of you may be experiencing it right now or you will be facing it in your future. In the midst of these moments/years of pain and trial, the idea of “<b>joy being made full”</b> seems like a polar opposite. Instead, words like endurance or long suffering seem more appropriate.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As a former athlete, I’ve always appreciated the verses about running the race marked out for us, in our journey of following Christ. Verses like Hebrews 12:1-2 inspire me:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">or 1 Corinthians 9:24</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I look at these verses and am encouraged to have faith through trials, to hold on and to run through the finish line with all my might... to run in such a way as to win! But if I were to be really honest, the race has become more and more about just finishing for me. Running strong and finishing well. Isn’t that what it means to “run in such a way that you may win”? To be faithful through it all (the crud, the mess, the awful) and finish? I mean finishing is the goal, right?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Philippians 3:14 says:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Greek meaning of the upward call is “a calling and divine invitation to embrace the salvation of God in the heavenly place”. In fact, Scripture, tells us that THE PRIZE is the calling and divine invitation to embrace the salvation of God. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In this present trial and suffering with loved ones, I have fixed my eyes on the end of this trial... the finish line of sorts. As I have gazed helplessly and hopelessly at the finish line with physical impossibilities of restoration this side of Heaven, thoughts like “how can I make it or I can’t make sense of this, I don’t understand, or how can this be fixed”, joy has also seemed impossible.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I don’t know about you or what trial/pain you face, but I have run this race far too long fixing my eyes on the race itself or on the goal to finish rather than the PRIZE!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This PRIZE, this salvation, this calling, this relationship with Christ, this PRIZE is where we find joy! Chapters 15 and 16 in John explains that when we receive Christ and abide in Him there is great JOY!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The word JOY appears 182 times in the NASB, the Hebrew/Aramaic languages have 16 different words for our English word, Joy, and the Greek language has 8 different words that translate to our English word, Joy. All of them mean gladness and joy but some may have a more fuller meaning associated with shouting, singing, leaping, crying or exceeding joy.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Joy of the Lord is actually defined for us in Scripture. Many of you are familiar with it and it is one of my favorite verses.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord IS your strength” Nehemiah 8:10</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The joy of the Lord is your strength. In studying this passage, I couldn’t help but want to understand this better. The original word is “ma’owz”. It means place of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold. In other words, the Joy of the Lord is your place of safety, protection, refuge, and stronghold. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A true disciple of Christ longs for satisfaction in Christ and Christ alone. A true disciple of Christ asks for things in the Name of Jesus Christ according to the Father’s will. Our JOY will be made full and our gladness, our strength will be complete when we “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross”. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If today, you are weary like I have been, fixing my eyes on the finish line rather than the PRIZE of Jesus Christ, John 16:24 tells us to <b>“ask in My Name and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full”. </b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My dear friends, I plead with you today, one weary runner to another, HE is our JOY....won’t you ask in His Name and fix your eyes on Christ, so that your joy may be made full?!</span></div>
David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-77251393119463485162013-09-11T13:55:00.001-05:002013-09-11T13:58:55.819-05:00Horizons of Hope<br />
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Yesterday was good. It was a day that painted a picture of hope. A soft warm glow on the horizon. The eager anticipation for the sun to burst forth and illuminate all of God's creation with His glory.<br />
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I don't know about you, but this world can get the best of me at times. We've tasted the bitterness, suffering and death it offers. Despair and hopelessness flirt with our hearts. Sometimes caving in to the enormous burdens put on us. We lose peace, then, we lose joy.<br />
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A particular burden of a lost loved one in my life has been especially heavy the past few years. With time, hearts seem harder, choices seem even more devastating. <br />
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Yet, God has given me something to grasp. Hope. It is a word that has become my lifeline back to truth. It reminds me to believe in an empty grave. It reminds me God is good. It reminds me there is no darkness in Him. It reminds me of His sovereignty. It reminds me of His power to save. It reminds me that my Lord is coming back!<br />
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So, what was so hopeful about yesterday, you might be thinking. I had the opportunity to meet with my foster daughters's mom outside a Starbucks for a brief time. Her life is a tragic one and full of choices that led her to where she is right now. I shared with her my Hope found in Christ. I held her hand and prayed that she might find her way to that same Hope. We plan to chat again.<br />
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There was that soft warm glow on the horizon. It reminded me God is not dead. It reminded me God's love covers a multitude of sins. It reminded me that He is Light. It reminded me that God commands the winds and waves. It reminded me that God removed scales from Paul's eyes. It reminded me to eagerly anticipate the SON to burst forth and illuminate all of creation with all His glory!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;">"But as for me, I will<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span class="criteria" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(158, 11, 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: large;">hope</span></span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>continually, </span><br style="border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;">And will </span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;">praise You yet more and more." - Psalm 71:14</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;">"and </span><span class="criteria" id="yui-gen352" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(158, 11, 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">hope</span></span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;"> does not disappoint, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;">because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;"> through the Holy Spirit who was given to us". - Romans 5:5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;">"But if we </span><span class="criteria" id="yui-gen382" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(158, 11, 15); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e0b0f; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">hope</span></span><span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;"> for what we do not see, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8da; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; text-align: left;">with perseverance we wait eagerly for it." - Romans 8:25</span></div>
David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-44618115990400144002013-06-18T00:26:00.000-05:002013-06-18T00:26:33.886-05:00God's sovereignty in the Court room<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', arial, helvetica;">One thing many people may not realize about foster care, is how much time foster parents spend in court rooms. We have had 3 court appointments in the last 3 months and have 4 more in the next 6 weeks. This may be more than what the typical foster family experiences but every foster family does spend significant time in court. We didn't</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', arial, helvetica;"> expect our fostering to include learning the "ins and outs" of the U.S. legal system.... </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, arial, helvetica;">juvenile, criminal, immigration, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', arial, helvetica;">Such a dark place... the court system that is. The environment is so heavy, my heart weeps over the sin, the utter depravity of mankind. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, arial, helvetica;">I sat in one of those court rooms last week. It's a strange feeling to see half a dozen people clamoring together "fighting" for the rights and futures of the children in your care. There was a small, selfish, prideful part of me that wanted to jump up from my lonely seat in the back of the courtroom and wave my arms around and say, "Hello, I'm the one taking care of them 24 hrs. a day, shouldn't my opinion matter?" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, arial, helvetica;">Instead, the moment seemed surreal. Legal jargon thrown around and over my head. I wondered. Wondered at it all. Our broken world, the insanely smart attorneys, birth parents who have lost their way and saddest of all, the children. The thousands and thousands of children, broken families.... what is right? Are the decisions being made for them, right? I sat there and felt at a loss. How does anyone make these life altering decisions? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, arial, helvetica;">As quickly as the confusion came, His peace and grace filled my soul. There was irony in staring at the judge and attorneys in the room. The Holy Spirit reminded my heart that God alone is JUDGE. He rules justly, rightly and sovereignly. He is so worthy to be trusted. I don't have to figure it all out because He already has.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, arial, helvetica;"> And in the middle of that dark place, <b>His Light</b> flooded the room. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, arial, helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">For the kingdom is the LORD's and He rules over the nations." Psalm 22:28</span></i></span></div>
