Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of God's Faithfulness

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

. . . and the LORD said to Joshua, “. . .Take twelve stones from here out of the Jordan”. . . And those twelve stones, which they took up out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know. . . For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over. . . so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.” Joshua 4 ESV

This account in Joshua describes the scenes as the Israelites finally enter the Promised Land. Their unfaithfulness had kept them in the desert for 40 years after being freed from Egypt. Despite their lack of faith, God’s promise to them remains. Now Joshua leads as they enter the land promised to them through Abraham. God tells Joshua to take twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes, and make a memorial. This is the first of seven stone memorials described in Joshua. What does it represent? The Israelites safely cross the Jordan River into the long awaited Promised Land. God’s faithfulness prevails, and this memorial is to become a reminder to them and all the generations to come that God is always faithful. It is the mark of God’s faithfulness.

•  What stories do you tell family and friends about God’s faithfulness in your life?
• Will the generations to come pass along these stories?

LORD, my God, Your faithfulness to me comes from before time began and will continue after time ends. In the middle of my circumstances, sometimes I forget to tell my stories of how You never leave me, always go before me, protect and provide for me. I take Your strength but do not share it. Let me tell Your stories of faithfulness to me – tell them now and pass them to the future. ~dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of a Successful Life

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land. . . And the LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there. So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the LORD, and he was buried . . . but no one knows the place of his burial to this day. . . And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the LORD sent him to do. . .for all the mighty power and all the great deeds. . . Moses did in the sight of all Israel. Deuteronomy 34:1-12 ESV

During my study of Moses in Bible Study Fellowship, our teaching leader, Lora Barlow, said, “The mark of a successful life is faithfulness to God’s call.” She continued, “Blessings are used to mark important rites of passage like birth, marriage, and death. Moses’ death was not marked by monuments but by the memory of his life lived in glory to God.” Thousands of years later, we still read the words he recorded about God, still tell his God-story. This gives me reason to pause as I wonder what my legacy will be.

• Will I be remembered at all?
• Will I be remembered for a life lived in glory to God?

Lord, You give my life meaning and purpose. You call me to respond. I long to leave a memory of Your Glory in my fingerprints each day! Not etched in some monument but by sharing Your Glory-moments, let this be my mark of a successful life. ~dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Ashes

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as  faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Ash Wednesday

 “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6

[Jesus said] "Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13

Jesus came for sinners, those who need His mercy. All of fallen humanity meets the requirements of ‘sinner.’ Only through Jesus can we be made holy, only through His Grace can we be made righteous. It is only our soul’s sincere repentance that invites Grace to enter. On this Ash Wednesday, Christians around the world gather together and receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads. These ashes remind us of our need for Grace, remind us that without Jesus we are only sinners. With Jesus, however, we are sinners who find forgiveness and redemption. We can trade our ashes for a robe of righteousness with Jesus! 

•  How will I praise God for such unconditional love?
• Will others see only my ashes or will they see the Grace of Jesus?

Jesus, I kneel at your altar wearing the mark of a sinner. With humble awareness I examine my need for grace, my desire to serve You more. Let my love and service always be mindful of Your mercy. ~dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

God of the Angel Armies

GOD's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. 

The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked.

Psalm 9:9 The Message

 

Let God-of-the-angel-armies hold you! ~dho

Celebrating LIFE!

• (from journal entry on my nephew's Caring Bridge site) http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/thomasmcgirr/journal

  Happy 11th Birthday!

  
  
