Daughter Holly and our youngest grandaughter Haven

Grace! Amazing! Abundant!

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  2 Cor. 9:8

God is not under any obligatoin to grant us His grace.
 
Did you know that grace is mentioned 136 times throughout the Bible?

My response to His grace in my life is to run to Him, to want to love Him back, to please Him in all I say and do.  I believe because I have experienced this deep spiritual mystery in my own life.

He died on the cross for us!!!  If you want to talk about abundant grace.  What more could He do for us!

Do you think with reason that the spirit He caused  to live in us tends toward envy but He gives us more grace?  That is why scripture says:  God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  Submitt yourselves then to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you..............Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.      James 4:5

Get out there and walk the talk.  Better yet RUN on the road God has called you to.  No sitting on our hands,  No going down a path that goes nowhere.  True motives, committing acts of kindness (grace) like Christ in everything!    Eph. 4

So--- The long awaited radio show is on the air.  It was three years in  the planing.  Co-producer and Co- host with Jeaniene Davis.  The Lord brought us together about 4 years ago.  I feel so blessed to have her in my life and it is with awe and grace that I have this opportunity in my later years to do this ministsry with her.  Who would have thunk it.  The show airs  on KDKR on Saturdays at 8:30 here in the Dallas and Ft Worth area and then streams all over the world.  We now have a facebook link and web page.  We call the show, " Vine life connection"  based on John 15.  Contact our blog: theinnerviews.com for more information.   Leave your suggestions for topics or just share your thoughts on the shows.  You can also listen to past shows from the blog so you don't have to miss it because you live far away.  Don't know where the Lord is going to take me but I trust Him.  I know He is always doing a new thing.  God's awesome grace and blessings on all He is calling you to do.  If you will stay connected to the TRUE VINE -JESUS CHRIST!  You will do just fine.  K

Easter 2012 How Great a LOve

 Luke 9:22   The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.  "The great secret of the spiritual life, the life of the beloved sons and daughters of God, is that everything we live, be it gladness or sadness, joy or pain, health or illness, can all be part of the journey toward the full realization of our humanity."   It is in our love and willingness to help each other that we make our brokenness into a gateway to joy.

Matthew 7:12  In everything you do to others, do it as you would have them do to you.  We are ambassadors for the Lord, sent out in His name to heal the sick and bind up the broken hearted. 
 " Compassion means to become close to the one who suffers.  By being vulnerable ourselves and sharing our own pain and weaknesses we share in our humanity.  We can be unhappy about many things but as Christians we have a joy in us that comes from the knowledge of God's great love for us.  We can choose Joy and need to everyday, knowing that nothing can seperate us from the love of God."
     
      Lord I am so humbled and in awe of your great sacrifice on the cross for me. I have walked with you for a long time now but I know you are not finished with me yet.   I do choose Joy, and it is my sincere desire to serve you for the rest of my days.  My God I know, will supply all my needs according to His riches and Glory.  When all is said and done we must all learn to offer ourselves to God. imperfections and all.  Don't say, tomorrow, tomorrow may not come.  In return for His ultimate gift to us from the cross, do it today! 

My resource for todays post is from a meditation I have been reading for this lent, by Henri Nouwen, one of my favorite authors. 

Have a blessed Easter,  K

The Vine, the Branches and the Fruit

                                    
We cannot produce fruit unless our little branch stay strongly attached to the One True Vine-Jesus Christ

"It's only a little branch,

A thing so fragile and weak.

But that little branch has a message true

To give, could it only speak.

I'm only a little branch,

I, live by a life not mine,

For the sap that flows through my tendrils small

Is the life-blood of the Vine.

No power indeed have I

The fruit of myself to bear,

But since I'm part of the living Vine

It's fruitfulness I share.

Do you ask how I abide?

How this life I can maintain?

I am bound to the Vine by life's strong band,

And I only need to remain.

Where first my life was given,

In the spot where I am set,

Upon and upheld as the days go by,

As moment by moment I draw life,

Which for evermore shall last.