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<i>"Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed." 1 Samuel 2:10</i></div>
</span>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-91168724356158209232012-12-12T12:10:00.000-06:002012-12-12T13:11:28.714-06:00Fear is not my friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fear. The word itself is powerful, isn't it? I imagine many of us struggle with it. It doesn't look the same in everyone's life but it's there. I know I struggle with it. Sometimes it's that "sound" you hear in the middle of the night. It could be the balance in your checkbook. Maybe that child you don't know what to do with. Or it's that conversation you worry someone took the wrong way. And then there are those fears that nearly paralyze us.... harm, rejection, pain or even death to a loved one or to our own lives.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My greatest fear growing up was that I was unlovable. I believed like most girls that I needed to be beautiful to be lovable. I hated my skin and my body. The enemy must be thrilled with our culture and the deception woven into the fabric of our society that you must be beautiful to be accepted. I believed that lie and didn't think I held a chance. But God in His goodness rescued me in my college years, revealing the truth of His Word. He gave me a verse that has been my life verse ever since,</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Instead, let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God" -1Peter 3:4</span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This verse is written in the context of a passage that speaks to how godly women are to "adorn" themselves, not with outward appeal but with a heart that trusts God and honors His ways. God asked me and asks all of us to make ourselves beautiful for Him... not the world.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Fear has recently pried it's way back into my life. A couple spots I had removed last summer grew back and were biopsied. Both showed basal cell skin cancer. It's a fairly common skin cancer that is slow growing and has an extremely high success rate for being removed with the Mohs surgery. As much as I tried to assure myself with this knowledge, fear gripped me for several days. I hated it, I was embarrassed by it and felt owned by it. And because of peoples' prayers for my spirit, thank the Lord, that paralyzing fear didn't last more than a few days.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What was I afraid of? The unknown. The surgery. How much cancer is there? Will it come back? How much of my lip will they remove? I had a nightmare the first night after the results came back that the cancer kept coming back and my face became "monstrous" looking from all the surgeries. My fear....(<i>yeah Satan knows our old weaknesses and he doesn't forget</i>) that my husband wouldn't think I was beautiful anymore. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Then, God decided to be amazing as always. He caught my attention by a verse John Piper quoted online. 1 Peter 3:6. So close in proximity to my life verse. I had to check it out. Let me back it up to verse 5 so it makes sense...</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" id="1pe3-5" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>"</b>For in <span class="strongs" sn="3779">this</span> <span class="strongs" sn="3779">way</span> in <span class="strongs" sn="4218">former</span> <span class="strongs" sn="4218">times</span> the <span class="strongs" sn="40">holy</span> <span class="strongs" sn="1135">women</span> <span class="strongs" sn="2532">also</span>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5804370171867451918" name="6"></a>who <span class="strongs" sn="1679">hoped</span> in <span class="strongs" sn="2316">God</span>, used to <span class="strongs" sn="2885">adorn</span> <span class="strongs" sn="1438">themselves</span>, being <span class="strongs" sn="5293">submissive</span> to their <span class="strongs" sn="2398">own</span> <span class="strongs" sn="435">husbands</span> ; <b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" id="1pe3-6" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="strongs" sn="5613">just</span> as <span class="strongs" sn="4564">Sarah</span> <span class="strongs" sn="5219">obeyed</span> <span class="strongs" sn="11">Abraham</span>,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5804370171867451918" name="7"></a><span class="strongs" sn="2564">calling</span> him <span class="strongs" sn="2962">lord</span>, and you have <span class="strongs" sn="1096">become</span> her <span class="strongs" sn="5043">children</span> if you <span class="strongs" sn="15">do</span> what is <span class="strongs" sn="15">right</span> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5804370171867451918" name="b"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5804370171867451918" name="8"></a><b><span class="strongs" sn="2532">without</span> <span class="strongs" sn="3361"></span>being <span class="strongs" sn="5399">frightened </span>by <span class="strongs" sn="3367">any</span> <span class="strongs" sn="4423">fear</span>." - </b>1 Peter 3:5-6</span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" id="1pe3-6" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></i>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" id="1pe3-6" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Well, He had my attention. I did a word study on "fear" and it literally means in the Strong's concordance "to be afraid of with terror". Wow, terror is a pretty strong word! This is the only place in the New Testament that this Greek word appears. But what does this mean in the context of this passage? To my best understanding, God is telling wives not to be manipulative or controlling out of fear that her husband isn't obedient or right with God. Instead, she should trust God. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" id="1pe3-6" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" id="1pe3-6" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">My fear isn't that my husband isn't right with God. Yet, it really doesn't matter what my fear is... any fear keeps me from trusting God. The passage says "you have become her children if you <b>do what is right </b>without being frightened by fear." What, then, is <b>doing what is right</b>? Is it not trusting God, regardless of the fear, and acting on it? Is it not believing with faith that God is sovereign, supreme, righteous and glorious? Hebrews 11 tells us that it is impossible to please God apart from FAITH. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i>"And FAITH is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." -Hebrews 11:1</i></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Trusting God and doing what is right without being afraid with terror. For me, this brings enriched meaning to having a "gentle and quiet spirit". It brings to mind words like <b>brave</b>, <b>courageous</b>, <b>standing firm</b> and <b>unmovable </b>in regards to our faith that Jesus is Lord. Believing He is enough, He is everything. In fact, He provides the grace for that faith.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Yes, fear is powerful. But in the glorious beam of God on His throne, there is no crevice or corner where fear can dwell. He is trustworthy, my friends. God is good. And when the tempter comes near again, I pray I choose to remember God's whisper... be beautiful for Me, not the world. I pray you do too.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="versetext" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Fear not, brothers and sisters in Christ, fear is not your friend.</span></span></span>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-2742657468470469152012-04-03T14:51:00.000-05:002012-04-03T14:52:30.978-05:00Last day and Final thoughts about Haiti<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Group picture on the last day of class with my morning ladies. They were sweet and grateful. After concluding Ruth, I challenged the women. I told them that my purpose there was to encourage them in their relationship with God and that they needed to continue reading, studying, memorizing and meditating on the Word and in prayer. I shared a verse in Ezra that describes Ezra as one who set his heart to study the Law, teach the Law and practice the Law. I asked them who God would want them to teach about the Lord and encouraged them that I saw God had CHOSEN them to teach the orphans in their care about their Abba, Father. I pray that they do just that!</div>
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Most of them could not speak English except for a couple phrases. One woman hugged me for a long time and whispered "Thank you. I love you." So rewarding!</div>
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My overall observation of Haiti, other than extreme poverty, was how dirty it was. We went to the beach on the afternoon of my last day and Haiti was redeemed of my gloomy observations. God created a beautiful island. Unfortunately, the condition of the country is an example of how much mankind and sin in this world can deface what God created perfect.</div>
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Me with the adorable Mulligan kiddos : ) Had fun hanging out with the whole fam!</div>
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Carrie leading worship with the kids Thursday night. Such a sweet time of fellowship with the kids.</div>
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Me and my cousin, Carrie, dropping me off at the airport to go home. </div>
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She shared with me how much it bothered her when people would say she and Stephen are amazing and how ill-equipped and unqualified they felt. Stephen runs the facility overseeing 20 some nannies, construction workers on site, American interns, translators, security guards, payroll, and overall maintenance of the buildings. Carrie takes care of the medical needs of the children(which is CONSTANT), dealing with kids coming and going from IBESR and their placement, communication with kids sponsors from site and being mommy to her 3 littles. Their life is overwhelming to say the least. The orphanage is relatively new and experiencing normal growing pains with the struggle of continuing to understand how best to care for the kids within their culture but according to God's Kingdom culture. </div>
