Life Verses...Psalm 63:3-5

Psalm 63:3-5
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live.
I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied...and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips!

Friday, May 11, 2012

I Took the Challenge!!

My friend Cindy and I pray together every Wednesday morning. It is a delightful thing in life to have a prayer partner!! Cindy's son is a Pastor..the Pastor of Outreach Ministries at Independent Bible Church in West Virginia. Cindy shared with me a message her son Brad preached this past week. Within the message Brad issued a challenge to write your testimony...your story of how you came to know Jesus Christ... in 100 words. You can listen to that thought provoking message and the reasons for his challenge here....The Power of Story...Pastor Brad Heacock

What a challenge this was for me! I didnt come to know Christ til I was 26 years old, and my story is long and detailed! Or so I thot! It took me 2 days to whittle this down, and now I truly understand the reasons he asked me to do so! And isnt it soooo cool how God tied in so many things I was thinking about this week....John 3:16 and being overwhelmed about what He has done for me, and that He used this quote from a book I was reading to make me start thinking on all of this!! ..."Every life tells a story, through words and actions and choices...and I dont know if there's anything better in the world than when we lay ourselves wide open and let HIS story become OUR story!"

So in light of all that, here is my story in 101 words!!! I would LOVE to hear your story! And if Jesus is not yet part of your story, I would LOVE to tell you more about how He changed my life!

I grew up in a Christian home but I never really understood what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I wanted to be loved and accepted, so in my teens I did everything my friends were doing - drinking, smoking pot, having sex. When I was 22 I moved in with my boyfriend Mike. After 4 years I was miserable with our lifestyle and broke our relationship. Then Mike became a Christian. His life totally changed, and I wanted what he found. In 1988 I made the best decision of my life and trusted Jesus to be my personal Savior!

1 John 3:1...See what love the Father has lavished on me that I should be called a child of God...and that is what I am!!!!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

For God Soooo Loved Joyce.......

For God so loved the world, that He sent His only Son, that when Joyce Ann Lewellyn believed in Him she would not perish but would have everlasting life!!

What an incredible gift!! A present I did not deserve or earn - it was just given! I am sooooo humbled, and realize that in the nearly 24 years since I received that gift, I have only begun to unwrap what is inside the package!

A personal relationship deeper and more intimate than I could have EVER imagined. A Companion, Teacher, Counselor, Comforter, Guide, and Friend. His book - the greatest treasure I have ever owned. His Spirit - the very mind of God, ever present with me.

Gods love: Available. Consistent. Dependable. Unconditional. Personal. Proven. Trustworthy.

How Deep the Father's Love For Us!!..(click to listen)

I am in awe and extremely humbled as I think about Gods love for me..........

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Whose Face Are You Seeking?



I came across this verse the other day and have been thinking about it ever since...
1Chronicles 16:11....Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.

What exactly does it mean to "seek God's face"?  To me, it means to purpose for intimacy with Him, to desire Him, and it has much to do with prayer.When I first read the words, "seek His face", all I could picture was the closeness I have experienced face to face with Amber! She LOVES for you to be right up close to her face..and I LOVE to look in her eyes, take in her character, listen closely for her voice.It is THE BEST!
Seeking God's face must be like that! Such intimacy, such joy and closeness and desire to be as close as possible to Him and know everything about Him! Ahhhh! What a most precious picture to me!
Psalm 27:8...When You said, "Seek My face", my heart said.."You're face Lord I will seek".

But as I thought about this, I went to bed the other night thinking....."Do I seek God's face?....my attention on Him, wanting His attention, adoring Him, wanting to please him, wanting His love and approval...as much as I seek the "faces" of others???....Or as much as I seek FACEbook????....ouch!!!

What does it REALLY mean to be a "seeker" of God's face?
seek...to go in search of, look for
face...one of the definitions is expression, countenance
To seek God's face in every circumstance of life would be to want to know His reaction, His expression, His countenance in every situation of life. I picture this....watching His sadness, joy, compassion, tenderness, lovingkindness, hurt, anger, sorrow,....over the choices I make and the things I am going through. To seek Gods face is to WANT to know His reactions and how He feels about my life.

The word "seek" in 1 Chron 16:11 comes from the Hebrew word, "baqash", which means to search out(as in worship or prayer).  The word "face" comes from the word "paneh", which means the face(as the part that turns!!!)

So here I am back at that picture of Amber....wanting to be soooo close to her face, her wanting to be so close to mine,...watching every expression, her reactions, her countenance, the way she turns to me and touches me and responds to me.....









And you know what I realized?? The only way it happens is if I position myself there! Amber is ALWAYS overjoyed when I come face to face with her, but she cannot come to me. I must go to her. I have to be the one to go and purpose for it.....and so it is with God......

Psalm 27:7-8...Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy upon me and answer me. When You said, "Seek my face", my heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek!"

..and The Message says it this way..."When my heart whispered, 'Seek God", my whole being replied,'I'm seeking Him!'"