A Baby changes everything...

Faith Hill has a new song out entitled "A Baby changes everything." I can't get the song or the thoughts about it out of my head. How true it is. Babies change our lives. With the Christmas season fastly approaching, I can't help but think about Baby Jesus and how He changed my life. I have a Savior, hallelujah! Think about Mary & Joseph, the innkeeper, the shepherds - Baby Jesus changed their lives and He can change yours too. Just ask Jesus into your heart - He's waiting to be invited in. Here are the lyrics to the song and a link to the video.

Teenage girl much too young
Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything
Not a ring on her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

The man she loves she's never touched
How will she keep his trust
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
And she cries Ooh
she cries Oh ohhh...

She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything
She can feel it's coming soon
There's no place there's no room
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries
And she cries
Oh she cries

Shepherds all gather 'round
Up above the star shines down
A baby changes everything
Choir of angels sing
Glory to the newborn king
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
Everything, everything, everything
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

My whole life has turned around
I was lost, but now I'm found
A baby changes everything, yeah
A baby changes everything

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SJigHz4mQk

Let Jesus change you...

The colors of autumn...

The colors of fall are majestic. How can anyone doubt there is a God when we see His handiwork all around us. The colors in any picture ever painted cannot compare with the colors God created. As I looked out the window at church this morning, I thanked God for autumn. How beautiful this earth is, and yet it doesn't compare to the beauty we will see when we get to Heaven. I was also reminded of God's amazing love. If He can care for all of the plants, trees, and animals, surely He can take care of any needs I might have. "How great is our God, sing with me, How great is our God, and all will see How great, How great is our God."

The Potter and the pot...

This week in one of my devotions (this one by Mark Lowry), a couple of sentences just jumped out at me: "And you’ve got to start agreeing with God. You were worth dying for. How do I know? Because God said so. And who are we to disagree with God? The pot doesn't get to tell the Potter what the pot is worth...The Potter tells the pot what the pot is worth. The pot doesn't get a vote..." It is very humbling to think that God thought me worthy of sending His only begotten Son to die for me. God loves me - sinful, overweight, unworthy me. In a world where the media is constantly promoting "the beautiful people" as a benchmark, how amazing to digest the highlighted text above. God has determined our worth - not society and not we ourselves. The Potter (God) determined each of us (the pots) to be so valuable that He would send Jesus to die for us. I cannot even comprehend such love, I must just accept it. I cannot imagine sacrificing my husband, my children or my grandbabies so that others could live. In humbleness and gratitude, I must live my life daily remembering the value The Potter gave me. I must share what The Potter said with others. Do you realize your worth to God? I pray we all will live our lives acknowledging The Potter, His words, and the price He paid for us.

Scattered...

My thoughts have been scattered today. The thoughts in my mind are like lightening bugs on a summer's evening. A bug lights up and catches your attention; and then another lights up, and your concentration is shifted to that one and so on and so on. This weekend I've: been excited to be with friends, missed my hubby while at retreat, played for a wedding bringing back sentimental memories, been concerned about loved ones, been touched by thoughts shared with a friend, reviewed things I have to do this week, been frustrated over things that aren't working, been amazed by my Heavenly Father's whispers to me, been thrilled to spend time with my grandbabies, and been tired. What a broad range of emotions and feelings. The common thread has been the presence of my Heavenly Father. In the midst of my time with friends, I was thanking God for such good ones - while missing my hubby and during the wedding, I was thankful for his love and support - during the frustrating times, I cried out to God - my time with the grandbabies made me thankful and joyful that God allowed me this blessing. There were times that I was busy having other thoughts going through my mind. God just quietly was whispering "my child, it's OK" like a mother or grandmother does to a child when they need comforting. There were times I shed tears out of frustration. Perhaps for the first time this weekend, I feel a sense of peace. In this quiet moment with God, I can hear Him speaking to me: "Be still and know that I am God. Rest in my arms, Diana, it is OK. Just rest." The soothing words to a child who needs comforting. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me. I need you more every day...

Hope

What a wonderful word hope is. The dictionary says: expect, trust, anticipate, wish, look forward to. There are so many things in life to be excited about, but walking with the Lord is the most exciting. My OT life verse is Isaiah 40:31(NIV): "But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." I'm full of hope - expecting, trusting, anticipating, wishing, and looking forward to the great things God has in store. This morning we sang "I Can Only Imagine" which is one of my favorites - I actually light up and feel like my soul is soaring. (I'm sure I'm levitating - just no one on earth can see it. Some of our worship team told me this morning that when we sing this song they have to look at me - they say my face just shows I'm soaring.) It is with hope that I look forward to being in God's presence in Heaven - worshipping Him, loving Him, and enjoying time with Him - "will I dance for You, Jesus? Or in awe of You be still?" God is awesome and it is with HOPE (trust, anticipation, etc.) that I look forward to what God has planned for me tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that! Hope in the Lord and walk with Him daily - there is nothing greater in life - He is life...

Joy

September has been a busy month. It's almost over already. Every day holds some joy for each of us - we just have to be looking for it and recognize it. Some things that have given me joy this month have been: time with my hubby enjoying the countryside, taking pics of barns and fields, seeing the dedication of Ashley to follow God's leading, time with my kids and grandbabies, time with friends, and enjoying God's creation. One day, Nutty (a squirrel in our backyard), came up and sat on the window ledge. I could only see his tail. I said Nutty, look at me and he did. I told him he made me happy just watching him, he looked for a couple of seconds and then off he ran. (Nutty and I have an unusual bond - we give each other joy). John and I were on our way home from church one evening and we topped the hill to see a beautiful sunset. It was as if God had taken a brush and every so softly put in a whisp of a cloud here and there - so light, so airy. The sunset was beautiful with its orange and golden hues, warm, light, but not to bright. It gave me great joy to see the sunset. The colors God has used to paint the earth are magnificent - boundless joy.

Difficulties

Sometimes life is difficult. There are things that happen or don't happen that are hard to understand. Sometimes you just want to run away, but the problems will still be there. It seems stress is a constant in this day and time. It is not always easy to cope with stress. I'm a half glass full type of person and I like to solve problems. There are problems I can't solve. Things I can't change even if I really want to. The only solution left is to trust in God - wait upon the Lord. I recently read that if we don't understand why things are happening the way they are, it's because we don't know all there is to know. Only God knows and He has it under control. Once again, I'm reminded that I must surrender to Him. Pray that I will be able to faithfully surrender myself to Christ...