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There is so much to be done and so many ways I can clearly see God is going to improve things in the future, yet, there is SO much good that has already been done and SO much to praise God for!! Please pray for them and Hands and Feet... I know that they covet prayers. And as for Carrie and Stephen, Carrie is right that they are not amazing people, no one is. No, I think when people say that about them, they mean that the love Carrie and Stephen have for God is amazing. So much so that they left everything( a good job, nice house, family, friends,and a good church) to live in an isolated, lonely, overwhelming and extremely difficult situation... all for the glory of God. But most of all, I think people say that about them because GOD is amazing! That he would use an ordinary family to run a HUGE operation of caring for 70 orphans in an oppressive, poverty-stricken country with no previous missionary experience. Yes, God is amazing and I got to see it with my own eyes.</div>
<br />David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-80849904369414744512012-03-28T21:04:00.000-05:002012-03-28T21:04:27.012-05:00More pics from Haiti!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1jG-y85Jve_haCmwii_NPCXQv1RB1wdwMFCnVlKFWzgwr6raR3dBj-NuI2e4PgebOe8PI2-zRtxhVbMxKcnGdA8NKvZOdtsbxc8G2n0NVIIiqgd6zW_TMi2i9hVy4Tt_uB99IyqgvJuc/s1600/IMG_3667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1jG-y85Jve_haCmwii_NPCXQv1RB1wdwMFCnVlKFWzgwr6raR3dBj-NuI2e4PgebOe8PI2-zRtxhVbMxKcnGdA8NKvZOdtsbxc8G2n0NVIIiqgd6zW_TMi2i9hVy4Tt_uB99IyqgvJuc/s400/IMG_3667.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is my morning class with the nannies at Hands and Feet. They are loving learning about the Bible! Especially the Old Testament. They had never even heard of the book of Ruth before. It's been explained to me that many Haitians have been evangelized but very little discipleship has taken place.</div>
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This is the 6 and 7 yr. olds' Bible lesson. Josue is one of my interpreters playing the guitar. He is great with the kids!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNphKk4BXHTPrn-qUU_4YBaWpEvKKBhnjwhuSuSePGGx4aWe7LUAy97tJsPJsQPrGsOBUPCgJ2AKD5eRi7q_ZvEdVHnWGq6SbZI0kOXQ6ca8bqrULxdpz5IZ2DAO6AORytDMuP5x6wzgAI/s1600/IMG_3682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNphKk4BXHTPrn-qUU_4YBaWpEvKKBhnjwhuSuSePGGx4aWe7LUAy97tJsPJsQPrGsOBUPCgJ2AKD5eRi7q_ZvEdVHnWGq6SbZI0kOXQ6ca8bqrULxdpz5IZ2DAO6AORytDMuP5x6wzgAI/s400/IMG_3682.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I taught them the story of Jesus calming the storm. Here I am demonstrating the disciples going to Jesus and saying "Wake up!" when he was sleeping in the boat. The girls thought it was so funny : )</div>
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This is my afternoon class of nannies with a different translator named Fanel. He is super smart and incredible at translating.</div>
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This is Kerby. He is precious!! He is deaf and will be coming to the States soon for a medical exam and to see if he's a candidate for a cochlear implant.</div>
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This is Stevenson. He has been at Hands and Feet for less than a week. He was brought to them as an extremely malnourished little boy. I got to hold him Saturday night and spoon feed him peanut butter. He could barely sit up and his legs were completely limp. It was a moment I'll never forget. I got choked up holding him as he slurped peanut butter from my hand thinking about the verse "When you saw me hungry, you fed Me". It was a very humbling and overwhelming experience. I actually thought that he might have CP. We checked on him this morning and after just a few days of nourishment and love this little guy was smiling from ear to ear and trying to take steps with his nanny helping him. I was AMAZED! I have never witnessed something so drastic. </div>
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These are the older kids learning movements for the "Story of God". Dave let me borrow his curriculum from our church's after school program. They caught on so well and did great! Here we are doing a motion symbolizing God making creation.</div>
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This little guy came up front to show off his memory and explaining the whole story of God I taught him. He was embarrassed and kept giggling... such a cutie pie : )</div>
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Some of the older boys skyped my family with me tonight for my birthday. My boys and the HAF boys were planning a playoff in basketball.</div>
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Carrie made me a cake for my birthday and my family on Skype and everyone here sang happy birthday. </div>
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It was great! I got sick last night and felt pretty crummy all day so I am hoping to feel better and try the cake tomorrow. Thanks to anyone who prayed for me, I was able to teach today despite not feeling well. God is good.</div>
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Tomorrow is my last day and I will be back home early Saturday morning. Can't wait to see my family! I've enjoyed my trip immensely, especially teaching the women! Thanks again for all the prayers! They were felt : )</div>
<br />David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-75188750741945831222012-03-25T21:18:00.005-05:002012-03-25T21:18:45.294-05:001st two days of Haiti<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the market in Port - Au - Prince as we were driving from the airport to the orphanage in Jacmel. It was a 4+ hour drive through the mountains... amazing scenery!</div>
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Sunday morning here in Jacmel. Didn't understand a word but I recognized a lot of the songs and could sing along in English. Those aren't empty benches in front but FILLED with a lot little cuties from Hands and Feet : )</div>
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This is Clivens(pronounced Cleevens). He came here on Friday after his parents abandoned him in a hospital. He seems to have some serious delays and medical conditions. SUCH a sweetheart and just smiled and smiled.</div>
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Doll baby right here!!</div>
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Proof that I'm here : )</div>
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Aren't these girls adorable?? They were so helpful and good workers doing their chores.</div>
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This little guy (Willcharson)ran up to me at church and threw up his arms at me wanting me to hold him. I got to hold him all the way back from church... so sweet.</div>
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I get to teach first thing in the morning! Got to meet my translator this afternoon and go over my lessons with him. I am so excited to see how it all goes! Prayers are very welcome : ) Thank you to everyone who already has prayed... I have felt the strength that comes from that intercession.</div>
<br />David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-24598235138144162872012-03-13T22:53:00.000-05:002012-03-14T11:42:58.247-05:00Send Me!... to Haiti?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yep! I'm going to Haiti in 1.5 wks : ) Above is a pic of the kids I'll get to hang out with while I'm there. The name of the ministry is <a href="http://www.handsandfeetproject.org/">The Hands and Feet Project</a>. There are approximately 70 orphans that live there.</div>
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This is my cousin Carrie, her husband, Stephen, and their adorable littles...Ella, Mikah and Grady. They are the directors of the orphanage at The Hands and Feet Project in Jacmel, Haiti. They sensed the Lord's call on their life a year ago and moved their family to Haiti just about 6 months ago. You can read about their adventures in Haiti <a href="http://themulliganfamily.blogspot.com/">here</a>. Can't wait to spend some time with these people!!</div>
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This is a pic of part of the facility at The Hands and Feet Project : ) Sweet rainbow too!</div>
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I have felt a strong desire for over a year that the time for "going" to do the ministry of orphan care I so passionately advocate for was near. God has made it clear to me over and over again that my part in orphan care is to be a mouthpiece for the voiceless to His Church. However, my heart longs to kiss little cheeks and embrace these ones that God has asked me to advocate for... to remember the reality of their plight and their desperate need for Hope and a Kinsman Redeemer.</div>
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Of course, when Carrie and Stephen were called to Haiti, I thought what a perfect place to "go"! I did not want to go for the sake of going but desired to only go if there was a divine purpose in me "going". I asked the Lord if He had a purpose for "me" personally to go. And if there was, then, "send me" because I was willing. God put it on my heart to use my love and passion for teaching the Word to the nannies that care for the children at The Hands and Feet Project. I suggested this to Carrie in conversations about whether or not I would be coming. God affirmed my desire to teach the nannies when Carrie expressed what an answer to prayer that ministry would be. Lastly, the Lord confirmed all of these leadings by speaking to my husband David's heart that "yes", I was indeed supposed to go on this trip. David felt the Lord saying there was specific purpose in my week there.... so, within the week I was on a search for the best, cheapest flights I could find : )</div>
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If you would feel led to partner with my trip to Haiti in prayer, I would be very grateful. I have never taught the Word using an interpreter before. This makes me feel very inadequate and unprepared. Yet, I trust God has a plan. I will be teaching 2 different groups of nannies each day and 1 group of kids every evening. I will be teaching from Equipping the Saint's model for teaching discipleship and also teaching inductive Bible study methods going through the book of Ruth to the nannies. I will also be using some curriculum and Bible story telling with the kids. </div>
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Please pray I would be flexible to adapt to God's agenda, sensitive to the Spirit's leading and trust God's all sufficiency in my weakness. Thanks to all who come alongside this 7 day trip in intercession for children in Haiti : )</div>
