Words & Thoughts

by Debi Baker

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation

of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord,

my rock and my redeemer."

Psalm 19:14 NLT

I'm so tired of seeing and hearing words that tear down. I'm tired of seeing and hearing so many FaceBook posts [shared by supposed Christians] that the 'name' of the page or person is a filthy or suggestive name!

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In this verse, David tells the Lord he wants to please Him. He wants the words of his mouth AND the meditation of his heart to please God. The meditation would also be the thoughts he has.  

God gave the most precious of all gifts to give us eternal life. The least we can do is think good and pleasing thoughts; speak edifying words; bring life instead of death!  

I am making it my personal agenda to keep my heart pure and the words of my mouth to be pleasing and life-giving! I challenge you to do the same. When we are positive and life affirming, our attitudes will begin to change. God will be pleased and others will want to be around us.

Take some time today to be life affirming, positive and uplifting and see the world around you in a new way!

Have a blessed day!

Thy Will Be Done

By: Shari A. Miller

Two months ago, I let you in on a struggle that our family was having, we we're in the midst of finding a new place to live and it had to be done fast. I was in complete denial up until the day we had to move. I was tired, worn out from my cancer treatments and I wanted nothing to do with moving.

My thoughts raced from, "Really haven't we had enough?" to, "Here is just one more thing to add to the list." and "When will it ever end Lord?"

Well, fast forward to the present and here we are. We're in a better place, we're happier, and it's more affordable. We feel like a huge burden has been lifted from our shoulders.

How often in life do we try to beg and plead for God to let us out of the trials we're going through. I know I'm guilty. But, here's the thing, what if we trusted God with the outcome and said, "Not my will but thine?"

Instead of complaining in fear, maybe we need to start being filled with excitement at what could possibly be around the next corner. What a difference that would make! Not only in our own lives, but also in the lives of others, when they see us full out trusting God and excited about what the outcome will be.

One thing I've learned over these past few months, is my will is not important. It's His will that matters. No more taking back my problems from Lord, instead, I want to kneel at His feet with outstretched hands and say, "Thy will be done."

"He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." ~ Matthew 26:42

It is time for the Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesday Link Up. We desire to connect women of God with one another and encourage each other in Christ. So grab a cup of coffee or glass of sweet tea, sit back and visit a few blogs. Be encouraged and share your own stories in their comments.

Use hashtag #w2wwordfilledwednesday

Three rules to this link up:
1. Must be a {Christian} faith post.
2. Link back to W2W somewhere in your post. (Feel free to use our button if you want!)
3. Visit and comment on at least one other blog in the link up.

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Deep-Dish Eggplant Parmigiana

By: Melissa Baker

Recipe and Image Courtesy of www.RachaelRay.com

      

Ingredients:

• 3 firm, medium eggplants
• Salt
• Olive oil, for shallow frying

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella, diced into small pieces
• 1 12 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 2 quarts pomodoro sauce, such as Rachael's Pomodoro Sauce
• A handful of basil leaves
• A handful of flat leaf parsley, finley chopped                                            

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.

2. Heat a shallow layer of oil in a 12-14-inch skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant for 2-3 minutes on each side until light golden. Drain on paper towels.

3. Place a layer of sauce in a casserole dish. Top with a third of the eggplant, a few spoonfuls of sauce, a third of the mozzarella and the Parmigiano Reggiano and a few leaves of torn basil. Repeat two more times.

4. Bake the eggplant for 35-40 minutes, until the top is brown and bubbly. Top with minced parsley and serve (let rest before cutting with a serrated knife).

5. Serve with green salad alongside or as a first course.

When You Are Just Done

By: Jenifer Metzger

Like every little girl does, I grew up imagining this perfect life I would one day have. Perfect husband, perfect marriage, perfect kids, perfect house, it would all be just...perfect. When I met my husband, he was incredible. We dated for 1 year before marrying. In that 1 year, we never ever had an argument. We didn't disagree about anything. We seemed perfectly matched and headed for that perfect life I envisioned.

Then we married.

Marriage cannot be perfect because we as humans are not perfect. We are flawed in many ways. We are never "right" all of the time, we wake up on the wrong side of the bed from time to time, we go through situations, we get tired, we get sick, we get hungry, we let hormones come in and wack out our mood, we are just not perfect. In fact, we are millions of miles from being perfect.

Since we are flawed and marriage isn't perfect, there will be disagreements and there will be hard days. There will even be days when you are just done. You are tired of trying, tired of losing, tired of the fights, tired of it all and ready to give up. Friend, we've all been there. But don't lose hope!

