The Twelfth Day of Christmas

A knock on my door tells me it's time to wake up.

I scurry upstairs with my brother, hoping he'll like my gift.

We each grab a Reese's peanut butter cup from the days til Christmas chart.

We wake our parents up.

We sit down around the Christmas tree.

There's not much under there; we already got our gift-the trampoline.

My Dad cracks open his Bible.

We read Luke 1:68-79,

then Luke 2.

We pray.

We start with the gifts.

Everything goes well, so far.

~And the day continues, following tradition. Soon we will be at my grandparents' house. Who knows what could happen??? :-)

All through this Christmas season,

I mostly thought I knew the reason.

Christ came to save us sinful men,

And so was born in Bethlehem.

Only something was different this Christmas;

There was that feeling deep in my heart,

That I was missing something.

Indeed I was.

It was just this past weekend,

When I realized where I had been

Wrong.

When I understood, I wished to break out in song!

For I understood this truth:

The story is not to be misused

As a long-ago tale

Or, by some, a humble fail.

No, Christ did not fail,

When He chose to be so frail.

After leaving His heavenly home,

He didn't even moan.

No, the reason He came

Was not to be born

But to die.

For you and I.

And He never failed,

For out of love He prevailed!

And He chose this way:

To change lives.

For He knew this whole plan

Before we began;

He knew what would happen

Before our ugly sin.

But the point of the story

Is that we are not lonely!

For He loved us so,

To the cross we need not go.

I am understanding love

Not a lot,

But a little.

And it's so hard to put into words.

If you've experienced it,

You know what I say;

If you've not,

For your knowledge I pray.

Be still and know that I am God

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

~Psalm 46:10

To the Saul, who races to find satisfaction: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Esther, shivering with terror at the acts she has been charged to do: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To Naomi's family crying for work: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Jacob and Esau fighting: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Daniel sliding into the flytrap of insecurity: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Absalom repulsing those who truly love him: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Mary mom who is ready to quit: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the one rushing in the morning due to a late wake-up: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the traveller who has been robbed: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the David who isn't in the place God wants him: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the David who is mocked for his stand: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Rahab: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Sarah, worried over the future: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Ruth longing for a husband: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Isaiah mourning for his people: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Isaac who is flinching at the brink of death: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the John running to the tomb of Christ: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Josiah whose father is not righteous: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the woman at the well who has lost all hope of a right life: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Ananias and Sapphira lying to their Creator: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the Nebuchadnezzar who finds glory in himself: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

To the 21-century girl who has been in one or more of the above situations: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!

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Be still, and Know that He is JUDGE.

Be still, and know that He is SAVIOR.

Be still, and know that He is THE STRONG TOWER.

Be still, and know that he is HEALER.

Be still, and know that he is REDEEMER. 

Be still, and know that He is DELIVERER.

Be still, and kknow that He is a Christian's STRENGTH.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's SHELTER.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's FRIEND.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's RESTORER.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's FATHER.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's LOVE.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's HIDING PLACE.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's RESTING PLACE.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's TRUTH.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's ETERNAL LIFE.

Be still, and know that He is the LORD WHO PROVIDES.

Be still, and know that He is the LORD OF PEACE.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's SHIELD.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's HELPER.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's COUNSELOR.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's HOPE.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's COMFORT.

Be still, and know that He is a Christian's LISTENER.

Be still, and know that He is the FOREVER MERCIFUL LORD.

Be still, and know that He the CREATOR.

Be still, and know that He is the REVIVER.

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*If you do not know Christ as your Savior, please understand how, and visit the "How you can get to heaven" page on this blog.

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What an amazing verse Psalm 46:10 is! Praise God! for He is God alone!!! Exalt Him!

Let me tell you a story about how this verse has recently affected my family...

My mom was the first one to read the verse. This was on the 16th, and she started reading the Psalms of the day, which brought her to Psalm 46:10...

