My Friend Leads: He's the Lord of the Dance

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My Friend Leads: He's the Lord of the Dance

My Friend Jesus is the Lord of the Dance. Many years ago He took my hand, when I was just a small child and invited me into His dance.

And so moment by moment, day by day, we dance together through my life. At times I may stumble, but He has me in His strong but kind and gentle grip. And so we keep on dancing together.

I would never change partners…I couldn’t, because He would never let me go. I am His and He is mine. We are friends and dance partners.

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Receiving My WORD in my Loneliness -- FRIEND!

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Receiving My WORD in my Loneliness -- FRIEND!

In the early morning hours of this New Year, in the throes of my loneliness, I received the WORD that has been simmering deep in my soul, warming my heart for days, weeks — no months, even years —- FRIEND!

I am a friend of God, but more importantly…HE is MY Friend!

I had been so convinced my word for this year was “Light/Revelation.” But then I remembered that this warming thought of Friendship with God was grabbing me everywhere and at all times. His Whispers have followed me for years:

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Receiving Your WORD for 2023

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Receiving Your WORD for 2023

Here we are again, friends. Another year has past, and for many it’s a time for the infamous “New Year’s Resolutions.” But several years ago I turned away from that initially hopeful, but later, dreaded “setting yourself up for failure,” tradition to a new thing altogether.

Resolutions are no temptation to me anymore. I’ve given up trying to change myself by my own self-effort. The indwelling Christ is my “Game-changer” and my “Life-changer.” And a few years ago, He brought a lovely “new thing” to my attention … the idea of a word for my year.

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Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven (A Children's Carol)

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Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven (A Children's Carol)

There's a song that's been going through my mind and heart these Advent days.  I even find myself bursting into a line of lyric here and there. The thoughts I love most in it are truths that have become more and more precious to me as I reflect Advent after Advent -- that our Emmanuel came to earth from heaven, not just to pay for our sins (as crucial as that is), but also to give us His divine eternal LIFE...deity indwelling our humanity.  We can become children of Almighty God!!!

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Darkness to Light: Disappointment to Hope

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And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,
Upon them a Light dawned.
Matthew 4:16 NASB

I love this verse…it makes me think of Jesus the Son of God, the Light of my world … not just at Christmas, but every day of my life.

And this Christmas, the darkness could flood in for me. John and I have COVID during this most anticipated time of the year. All kinds of missed celebrations and holiday concerts and most of all, extended times with our “treasured ones.”

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A Cappella "Mary, Did You Know?" Backstory and Song

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A Cappella "Mary, Did You Know?" Backstory and Song

Emmanuel … GOD with us! Jesus Christ, the Son of God became the Son of Man. This is Mystery without parallel.

No wonder this songwriter meditated for years to convey the depths of it all. Here is the backstory to what has become one of our current favorite Christmas songs … followed by a breathtaking performance.

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Balancing Acceptance and Hope: How to Make It through a CRISIS at the Holidays or Any Day

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Balancing Acceptance and Hope: How to Make It through a CRISIS at the Holidays or Any Day

Here I am with COVID just a week before Christmas. And I am living this message of acceptance and hope because of the Holy Spirit who lives in me.

Are you sick, struggling, away from loved ones, …? Why not reflect and receive from the Holy Spirit for your TODAY.

. . . The two things kept in balance are “accepting our present reality” and “holding on to hope” at the same time….

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FEAR NOT: Every Day of the Year

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FEAR NOT: Every Day of the Year

My Child...

Fear not...you are never alone for I am with you!

Fear not...you are never left out for you are one with Me !

Fear not...you are never condemned, but always accepted! I not only love you...I like you!

Fear not...you are always adequate with My adequacy...no matter how helpless and inadequate you feel!

Fear not...you are alive with my everlasting, indestructible life, no matter how dead you feel inside! I am your Life!

I AM in your "right here, right now," whether it be suffering in a hospital room or struggling over a wardrobe choice in your closet...and everything in between...I am with you!

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Of the Father's Love Begotten ... Emmanuel

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Of the Father's Love Begotten ... Emmanuel

For the past several years, I have been following an Advent devotional by a British author Tim Chester. One of the unique things that the author does is quote some “unknown to me” hymns and carols. In one of the devotionals, I recognized the final lines of each stanza in the hymn of the day. Sure enough! I had been listening to that very carol each year on an old Christmas CD in our collection.

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The Mega-JOY of Emmanuel

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The Mega-JOY of Emmanuel

Joy is the flag that flies over the soul when the King is in residence!
Chuck Swindoll

Years ago, I was leading a small group of ladies through Paul's letter to the Galatians.  In chapter 5, we came to a familiar passage:

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,and self control. Galatians 5:22-23

Julie was in that small group that year, and Julie was from Great Britain.  I asked her about Chuck's metaphor.  She assured me that it was true.  When royalty is in residence at the palace, the flag flies. It's the signal to the "subjects" that their monarch is present.

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Advent Devotions: Us with GOD

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Advent Devotions: Us with GOD

A few Advents ago, I met a new-to-me British author, Tim Chester, through his Advent devotional The One True Light. I’ve loved this little volume that has led me year by year through the first eighteen verses of the Gospel of John.

Well, this year I discovered his other two Advent books: The One True Gift (On Philippians, chapter 2) and The One True Story (on the story of Christ through the Old Testament to Jesus’ Coming). So this year, each Advent day finds me meditating through all three, each one in turn.

The books are not coordinated, but one day in reading all three, a thread grabbed and entwined me in an amazing truth: Jesus is not only Emmanuel, God with Us; He is also Emmanuel, Us with God!

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50 Years Plus One -- a PS from your "Kick in the Pants"

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50 Years Plus One -- a PS from your "Kick in the Pants"

PS For our 51st:

This 51st year of our marriage has brought home the memory of our early descriptions of one another.

John, remember how you used to call me. your “kick in the pants”?

And I recognized you as my “tether to the ground”?

So Mobilizer Me married Stabilizer You 51 years ago. What in reality was an asset from the start became one of our greatest struggles. But I feel this year, we have come to some turning points in accepting and appreciating these differences in each other. (Do you?) Why has it taken us so long and why has it been so hard?

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[New Song with post}-- Let Your Light Shine

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[New Song with post}-- Let Your Light Shine

…a psychological occurrence in which an individual doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud.

I have come to realize many of us children of God go through the “impostor syndrome.” Maybe it’s when we begin to get a glimpse of what God has gifted us for . We may feel like “frauds” or fear it may be wishful thinking. Or because of others’ reactions — basically communicating “Who do you think you are?”

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