Amazing Grace...Dad's Chains Are Gone

Jimmy D. Owens

(1948-2009)

28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me.I once was lost but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.And Grace, my fears relieved.How precious did that Grace appearThe hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snaresI have already come;'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus farand Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.His word my hope secures.He will my shield and portion be,As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,And mortal life shall cease,I shall possess within the veil,A life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand yearsBright shining as the sun.We've no less days to sing God's praiseThan when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me.I once was lost but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.

Dad---I love you & will always be your little girl. You taught me to be the strong person I am today, who will not waver on right/wrong, but will always do what is right! May you enjoying the unveiling of all the mysteries of God we "discussed" and you be ready to inform me when I get there.

Your daughter-Shannon

"Be Still And Know That I Am God, And That I Will Be Exalted Among All The Nations" -Psalm 46:10 (Shannon's rendition)
This morning as I sit quietly before the Lord, I am brought to tears at how it's so often in the quiet moments we hear the loudest. I am so thankful today at answered prayers. My Dad is very sick with polycythemia and his heart has been having mini heart attacks for awhile now along with mini strokes....so on the way here, Ben and I prayed that Dad would have some good days with his heart and feel good and up for having us (2 active people-ha! one being an 8 yr old boy) around. Well God worked on all of us...Ben was much calmer than normal and as my Dad spoke to my brother on the phone last night his words were, "Yeah, my heart hasn't acted up the last few days, I don't know why but I've had some good days!" PRAISE THE LORD! I just smiled to myself because Ben and I knew that the Lord was providing us--what may very well be our last visit with my Dad--a fun and pleasant visit just reminicising and time for he and Ben to really get to know one another. I sit here as they all sleep just humbled by our Lord and softly crying as I see it's these little things that are so often taken for granted that we need to grasp and comprehend that the Lord is good, his love & grace abound and sometimes its in ways we like and need and other times His answers are harder to understand but still they are in our best interest.
Lord today I pray for Dad's heart and that if it be your will, healing to come to his body....he says he knows you and is ready to go....Lord give him peace in all ways...whether it be here on earth or in your arms.-amen

Flipparoo

Phillipians 2:5-11
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
hat at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Pondering on these verses Sunday, God brought this to mind:
Jesus made himself nothing---meaning he took on human likeness and had a servants nature. His appearance was of man....and he humbled himself....obedient to the point of death--even a terrible, humiliating naked, public death.

Now if Jesus, who is/was seated at the right hand of God left heaven and all it's glory to take on human form (which we are already born into) and became a servant....I mean think about it...we don't have to choose to be human, don't have to choose to leave heaven to be human....we are born human...no choice there! Right!?!?! So it would seem the hard part has been done for us...we simply are human...born into this world...so we just have to be who we already are. But we must choose the second part....to take the very nature of a servant! Oh wait...choice here! But see we aren't in glorious heaven...so what do we have to loose by serving others?
Could it be that Jesus gave up time in heaven to serve to show us that we need to flip it around and give up some time by serving others so that we will enjoy heaven even more by knowing we did here on earth what we were meant to do?

Today

"Today is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it...
as i sit here thinking/praying/pondering God's amazing work i am drawn back to the idea that we, you and i are his handiwork! in us, He finds glory....and i wonder am i living up to be glory worthy? are you?

still no word from Ukraine..."be still & know I am God, and I will be exalted among all the nations" psalm 46-10 (shannon paraphrase)

Urgent Prayer Needed

Hi All,

The Red Cross donated an Apheresis Machine (blood cell separator)and it has arrived in Ukraine to go to a hospital that has needed one to treat children with various cancers. With Little Lambs Ministry, I was able to ship it to Ukraine and got word today that the container (which also has food & goods for many orphanges) arrived--Praise the Lord! However, once it arrived in Odessa, customs agents opened it and found new backpacks so they are making it very hard,so for the next 24 hrs please PRAY without ceasing and fervently that God will work a way for all the items to be released to go to the many orphans and the hospital will get the machine!
Thank you in advance!

Commission to Faith

Lord, today I accept my calling.
Not to perfection or performance.
My calling is to faith.
I have been chosen for this generation.
I have a place in the heritage of faith.
I'm going to stop wishing and whining.
I'm going to start believing and receiving.
What Your Word says is mine.
I won't let others steal my hope.
I will not argue with the Pharisee.
I will believe, and therefore speak
For You, my God, are huge.
Nothing is too hard for You.
Our world needs Your wonders, Lord.
Rise up from Your throne, O God.
Renew Your works in our day.
I confess the unbelief of my generation.
And I ask You to begin Your revival of faith.
In my own heart.
For You are who You say You are.
You can do what You say You can do.
I am who You say I am.
I can do all things through Christ.
Your Word is alive and active in me.
Enemy hear me clearly.
My Father is the Maker of heaven and earth.
And you are under my feet.
Because for today and the rest of my days.
I'm believing God!

--me too! Shannon

On Time God....Yes He Is!

God IS SO ON TIME!

I started the Beth Moore Breaking Free study 5 yrs ago a Prayer Breakfast i led at a local coffee shop....life happened and the group fell apart (time when I was going through my divorce & very low low state for me) then we did 1/2 the study at church with intentions to pick it back up---never did...then this year a friend invited me to it again. With great hesitation I agreed to go...so today we finished and her words about our God were for me....today right now....how when/if we break our covenant with God to tie a knot and move forward. He loves and forgives us and to re-wallpaper our lives with His truth not lies from satan....wheeeeeeeewwwwwwww I needed this NOW in 2009 not 5 yrs ago. I am continually amazed at Him!

soooo as i am literally sticking my tongue out at satan....I CAN WILL AM going to continue to share the great news of a relationship with Christ and can do so even more from the heart since going through a divorce and experiencing doubting God, and now knowing He loves me....no matter what and nothing can snatch me from His hands!

6th Annual Benefit Golf Tournament

www.kneelingbridge.org

Please join us as we raise funds to send medical equipment & supplies to Ukraine! Putting God's love into action!