Late one snowy evening....

(I OPENED WITH THIS LETTER BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE READING RIGHT NOW JUST MAY WANT TO PRAY THIS PRAYER! GOD HAS PUT THAT ON MY HEART, SO FROM HIS HEART TO MY HEART TO YOUR HEART.... HERE IS THE SINNER'S PRAYER (DON'T WORRY, THERE ARE MANY VARIATIONS OF IT, THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT IT CONTAINS THE ABC'S, YOU'LL SEE THAT DOWN IN THIS ENTRY!) IF YOU DO PRAY THIS PRAYER, PLEASE LET SOMEONE KNOW, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I WANT TO REJOICE WITH YOU!


Good evening All:

I come to you from the good warm bed that is suppose to represent rest in my life, but lately has been representing stress because I have been falling asleep constantly when I have much to accomplish. I am having some health problems that I may have mentioned before. Some inherited problems, an issue with a gland in my eye (nuts I know!), massive sinus and ear problems that lead to massive headaches, and tons of stress from everything! With that said, I am asking that each of you pray for me. I feel like a zombie most of the time lately and I so do not like that. I am just so concerned about where my energy has gone.
So, on to my thoughts. I am enjoying this evening because I finished my classes for the semester tonight, I have had a hot shower and am in my PJ's, and work is cancelled for me tommorrow due to "inclement weather." I have not had the chance to blog or even check out anything on the net this week due to the fact that I have been so busy and so exhausted. I, painfully, admit also that I have not spent a lot of time in God's Word this week. Satan has really thrown every roadblock out this week and I've failed to swerve around them. But my God is so good and He knows my intentions. He knows that I've been extremely frazzled even more so because I have missed His Word and His encouragement through that Word.
So, tonight I flipped off the T.V. that was rambling the latest news in the background and I unzipped my Bible and flipped to the book of James. My husband and I had a discussion last night surrounding this book and my pastor had used some verses out of it on Sunday, so I was anxious to get into it and take my "strange" notes. I cannot read the Bible or any book that provides me with tons of Information, without taking notes. I know people get a kick out of me in Church because I usually leave each service with 5 + new pages in my notebook.
Anyway, I read the book of James and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Each chapter provides us with valuable advice. I am not going to sit and cover each verse of all 5 chapters because that would just make it seem more like work to me and probably school to you. However, I am going to touch on the excerpts that really stood out to me. Obviously, God let them touch my heart so that I could share them with some of you. So, without further Ado.... JAMES!

James 1:
V. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
V. 11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
V. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall recieve the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
V. 14 But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
V. 19 Wherfore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
V. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, decieving your own selves.
V. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

So, yes, alot of verses stood out in chapter 1. Preacher Bingham talked about v.8 on Sunday. We cannot be wishy washy Christians and enjoy the "whole" gift that God has given us. Our joy comes from complete surrender to service for the Lord. Do you ever know folks that say, "I am a Christian and yea, I know I'm not where I need to be." The reason why? They are trying to serve 2 masters, themselves (first and foremost) and God (when they feel its convient). Sure there may be lots going on, but God should come first in it all. Am I saying, listen to me because I am perfect and am giving you advice because of this fact? *AFTER A HEARTY LAUGH* NOPE! Hello friends? I just told you I'd failed this week by not being in the Word like I should have. None of us are perfect. But we should strive to be as close to perfect as possible. Does goodness get you to Heaven? No, salvation through Admitting you are a sinner (basically that you mess up because of our granddaddy Adam), Believing that Jesus is God's son and He gave His life FREELY on the cross to save you from your sinful self, and Confessing to what God has done in your life (tell us about your Salvation experience, we love it, let us know all about it, we are proud of you and grateful to God)! So why be good? Because Jesus was good, actually perfect. We want to live as much like Him as possible because we learn that with salvation comes a whole new meaning to the word "LOVE." We love all people, even those that give us a hard time, even though we may not "love" their lifestyle or ways.
V. 11 mentions a rich man. This doesn't mean that having a good income automatically condemns you. It means that those who focus on their "riches" are focusing on the wrong things. Check out V. 12 that speaks of a blessing! Yep, those that endure temptation will recieve not a crown of life but THE crown of life! How awesome! Does endure mean that we will never mess up? Nah, but we will strive to refrain from doing so.
V. 22 really revs up my engine! We are advised to be doers and not just hearers of God's word! It makes sense. Yep, I'm saved so all is good with the world!? No way! Why would I want to keep this awesome gift from everyone else here on earth that are just like me? Share, do what God asks, don't just read, do! Don't pray for God's wisdom and then lay down your Bible? That's a characteristic of a double-minded person, someone who is unstable in ALL their ways!
Lastly, check out V. 27! There it is folks in black and white! We are to visit the fatherless and widows and not just visit and think too bad. We are to help these children, these widows. And we are to keep ourself unspotted from the world. Yes we live in the world, but no we don't have to have the "aroma" of the world or the "stains" of the world.
I think I'm gonna stop with Chapter 1 for tonight. I will pick up with Chapter 2, hopefully, tommorrow. I do want to share with you a poem that my best friend Danielle sent another friend who's grandmother had passed away last year before her own death. God knew that we would enjoy this poem a year later as Danielle rejoiced with her King for a whole year. I hope this touches your heart as much as it did mine. It's God's little note from Danielle to me!

Danielle had sent this to Penny when her grandmother died. Penny then sent it back to me as Danielle is celebrating her first yr with Jesus.-Verna

I am included the entire email from Danielle's mom Verna and her friend Penny (a sweetheart!) ENJOY!

-----Original Message-----
From: Penny Sharp [mailto:penny.sharp@firststatefinancial.net]
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 3:39 PM
To: Bowman, LaVerna (CHFS CBS Bell)
Subject: RE: just a few word of encouragement



Danielle had found it somewhere in a book. I am not sure where though.



Penny Sharp



From: Bowman, LaVerna (CHFS CBS Bell) [mailto:LaVerna.Bowman@ky.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 3:35 PM
To: Penny Sharp
Subject: RE: just a few word of encouragement



Penny,

Was it Danielle that sent this poem to you ?



-----Original Message-----
From: Penny Sharp [mailto:penny.sharp@firststatefinancial.net]
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 9:14 AM
To: Bowman, LaVerna (CHFS CBS Bell)
Subject: just a few word of encouragement



Hi Verna, I know today must be very hard for you and I just wanted to share something with you that a friend (Danielle) sent to me when my grandmother died. She knew how much I was hurting and wanted to comfort me and I thought that maybe these words would comfort you. Please call me if you need a shoulder to lean on or if there is anything that I can do to lighten your burden.





A Better View
Dear loved ones lift your spirits, and take a peek up here.
One glimpse will soothe your sorrow for my new home will appear.

You'll see this land of promise, which we often talked about,
Its grandeur is far greater than we dreamed, without a doubt.

I expected golden pathways, mansions fair and gates of pearls,
But this place exceeds the visions I beheld while in that world.

Look with love and find great comfort as you gaze beyond the veil;
Fill your hearts with joy and join me in God's presence, where I dwell.

What a thrill to be here dancing in the midst of Heaven's throng,
See me mingling with the angles singing praise and worship songs.

Though you miss me I’m not distant; I still have my sights on you,
I just crossed into forever where I have a better view.

Keep good mem’ries to console you but let grief and mourning go;
Smile dear loved one, I’m in Heaven, living in God’s Gracious Glow.