Weekly Verse: 12/29

As 2013 comes to a close and this is the last Sunday of the year, I post my last verse(s). 

But before I do, let me take you through this 52 week journey. I started this journey with the idea of simply memorizing a verse and sharing it weekly. I quickly realized that an anecdote, along with the verse helped me with memorization. 

After a few weeks, I realized that I didn't just want to memorize verses but use each "weekly scripture" as a message. I would spend so much time reading His word and searching for the perfect verse or verses to go along with what I was going through that past or upcoming week.  As a result my relationship with Christ has become stronger than ever!

If you need a New Year's resolution may I suggest this: Dig deeper into the Word! Read a few verses each week, memorize a verse each month, read the entire Bible! But dig into your faith, you'll be amazed at how much it changes your life! 

My verses for this week are part of my prayers for each of you as you enter into the new year.  God bless you and Happy New Year. 

Paul's Prayers for Spiritual Wisdom:

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength (Ephesians 1:15-19 NIV)

Weekly Verse 12/1

Tis' the season - my favorite season that is.  I absolutely love the Christmas season.  The music, the traditions, the movies, hot chocolate, celebrating the TRUE meaning of Christmas, and giving gifts.  Summer may be my favorite "weather season" but Christmas by far is my favorite season to celebrate!

I'm sure your Facebook feed was overloaded this weekend with folks heading out for Black Friday shopping and talking about the deals they had gotten.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good deal.  However, sometimes the focus of Christmas gets turned to materialistic worship.  Too much focus is put on the purchasing and deal-getting.  I hear so many people say they are broke during this season, or they can't do as much this year as they did last year.  Is that the purpose of the Christmas season?  To spend, spend, spend?  Believe me, I LOVE giving gifts; seeing the look on someone's face when they unwrap a great, heart-felt gift fills me with joy, but let's remember that Christmas isn't about how much money we spend.

We've turned into a greedy society.  We want so much and expect to get it on Christmas morning.  So let me ask you this:  Have you thought about those families that won't have Christmas this year?  The ones who don't have a home to decorate?  The ones who don't have family to celebrate with?  Let's make it a goal to be GENEROUS this year. 
Think about this:
1.  Can you give some money to the Salvation Army Bell Ringers?
2.  Can you buy the person in line behind you their Starbucks drink?
3.  Can you give just 3 hours to help at a homeless shelter or Operation Christmas Child?
4.  Do you know a family who needs a Christmas tree?  You can find some great deals around the area and purchase a live tree for 1 family.  I bet it would make their year!

This week's verse is about generosity:
"But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand" (Isaiah 32:8, NKJV)

Weekly Verse: 8/26

"Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed" (Luke 8:50, NIV) This verse comes from one of my favorite stories in the Bible. This is the story of the father, Jairus, and his daughter who has fallen ill. While Jesus is traveling to heal her, she dies; but he visits the home says these words to the father and then tells the little girl to get up. It is a miracle!

This weekend, while my parents were visiting I suddenly needed some healing. This is what happened:

Friday night, I had some severe back pain. With my history of back problems I figured I had tweaked it so I tried stretching; and when that didn't ease the pain I just went to bed with an ice pack.

Saturday at 4:30 am, I woke up to use the bathroom and the pain from Friday night was back but even more severe! For an hour I wrestled with the pain. Fighting it as best I could. Finally, when I couldn't walk out of the bathroom and fell to the floor, I realized I needed to go to the Emergency Room.

I do NOT like ERs, mainly because I think the cost of going is insanely expensive and I don't like to "waste" money. I will avoid a trip at all costs. But this Saturday, doubled-over in pain and tears streaming down my face I woke Barrett and told him we needed to go to the ER. All of my symptoms were that of a Kidney Infection and I was scared to death.

I have never experienced pain like this before. I couldn't stand up straight, I was sweating through my clothes, and started dry heaving on the way to the hospital. We both were VERY scared.

While holding hands in the car, I began praying out loud. I asked God to use his healing hands to heal my body and take the pain away. Within a minute of praying, I was able to sit up straight and the pain in my right, lower back was beginning to subside. Eight minutes later when we arrived at the hospital, my pain was gone! I looked at Barrett while we were walking inside and told him that I wasn't in pain and could wait to go to Urgent Care (it would open 2 hours later - and be much cheaper).

I ended up with a slight bladder infection and haven't had the pain return. Our God is a healer! If you have an illness or know someone who does, I urge you to not only pray but to have faith! We both believed that God would take care of me and he did!

There's no question - we serve an AMAZING God! <3