Here are a few tips for when you are just done:

• Pray. Then pray some more. Prayer really does change things and is a vital part of a healthy, Christian marriage. The key is to not pray that God would change your husband, but to pray that God would do a work and change both of your hearts. Ask God to turn both of your hearts first to Him, then to each other. Pray that God would help you to fall in love all over again and ask God to help you put Him at the center of your marriage. Never stop praying for your marriage.
• Seek help. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking counsel when your marriage is struggling. It might be the counsel of your pastor, maybe a pastor you don't know to be an impartial party, or maybe you just seek mentorsip from a good Christian couple. Whoever you turn to, know that it is okay. As a matter of fact, if you are trying to save your marriage or better your marriage, it is an incredible thing you are doing in seeking counsel.
• Talk. It is impossible to work on your marriage when you are not talking to each other. You must open the lines of honest communication. Openly and honestly share with your spouse how you are feeling. Don't play the blame game by saying you do ___ or you don't do ___. Instead, just share how you feel.
• Listen. Remember, there are 2 parts to communication: talking and listening. Give your spouse a chance to openly and honestly share their heart. Even if what they say hurts your feelings, let them keep going. You have to get it all out there to work it out. Set all distractions aside and give your spouse eye contact as they share. Don't interrupt. Don't make faces. Don't roll your eyes. Don't ignore them. Just pay close attention to the words they say and the heart they are coming from.
• Spend time in prayer together. If God is to be the center of your marriage, family and home, then it is a must that you pray together. After you have both had a chance to talk, bow your heads and pray together. Ask God to do a work in your marriage. Then, continue regularly praying together. This practice will grow your marriage in ways you can't begin to imagine.
• Try resources. There are amazing Christian resources out there to help. 2 of my favorite resources that I have personally used over and over and often gift to couples are The Love Dare and Power of a Praying Wife. The Love Dare is 40 days of daring you to love your spouse. You will find dares that have you do things for your spouse and dares that have you working on your own heart. I promise you, if you do The Love Dare with an open heart, it will change your heart and your spouse's heart. You can do The Love Dare 2 different ways: do it with your husband or don't tell him and do it alone. Either way, it will be life changing. Power of a Praying Wife is 30 days of learning to pray for your husband. You learn to pray over his walk with God, his relationships, his health, his attitude, his work, his addictions and much more. After doing Power of a Praying Wife you will see an incredible change in your marriage. (Men, check out Power of a Praying Husband and you too will see an incredible change in your marriage.)

Friend, if your marriage is struggling and you've come to the point where you are just done, ready to throw in the towel, don't give up and don't lose faith! Try these steps. God can and will save your marriage if you really try. You can look back in a year or even a month and be amazed at how things have changed for the good. If your marriage is to this point, or you know someone who is, comment below or email me. I would love to join you in praying.

A tender, responsive heart...

by Elizabeth Stewart

A couple of months ago my friend from church read Ezekiel 11:19 at our weekly prayer time.  I found the wording in the New Living Translation to be especially impactful. When I got home, I added it to my list of verses that I have turned into prayers that I use during my devotional time.  "Father, I ask for myself and my loved ones that we will not have stony and stubborn hearts but that our hearts will be tender and responsive to You, Your Word and Your Spirit.  In Jesus' Name. Amen"  It occurred to me that if our hearts are tender and responsive to God, then all the other things we may pray for a person, that they would be saved, that they would walk in obedience to God, that they would walk in God's will, would happen naturally.  A heart that is tender and responsive to God is naturally yielded and obedient to Him and His ways.

Since then, day after day I have been praying this simple prayer, praying it over myself, our family and loved ones, and our church family.  What surprised me was how God began to work in my own heart in such a tangible way.  I can only describe it by saying that I can feel myself being tenderized.  In my morning quiet times I have been feeling God's presence especially near and sweet.  I've been sensing His leading as I pray, and feeling His heart for those I am praying for.  He has taken me to a new level of forgiving others and praying for those who have hurt me.  My time with God has been richer and sweeter, and I am sensing that same tenderness spilling over into my relationships with others.

When I first started praying that verse, to be honest, I was thinking more about the benefit of praying it for others.  But God, in His goodness and lovingkindness, knew just what my own stony, stubborn heart needed.

still following,

www.justfollowingjesus.com

You Are A Missionary

By: Jenifer Metzger

And He said to them, "Go into all the world

and preach the gospel to every creature."