She got this line stuck in her head. The verse really spoke to her heart, and when she read it, a song came into her mind. She could only remember a few notes, so she looked it up, hoping to find the whole song available to play. She found it. She played it, and she loved it. Later on that morning, she was in our living room, and decided to listen to it again... not knowing that my father was kneeling beside our kitchen counter praying for God's help and encouragement! So, as my dad was praying, my mom played this song...

When I finally got up outta bed (I took advantage of getting the monday off), I heard my mom singing this song, and I knew it was frim a Bible verse. It was exactly what I needed to hear before I continued my day!

So I am sharing this with you, and I pray that you will receive it and it will be a blessing!

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Here's the video of the song...

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Help Me Be Unshaken

I pray that this poem would encourage you!

Help me be Unshaken
by Ana, 15, Kiefer, Oklahoma

One, two, three, four.
There I still lie on the floor, 
bruised and shaken from blow after blow.
I will soon hear the rejoicing of foes.
 
How long, O Lord, will this last?
Things keep coming back from my past.
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts? 
There's sorrow in my heart from battles I've fought. 

How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Answer, Lord, help my eyes to see,
Give them light, when it gets tough,
for I trust in Your unfailing love.

My heart rejoices in Your salvation,
You, The Almighty God of creation.
You are so good to me, still,
I want to always do Your will.

Help me to be blameless,
and do what is righteous,
To speak the truth from my heart,
and not to let lies start.

Help me, to my neighbor, do no wrong, 
and cast no insults at anyone.
Help me to keep promises even if its hard, 
and honor those who fear the Lord.

I will not stop until I go Home, 
but until then, I can't do this alone. 
So five, six, I'm up again. 
with your help, i will be unshaken.

Footprints

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. "Footsteps of Jesus"
4. 
   
5. Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling,
   Come, follow Me!
   And we see where Thy footprints falling
   Lead us to Thee.
   • Refrain:
     Footprints of Jesus,
     That make the pathway glow;
     We will follow the steps of Jesus
     Where’er they go.
6. Though they lead o’er the cold, dark mountains,
   Seeking His sheep;
   Or along by Siloam’s fountains,
   Helping the weak.
7. If they lead through the temple holy,
   Preaching the Word;
   Or in homes of the poor and lowly,
   Serving the Lord.
8. Though, dear Lord, in Thy pathway keeping,
   We follow Thee;
   Through the gloom of that place of weeping,
   Gethsemane!
9. If Thy way and its sorrows bearing,
   We go again,
   Up the slope of the hillside, bearing
   Our cross of pain.
10. By and by, through the shining portals,
    Turning our feet,
    We shall walk, with the glad immortals,
    Heav’n’s golden street.
11. Then, at last, when on high He sees us,
    Our journey done,
    We will rest where the steps of JesusEnd at His throne.
12. ~Asa b. Everett

"Footprints"

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during

the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one

set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,

"The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you."

Mary Stevenson

Something to share...

If we look around, like Moses,

We will be afraid.

If we look down, like Peter, 

We will sink.

If we look to others, like Miriam, 

We will be envious, 

If we look up to Jesus, 

We will be transformed.

~Author Unknown

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus!

Look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace."

~Helen H. Lemmel

Who (or what) are you looking at???

Me, My thoughts, and God

Here we are, at the potter's house-

Me, My thoughts, and God.

Me says, "Changes, once again?"

My thoughts say, "No! Stay away!"

And God says, "Child, surrender."

Here we are, in a maze it seems-

Me, My thooughts, and God.

Me says, "Stop! I'm so confused!"

My thoughts say, "This is hopeless!"

And God says, "Follow Me."

Here we are, in a darkened world-

Me, My thoughts, and God.

Me says, "Wait! I cannot see!"

My thoughts say, "Look at them!"

And God says, "Look at Me."

Here we are, in a merciless world-

Me, My thoughts, and God.

Me says, "I feel lonely."

My thoughts say, "No one cares!"

And God says, "Loved one, I care."

So through this life, as we walk-

Me, My thoughts, and God-

I will trust and obey

The One Who knows me best

And not worry about the rest.

~Cosette Rose Holmes