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<br /></div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-16376604351708846772011-11-08T12:57:00.001-06:002011-11-08T12:57:37.203-06:00The Mommy Marathon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thought I'd share a devotional I wrote for a friend's baby shower : ) Hope it encourages some moms out there today!</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Becoming a mother</span>... a sacred joy and blessing yet a noble and divine responsibility. </b> Surely, we experience motherhood even before giving birth, protecting and nurturing a child in your womb. There will be thrills your heart has never known to exist and there will be pain that you think your soul cannot bear. I have heard it said to be a mom, it is to hold your heart outside of your body.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Being this incredible and serious adventure, mothers strive to do their VERY BEST! So many choices in motherhood... labor options, diapering options, feeding options, sleeping options, disciplining options, schooling options and the list goes on. Some of these options probably are already swirling in your head. Whew... it makes MY head swirl and I’m not even having a baby : ) Let me assure you though, that all of these options are non-essential and NONE of them will make you a good mother. Let me explain.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>There is only ONE thing that will make you a successful mom. The only ONE essential to being a good mother is fearing and obeying the Lord.</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But what does that look like? I am going to share with you from the Word a passage where we can glean insight to answer that very question. The passage of Scripture I felt led to share with you today is one of my favorites. And very appropriate in light of all of Jackie’s running and races(she ran her 1st marathon at 11wks pregnant!).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Hebrews 12:1-3</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witneses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.</i></span></span></div>
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<li style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses”</span></b>... in mothering, we MUST remember the lost world around us and our brothers/sisters in Christ are watching. We can greatly impact people around us either by making them stumble or encouraging them to seek the Lord. Our lives and our mothering must always point to Christ.</span></li>
<li style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily entangles”</span></b>... in our mothering, we MUST be careful to examine our lives. To confess sin and repent, so that our children learn to do the same. So that they will learn to be holy and to be humble.</li>
<li style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”</span></b>... one of the things I always say when David and I do pre-marital counseling is don’t expect to have a 50yr. marriage in the 1st year, I believe the same can be said for mothering. It is ok if you don’t have all the answers in the first few days of becoming a mom, you know the ONE who does. Relax, take it slow, enjoy the run of “mothering”. The point is to endure and be steadfast.</li>
<li style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Fixing our eyes on Jesus”</span></b>... probably one of the toughest things in mothering is the urge to compare yourself to other moms. But the WORD says to fix your eyes on JESUS... not the mom running next to you. Be careful to not “fix your eyes” on methods in mothering or on moms you admire. Rather, FIX your eyes on JESUS and HIS WORD and He will give you direction for your marathon in mommyhood.</li>
<li style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>“For the joy set before Him endured the cross”.</b></span>.. there will be many times that being a mom stinks : ) There is great sacrifice in being a mom... of sleep, of time, of money, of emotion, of belongings and so many more. There are times I want to just quit. But it is in THOSE times we need to remember JOY! For the JOY set before HIM, He endured the cross. There is so much JOY in serving our kids in service to our GOD! Always make sure your kids know that you have JOY in being a mom. They will see the JOY of the Lord is your strength. The JOY of the Lord as we consider Christ on the cross will keep us from growing weary that we may not lose heart!</li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">As you run the "Mommy marathon", remember to relax, enjoy and most of all... Fear the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. <b>"</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', arial, helvetica; font-size: 13px;"><b> <em>But</em> a woman who <a class="ftnt" href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Pro&c=31&v=1&t=NASB#fnt/0_0" style="color: #324395; font-size: 8px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: text-top;">[fn]</a>fears the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-73635660338067446652011-07-29T00:39:00.001-05:002011-07-29T00:45:32.427-05:00The RaceI am running a 5k tomorrow. Not a big deal for a lot of people. It's a big deal for me. I don't like to run. Well, that's not true... I do like to run but only when it's sprinting really fast and really short distances. Certainly not jogging 3 miles. That's painful, boring, and hard.<br />
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Yet, I am running. I decided to run the 5k primarily because it is raising awareness and funding for orphans in Guatemala. Soon after making the decision, some motivating questions entered my head. "I wonder how quick I can get into shape and really be competitive? I wonder how fast I could run this if I work hard?". The thrill and challenge of competition and lofty goals are hard to resist.<br />
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Pretty quickly those lofty goals were met with misery. I was running way too fast the first mile and could barely breathe to gut my way through to the next. I felt terrible, out of shape and discouraged. I needed to run slower but I didn't want to because I wanted the work out to be over as fast as possible. I wasn't enjoying the running because I was trying to set a pace that my body was not ready to run.<br />
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I've always loved the comparison Scripture uses of running a race to the Christian journey in following after Christ. Probably because I relate to it. I was a sprinter in high school and college. I understand running with endurance and "in such a way to win the prize" as I visualize rounding the curve to the straight away in the 400m. hurdles. But somewhere in the midst of making myself run long distances the last couple months, God has brought me fresh insight. <br />
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It honestly makes me laugh when I think of how silly I must be to Him when I compare His Word of running with endurance to sprinting the straightaway of the 400m. hurdles. Oh sure, there's endurance required in the 400 hurdles... all of the 60+seconds needed to run it : ) Although, I wouldn't doubt our lives here will look near close to that 60+seconds when we get to eternity. Still, we don't have that eternity understanding yet and our life on earth can seem dauntingly longer than even a 5k race... a marathon if you will.<br />
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The Lord has quietly revealed to me how the human desire tries to live the way I like to run. Fast and short. But the life of following Christ is rarely a sprint. If we are to run in such a way to win the prize with endurance, we must let Him set the pace. If we get ahead of Him, we make ourselves miserable. We gut it out in our own strength barely able to breathe.<br />
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God desires us to settle into the pace He designed for each of us to run. If we are to run with endurance, we need to go at a pace where we are able to breathe in His life giving Spirit that enables us to have the strength to keep going. We need to throw off everything that entangles us, not looking to the right or the left to see what pace anyone else is running but fix our eyes on Jesus ALONE, the author and perfecter of faith.<br />
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Life is hard, difficult and painful. Sometimes it becomes even more so because we are pushing ahead not allowing God to direct our steps and set our pace. Life is also joyful, beautiful, full of hope and contentment when we rest in the timing and path He's set before us....even at it's hardest.<br />
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The Lord has changed my lofty goals. My aim now looks more like surrender, submission, humility and dependance. Praying to enjoy my running more(literally and figuratively) as I look to my sweet Jesus' face.... even in the hardest parts of the race.<br />
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How about you friend, are you enjoying your run?<br />
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<i>Hebrews 12:1-2 </i><br />
<i>"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."</i><br />
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<b>ps.</b> So funny but one day as I was training, an oldie but goodie came through my headphones right as God was showing me some of these insights. Here's the lyrics to SCC's "The Human Race"...gotta love how God works : )<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">In a world of winners and losers,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">Some are used, some are the users;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">It’s a push and shove race</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">Of trying to get ahead.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">In the dust of all the confusion</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">We make a choice, Truth or illusion;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">Will we listen to lies,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">Or hear what the Father says.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">CHORUS</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">We are running in a human race,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">Where nobody wants to settle for second place;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><b>But we’ve got to run it at a different pace</b>,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">‘Cause the first will be last and the last will be first</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">At the end of the human race.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">In a day when values are changing,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">What kind of ground are we really gaining;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">Who are we trying to serve by going the extra mile.