I bask in the sun's bright beams"

Andrew Murray

I  say, Yes Lord!  It is my heart's desire to abide in you, and I trust in your enabling power to walk in your perfect will for my life.  I spent so much time in ministry working for you but not making enough time to sit at you feet like Mary.  We all have that Martha/Mary in us so it makes it so important to get the order right.  Ministry with out God's hand in it is fruitless.  We must abide in unbroken communion with the vine.

                                                           

Happy New Year

This sunset from our backyard.  I love to picture my self on the beach at Naples,(my favorite place) when the sunsets are especially beautiful.  Well, the new year is at hand.  New beginnings, endless possibilities.  Thought I would share some of my journal entries from last year but before I do, this fun experience.  New Years day my door bell rang.  Upon opening my door there stood a horse!!!  This must be Texas.  Geoff ( our son) was out for a ride and stopped by for an apple.  Wish I had taken a picture so I could have shared it with you. 
   January 1, 2011           All for Jesus I surrender      
 I surrender ALL   This desire for the journey set into my life so many years ago still glows deep within.  I shall continue to walk with Him until my last breath.  and then, What Joy!!!

Jesus is the Reason for the season

Whew!  Thanksgiving is now over!  Where has the fall gone?  Spent the last two months running to Doctors and physical therapy.  Now, ready for Christmas.  Every year I try to simplify all the business that Christmas intails so this year, I think I will cancel all the decoration stuff and go to our daughters for Christmas.  What a treat that will be, Haven't spent this holiday with her in many years. 
You might want to give some thought to what you can  do to cut down on your hectic schedule to make more time for looking around and living in the moment.  Give yourself permission to sit back and relax, think about the reason for the season. What are you doing to increase your awareness of God's great gift to us in Jesus. As you buy all those gifts that you can't afford remember His gift to us is free.  All He wants from us is our hearts. If your spiritual life has been drifting lately, take this time to renew your committment and relationship with Him.  This  brief meditation from Henri Nouwen, one of my favorites.  " Life is a God-given opportunity to become who we are, to affirm our own true spiritual nature, claim our truth, appropriate and intergrate the reality of our being, but most of all, to say YES to the one who calls us the Beloved.  The unfathomable mystery of God is that God is a lover who  wants to be loved. The spiritual life is to say Yes to our inner truth. The one who created us  is waiting for our response to the love that gave us being." On my spiritual journey over the years I discovered that only God can meet the deepest needs of our hearts. When I am trying to live in His perfect will for my lifeI am filled with His peace.  His peace is the peace that the world can't supply. In the midst of Goverments and countries and individuals in financial crisis,                                                                                          
                                   I wish you His peace this Christmas.                                                                      


     The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty savior, He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His love; He will sing joufully because of you. 
  Zephaniah 3:17

Call on My Life

Time for a new look.  Can you imagine that I had to get to be 70 years old to like my hair.  This is the result of my going for Karatin treatments.  I never could grow my hair very long because it would just go out, and out, and out.  I really am enjoying this time of retirement in my life.  Staying busy with ministry and still having time to be still and know He is God. 

Thought I would share some excerpts from a talk on Prayer I put together a while ago.  First of all you have to know that it would be total arrogance for me to even presume even minimal competence.  So, this is some things I have learned over the years on my own person journey.
"The true born child of God cares little for man's opinion".  So says this daily meditation of Words of Cheer for Daily Living.  " All says he may fail me.  Penniless, without friends or food or shelter, even at deaths door, yet he says, each breath in my body belongs to Christ, and I am ready to shed it for His sake."  Like Paul, he counts all things but loss so that he may win with Christ and that he may be found in Him; and when the world thunders and roars, he smiles at the uproar, while he hums his pleasant tune."  I want to be so yielded as to live like that.  How about you?

Letting Go

Take sometime to become still in God's presence.

Slow your breathing through the following meditation:

INHALE:     Breath in the peace of Christ.

EXHALE:    Breath out the anxiety of the day.

INHALE:     Breath in the gentleness of Christ.

EXHALE:    Breath out the mental clutter and distraction.

INHALE:     Breath in the freedom of Christ.

EXHALE:     Breath out that which binds you.

INHALE:      Breath in the joy of Christ. 

