"The Rose of Thankfulness" ------------------------------

                                             'Honor-Cherish Rose'

Father God,

This is the time of the year when many families come together....Meals are being prepared...and appetites are being planned around the meals...
'We have so much to be thankful for' is a statement I am hearing over and over...

Lord, I know it's true...We are a very blessed nation. And  I thank you that you have blessed us as a country....amen Lord Jesus...You are who You say You are....

Below,...is a note we had an opportunity to send through the USO,... to a soldier serving overseas...
Let's say a prayer for them on this Thanksgiving Day.
And remember...we must remain a thankful, knowledgeable nation...we must hold fast to that which has been entrusted to us...

"FREEDOM"..

To an unknown soldier...

How can we say thank-you?..
By remembering that freedom isn't free.

I will remember you in prayers...

You are covered by His Grace. May you know the peace that comes from Him alone.

In this land so many miles away, our hearts are bound together by the common thread of love.

Your love for our nation drew you there... Our love will bring you home.
Yet while you are there, His love will hold you safe and secure.

When you lay your head down at night...rest knowing that He has never lost sight of you...

You are an American treasure...
and you are God's special child.

  Let Him hold you through the storm....
 And when the storm passes,
as sure as the dawn...you will find Him in the stillness.....

Peace my friend...Find strength in His Word....

Psalm 139...Jeremiah 29:11-13...Psalm 37: 3-7

In His Service, Sally and Bob

Let us not only be thankful...
Let us remain freely and resolved,...One Nation of Prayer...under God and indivisible.

His Mercy Remains..

It's funny how a song will get into your mind...and replay itself to the point of where it is almost audible.This morning I am hearing these words ringing through my mind.

"A thousand times I've failed, still your mercy remains.."

http://youtu.be/HNBqKWpIpnI

He seems to remind us that regardless of us...HE is still Who He is!!

Sometimes, I feel like a walking disaster..I'm unfocused and distracted and wandering through my days..Other days are quite the opposite....when much has been accomplished and I have that sense of ease, in a day well spent.

The days of purpose..more often than not, begin with a time of purposeful prayer.
This IS a discipline,.....my flesh often rallies against even a few moments with Him.

In Acts 2:42, Paul speaks about the devotion and discipline of the early church..

"And 'they' devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer"

They, meaning the church
The 'church' meaning me and you...(you are part of His family, and can rightly be called church when you surrender your life to Him in sweet obedience)

The 4th hallmark in this list is prayer, (aka; calling out to Christ). Prayer is absolutely essential in recognizing His mercy. Prayer rallies our spirit to fight the flesh!!!

Regardless, of where we are, His mercy remains...Just like the early believers we too,.. must choose to be devoted'..

When we cry out to Him..He wraps His loving arms around us and sets us on solid ground, careful to gently face us in the direction we need to be facing..

Daily choose... to set a course of discipline for your life...His mercy remains...

"Do you want to be Really Free?"

I sat in the van, hoping someone else would show up. 
I was alone. It was really early, but I came to do what was on my heart. Believing and knowing God honors a heart that seeks Him. I prayed. I talked to Him out loud in my car. And I knew, He was there. He always is.

Recently at our home church, we have started a Prayer ministry. It is slow going...but it is 'going'..
Usually there are two of us, but today just one, two weeks ago there was no one..My friend was sick and I completely forgot..and slept through it all.

We are so human.

I pray that we will become a disciplined people, and recognize the absolute POWER of Prayer. 
When we seek to wrap our minds around this truth, we receive a fresh anointing of His Presence..not just because we know the truth..but also because we are deciding to pray  

Here is what happens when we seek Him...
Jeremiah 29: 11-14

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity."

We often live years and sometimes entire lifetimes in captivity, because we have neglected to calm ourselves before Him.

Somehow, sitting in His presence, calling out His name,listening, and reading the Bible is a lost art.
We are almost afraid to be alone with Him. We are afraid of what He might say.
But, when we take these moments, He is there... just waiting to love us,..through our pain and broken hearts.


There is power in the quiet moments.

But, He wants even more than that and He blesses us with peace unexplained, when we allow Him complete control.

It is up to us to seek the Lord while He may be found. The reward of a heart that searches for Him is the very peace that escapes through the busyness that consumes us.
He knows you by name.
He longs to give you a fresh anointing of His presence...

Begin even now.
He is here in this moment ... 

Isaiah 57:18
"I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him,.."

God honors the heart that seeks Him. 
Pray.
He will bring you out from every thing that has ever held you captive..

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am , I will be exalted". 

"Make My Life a Prayer to You"
http://youtu.be/Jd9MaBu3gAg (you can listen, by clicking on the link)..