  During the first week of February, 2012, our family celebrated BIG birthdays! Thomas turned 10 years old (January 31) and was cancer free! We decided on snow tubing in our beloved North Carolina Mountains. (other birthdays: Jennifer, 30; Allison, 21; Grandy, 80!) One requirement ~ everyone had to wear a crazy winter hat! This weekend overflowed with sustained laughter and pure joy as we all celebrated God-given life!
  We took some time on Saturday night at dinner to remember these lives, these many blessings from God. Even though Thomas actually suffered with some nausea and a headache which we believe mostly was related to the significant altitude changes, he joined in the festive mood of birthday hats, noise makers, and treasured stories. Our hearts were FULL! The day we went snow tubing Thomas was beyond thrilled. We all had a blast, run after run! The funny hats fit the mood, and certainly, our group of 10 made a statement.
  In the months that followed in 2012, Thomas became somewhat of an ambassador for God's healing touch! He went to Duke Children's Hospital, giving "Sasha" teddy bears to children struggling with brain cancer. Representing Hoke County's Relay For Life in NC, Thomas was the Grand Marshall, leading the parade of SURVIVORS; his friend, William, who shaved his head when Thomas lost his hair, walked beside him! In April, Duke's fundraiser for Brain Cancer, Angels Among Us, found Thomas and his team, The E-lemonade-Tors, participating in the 5K. That morning,Thomas, his dad, his school principal and a few teachers ran the 5K. Then, Thomas walked the Family Fun Walk that afternoon with the rest of us! That summer, the Lemonade Stand was back in business! The waves called too, and we spent great times at the beach ~ jumping waves ~ jumping with joy!
  On November 31, 2012, there was a huge party ~ One Year Cancer Clear! Nearly 100 people came to share in the celebration of God's healing of Thomas. Food and friendship, gifts and gratitude, prayers of thanksgiving and tears of joy overflowed into this home, just as as they had done when Thomas was diagnosed with brain cancer. That night stories of survival and healing were shared by the very people who prayed and wept and loved and so generously offered tokens of hope during an uncertain time.
  Today, January 31, 2013, is Thomas' 11th birthday. As is birthday tradition ( and he would have it no other way), tonight he will celebrate at Mi Casita for dinner and wear the Birthday Sombrero! While I won't be there, I can see him now wearing the huge sombrero, his sweet smiling face, content with simple tradition. When life gives us uncertainty and unexpected challenges, it is good to treasure the simplicity of what is sure. When Life Give You Lemons, Make Lemonade!
  Today, we celebrate Thomas, a beautiful soul that constantly touches other lives with gentle joy. At Angles Among Us, the participants were asked to choose 3 words that represented their journey with brain cancer. Thomas thought for a long time but decided on: Don't Look Back! There is no denying the times of pain and disappointment. And for me, reflecting back over difficult times can give great insight into life, can reveal God's ever-presence in life. However, make no mistake, Thomas has not forgotten his journey. He remains full of gratitude and continually acknowledges that his faith in God is how he stayed strong through it all. He has shared that with other brain cancer patients and next week he will be interviewed at Duke for their annual Radio-thon fund raiser for Duke's Children Miracle Network. Again, Thomas will have the opportunity to tell his God-story.
  In times of deep contemplation, Thomas struggles with why he was healed and many others were not. What purpose does life hold? What does God want me to do? No one can understand the mind of God or fully understand the whys of life. Linda told Thomas, "We don't know the answer to why God chose to heal you and not another. He does have a purpose for you, and in time you will come to know what that is. For now, you just have to live for Christ the best you can!"
  So, many MRI's later (the last 1/9/13) and with many more to go, we continue to cry out to God ~ sometimes with wordless joy, sometimes with soul-full praises, but always with simple faith. Now glory be to God who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.(Ephesians 3:20 TLB)
  
  To God Be the Glory! ~dho
  
  CLICK the link below for a video of Thomas, his journey with brain cancer and his joy in healing!
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vcW9qCKLBRc
  

Live Generously!

Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you. 

Matthew 5:48 The Message

The Message uses different words than other translations with most expressing verse 48: You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Peterson is likely trying to steer our minds away from a preconceived idea of "perfect". Often we associate being perfect as an impossible goal. In our mind God's perfection is less of a stumbling block, but because of our imperfect and frail humanity we fall short of perfect all the time. So what does Jesus mean when He says you and I "must be perfect"? 

Perfect refers to completeness, to a maturity in our character. When we trust Jesus, He defines us, gives us a new identity. The Holy Spirit dwells within us teaching us to become more like Jesus. And Jesus teaches us to live generously and graciously toward others, to love others in His name. Our natures are not so generous or gracious, and we find ourselves imperfect or incomplete without Jesus. Because God loves us with an everlasting love and offers us unmeasured grace, we are to live like Him. Without Jesus, we do not have the ability to live without malice or envy, prejudice or indifference, self-righteousness or injustice. With Jesus, each of us is created new, given a God-created identity. So, become complete with Jesus; love others completely, as God loves! ~ dho