Mark 16:15

The Bible tells us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. This is an important call God places on the life of every Christian. To some, that call takes them away. Away from their country, away from their home, away from the comforts they are used to, and away from friends and family.

Yet to some, that mission call takes them right to their living room.

Fellow mom, whether your child is 2 months or 20 years, whether you have 1 child or 10 children, whether you have a job outside the home or you are soley a mom, you are a missionary. You have a call on your life that God Himself placed in you. This call is to reach your children for Him and your mission field is your home.

It's a big call friend. but know this: God gave you this call because He knew that you were the exact missionary your children needed. You can do this, you can lead your children to the Father. Lead them by being the best example of Jesus you can be. Let them see how incredible it is to live for God. Live your life so that your children want to live for Him.

Embrace the call. Be a missionary to your children.

NO MORE pain, sadness, tears...

by Debi Baker

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more 

death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

Revelation 21:4 NLT

The nightly news is so full of murder and crime. It disgusts me. Surely it must disgust God! After watching the news every night, I feel like I need a shower; a shower to wash off all the garbage. While it disgusts me, I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't stay apprised of what goes on in this world. I don't feel like I can put my head in the sand and just ignore it. I also know that I can't do much about it...except pray!  

God knows the beginning from the end.  He already knows how & when this world will finally cave! All we can do is pray for those that don't yet know the Lord as their personal Savior. We must also share the Good News of Jesus Christ!  

Revelation 21:4 gives us hope! It assures us that there is none of this sadness, sorrow, crime, murder, etc in Heaven!!! I don't know about you, but I'm so very ready. I'm tired of all the negativity!!!

I pray that each one of you will read this verse over and over. Let it get deep into your spirit. When the garbage comes across your TV or radio...pray. Pray for the lost. Pray for the criminals. Pray for the victims. Just PRAY!

Have a blessed day!

Take Up Your Cross

By: Shari A. Miller

It is time for the Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesday Link Up. We desire to connect women of God with one another and encourage each other in Christ. So grab a cup of coffee or glass of sweet tea, sit back and visit a few blogs. Be encouraged and share your own stories in their comments.

Use hashtag #w2wwordfilledwednesday

Three rules to this link up:
1. Must be a {Christian} faith post.
2. Link back to W2W somewhere in your post. (Feel free to use our button if you want!)
3. Visit and comment on at least one other blog in the link up.

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Fresh Southern Peach Cobbler

By: Melissa Baker

Ingredients:

Recipe and Image courtesy of www.AllRecipes.com

• 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• MIX TOGETHER:
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

                           

                           

30 Ways To Be A Home Builder

By: Jenifer Metzger

There are two kids of women; one who builds her home and one who pulls it down. As the woman of the home, we have the power to build up our home and the people in it, but we also have the power to tear it, and the people in it, down.

The wise woman builds her house,

but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

Proverbs 14:1

I desperately seek to be a woman who builds her home, though I will admit that it is not always easy. At times it feels like that is too much responsibility on my part; after all, there are some days I want to be mad, I want to have an attitude, I want to take my frustration out, yet all that does is pull down my home and my people.

Here are ways to be a home builder.

Your Husband:

1. Daily look him in the eyes and tell him that you love him.
2. Tell him that you appreciate him.
3. Tell him that you respect him.
4. Tell him thank you for things he does, big and small.
5. Tell him that you are praying for him, and then pray for him.
6. Praise him and his efforts to others.
7. Help him when you can.
8. Check your words and tone of voice before responding to him.
9. Respond in a positive way to his physical touch.
10. Keep the lines of communication open.

Your children:

1. Daily look them in the eyes and tell them that you love them.
2. Tell your kids you appreciate them.
3. Tell your kids you are thankful for them.
4. Tell your kids thank you for the things they do, big and small.
5. Tell your kids that you are praying for them, and then pray for them.
6. Praise their efforts to others.
7. Use teachable moments in life.
8. Check your words and tone of voice  before responding to them.
9. Use physical touch such as a pat on the back or hug.
10. Communicate with them.

Your atmosphere:

1. Play praise music in your home.
2. Read Bible verses with your family.
3. Have Bible verses displayed in your home.
4. Pray daily with your family.
5. Display the Fruits of the Spirit in all you say and do.
6. Keep your home inviting so that your family feels comfortable.
7. Make sure your family knows they can talk to you about all things.
8. Be available.
9. Be present.
10. Be well rested.

Will you be a woman who builds her home or pulls it down?

