Category: Our Exceptional God

The “R” Words

The Most Significant “R” Words

R words

What are the most important words you can think of that begin with an “R”?

If you ask some of the people being interviewed by the mainstream media these days, you’d get answers like:

Resist

Rebel

Rise Up

In this contentious world we live in, it’s obvious that people have taken their eyes off God.

Sometimes the news comes on, and I.just.can’t.watch.

Focus On God

As a Bible-believing Christian, and a sinner in need of God’s grace, these are the most significant  “R” words I know:

Resurrection

Repentance

Redemption

In the ultimate scheme of things, what matters most is Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection on the cross – the affirmation of our faith.

Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sins, and through His death and resurrection, and our repentance, we can have an eternity with Him in Heaven.

Doesn’t it sadden you that there are people out there, even people you know, who think this life is all that there is?

Life Eternal

We can spend our eternity in Heaven with our Savior!

eternal happiness and joy

So how do we respond to what Christ did for us on the Cross?

Do we just go to church Sunday, help the less-fortunate, and then check those items off our good works list?

Or, do we also “repent” of our sins, and tell a lost world the whole truth – that Yes, there’s a Heaven and there’s a Hell.

I’m frustrated that, in some Christian circles, there’s an ongoing movement away from salvation messages, and that we should only speak about Love. They don’t even want you to mention that there’s a Hell.

We are to share the love of Christ with a lost world.

But, please, tell them the “whole” truth.

We are all sinners in need of the Savior

Unrepented sin has consequences.

Unfortunately, some churches shy away from talking about Sin and the need for salvation because it might turn off people and affect church growth.

That to me, shows a lack of trust in God.

Are clever marketing, great singing, and talking about soft topics more important than preaching all of God’s Word and how to obtain salvation through His Son?

What Jesus Christ did for us on the cross is the biggest, most extraordinary, expression of love that there is.

Withhold no part of the precious truth, but speak what you know and declare what you have seen. Do not allow the toil or darkness or possible unbelief of your friends to dissuade you. Let us rise and march to the place of duty, and there declare what great things God has shown to our soul. – *Alistair Begg, Christian pastor, Truth For Life Teaching Ministry, and Author.

 

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*Alistair Begg quotation, as quoted from Christian quotes.info

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Music That Speaks To Your Soul

Alison Krauss Music

It’s no secret I‘m a huge Alison Krauss fan.

My husband and I have been to two of her concerts and, each time, she has blown us away with her incredible voice and mastery of any instrument she plays.

With Alison Krauss, you don’t have to worry if you’re sitting in the “cheap seats” at a venue.

Her crystal-clear voice reaches all the way up to the rafters and it’s hard not to get goosebumps when she sings.

God-given talent, for sure.

Music That Speaks To Your Soul*Photo by Earl McGehee

It’s been said that I sound just like her.

Okay, I was the one who said it. 

Music That Speaks To Your Soul

Alison Krauss has won so many awards it’s hard to keep count. While many musicians let that kind of fame go to their heads, her humility and graciousness on stage are like a breath of fresh air.

I guess you could call me a “super fan.”

That being said, I do have my favorites of all the songs she sings.

One of the most beautiful, in my humble opinion, is “Away Down The River.”

It’s a track on an older album, “A Hundred Miles Or More: A Collection” (2007). 

Once I heard it and the unforgettable lyrics, it left an indelible mark on me.

Are you hurting over the loss of someone you love?

I hope this song brings you comfort as it has me over the years.

 God bless!

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*Photo source: “Alison Krauss playing at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2011,” by “Earl McGehee”. Uploaded on September 24, 2011. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC-BY2.0). Accessed 19 September 2018. https://flic.kr/p/aq6eQu

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A Grateful Heart

Life Lessons

No matter what your plans are, they can change in an instant and sometimes in a bad way.

That’s a lesson I had to re-learn just a few days ago.

I admit, sometimes I need to remind myself to slow down.

It’s hard because there’s never enough hours in the day, right?

Slow Down, Sister

life lessons

It was bound to happen.

I had a big “to-do” list running around in my head, even though it was a Saturday.

In my usual mad dash through the house, I bent over to clean up an area on the floor.