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">We can’t trade the Truth for the fashion;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">We’ve got to live a life of compassion,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">And those we touch are the prize</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">That waits at the finish line.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">(chorus)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">We are running in the human race;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><b>We must run it at a different pace</b>,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">‘Cause we’ll all meet the Father face to face</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;">At the finish line of the human race. (2x)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-17168258700949783322011-06-09T17:02:00.000-05:002011-06-09T17:02:00.520-05:00Summer goals!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe2yOwzrglt22i2K4JClwL3C4niomMRRcUGJ02SbWeDtVnyxlLkf6Zj5FBPjo2xacUeuTy72nPS3fR6mAGWj6tVC12SReDjbSfnrAfznb0XyEkuG_IpaPDFq4rGwWbZO6wdOhBBSrrGUf/s1600/IMG_1995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe2yOwzrglt22i2K4JClwL3C4niomMRRcUGJ02SbWeDtVnyxlLkf6Zj5FBPjo2xacUeuTy72nPS3fR6mAGWj6tVC12SReDjbSfnrAfznb0XyEkuG_IpaPDFq4rGwWbZO6wdOhBBSrrGUf/s640/IMG_1995.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This pic was taken in Chicago when we visited Dave's dad at the Rehab Institute. Here's to hoping our summer will look this happy and cheerful with team cooperation : )</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A few people asked me to share the behavior/discipline plan that Dave and I came up with for our kids this summer. It really is a mixture of lots of advice and other people's ideas fit for our family. Hope this might help anyone looking for something new or just an idea starter!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>Our goals:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Behavior</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Chores</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Spiritual discipline of prayer/reading the Word</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Begin learning concept of tithing/saving/spending</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>Method:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Charts (we found great free printable behavior/chore charts on internet -thanks Karen Beaty!)</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Reward of $ (again found really fun printable play $ online.. even found a site that you can print your kids faces on the bills, heehee)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>How it works:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Each boy has a chart with 5 things they need to do every day </div><div style="text-align: left;">2. They receive a sticker for each thing they accomplish each day</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Stickers are worth 10cents a piece with the potential of earning 50 cents/day</div><div style="text-align: left;"> <i>*For added incentive I let each child pick their own stickers out at the store</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>5 things:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>1.</b> There are <b>2 behaviors</b>(ie. complaining, fighting with siblings, annoying siblings, etc)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> <i> *they get 3 strikes and then they are out... which means they receive 2 warnings per behavior before they lose a sticker</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>2</b>. There are <b>2 chore</b>s(ie. clean room, set table, trash, water flowers, etc)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>3</b>. There is <b>1 spiritual discipline</b>(ie. read the Bible and prayer journal)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> -Read 1 Chapter a day of a book of the Bible(in progression)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> -Write or draw a picture in summary of what the chapter was about</div><div style="text-align: left;"> -Write out Prayer Points:</div><div style="text-align: left;"> <i> a. PRAISE- write a praise for God</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> b. THANKS- write a thank you to God for something</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> c. SORRY- write you are sorry for a specific sin</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> d. HELP- write and ask God to help you with something</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Extras:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Boys get an <b>extra dollar</b> at the end of each week IF they get a perfect chart for the week</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. We are implementing the tithing(10%), saving(50%), spending(40%) as they receive their $</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Boys are only required to do spiritual discipline 5 times/wk... so they get 2 FREE stickers/wk.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>Overall thoughts:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am SO excited!! Things are going really well. My favorite thing is the journals! The boys are reading through Joshua and LOVE it. They don't even want to take a break and plan to do it 7 days/wk. One thing I know has really helped is how we introduced the whole idea. I've been prepping them for weeks plus we have been building it up and speaking confidence into them that we KNOW they can do it : ) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The other thing we have done is we have UNPLUGGED for the summer(all technology, yippee!). It's amazing how the complaining about when do they get to have their "screen" time each day and "can't we just finish this level" is NON-EXISTENT! We will have exceptions on Saturday mornings for mom and dad to "sleep in" and for family nights(which vary week to week). I highly recommend taking the leap : )</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh, and we are doing sticker charts with the girls too! They have a chart for 1 targeted behavior. Right now we are working on not coming into mommy and daddy's bed in the middle of the night. And like the boys, it's working!!! 4 out of the last 6 nights!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Hope you all have a great summer!</div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-21848161306847133792011-06-02T15:39:00.001-05:002011-06-02T15:44:48.688-05:00Trusting that "Jesus loves me this I know"<div>Stunned. I stood there holding my daughter. Her arms gently wrapped around my neck and clung to me, her head buried in my shoulder. She willingly received comfort from me as she cried. Truly a breakthrough!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Sarah had received a punishment from me for disobeying. Being disciplined was no new thing for Sarah in disobedience. However, her reaction was a 180 turn. Normally, upon punishment, Sarah throws a fit, yells angrily, pulls/runs away, or screams the name of the opposite parent(or even Caleb's name) in hopes of being rescued.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Her angry reactions have been difficult and different from parenting the other kids. As long as we disciplined in a godly, right way(yep, we're not perfect : ), our other kids have always melted into our arms after being punished. I'd liken it to owning their "sin" and them accepting the consequence. But with Sarah, no matter how calm, kind, reassuring and firm I have been in delivering her discipline, she has reacted as though I have hurt her unfairly and retreats from me.</div><div><br />
</div><div>To me, it's all about TRUST. When my children completely trust me with their training, well-being and feel whole-heartedly loved, they respond to their discipline with broken yet willing spirits(please keep in mind they aren't so willing and broken <i>before </i>admonishment, hehe). They KNOW I love them and they TRUST that I am correcting in that love. Sarah may struggle with trust "off and on" her whole life but I'm praying she won't. I see victory over her trust/security issues little by little and praising God for this small victory in the area of discipline!</div><div><br />
</div><div>So.... you all know by now, I have to go further than a story about Sarah : ) I am reminded of Hebrews 12:5-11:</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the LORD, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives....... All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div>Woe is my soul when I am far from Him and I turn angrily from His discipline. When I forget His unfailing love and choose unbelief, my heart becomes cold and unresponsive by my skewed perspective of unfairness. I shiver and cower in fear, insecurity and lies from the enemy.</div><div><br />
</div><div>But when I TRUST my Abba, Father and am confident in the knowledge that He loves me, I receive His discipline... broken yet willing. I cry out for comfort from the One who is training my heart for righteousness. I mount up with wings like eagles and gain new strength as I wait for the Lord. <i>"Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us."Hosea 6:1</i></div><div><br />
</div><div><i></i>Are you TRUSTING God in His discipline? Be encouraged, friends, "HE who began a good work in you is FAITHFUL to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus!"</div><div></div><div><br />
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</div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-2495549765489146622011-04-14T10:55:00.000-05:002011-04-14T10:55:24.780-05:00His DelightI may never have mentioned this before, but I teach private art lessons. I really enjoy teaching under 2 conditions: the student desires to learn and the student is teachable. Any other situation is filled with frustration and dread. We all know "students" can find themselves in all sorts of classrooms for any number of reasons other than desiring to learn and a heart to be teachable.<br />
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Whether I am teaching art, truths about the Word of God or training my children, my "enjoyment" of teaching depends on those 2 conditions. When that desire to learn and attitude of being teachable exist, my heart is DELIGHTED. There is joy. It is easy. It grows a bond between teacher and student.<br />