EXHALE:     Breath out discouragement.

INHALE:      Breath in the love of Christ.

EXHALE:     Breath out selfishness and personal agendas.

Continue doing this until you feel ready to meet God according to His plan.



Offer yourself to Him for His purpose during your time of contemplation.

  Taken from:  Contemplating the Cross, A 40 Day Pilgrimage of Prayer

By Trica McCary Rhodes, W Publishing Group 2004

Blessings

I found this in an old classic book I picked off the shelf the other day.  It blessed me, hope it blesses you too.  God's purpose will ripen fast, ( or not ) unfolding every hour, the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.  Bible Reading Fellowship 6/28/11
It makes me think about the scripture, Count it all Joy! when we face grevious trials.  James 1: 2  The testing of our faith developes perseverance...building our Godly character. 
There is a new song  called Blessings, by Laura Story, that I have been enjoying.  First verse:  We pray for blessings, peace, comfort, protection, healing, prosperity etc.  Chorus:  What if our blessings come through rain drops, healing through tears, sleepless nights are what it takes to know He is near.  What if the trials of this life are His Blessings in disquise.

Inner Journey

Progress in holiness can best be measured not by the length of time we spend in prayer, not by the number of times we go to church, not by the amount of money we contribute to God's work; but in the depth of our personal relationship. 
                                      
Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you.  Psalm 102: 1  In my morning quiet time this morning I was reminded that our relationship with the Lord needs to be our top priority.  Forget getting by with luke warm, remember what the Lord says, " depart from me, I do not know you."  We must have a burning desire,(passion) for the things of God.  Few seem to experience that kind of devotion.  I too am in the process.  Don't ever give up!!!  We have a loving God that will lead us, even into the deeper layers of prayer.

"Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire."  Corrie Ten Boom

If you haven't read any of her books you should!!        K

On Becoming 70

Well, I have had a year to sike myself up for it.  Can't say I feel any different so I will just have to accept it with good grace.  Holy Spirit Grace enabled!!!!  Still on the journey to love and serve Him.  Read this prayer that expresses much of my feelings.           God Bless, K


This life is not a state of being righteous, but rather, a growth in righteousness, not a state of being healthy, but a period of  healing not a state of being, but becoming; not a state of rest, but of exercise and activity.  We are not yet what we shall be, but we grow towards it; the process is not  finished, but is still going on; this life is not the end, it is the way to a better.  All does not yet shine with  glory; never the less, all is being purified.


                                                                               Martin Luther

On Prayer

Contemplative prayer is a prayer that enables us to see the world through the eyes of God.  Prayer is putting on the mind of Christ so that we learn to see the world as God sees it.  Prayer is not designed to coax God: prayer is designed to change us....to take on the compassionate heart of Christ....
                                                                   Joan Chittister, OSB   Wisdom Distilled from the Ordinary

I liked this when I read it.  Prayer Ministry is dear to my heart.  We all need to spend more time in prayer!!!  We get so busy doing for the Lord that we often neglect our own personal spiritual growth.  Making time!  It's like that quote, " My day is so busy I'd better take time to pray."  These last eight weeks helping Bill with his recovery from hip surgery has been a test for both of us.  My daily prayer and worship time had to be rescheduled for a different time of day.  That really threw me off, and I must say that when I did squeeze some time later in the day I just fell asleep.  At times I felt like I had sleeping sickness.  Stress, they say, affects people in different ways.  Now that he is back to driving and more independent I feel like I am able to get back to my own life, and it is with a sense of relief that I say alleluia. 

Sit quietly in His presence and let Him change you.  If you are sincere in the prayer, Holy Spirit, speak your truth to my heart, he will begin to mold you more and more into the image of His son. Jesus. I always add, Jesus, if there is anything in me that is not of you, I rebuke it and cast it out in your name, reveal it to me so I may bring it to the foot of your cross. 

The Spiritual Connection to Curve Balls in the Midst of Life.

