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Archive for the ‘Joy’ Category

Radiance

Posted in Glory, Inspiring verse, Jesus, Joy, shine, tagged , , , on April 4, 2010| 3 Comments »

The Son is the radiance
of God’s glory …
Hebrews 1:3
 
 
Jesus,
You are the radiance of God’s glory, 
Through You God made the universe.
You were anointed with the oil of joy.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness. 
You remain the same, and Your years will never end. 
You are crowned with glory and honor. 
You were made perfect through suffering. 
I put my trust in You.
 
Jesus,
Please help us to radiate Your glory.
Please anoint us with the oil of joy.
Please help us to see the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us.
As Your priests, please help us to be merciful and faithful.
Please make us holy, and make us people who bring glory to God.
Amen.
 
 
This prayer is based on Hebrews 1 and 2.  It was written during a devotional experience led by Dianne Dodge.
 

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my head ~ my story

Posted in encouraging verse, Joy, overcome, story, tagged , , , on January 9, 2010| 18 Comments »

 
You are a shield around me, O Lord;
 
You lift up my head.
 
Psalm 3:3

~

~

In the book To Be Told, Dan Allender, Ph.D., encourages his readers to share their life stories.  In some of my favorite quotes from the book, he says,

We will never come to embrace the heartache of our story until we see it profit another human being.  Even then the sorrow doesn’t leave, but seeing someone benefit from our pain adds hope to that pain, and our gratitude begins to transform the past.”

“It is nearly impossible to feel someone’s pain if we do not know that person’s story.”

After reading this book, I realized that I want to share my story with you.  I have not had a day or a moment without a headache in eighteen years.  The last day I can remember not having a headache was my wedding day, May 25, 1991.  I probably had a few days that summer without a headache, but I didn’t know then to treasure those pain-free times.  Since the winter of 1992, I have felt an incessant headache, all day and all night.  Fatigue constantly accompanies these headaches, and I have had to learn to live with both. 

Over the years, I have had many diagnoses; however, the words we use to define ourselves are powerful and should be chosen carefully.  I do not want any diagnosis to define who I am; God defines who I am.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my journey, and if you are interested in more details, they can be found in the comments section below.  I am thankful that I have found true joy that is larger than my pain.   

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my body

Posted in Inspiring verse, Joy, Right Hand, soul, tagged , , , , , on July 2, 2009| 5 Comments »

My soul thirsts for You,
My body longs for You… 
Psalm 63:1
 
 
O God, you are my God,
       earnestly I seek you;
       my soul thirsts for you,
       my body longs for you,
       in a dry and weary land
       where there is no water.
 
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and glory.
 
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
 
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
 
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
 
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the night.
 
Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
 
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
 
Psalm 63:1-8
 
 
A favorite from the book of Psalms.
A combination of the NIV and the NLT translations.   

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everything

Posted in Challenge verse, Joy, poverty, tagged , , , , , , on May 6, 2009| 3 Comments »

Do everything without complaining.

Philippians 2:14
..
. 
When you meet someone who has reasons to complain but they don’t, it is stunning and startling.  A few weeks ago, my friend Angela asked me to pray that God would send her some clothes because she had only one dress.  Angela is handicapped, and for physical reasons she can only wear dresses.  Well, I started praying and also asked friends to pray.  Yesterday, God provided Angela with not one, but sixteen beautiful dresses!  Some of my wonderful friends in Nashville, (after hearing about Angela’s needs and how she does not complain), worked together to collect dresses and shoes.  One of my friends also sent her $200 to cover additional needs.  I was amazed by the way they helped someone that they did not even know.
..  ...
After Angela saw the clothes, she exclaimed, “My Father knows me, and He loves me!  He knows what I like.  So many blue dresses…blue is my favorite color.  When giving gifts to our children we try to do things they like.  How much more does God try to give us what we like!  God pays attention to the details.”  Angela radiates joy and love, even though the circumstances of her life are extremely difficult. 
 
Sometimes when we “rescue the weak and needy,” they rescue us.  May Angela’s story rescue us from the habit of complaining when things don’t go our way.
  
(Angela tells the story about “The Dress”, in the comment section.)
 

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joy and peace

Posted in Hope, Joy, Peace on January 23, 2009| 2 Comments »

May the God who gives
 endurance and encouragement…
and the God of Hope
fill you with all Joy and Peace
as you trust in Him,
so that you may overflow with Hope by the
power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:5&13
 
 
God’s part: fill us with joy and peace
our part: trust in Him
 
God’s part: give endurance and encouragement
our part: accept the endurance and encouragement
 
 

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