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Today as I acknowledged and expressed to God my heartache over a situation and loved ones that are unteachable, I recognized His heartache and frustration for "unteachable-ness" as well. <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(oh, how much we desire to protect others from pain and suffering from wrong choices...)</span></i> But, as crazy as it seems, in the very next moment, I sensed His DELIGHT. My Bible was laying open in front of me as I concluded a day of study. For whatever reason, in my despair over someone else, He chose to love on me and express His hearty approval for my endless searching of Him. A moment from our perfect Father in Heaven when He pours undeserved love all over your soul and drenches you with His comfort. To the extent that God is not pleased with unteachable and un-desiring hearts, He is DELIGHTED by the heart that searches and seeks Him. What child does not yearn for the delight of their Father?<br />
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Do you desire to know God, to be teachable? Does the time you spend in the Word reflect your desire to know Him and learn from Him? Ouch! Yes, our time devoted to "the Word IS God" does reflect our desire to know Him and learn from Him. Oh Lord, I pray that the amount of time I set aside to genuinely search for You in the Scriptures reflects and validates the desire I profess with my mouth instead of making me a liar.<br />
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How are you doing, friends? Are you DELIGHTING your Father with your desire to know Him and learn? I pray you are!!David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-83931178194727804022011-04-06T16:43:00.000-05:002011-04-06T16:43:46.465-05:00Because you love METhe boys were playing in the living room. I asked if one of them could carry something to the basement for me. So, the older one cons the younger one into doing it. But in doing so, the younger was not without a whole slew of grumbling and complaining about his big brother. <br />
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Words came out of my mouth, embedded in my mind since childhood, in response to the complaints, "Don't do it for your brother, do it because you love me." Do you ever have moments, where the thoughts coming from your mouth nearly slap you in the face? God often shocks me with my own hypocrisy through parenting.<br />
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As I spoke to Zachary, I seemed to receive a life giving "jolt" to my hardening heart as the words, "Do it because you love ME" echoed in my thoughts. Sometimes, deep down, little sprigs of bitterness or selfish complaint or "that's unfair" thoughts can try and take root in my mind and heart concerning relationships with my brothers/sisters in Christ. Those relationships can be our spouses, children, family members, friends, church members, neighbors, etc. I wonder how often I or we withhold, refuse, neglect, grumble, complain because in "our" opinion someone is deemed unworthy, selfish, undeserving or wrong? <br />
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We are to love our brother more than ourselves, deserving or not. But more important, our first command is to love God, who is deserving of ALL our service and obedience. And God, who is deserving of our obedience, commands us to love our brother.<br />
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</span><br />
<span lang="en-US"><b><i>John 14:21</i></b></span><b><i> (NASB95)</i></b><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="text-decoration: none;"><b><i>21 </i></b></span><span lang="en-US"><b><i>“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who LOVES Me; and he who LOVES Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” </i></b></span> <br />
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I praise God, that when my rebellious nature wars with my spirit, I can recall the gentle words of my Father in Heaven, "do it because you love ME!"<br />
<!--EndFragment-->David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-45441200566503906692011-02-12T14:26:00.004-06:002011-02-12T15:06:42.334-06:00Sometimes there are scars<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7TNChJfO3q868P2aaZUBM-yUaezJ_du8AW-NxEmQNTB4U6Dvzdul5I6lE-iYotI8kfcOCz8Kgh96EsFbYDBqkxQ7cEs1vfxA5gwHeGLitMHnTzZGHLOhyphenhyphenpARoqOdFbk8CGJsqv6Rxoq3/s1600/IMG_1773.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7TNChJfO3q868P2aaZUBM-yUaezJ_du8AW-NxEmQNTB4U6Dvzdul5I6lE-iYotI8kfcOCz8Kgh96EsFbYDBqkxQ7cEs1vfxA5gwHeGLitMHnTzZGHLOhyphenhyphenpARoqOdFbk8CGJsqv6Rxoq3/s400/IMG_1773.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572902954711655170" /></a>A week ago Sarah got 4 stitches as a result of entering the middle of a light saber battle. It was not a fun experience but she did just fine. In fact, it's hard to believe just 7 days later there is a minimal scar that should be almost unnoticeable as she ages.... the dr. did a fantastic job!<div><br /></div><div>Most days, my kids are just my kids. You know, I <i><b>try</b></i> to use godly, catered discipline, encourage specific areas, find special moments to express intentional love and care for their needs on as personal basis as possible. </div><div><br /></div><div>For Sarah, I try to encourage our bonding and attachment intentionally often. Several times a week I do this by rocking her before nap time. Today, she whispered "Mommy, rub my forehead please"(another little thing I do intentionally to promote bonding... just special between the 2 of us).</div><div><br /></div><div>It's in those times, with her eyes closed and her sweet chubby face looking like the cutest angel on earth, that God often pricks my heart. I consider the <b>scar</b> of "what has been". The year of life that was missed by us and by her. The rejection that comes from being relinquished. The loss of a culture and heritage she will never fully know. </div><div><br /></div><div>But there is another <b>scar</b> that God has brought to my attention. A <b>scar</b> that "will never be". How I praise the Lord for the scar that "will never be". The scar of hunger, of abuse, of enslavement, of abandonment, of neglect. Praise God Sarah was rescued from a life that "could have been" had her birth mom not sent her to Eagles' Nest! Praise God Sarah had a church, friends and family that supported her adoption financially! Praise God that He gave specific direction to me and David as we followed Him to Guatemala!</div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder how many "Sarah's" are out there today waiting for God to move in the hearts of His people to accept the scar of "what has been" and move forward to rescue even just one from the scar of "what will never be". I hope you each take time today to pray how God might use you to redeem a "Sarah" for the sake of Jesus!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Consider coming to the Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten conference on February, 19!!</i></div><div><i>You can register at www.connectingheartsconference.org </i></div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-11097580529258515682011-01-24T13:38:00.003-06:002011-01-24T14:46:24.889-06:00Like Mother Like Daughter<a href="http://connectingheartsconference.org/"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixuJWdHa1iRn4Lorvr0HfxFS4ohBPX1mDo-_wAUYkSn6czNRVrcJJZnyUbgo6XyuconKEsz2WP7W8EXT-xoFGoUZ6BhoLxbN5nFVPuutjKwenmtoaf7PXF6wBOeAKlyOXm1DhXz_OBLZo/s400/IMG_0693.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565841990625938578" /></div><div>It's that time of year again... just 3.5 weeks until the <b><a href="http://www.connectingheartsconference.org">Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten Conference</a> . </b> My "to do" list is ridiculously long as all the last minute details are being sorted out... yet, this is of course, the opportune time God always takes to teach me something about Him, about me and adoption. And I have learned that if I don't take time to process this "something" and journal it, the lessons that are more precious than jewels are lost.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lately, I have had moments of considering whether or not Sarah will struggle with not looking like me. Maybe because so many people have commented on how much Emily is just like me. Emily's hair color, complexion, blue eyes, and even the build of her body resemble my own appearance as a toddler. But even her personality is strikingly similar to who I was at almost 3 yrs. of age.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sarah, obviously, does not look anything like me. And even her personality is completely opposite my own. In a world that glorifies the flesh and promotes outward appearance above all else, my mind swims in the confusion of wanting to protect my girl. Will this bother her someday? Maybe, maybe not.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was often scolded growing up for "thinking too much". Which is great advice for petty thinking or dwelling on negative thoughts that I am very sure was all consuming in my youth. But I consider it a gift from God as I've grown into adulthood. Simply because I have been able to breathe in so much wisdom from His Word and godly people for "thinking too much" about what they say. How MUCH I certainly would have missed for not chewing on Truth hour by hour, day in and day out.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I've been thinking through future conversations with Sarah and Emily pretty often, seeking to know how best God would have me handle these possible questions.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Sunday, Pastor Ed gave a wonderful sermon on the sanctity of life. In his message, he brought up 2 Genesis passages... Gen.1:27 and Gen. 5:3. They talk about how God created mankind in His own image and fathered a son in His own likeness. Image? Likeness? My ears perked up and my heart opened willingly to receive God's teaching. (Ha ha, I'm quite sure P. Ed had no intention of teaching about post-adoption... just goes to show the Word never goes out and returns void)</div><div><br /></div><div>Like salve on an open wound or refreshing water to a thirsty soul, God's Word ministered to my Mommy heart. What is more important... to physically look like your parent or to spiritually mirror your Father in Heaven?? </div><div><br /></div><div>With renewed confidence from God's Word, I look forward to those questions from my sweet Sarah and my sweet Emily. I look forward to telling them that there is no value in physically looking like me or anyone else! My heart's desire is that we will look IDENTICAL in our search for God as He molds us and makes us into HIS image and HIS likeness. That in the truest sense of reality, our eternity, we will look and be <b>like Mother like Daughter</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>"Instead, let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:4</i></b></div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-12579609405607316452010-12-08T15:14:00.003-06:002010-12-08T16:04:25.854-06:00Sisters in Crime<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HH-19Z4Z96xtpIXUYRw7ePsT-cnyCkvYvWZ_M4ZY8enXIwCyBQJ5ve46LiMKoNH1ZSERkeXOGIfif6V5bEyMhJctRq8h4Z0cLAjvmi4cy7W2VtFYURcBov8UBw7PShCcriAj2JtcJlF0/s1600/IMG_1356.