Helen Keller was born blind and deaf. She was brought to a minister to explain the plan of salvation to her. In the simplest of terms the minister told the girl about Jesus. As she heard the Gospel, her face lit up and she spelled out in the hand of the preacher, “I knew all the time there must be one like that, but I didn’t know His name.”
 

"No man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it." C.S. Lewis

It's MONDAY!  Prayers of blessings on your week, friend. 

It's not too late to join in the Awakening (Day 8).  Go to www.awake21.org for additional information.  Don't miss out on the Virtual Conference.  Each day different pastors from all over the world are sharing about prayer and fasting.  Good stuff. 

LHC is continuing the online John study (21 Chapters, 21 Days) at www.xanga.com/briantrent. 

P.S. I really like the pastor. 

You know how you can read something so profound it makes you want to chase down all the people you know and force them to listen while you read it to them?  Well,

this (God Size Dreams)

and

this (Excerpt from 1000 Gifts)

are that profound.

Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous;

teach me to serve You as You deserve,

to give and not to count the cost,

to fight and not to heed the wounds,

to toil and not to seek for rest,

to labor and not to seek reward,

except that of knowing that I do Your will.

Originally posted November 2009:

Have you ever met people who are really into rules?  I mean the kinda person who loves and thrives on rules.  The kinda person who makes rules for the rules.  Rules about food, tv, children, clothing, hair, schedules, reading, learning, music, finances, medicine...  

Rules to make them and keep them holier than me. 

I use to admire their discipline.  I felt guilty because I couldn't be holy like them.  Until I realized the "rule-lover" in my life is miserable.  Really really unhappy, disjoyful, and pro-grumpy.  Suddenly, I had an epic epiphany!  This person in my life who miserably loves rules is missing the point. 

My epic epiphany? 

Grace is God's unmerited favor. It is kindness from God we don't deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor we can ever do to earn this favor.

Told you it was epic.  I am joyful.  Really really joyful.  I don't have to earn it.  Grace is a gift. 

Shew.  I'm so relieved. 

I don't deserve it. 

I am gladly accepting it.  

Originally posted November 2009:

“It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.”

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-3

Originially posted November 2009:

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," he said.  

Come.  Don't you love it?  It is an invitation.  I have a standing invitation to come to my Savior.

...to Me.  Christ alone.

...all who.  Each one of us.

...are weary and burdened.  I have a ton of things on my mind - some trivial... dinner, laundry... Some not so trivial... sickness, grief...

...and I will give you rest. Rest. I love even the sound of that word, let alone the concept. His offer to step into our circumstances, to guide us.  To walk through this carrying the burden for us.   

So, I take a deep breath, and just go to Him...He meets me right here.  He gives me rest.

We would like you to know that when we are in your presence it feels like a dark cloud approaching to block our positive way of seeing the world.  We say a silent prayer when we see you coming.  We offer sympathetic smiles to one another when you aren't looking.  I have some tips for you, dear grump.  Perhaps you can give yourself a makeover? 

1.  Change your perspective into something more positive.  The fact is if we get stuck in a routine, if we don’t try to mix it up a bit, then we lose our mojo.  Do something different.  Be the bigger person.  Look for the best in others.  Change your perspective and change your life

2.  Be thankful.  Practice gratitude.  Force yourself to think of at least one thing each day that you are thankful for.  Make it a point to really savor the delights that are abundant around you already.

3.  Live your passions.  Even if you spend hours each day at a job that doesn't exactly have you leaping out of bed in the morning, you can still find ways to do the things that you feel passionate about.   

We felt you should know that what you're doing isn't working for you (or us).  So please change what you're doing. You're the only one who can.

Sincerely,

Residents of the Sunny Side

People love to drink that haterade. - Ed Young

Haterade.  The official drink of haters.  Blek.  People who drink the haterade wish bad things on others.  They stir up conflict, spread lies, encourage gossip, and speak negatively about everything! 

My whole life I've been so discouraged by the haterade (complainers, faultfinders, naysayers).  But God has been speaking into my heart.  I am coming to realize:

1)  If you want to have a conflict free life - don't do jack. Just stand there and exist.

2)   If you will allow the Lord to negotiate through the conflict, you will emerge through with amazing growth! 

3)  Conflict is good. Chaos is good. It's part of it. It's a good thing. It's a God thing.

Those of us living life together - we cry, we laugh, we disagree, we respect, we make memories together, we push each other to mountain tops, we pull each other out of valleys, we serve each other, we encourage, but most of all we love.  

Friends, I believe in you.  I believe that God wants to do amazing things through you!  We can feed the hungry.  We can clothe the poor.  We can care for the orphans.  We can minister to the widows.  We can reach the lost and hurting.  God does the impossible!  He uses US to do it! 

What we can't do?  Be people-pleasers.  It can't be done.  Even if we give up on pleasing God and focus all our efforts on pleasing people - nope.  They still won't be pleased. 

So then, let us aim for harmony and try to build each other up. Romans 14:19

A positive outlook on life goes a long way. Instead of wasting your energy wishing bad things about others, and wondering why nothing good happens for you, pray and speak positive things to and about other people (not just yourself) and watch how great and wonderful things start happening for you!

Don’t drink the HATERADE!

Alice:  This is impossible. 

The Mad Hatter:  Only if you believe it is.

I watched Alice in Wonderland on NetFlix this week.  (Yay for Netflix!)  I was struck at the beginning of the movie by Alice's comment to the Mad Hatter and his reply (quoted above).  I know it's odd but it reminded me of when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced that she would be the mother of God's son.  Mary (probably shocked, confused, and stammering) asked Gabriel, "How can this be?  I am a virgin."  Gabriel responds, "Nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

What is the impossible in your life? 

Choose to believe the impossible.  God wants you to know that nothing is so messed up that it cannot be fixed.  No relationship is too strained that God cannot bring reconciliation.  No addiction that cannot be overcome.  There is no mountain that God cannot move!

Nothing is impossible with God.  

Alice chose to believe the impossible and I think the Mad Hatter is quite right.

 Alice:  Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast. 

The Mad Hatter:  That is an excellent practice.