Unfortunately, I straightened up too fast, and accidentally wrenched my back.

Big, big mistake.

The pain was excruciating.

I haven’t felt pain like that in years.

If you’ve ever had a severe back injury, then you know what I mean.

I took a couple of Advil and got in bed thinking that was all I needed to do to make a miraculous recovery.

I can dream, can’t I?

The Advil didn’t help.

Thirty minutes later, I decided to get up and walk around – thinking that slow walking would loosen up the increasing spasms.

Walking didn’t help either.

I didn’t think it was possible, but the pain got worse, and it started hurting so badly I could barely breathe – almost to the point of fainting. My concerns became alarm.

When my husband got home a few minutes later, I was a complete mess and ready to head to an emergency medical clinic.

The trip to the ER included a two-hour wait to get in to see a doctor, two shots, and strong pain medications.

A Grateful Heart

The next morning after I took the scheduled meds, I had a terrible reaction to them. Fever and nausea set in and lingered the whole day and night. I did get sick…all with a bad back to boot.

It was all very humbling.

As I lay there in pain, I determined never, ever, to bend over and clean up a spot on the floor again!

Not really.

I prayed to God that the nausea would pass soon.

And, with a grateful heart, I thanked Him that I’m able to breathe at all.

Things are going to go wrong at times, but I know that the Author of Life walks with me through it all.

A grateful heart

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How To Praise God’s Glory

How Can We Bring Praise To God?

Have you ever had someone pray for you out loud and in the moment?

My husband and I experienced this recently when we told a friend about a big decision we were about to make.

We were on the phone with him when all of a sudden, he stopped us mid-conversation, and prayed for us right then and there.

While our friend prayed, I couldn’t help but smile as I listened to his words.

After he finished praying for us in Jesus’ name, I had a quiet thought.

What an encouraging way to display reverence to God’s glory.

To pray for others, in the moment, and out loud.

praising God's glory*Photo credit, Ben White.

Why Do We Wait?

So why do we wait to pray until the evening hours?

I wish I had an answer to that question.

I don’t know if we just forget to do it in the moment, or if it’s easier to wait until that night at bedtime.

But, why do we need to wait when we can pray for someone-in-need right then and there?

That kind of opportunity doesn’t present itself every day.

If you have the chance to bless someone else and bring praise to the Father, then why not do it?

There’s so much good advice in this short video.

Praising God’s Glory

In a passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus said to the crowds,

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – *Matthew 5:14-16., (ESV).

We are called to be light in a very dark world. If you can pray for someone in the moment – do it!

Don’t hide your light.

Let it shine and point others towards our Father in Heaven.

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* Photo courtesy of Ben White on Unsplash 
* Scripture quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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One Voice Children’s Choir

One Voice Children’s Choir

Are you tired of all the negative news?

Wouldn’t it be nice to hear something life-affirming, joyful, and uplifting for a change?

I saw this video recently on social media and could hardly wait to share it with you.

It’s just over 4 ½ minutes long.

MercyMe lead vocalist and songwriter, Bart Millard, originally wrote this heavenly song and it will always be one of my favorites.

Surely you know by now I’m talking about the timeless, “I Can Only Imagine.”

This version of it from the award-winning One Voice Children’s Choir has quickly won my heart.

If you’ve ever tuned into the TV show, “America’s Got Talent” then you’ll probably recognize them. They were quarter-finalists!

I hope you enjoy.

One Voice

Under the direction of Masa Fukuda, over 500 children have been a part of the One Voice Choir since it began back in 2002 at the Winter Olympics.

I love their Vision Statement:

Through music, we inspire, enrich, uplift, and serve our global community, while building youth as One Voice. – *One Voice Children’s Choir.

I’m encouraged to see so many children exposed to positive messages. Thankfully, there’s no “Rise up!” and “Resist” charges here.

Let kids be kids!

Today’s youth are exposed to way more adult content and violent messages than they ever should be.

Let’s hope and pray value-based programs and activities will always be offered and that there are positive choices for our younger generation.

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* Vision Statement, courtesy of One Voice Children’s Choir. [About page]. Retrieved from http://onevoicechildrenschoir.com/about-us/. n.d., para. 4.

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