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HH-19Z4Z96xtpIXUYRw7ePsT-cnyCkvYvWZ_M4ZY8enXIwCyBQJ5ve46LiMKoNH1ZSERkeXOGIfif6V5bEyMhJctRq8h4Z0cLAjvmi4cy7W2VtFYURcBov8UBw7PShCcriAj2JtcJlF0/s400/IMG_1356.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548429377801396706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">They look harmless enough....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7W-6dhTMTUVv0k4nzTr0OzymWXxpDyB731-fzJ6Q3bEnGFWl6tajw0o-KIU-N45kQgpBhKUphKLnhyISmRNrl9rVbHw-EVFYGF8ZenUY3Ht1DTRej2NZR3Pf3mxkeADkphMON-CMBTAt/s1600/IMG_1370.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7W-6dhTMTUVv0k4nzTr0OzymWXxpDyB731-fzJ6Q3bEnGFWl6tajw0o-KIU-N45kQgpBhKUphKLnhyISmRNrl9rVbHw-EVFYGF8ZenUY3Ht1DTRej2NZR3Pf3mxkeADkphMON-CMBTAt/s400/IMG_1370.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548429371970984530" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">...until they decide to do the laundry for you. </div><div style="text-align: center;">(yep, they carried this lil tikes table in here all by themselves : )</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvKwyVCptz_SKk9mrag4bA40guVLOWD0xHX2-sQnYOd0zUISEaN5JKZRCqbrnt1exqsM4J8OhVviPrd7bRqccKM_s4zTo0ekxw8EYYJuIYMWy5Trm4Rm0uO4XpKiu9cxrAacHyGJYPTup/s1600/IMG_1371.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvKwyVCptz_SKk9mrag4bA40guVLOWD0xHX2-sQnYOd0zUISEaN5JKZRCqbrnt1exqsM4J8OhVviPrd7bRqccKM_s4zTo0ekxw8EYYJuIYMWy5Trm4Rm0uO4XpKiu9cxrAacHyGJYPTup/s400/IMG_1371.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548429363676975314" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This would be detergent in the fabric softener opening </div><div style="text-align: center;">and unmeasurable amounts of detergent in with the laundry.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2234EISWtaIpwREGxTf2i0E6Na05xMKg-AkQssSh_FAF-YU34UetmDs8yv5Aoy23fkEnQF4UuDs-1XoMvX5WRbl1sAqngdWcXl9R_MQcuurPNUMp4VTKWBRwYJEeTHsrLFjrIJBwwdRG6/s1600/IMG_1462.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2234EISWtaIpwREGxTf2i0E6Na05xMKg-AkQssSh_FAF-YU34UetmDs8yv5Aoy23fkEnQF4UuDs-1XoMvX5WRbl1sAqngdWcXl9R_MQcuurPNUMp4VTKWBRwYJEeTHsrLFjrIJBwwdRG6/s400/IMG_1462.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548429358435068354" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Playing in the living room seems harmless enough too until you see there are no toys out in sight and only a step ladder by the suddenly bare Christmas tree...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHt4BozovzkBjuW6rWNULl-mBHDTkldlWnY0hVofLoMcfWrDg6zsSx8dUOPyjlj3Wj5BddIQcP-9fW0R9UPeqs_JaMRPVVd9pUfCBrFRWMjxib9LptHIu1IxszW97fkfnfm6ml59iBqyT/s1600/IMG_1463.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHt4BozovzkBjuW6rWNULl-mBHDTkldlWnY0hVofLoMcfWrDg6zsSx8dUOPyjlj3Wj5BddIQcP-9fW0R9UPeqs_JaMRPVVd9pUfCBrFRWMjxib9LptHIu1IxszW97fkfnfm6ml59iBqyT/s400/IMG_1463.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548429354424285026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">...oh, and this pile of ornaments on the footstool.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nothing like getting to decorate the tree twice for one Christmas!!</div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-54840428888706615752010-11-24T13:08:00.000-06:002010-11-24T13:09:54.779-06:00Gift Ideas to help ORPHANS!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Show the love of Christ to a child in need this Christmas!</span></strong></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:110%;">What are you doing this year for Christmas?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:110%;">Decorating the house? Making Christmas cookies? Celebrating with family and loved ones? Exchanging gifts?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:110%;">What if this year you gave gifts that not only celebrated your loved ones but <strong>brought the love of Christ to a child in need</strong>? An orphan in Africa, India, Ukraine, or Honduras?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:110%;">This year </span><a href="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/index.htm" style="font-size: 110%;" target="_blank">Lifesong for Orphans</a><span style="font-size:110%;"> has gifts that will do just that. Give the <strong><span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/store.html" target="_blank">new Lifesong cookbook</a></span></strong>... </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size:110%;"><span class="full-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><img alt="" src="http://lifesong.squarespace.com/storage/cb.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1290619289289" style="width: 200px;" /></span> <span class="full-image-block ssNonEditable"><img alt="" src="http://lifesong.squarespace.com/storage/cb5.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1290619436260" style="width: 200px;" /></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size:110%;"> <span class="full-image-inline ssNonEditable"><img alt="" src="http://lifesong.squarespace.com/storage/cb4.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1290619844218" style="width: 200px;" /></span></span></div><br /><span style="font-size:110%;">or give a child in Africa food, a child in Honduras job skills training, a child in India a home... in honor of those you love... and really, what could be better at Christmas than to know your gift was given to a child who needed it more.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:110%;">Check it out </span><a href="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/catalog/Catalog-10.html" style="font-size: 110%;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:110%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:110%;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:110%;">May God bless your holiday season! </span><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16979697" width="400"></iframe><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/16979697">10-11 Gifts of Purpose</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user738203">Lifesong for Orphans</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-28411687336313241162010-11-18T09:43:00.003-06:002010-11-18T10:52:03.810-06:00Pain that brings THANKSGIVINGOnly God would equate pain with thanksgiving.<div><br /></div><div>I would never write this post if I did not believe it was true nor would I know how to write this if I had not experienced it. The last 6 mos. have turned everything upside down around my little family of David, me and our kids. We are fine... but so many loved ones near us are not. Family and friends alike, on both sides. But, because we bear one another's burdens... in reality, we are not fine.</div><div><br /></div><div>Each situation unique, each with grievous pain. Some pain is emotional, some physical and some spiritual. So many times, everything in me has cried out to God... "make it all STOP!" So many times, I just plead with God to send Christ back so we can go home. Of course, there are too many that do not know Him as Savior to <i>really</i> wish that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Probably the deepest hurt for me is to see willful choices of sin that lead to devastation... for everyone, not just themselves. Consequences for those who "do what is right in their own eyes" hold tragedy of all kinds and sadly even for the surrounding innocent. The Enemy is cunning and disguises himself as an angel of light, justifying every fleshly desire.</div><div><br /></div><div>Recently, it has occurred to me, that actually ALL pain is a result of willful choices of sin. The earth itself and all of mankind has been cursed because of sin. You can't read or watch the news without recognizing our world is devastated.</div><div><br /></div><div>How does any of this lead to thanksgiving? I'm glad you asked.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, <b>that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings</b>, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:8-11</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; <b>but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation</b>. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." 1 Peter 4:12-14</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And then, yesterday, as I was working on my Isaiah study, God lovingly revived my weary heart with these precious words of truth that left tears of joy streaming down my face...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>"He(God) will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day, <b>'Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.'"</b></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Be encouraged dear sisters and brothers... "THIS is our GOD for whom we have waited that He might SAVE us!" Our time here is short and so many are lost. Don't be surprised by the abundant hardships but rest in His abundant comfort. Press on with me, friends! Don't lose sight of the goal when we are so close! Our GOD will be faithful to do it!! Choose today to give thanks for the great things He has done and REJOICE in the sufferings of Christ! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And let us not forget to pray for one another....</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-37222328871112329722010-10-27T13:53:00.006-05:002010-10-27T14:37:30.266-05:00Adventures in Picture Taking<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcA0zvNi5Qk5Qj20rkDbItQGPuXSkZm_6eI17geRF41hBWFltFOcwWxHyTTwbJ_HPRiP590pZbw44aSh1lIWh5A3WKOVOw1p75iq3qwRrd6AOw8fVjyOoikIR2QgzReVGZrXy_RFjdiBkB/s1600/0004.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcA0zvNi5Qk5Qj20rkDbItQGPuXSkZm_6eI17geRF41hBWFltFOcwWxHyTTwbJ_HPRiP590pZbw44aSh1lIWh5A3WKOVOw1p75iq3qwRrd6AOw8fVjyOoikIR2QgzReVGZrXy_RFjdiBkB/s400/0004.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532807833539130578" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It's been a while since the girls got their pictures taken... so decided to get Sarah's 3 yr. and Emily's 2.5yr. yesterday!</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS25vX5g5fpzHRS1WEYMfuzNZ8D5rbxUUIYNH-01PEeiyLgcQbkkgPAEOlaa87GHYMU0FCoyH7zdI755I0FKvTmKDds6sea-u2oMJArGJlP_HbA3PY6qZgGhT0VTl_XIewaBDXC62TIcjw/s400/0010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532807830355220802" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sarah did GREAT... </div><div>pulling out all the stops on big smiles</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GFql1Q_Ux_WWmsoLIotqK4Bj0N7-C_IJHeSaKsegoQOhyphenhyphen5e0HkOOlejam7sOdY8EiLb5vttMb49kXPx7VZ8N12epuNeDH_4BrMlK90yBP4EMS-zsWFjfBDs99n0CRMUIiS0dLS2WrA91/s400/0048.