Wow, here it is April already.  A lot has been going on in our family over the past six weeks.  Without going into a whole litany of problems suffice it to say that I have been very aware of God's presence with me.  I never could understand people expressing the opposite experience during difficulties when my own experience has been so different.  The most significant health set back was my Bill's hip replacement surgery.  After now 53 years of marriage you could say that what happens to one happens to the other.  We have always been affected by what was happening more with the other than with our selves.  Well, he is home now, three weeks into his recovery and we have settled into our routine very nicely.  Now, to try and share with all of you the spiritual connection that weaves it's self through all of life.  I have experenced His enabling power before in othe situations and now again, this ability to cope when you just want to curl up and say," wake me up when it is over". It really has been an emotional roller-coaster for me.  I experienced some post traumatic stress over the issues of care giving.  Remember dear friends that I spent many years caring for first Bill's Mom, she lived with us for thirteen years.  Then it was time to support my parents who lived with us for the last five years of their lives.  There were many times when I didn't see any light at the end of the tunnel.  I can look back now and see that the Lord used all of the hard times to bring me into a deeper relationship with Him.  Isn't that why we count it all joy?  We should come out of this awareness saying," Sock it To Me".  Wellm along with the emotional we have the physical isssues.  During times of stress our body responds in the area's of it's weakest links; so I haven't felt exactly at my best these last few weeks; in fact you could say that I have felt like the wind had gone out of my sails.  Today is a quiet day, just P.T. here and so some time to play catch up with my stuff.  My word of encouragement for you when you find youself going through stuff that feels like it is too much is to try very hard to be faithful to your quiet time; in fact lengthen it if possible. Look at all the many options of disciplines towards keeping the awareness of His presence close. Relax in His presence and just let Him love on you and you thank Him for being who He is and ever grateful that He is in control.    Music, take it with you where ever you go.  Isn't it great that we can do that now!  Put a cross in your pocket, where special jewelry.  A friend gave Bill a bracelet that said Take Courage, with God All Things are Possible. In taking care of myself I have had to look at my priorities and just tackle the top three.  Adding and extra massage to the schedule and other things I need to do for me to play and lighten up a bit.  This Friday I am going to meet a friend for lunch and then go buy my garden plants.  She is going to help me with some of my yard work that I an so behind in.  I have been working on a Prayer/Workshop over the last two months on and off.  It will be finished when it is finished.  I try not to give myself dead-lines if I can help it.  Thanks for all of you who have prayed and love us so... It is good. God bless you. K           Share you own experiences with me.  Maybe it will make it into a book someday.  Bill has his own story of this experience.  He has told me that he has been blown away at the courage of the people that he has met in the hospital rehap. I will ask him if he will do a post for us. 

Journey Into Prayer

I have been currently working on a Prayer Retreat and Workshop.  Spent a whole day going through my files.
Sharing some of the stuff I found.:

God you call us to serve you with all the strength we have: you are faithful to those you call; may Jesus' resurrection raise us up if we stumble, the Christlike beckon us if we lose our way, and we shall have strength once more to walk with you to the cross.         New Zealand Prayer Book

And this from Letters of the Scattered Brotherhood an old and dear book in my library.  Edited by Mary Strong.  I don't know if you can still get it or not but, I recommend it highly.  

Excerpts

"How radiant is the feeling of oneness with the indwelling Spirit."

"It is compared to the relationship with our human beloved.  Those first emotions of love and passion we felt when we new we had found the ONE."

"To receive the sense of the love of the Spirit, to receive the divine wisdom and knowledge, you must truly ponder and meditate and hold the high image steady and true, as you held that human image of your beloved."

 "If you truly love in this manner it will emotionally tone your whole day."

And I love this, " You will learn gradually that this peace, calm knowledge and inspiration are part of the rebirth that has been the prophecy fulfilled through the ages for those who walk this path, the prophecy fulfilled through love.  Is not this knowledge worth all you can give? " 

" The more tender, the more open, the gentler you can be in your quiet time of acceptance , of stillness, the greater will be the power pressed through your silences"  

" Tune the delicate instrument of your mind to its high purpose."

"Why does it not work, I hear you say.  It does work in precisely the same measure of the loving you have put into it."

" Listen to the Spirit within you speak."

My favorite prayer,  Holy Spirit, speak your truth to my heart!!!