When God reminds us what not to forget...

by Elizabeth Stewart

When I'm home, there are times I forget all of the things I love and am thankful for about the home that God has given us.  There are times when my focus is on the projects we haven't done yet, the yard work that needs done or the updates in the kitchen and bathrooms that we've yet to do. Being away from home for two weeks of vacation gave me a welcomed refocus.  When we returned home, instead of seeing what we've not done yet, I could see and appreciate all that has been accomplished in the past year and all of the things about our new to us home that drew us to buy it in the first place.  

Sometimes I lose focus in my walk with God as well.  I become focused on the areas of my life that I'm not as far along as I think I should be, or the prayers I'm not yet seeing answered.  In the same way that time away from home gave me a new focus on what I love and appreciate about it, God's Word is a great "refocus-er".  In Psalm 103 God tells us some important things we should be focused on by reminding us what not to forget!  The chief thing that Psalm 103 tells us not to forget is all of God's benefits toward us. All of these benefits are ours through what God's  Son, Jesus, accomplished for us on the cross.

-He forgives every one of all of our iniquities

-He heals all our diseases

-He redeems our life from the pit and corruption

-He beautifies, dignifies and crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercy

-He satisfies our necessity and desire at our personal age and situation

-He renews our youth like the eagle's
(taken from the first five verses of Psalm 103 in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)

What a power packed list!  Yes, I'm not all that I should or desire to be.  Sure, there are prayers that I'm still praying and for which I'm still waiting answers.  However, when my focus is on all that Jesus has already accomplished on my behalf,  I move from frustration to hope filled. Maybe we should all put a sticky note on Psalm 103, just so we'll remember what not to forget.

still following,

www.justfollowingjesus.com

SaveSave

Kindness...

by Debi Baker

"31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted,

forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."

Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT

Each night I sit and watch the 10 p.m. news.  Each night I sit there in disbelief.  The condition of this world is heartbreaking!  Everyone has an agenda and no one's agenda is the same.  The attitude of the general public seems to be one of hatred...hatred for anyone or anything that doesn't have the same attitudes they have.  It makes my heart hurt!

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It's time to remember the words of Jesus in Mark 12:31 where He says, "31 ...Love your neighbor as yourself..."  It's impossible to love our neighbor if we're full of anger, rage, bitterness, etc.  My mama always told me it was easier to be kind than to hate.  

I challenge you today to take the advice of Ephesians 4.  Get rid of those negative things and be kind to others.  Say 'please' and 'thank you.'  Help someone in need.  Follow the golden rule; it is the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:12.  "12 Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you."  

Have a blessed day being kind to others.

Total Devotion

By: Shari A. Miller

"The cancer has progressed."

These are not the words a stage 4 breast cancer fighter ever wants to hear from her doctor, not ever. Yet, these were the words I heard last week. As I sat in the chair next to my husband, I bit my lip and told myself, "Don't cry, don't cry, not now." For some reason, I felt like I had to be brave and strong. It was if I was showing the cancer who was boss and letting it know that it was not going to win. When my doctor told me how my treatment would be changing, the walls I had built around myself started to crumble, it was at that moment fear and dread crept across my soul. All I could keep thinking was, "Not again, not again."

When we finally got into the car, I was numb. As my husband held my hand and prayed with me, I let the tears flow freely, as the Lord heard our cries for help.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." 

~ Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

As the week progressed, the first four words of Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear," kept running through my mind over and over again. I kept telling myself, "Do not fear, the Lord has this. The Lord is already in the midst of this, He hears, He sees, He understands, He will give me strength." Each and every day, I've had to wake up and release the situation to Him. 

One of the biggest lessons I have learned on my journey with breast cancer is...

I can't do this on my own. 

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." ~ 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

I can't even begin to understand this journey on my own.

I know I don't have the strength to fight this cancer by myself. It means a total reliance on the Father and a total devotion to Him in every area of my life.

When we run across problems in life that are outside of our control, it doesn't do any good to worry and fret about them. It steals us of our todays and takes all of our strength for our tomorrows. 

The only way to overcome, is to completely give our lives to Him. Not just pieces here and there...

Everything.

Are you ready to stop facing your battles alone? Are you ready to be total devoted to Christ?

Give it up, let it go, lay it down and walk this journey of life in peace with the Heavenly Father guiding each step of the way.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

 ~ Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)

It is time for the Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesday Link Up. We desire to connect women of God with one another and encourage each other in Christ. So grab a cup of coffee or glass of sweet tea, sit back and visit a few blogs. Be encouraged and share your own stories in their comments.