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532807838694355122" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>She had the photographers melting with their awwww's and she's so cute comments : )</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8HwQzDoEY9Q_u-H0ALxJXWeCtyccA3SLR65gax542i-Hlt9_khz3DEuYo9w3wCPTmL1o9Z50YTYgg_g9vD4gJOrcfyhFgkDMzEsK4bL9qZNLiPHfCmRuYePR22B7daCeK-COODCf6d8t/s400/0015.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532807824394956050" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And then there was Emily....</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQybHgT2l2QUeKo1M8IK51VYxLPzkEbQwFEi0zWR1dB5yIMcoxhcoCDxvEVTD6hMtIQU8iP-nudY2EyOmvGQDOSMoqbmXPkwxnQVjW0Zdq4QOcyjokZgETb6gzEeUZlECKqDXdbWCD3hi/s400/0016.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532807011663965746" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This one is my all time favorite...</div><div>the photographer PERFECTLY captured her 2 year old tantrum so I'll be able to remember them forever : )</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVPV7_1P_0OvUt7e7WSM5hmYBvTr5XuQFw3_tG2xigLl1nPPhgQqNS1bjdNAn9d3EkmbVRXQElNxWXfFHiDps-ZRHa5M5Ffpwqr6brZZBxVI58_fD9x6HsNuODq8YN306AqeZH1oN5rud/s400/0037.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532806993594710418" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Somehow...(through much bribing and distractions) we were able to turn Emily around</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtYVScKb3Fv0GPBsl1KyLRlX5f1XOuDy8QHv5kXmQmAn0iLh5eW403JQO688KpQ3Y1ookqjt6IyKN-ukzcNf5VNnESa0JQU81M21jKUE66iA0anrY5Oz_LsaLSM3Y4iKi4pka_QrvkDyRC/s400/0018.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532807001882685266" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>She even giggled a little!</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XGlug3b3cEuKzZKfKxrgguPfdrg9JV4PzBDlSGjpms-_hsvPvS3L6yyqSnduJUqDET3sj3vBh2-B5AB5TXrWlhxOdOMtO-sv70zhKhVwdBjJdHyXtwcM5JfqSotOB7fWEr5naE2uTd0-/s1600/0055.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XGlug3b3cEuKzZKfKxrgguPfdrg9JV4PzBDlSGjpms-_hsvPvS3L6yyqSnduJUqDET3sj3vBh2-B5AB5TXrWlhxOdOMtO-sv70zhKhVwdBjJdHyXtwcM5JfqSotOB7fWEr5naE2uTd0-/s400/0055.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532806989867940018" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I was grateful they caught her famous mischievous smile... she definitely has the DNA of our boys!</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1PtPWO29sPD28f0sU9aEe3qP3YU1jxLAuEyryUzu012mjvAX11Nhyphenhyphen3qI6el3ES23EU9jd4wWtAaNJTM9pfZqo5TMwG1wE52EIjH3HxecYfq6FOpbWiW8Q3A2ABIiE3l07EXM2IsiYSp0/s1600/0061.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1PtPWO29sPD28f0sU9aEe3qP3YU1jxLAuEyryUzu012mjvAX11Nhyphenhyphen3qI6el3ES23EU9jd4wWtAaNJTM9pfZqo5TMwG1wE52EIjH3HxecYfq6FOpbWiW8Q3A2ABIiE3l07EXM2IsiYSp0/s400/0061.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532806981587039202" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And finally a sweet one to finish off the day : )</div><div><br /></div><div>Now just have to get a pic of all the kids for Christmas... or maybe not, ha ha!!</div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-46927274407058710072010-08-31T22:14:00.005-05:002010-09-02T20:48:50.299-05:00I love my JesusEarlier today, my little Guatemalan princess walks in to the kitchen while I was making dinner. My once shy and timid daughter, who now exhibits confidence in her 2 yr. old strut, makes her way towards me. Tickled by her cuteness, I swoop her up and squeeze her close to me as I say,"I love my Sarah". And just as natural as could be, she turned in my cradle hold, looked straight into my eyes and said, <span style="font-weight:bold;">" I love my Jesus"</span>.<br /><br />It's true, I can be dramatic. But there was something about that moment that will stand the test of time for me. My soul filled up with more thoughts than I could possibly write. But there was one main thread in all of it.... "remember". It was like God was saying...<br /><br /><b>Remember</b>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Marianne, how I spoke to you in Jamaica? </span><div><b>Remember</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> that I told you that you had found ME in the orphan?</span><div><b>Remember </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">how I showed you that I was making a way for you to bring Sarah into your home with the miscarriage of your baby?</span><br /><b>Remember</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that I provided EVERY penny needed for Sarah's adoption?</span><br /><b>Remember</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">how I brought Sarah home at just the right time and in just the right way?</span><br /><b>Remember</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that I showed you that I loved you first so that you could love Me back?</span><br /><b>Remember</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that you physically adopted Sarah so that I can teach her about eternal adoption?</span><br /><b>Remember....</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Funny how God seems to weave messages into your life that no one else gets except for you. Yes, we serve that personal of a God. "Remembering" is something that God has talked to me about many times in my life... specifically in times of doubt, pain or persecution. The trials facing my family seem more gigantic to me than Goliath. Contending for our faith requires endurance and this trial has felt like a marathon although it has only been 4 months. It is in these times that I recognize the Lord's prompting to remember. </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Many times I choose to "remember" by looking at how God has brought me through personally in hard times before. Greater still, I "remember" by looking at how God has brought His people through hard times in the Word. But for some reason, these thoughts have felt over used or have lost it's power in my determination to hold on to faith and hope as of late.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">However, a stirring in my heart has occurred the last few days and was solidified in my daughter's words today, </span>"I love my Jesus"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. Remembering Jesus. Remembering the cross. Remembering there is no other hope but in the name of Jesus Christ. That no matter what befalls us in this life, Jesus is enough. Remembering that it was MY sin that put Him on the cross. Remembering that it was His choice to stay there for me. Remembering that even more than anything He's done IN my life, He's who GAVE me life. Remembering that there is no greater miracle and no greater act of love than what He has already done! Oh, ye of little faith. Is anything too impossible for Him? Never.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Chapter 9 of Nehemiah could have a chapter heading of "remembering". There are two separate kinds of remembering accounted for... God remembering and Israel NOT remembering.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The essence of the chapter is the descendants of Israel separating themselves from the people, recommitting to the Law of Moses and turning towards God. They even put an agreement in writing in a sealed document with the names of their leaders, the Levites and the priests.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">In the midst of their fasting and reading from the Law, the Levites cry out to the Lord in confession and remembrance. They declare and remember WHO God is and WHAT God has done. In doing so, there is a great contrast.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><b>God </b>was faithful.<b> Israel </b>was not. </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>God </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">was forgiving, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">lovingkindness.</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> Israel</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> was disobedient, rebellious, stubborn, arrogant and </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">blasphemous.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>God </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">did not forsake.</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> Israel </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">turned away.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><b>God </b>spoke. </span>Israel </b>didn't listen.</div><div><br /></div><div>You see, God <b>REMEMBERS </b>His promises and He keeps them. Israel <b>FORGOT</b> to remember the "wondrous deeds which [God] had performed among them"(v.17). And since we have a God that never changes, we know He remembers His promise to the children of God... we are His, we are adopted into the family of God through the blood of Jesus forever.</div><div><br /></div><div>Have you forgotten to remember what God has done for you? If He hasn't done anything else for you.... the cross is more than any of us will ever deserve. And that's enough. In a world that screams "entitlement" from every angle, let's remember.... our sin, our unfaithfulness, our arrogance, our pride, our forgetfulness. And humbly remember the GRACIOUS and COMPASSIONATE gift of Jesus. Oh Lord, have mercy on this servant.</div><div><br /></div><div>I LOVE MY JESUS! </div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">I am going to end our study of Nehemiah with Chapter 9 with the above post. Please read the remaining chapters and enjoy! But since I begin my fall Bible study with Isaiah this week, I need to close this online study out</span>.</i> </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></b></div><div><br /><br /></div></div>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5804370171867451918.post-70731374859444167112010-08-23T11:10:00.000-05:002010-08-23T11:11:10.223-05:00<p><a href="http://www.logos.com/mac"><img src="http://www.logos.com/images/mac/blog-post.jpg" style="float: right; padding: 0 0 0 5px;" /></a><a href="http://www.logos.com/">Logos Bible Software</a> is giving away <a href="http://www.logos.com/mac#giveaway">thousands of dollars of prizes</a> to celebrate the launch of <a href="http://www.logos.com/mac">Logos Bible Software 4 Mac</a> on October 1. Prizes include an iMac, a MacBook Pro, an iPad, an iPod Touch, and more than 100 other prizes!</p><p>They’re also having a special limited-time sale on their Mac and PC <a href="http://www.logos.com/basepackages">base packages</a> and <a href="http://www.logos.com/upgrade">upgrades</a>. Check it out!</p>David and Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16850927060426216852noreply@blogger.com0