What's love got to do with it??????

Everything!!!! Love is amazing. Have you experienced real, true, genuine love? Love.....have you received ,are you giving it? LOVE......what is the definition of love?

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary it is defined as:

1 : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties,love for a child
2 : warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion love of the sea
3 a : the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration b (1) : a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2) British —used as an informal term of address
4 a :unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others b : a person's adoration of God

The Bible explains love this way.......

He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.
1 John 4: 8

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know and understand God [to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].
1 John 4: 7

Little children, let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth (in practice and in sincerity).
1 John 3: 18

Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.
Romans 12: 10

[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good. Romans 12: 9

Whereas the object and purpose of our instruction and charge is love, which springs from a pure heart and a good (clear) conscience and sincere (unfeigned) faith.
1 Timothy 1: 5

And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment]. Philippians 1: 9

Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others].
1 Peter 4: 8

Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head). Reverence God. Honor the emperor.
1 Peter 2: 17

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fade less under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
1 Corinthians 13: 7

Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
1 Corinthians 13: 8

And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13: 13

*****Amazing how the dictionary has defined love and comparing it to how the Word of God explains it! It reminds me again how alive the word is when we read it and believe it. It is so important to read and believe the word....it transforms us to be more like Him.

Let's go pray, read and BELIEVE the Word of God!!!!!!

Playing the bass

It has been over 1 1/2 years since I was in the hospital and stopped playing in the church band. I had the opportunity to play again this last Sunday morning with my husband leading worship and it was wonderful. It was the first time since the hospital that the both of us together had gotten back up and played together in the church. Times like that I think back to what happened and the amazing things God had done in the midst of that trial and since then. I love how God moves in worship and how we can use music to glorify God. Music brings healing, restoration and life back into people's lives. I know this sounds funny but picking up my bass was like riding a bike....you never forget how! I was so excited it came back to me so easily! There is something about playing an instrument to God. I love worshiping and singing unto God but there is just something different when I pick up the bass or guitar and worship. God is amazing and I pray we would never hold back in our worship to Him.

Let's go pray, worship and pick up an instrument if you can!

What's your story?

Always be expecting, always be hopeful. I recently had a prayer answered at an unexpected time. I had prayed this prayer for over 12 years. God is amazing. I love hearing the testimonies of others. The journey and road that they have traveled to get where they are. The tears, trials, laughs, heartache, pain and joy that led them closer to God is life changing to ones who have ears to listen. Someones story can give you a new perspective on your own life. Listening to others can take your attention off of your own trials and hurts and help you see the picture God wants you to see for your life. I pray we would take time out this week to take a friend to lunch, call up a relative or even open ourselves to someone new and ask about their journey in life. Ask them how they are doing, how they were able to get through some of their rough times. Let's open up our hearts this week and hear the good news around us!

Let's go pray!

God is at the Hair Salon!

God reminded me of something in a hair salon several weeks ago. God is everywhere all the time and He appoints people to be in the right place at the right time for a purpose sometimes unknown to us. We took our oldest daughter out to get her hair cut which she had been growing out until it was long enough to give to Locks of Love(www.locksoflove.org). As she was sitting there a women came up to her and told her what a blessing she was and that she was getting ready to go through chemo and she felt God had our daughter there for her that day. It is amazing how God at anytime of the day will set up divine meetings so that someone can be encouraged. It made me think how much more important it is keep our fellowship with God strong because God will use us anywhere at anytime of day or night.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Psalm 37:23

Let's go pray!!!!

Let go..... Let God

What action do we take in that first moment of realizing we are depressed, hurt, lonely or upset about something? Do we run with the thoughts and feelings and create more sorrow to fill our heart? Do we hide or escape; meaning do we shut down and close ourselves up from others? Do we cover it up with doing more and ignoring the matter? Do we release it on someone we love or on anyone around us? There are so many ways of reacting to our hurt and troubles. Some of us might use just one of those escapes but others might use them all. God knows we will all go through trials and bad days. God knows we are human and God also knows we are His sons and daughters made in His image and He is our Father waiting for us to come to him. I pray as we encounter numerous trials no matter the road we take to get through it we would keep God near in thought so He can comfort us and remind us of His great love for us. My prayer is that we would more often Let go of getting the answer right away or moving through the trial as quick as possible and allow God to walk with us as our Comforter and Guide and show us what He wants us to learn and receive from our circumstances. We all have preconceived ideas of what we think God needs to do in our life. I challenge us all to be still and quiet and let God tell us His plan. Draw near to God and He will draw near to us....thank you God for your Holy Presence!

Let's go pray!

Daily Prayer and Worship

My husband and I will begin our first prayer night with a group of people this coming Tuesday, March 9, 2009! This has been a long desire of ours finally coming to pass. I am so excited and looking forward to what great things will come out of it. I had a dream about it last night. I have not been able to stop thinking about it. Here is a short summary of my dream......It was towards the end of the prayer time and I had decided to get up and take the mic. There were about 20 people there and I had asked everyone to close their eyes and with all honesty tell me how many people everyday take the time to worship with their whole heart and pray and seek God everyday. About 4 people raised their hand. It was exciting because I believe being honest with others is a step that tears down walls and helps people move forward into a new chapter and encountering God like they never have before. It was a new day in my dream for everyone there.

Q: What is one thing missing in the body of Christ?
A: People acting in spiritual matters daily.

Praying and worshiping to our Father is essential...it is food to our spirit, just like real food is for our physical body, we need that real food to have strength in our body to live for that day and function the best we can, the same is for our spirit if we do not get in the word, worship, pray and seek God, our spirit will be weak...it is such a necessity, that so many of us have no idea what results come from feeding our spirit. Just some results are: strength when we have none, revelation, peace beyond our understanding, healing, faith, more love, grace, forgiveness when we thought we could never forgive....is that not enough to convince people to pray seek our Lord???? Again it gives me chills just thinking about the possibilities of thousand of people coming to a place of understanding of how powerful prayer and worship is daily.

What would we be seeing and hearing about more if more people than less were seeking the Lord daily and worshiping Him with all that we are? Just thinking about it gives me chills to think what kind of amazing and powerful things God would be doing through all of us. I am truly excited to see where this ministry takes us and what daily things will come about because of it! God is moving and stirring up prayer in the hearts of people. The devil has got to be shaking even more now. Pray for strength and protection as we jump into this exciting new chapter in our lives.

Lets go pray!!!!