Use hashtag #w2wwordfilledwednesday

Three rules to this link up:
1. Must be a {Christian} faith post.
2. Link back to W2W somewhere in your post. (Feel free to use our button if you want!)
3. Visit and comment on at least one other blog in the link up.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

By: Melissa Baker

Recipe and Image Courtesy of www.MyRecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt 
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons paprika 
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder 
• 2/3 cup hot sauce 
• 6-8  medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes 
• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes 
• 2 cups fiesta blend cheese 
• 1 cup crumbled bacon 
• 1 cup diced green onion

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spray a 9X13" baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and hot sauce.

3. Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat. Carefully scoop the potatoes into the prepared baking dish, leaving behind as much of the olive oil and hot sauce mixture as possible. Bake the potatoes for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and crispy and browned on the outside. 

4. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a skillet over medium with 1 tbsp. olive oil and cook chicken until lightly browned, approximately 4-6 minutes. Add the cubed, cooked chicken to the bowl with the leftover olive oil/hot sauce mixture and stir to coat. 

5. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Carefully add the chicken to the cooked potatoes and mix together. In a bowl, mix together the cheese, bacon and green onion and top the chicken and potatoes with the cheese mixture. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly.

Date Where You Can

By: Jenifer Metzger

We hear it all the time, date your mate. It is vital to a marriage to continue dating after the I Dos. However, it's not always easy.

Recently a sweet friend of mine posted on Facebook that while having the car serviced at the dealership, she and her husband used the waiting room massage chair. She said, "Unexpected relaxing time with hubby! Date where you can."

Date where you can.

Dressing up, dinners, roses, moonlit strolls, those are all nice dates. Bowling, comedy clubs, mini golf, movies, those are all fun dates. But these things are not always reasonable. If I could tell you to date your husband at least twice a month, I would tell you that. But the truth is, I can't always do that, so how can I tell you to? In life we go through seasons. Our seasons are constantly changing and we need to change with them.

There was a time when my 4 kids were little that my husband and I didn't get much time alone. But when the kids went with my parents for the night, we finally had time together. However, we couldn't go on a date because we didn't have the extra money. So our date became grocery shopping. We'd walk hand in hand through the grocery store as we picked up our weekly groceries. There have been times when my husband or I had a doctors appointment and that appointment became our date. That may sound strange but it was glorious! We'd take the long way to and from in order to have more time together and sometimes stop for ice cream or a soda. Sometimes you just need to date where you can.

Maybe you are in a season where there is no extra money for dating or maybe you are in a season where the kids have your schedule so full you can't find a night to date or maybe health is an issue stopping you and your husband from dating. Whatever it is, date where you can. The possibilities are endless. From getting groceries together to servicing the car to after dinner walks to snuggling on the couch after the kids go to bed.

Find moments and use them. Make it happen and date where you can.

To the uttermost...

by Elizabeth Stewart

This verse has been rolling around in my spirit ever since I read it during my devotions earlier this week.  I'm not sure I need to write a lot of commentary about it.  Perhaps it would be better if you just read it and reread it a time or two or three or ten.

Did you reread it?  Did you notice that God didn't send His perfect and sinless only Son to give His life in order that we could have a half hearted, just limping along through life salvation?  He came to save us to the uttermost!  He came to save us from all of our sins, past, present and future.  He came to save us from wrong ways of thinking that have kept us living life defeated.  He came to save us from cycles of sin.  He came to save us and heal us from crippled, damaged emotions and devastated, broken hearts.  He came to save, deliver and heal us completely, perfectly and finally!

Go ahead, read it one more time.  Did you notice anything else?  He didn't just save us, then leave us to deal with life on our own. The resurrected Christ is in heaven right now, seated at Father God's right hand and He is constantly praying for us, interceding and even  intervening in our lives.  Have you ever experienced a heavenly intervention?  I know I have.  I've experienced His supernatural protection, His supernatural provision, wisdom beyond my own ability when I needed it...that's divine intervention!  I'm sure you can think of a few examples in your own life.  

It's certainly not God Who wants you to settle for a less than salvation.  If you feel like you're destined to struggle along, experiencing more failure than you do victory, more heaviness than joy, more strife than peace, that's satan's desire for you, not God's.  Tell God that you desire to experience His uttermost salvation, His wholeness, deliverance and healing in the depths of who you are, in every area of your life.  He's willing and He's able.  

still following,

www.justfollowingjesus.com