Here are a few quotes to inspire and encourage you today along your way.
NOTE: It's not all about "who said it" as much as it is about "what was said." Look at the fruit to find the root. Taste and see and know for yourself.
When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place."
~ Unknown
"If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right. "
~ Mary Kay Ash
Norman Vincent Peale On Attitude:
"Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You are overcome by the fact because you think you are. "
~ Norman Vincent Peale
Thomas Jefferson Right Mental Attitude Quote:
"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. "
~ Thomas Jefferson
John F. Kennedy Positive Outlook Quote:
"When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity."
~ John F. Kennedy
Ella Wheeler Wilcox Attitude Poem:
"One ship drives east and another drives west
With the selfsame winds that blow.
'Tis the set of sails and not the gales
Which tells us the way to go. "
~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Be in Courage, even the more!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Keep On Believing
I received an email from a dear sister earlier this week that encouraged me more than she will ever know. The timing of this email and the message was a word in due season, as I have several "burdens" I am praying through this week, personal and for Elegant Doves which are related to people I care about. There are family members that are dealing with "destiny decisions" and challenges. There are families that are stressed to the max concerning recent disclosures of incest abuse and the far reaching impact this revelation has for their family. There are marriages of dear friends that are "on the edge" and health and financial challenges that others are facing. And the list goes on and on....
...BUT, I KNOW THAT THERE IS HOPE!! I know that there are answers to all of theses situations and I know that I know that I know that ALL things work together for good, based on Romans 8:28. I have seen it manifest before in my own life and in the lives of others. It is "getting through the going through stage that is often the challenge.
I ask that you read an excerpt of a devotion from Derek Prince Ministries and be encouraged and grab hold of the hope you need, personally and/or for your "ministry assignment".
"Are you carrying a burden right now for someone close to you? Maybe that person is a spouse, or a child, or a parent or a close friend. If you are carrying such a concern, we hope this letter will be a source of great encouragement and strength to you in the midst of the situation.
Three More Words of Hope
Over the last few months, the Lord has been nudging me forward in the area of faith and hope. Some of those encouragements have been the focus of recent letters we have sent.
A few months ago, I wrote about “Three Words of Hope.” In fact, in the letter in which that appeared, there were actually three different groups of three words: “Yet even now,” “Who knows whether,” and “Don’t give up.” I hope those thoughts were encouraging to you.
This letter adds three more words of hope to those groups: “Keep on believing.”
These three new words of hope came to light from a recent encounter with the Lord when He spoke the following words to me in a time of prayer: “I will take you by the hand.” The Lord then used the passage about Jairus’ young daughter, whom Jesus raised from the dead, to provide insight into the new life Jesus brings to us. When Jesus took that little girl by the hand in Mark 5:41, He issued this command: “Talitha, cumi” [“Little girl, arise”]. The result? That precious daughter came back to life.
“Keep On Believing”
My early focus of study after the Lord spoke to me had been on the little girl. But just recently, the Lord turned my focus to Jesus’ interaction with Jairus, the little girl’s dad. That concerned father was the one carrying such a huge burden for his dearly beloved daughter. Imagine how Jairus must have felt when Jesus was interrupted in the journey to pray for his daughter by the woman with the issue of blood. Precious minutes were consumed in the Master’s encounter with that dear woman who reached out in great faith to simply touch the hem of Jesus’ garment.
As grateful as Jairus may have been for the woman’s healing, this distraught father had to be saying in his heart, “But Jesus, what about my dying daughter?” Then came the news he dreaded, recorded with special poignancy in the Amplified version: “While He [Jesus] was still speaking, there came some from the ruler’s house, who said [to Jairus], ‘Your daughter has died. Why bother and distress the Teacher any further?’” (Mark 5:35, Amplified).
It’s hard to imagine the wave of grief and despair that must have hit that father at that moment. The child for whom he was desperately concerned was gone. No more reason to look to Jesus with expectation. Time had run out for his daughter.
But I love how Jesus handles this situation. Immediately, as Mark 5:36 tells us, He was at Jairus’ side to set the story straight: “Overhearing but ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue [Jairus], ‘Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear: only keep on believing.’”
Are Those Words for You? Could it be that the words Jesus spoke to that concerned father are also meant for us? In regard to the burden of concern you carry for your loved one, the words of Jesus ring true: “Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear: only keep on believing.”
It may well be that the enemy has been whispering lies in your ear. Those lies do not represent the last word on the situation. It is not hopeless. Could it be that the Lord of Life is even now on His way to take the hand of the one for whom you are so concerned? Like the little girl Jesus raised, when He takes hold of a situation, the inevitable result is new life—resurrection life. Can you receive His words by faith? “Do not fear, but keep on believing.” (end quote)
Receive this as your own source of encouragement and hope: Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear: only keep on believing.
Be IN courage!
United with you in strength and victory,
With love,
Linda Michelle
...BUT, I KNOW THAT THERE IS HOPE!! I know that there are answers to all of theses situations and I know that I know that I know that ALL things work together for good, based on Romans 8:28. I have seen it manifest before in my own life and in the lives of others. It is "getting through the going through stage that is often the challenge.
I ask that you read an excerpt of a devotion from Derek Prince Ministries and be encouraged and grab hold of the hope you need, personally and/or for your "ministry assignment".
( The following is an excerpt of a devotion from Derek Prince Ministries)
"Are you carrying a burden right now for someone close to you? Maybe that person is a spouse, or a child, or a parent or a close friend. If you are carrying such a concern, we hope this letter will be a source of great encouragement and strength to you in the midst of the situation.
Three More Words of Hope
Over the last few months, the Lord has been nudging me forward in the area of faith and hope. Some of those encouragements have been the focus of recent letters we have sent.
A few months ago, I wrote about “Three Words of Hope.” In fact, in the letter in which that appeared, there were actually three different groups of three words: “Yet even now,” “Who knows whether,” and “Don’t give up.” I hope those thoughts were encouraging to you.
This letter adds three more words of hope to those groups: “Keep on believing.”
These three new words of hope came to light from a recent encounter with the Lord when He spoke the following words to me in a time of prayer: “I will take you by the hand.” The Lord then used the passage about Jairus’ young daughter, whom Jesus raised from the dead, to provide insight into the new life Jesus brings to us. When Jesus took that little girl by the hand in Mark 5:41, He issued this command: “Talitha, cumi” [“Little girl, arise”]. The result? That precious daughter came back to life.
“Keep On Believing”
My early focus of study after the Lord spoke to me had been on the little girl. But just recently, the Lord turned my focus to Jesus’ interaction with Jairus, the little girl’s dad. That concerned father was the one carrying such a huge burden for his dearly beloved daughter. Imagine how Jairus must have felt when Jesus was interrupted in the journey to pray for his daughter by the woman with the issue of blood. Precious minutes were consumed in the Master’s encounter with that dear woman who reached out in great faith to simply touch the hem of Jesus’ garment.
As grateful as Jairus may have been for the woman’s healing, this distraught father had to be saying in his heart, “But Jesus, what about my dying daughter?” Then came the news he dreaded, recorded with special poignancy in the Amplified version: “While He [Jesus] was still speaking, there came some from the ruler’s house, who said [to Jairus], ‘Your daughter has died. Why bother and distress the Teacher any further?’” (Mark 5:35, Amplified).
It’s hard to imagine the wave of grief and despair that must have hit that father at that moment. The child for whom he was desperately concerned was gone. No more reason to look to Jesus with expectation. Time had run out for his daughter.
But I love how Jesus handles this situation. Immediately, as Mark 5:36 tells us, He was at Jairus’ side to set the story straight: “Overhearing but ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue [Jairus], ‘Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear: only keep on believing.’”
Are Those Words for You? Could it be that the words Jesus spoke to that concerned father are also meant for us? In regard to the burden of concern you carry for your loved one, the words of Jesus ring true: “Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear: only keep on believing.”
It may well be that the enemy has been whispering lies in your ear. Those lies do not represent the last word on the situation. It is not hopeless. Could it be that the Lord of Life is even now on His way to take the hand of the one for whom you are so concerned? Like the little girl Jesus raised, when He takes hold of a situation, the inevitable result is new life—resurrection life. Can you receive His words by faith? “Do not fear, but keep on believing.” (end quote)
Receive this as your own source of encouragement and hope: Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear: only keep on believing.
Be IN courage!
United with you in strength and victory,
With love,
Linda Michelle
Monday, June 14, 2010
Check for Cracks
The beginning of last week through today has been a great "refreshing period" taking place in my life. It has been one of the most intense and yet renewing times I have had in a very long while.
I have been challenged to review my life; take another, longer look at the "woman in the mirror". Blessings are overflowing from every direction around me and with it so is the requirement for actual implementation of the work I am called to do with more focus and determination. It is truly real-time, serious, hard work at times, for which I would not trade one moment, personally and in ministry. The hard part has been in really taking a look at "how" I am doing the work. The question has been am I on track, off track or laying down on the tracks, when I should be pressing forward.
I am pleased to share that I have discovered some "error messages" on the control panel of my life; pleased because I have taken note of them and have taken action and put strategies in place to correct what needs to be corrected. Had these "error messages" gone unnoticed for much longer, there is no telling where 'my train' would have been heading for. A real-time "danger zone" was directly in my path.
I have taken a look at every every of my life; health, spiritual, family, financial and recreational. There have been some positive things taking place and yet some major 'errors in judgment' which have been made.
I just viewed another awe-inspiring video message of hope and encouragement from Rick Renner daily "Sparkling Gems from the Greek" devotional. I encourage you to take time to check it out (Monday 14 June). It is a must see. I also urge you to get the Sparkling Gems from the Greek devotional book as well. You will grow in wisdom and understanding.
http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/refuel-with-rick/
This devotion shares how when we ignore the condition of our "foundation" because of busyness, prayerlessness, insensitivity to the Holy Spirit or from being proud, cocky, overconfident, lazy or complacent, we are endangering not only our lives, but how we put in harms way the lives that are connected to ours. A simple 'fix', but one that will take real time work, which is not work at all. It is taking time to BE STILL and hear the voice of our "ENGINEER" giving us direction and instruction for our personalized course.
Take a few minutes to check out the above link and as well Beth Moore's "A Quick Word from Beth" http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/a-quick-word-with-beth-moore/ (Monday 14 June). You will truly be inspired.
Take a look at one last thing I would like to share on the subject today. I found this in the Message Bible. I pray it inspires you to check the foundation of your life - the things you are currently doing to ensure that you are "on track" with your ordained purpose and calling and that there are no "cracks" in your foundation where your enemies can seep through. Your life is too valuable and too precious to waste any portion of it. Your purpose is too far reaching to have it destroyed now. You have come to far to turn back now!! There are too many lives still hanging in the balance, waiting for what God has placed in you for them, as only you can deliver. Remember, quitting is not an option. Neither is anything short of your most excellent effort.
1 Corinthians 10 (The Message) (verses 1-14,23-24)
1-5 Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God's fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.
6-10 The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—"First the people partied, then they threw a dance." We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them.
11-12 These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence.
13 No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
14 So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can.
23-24 Looking at it one way, you could say, "Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.
29-30 But, except for these special cases, I'm not going to walk around on eggshells worrying about what small-minded people might say; I'm going to stride free and easy, knowing what our large-minded Master has already said. If I eat what is served to me, grateful to God for what is on the table, how can I worry about what someone will say? I thanked God for it and he blessed it!
31-33 So eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you—you're eating to God's glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God's glory. At the same time, don't be callous in your exercise of freedom, thoughtlessly stepping on the toes of those who aren't as free as you are. I try my best to be considerate of everyone's feelings in all these matters; I hope you will be, too.
Be IN Courage, even the more.
With love and joy,
Linda Michelle
I have been challenged to review my life; take another, longer look at the "woman in the mirror". Blessings are overflowing from every direction around me and with it so is the requirement for actual implementation of the work I am called to do with more focus and determination. It is truly real-time, serious, hard work at times, for which I would not trade one moment, personally and in ministry. The hard part has been in really taking a look at "how" I am doing the work. The question has been am I on track, off track or laying down on the tracks, when I should be pressing forward.
I am pleased to share that I have discovered some "error messages" on the control panel of my life; pleased because I have taken note of them and have taken action and put strategies in place to correct what needs to be corrected. Had these "error messages" gone unnoticed for much longer, there is no telling where 'my train' would have been heading for. A real-time "danger zone" was directly in my path.
I have taken a look at every every of my life; health, spiritual, family, financial and recreational. There have been some positive things taking place and yet some major 'errors in judgment' which have been made.
I just viewed another awe-inspiring video message of hope and encouragement from Rick Renner daily "Sparkling Gems from the Greek" devotional. I encourage you to take time to check it out (Monday 14 June). It is a must see. I also urge you to get the Sparkling Gems from the Greek devotional book as well. You will grow in wisdom and understanding.
http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/refuel-with-rick/
This devotion shares how when we ignore the condition of our "foundation" because of busyness, prayerlessness, insensitivity to the Holy Spirit or from being proud, cocky, overconfident, lazy or complacent, we are endangering not only our lives, but how we put in harms way the lives that are connected to ours. A simple 'fix', but one that will take real time work, which is not work at all. It is taking time to BE STILL and hear the voice of our "ENGINEER" giving us direction and instruction for our personalized course.
Take a few minutes to check out the above link and as well Beth Moore's "A Quick Word from Beth" http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/a-quick-word-with-beth-moore/ (Monday 14 June). You will truly be inspired.
Take a look at one last thing I would like to share on the subject today. I found this in the Message Bible. I pray it inspires you to check the foundation of your life - the things you are currently doing to ensure that you are "on track" with your ordained purpose and calling and that there are no "cracks" in your foundation where your enemies can seep through. Your life is too valuable and too precious to waste any portion of it. Your purpose is too far reaching to have it destroyed now. You have come to far to turn back now!! There are too many lives still hanging in the balance, waiting for what God has placed in you for them, as only you can deliver. Remember, quitting is not an option. Neither is anything short of your most excellent effort.
1 Corinthians 10 (The Message) (verses 1-14,23-24)
1-5 Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God's fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.
6-10 The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—"First the people partied, then they threw a dance." We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them.
11-12 These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence.
13 No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
14 So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can.
23-24 Looking at it one way, you could say, "Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.
29-30 But, except for these special cases, I'm not going to walk around on eggshells worrying about what small-minded people might say; I'm going to stride free and easy, knowing what our large-minded Master has already said. If I eat what is served to me, grateful to God for what is on the table, how can I worry about what someone will say? I thanked God for it and he blessed it!
31-33 So eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you—you're eating to God's glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God's glory. At the same time, don't be callous in your exercise of freedom, thoughtlessly stepping on the toes of those who aren't as free as you are. I try my best to be considerate of everyone's feelings in all these matters; I hope you will be, too.
Be IN Courage, even the more.
With love and joy,
Linda Michelle
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)