Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
PureRoxFaith

I don't always get this parenting thing right.
Most of the time my biggest struggle is fear and the lack of 
control that comes with having teenagers and young adults.

I guess when the children are younger it can seem as if 
we have more control.
The truth is while we can manage the physical comings
and goings of our children
even as toddlers they are already working hard 
to become self sufficient and separated from us.
It is what has to happen in order for them to grow up and 
operate in this great big world we live in.

Sometimes that causes distress to the heart of the parent
who just wants to protect their baby bird 
and not see them leave
the nest.

However, there is also much satisfaction 
in the job of 
parenting.

When we, as parents, see our young children begin
to care for those around them,
or as teenagers when they get involved in ministry.
As we hear our children pray asking God to be their Savior.
Such times of joy.

Most of the time we think we are the ones 
teaching our children the things they need to know
but so often they teach us.

An incident this week was just such a case.
Chelsea had been out with a group of friends 
playing Ultimate Frisbee.
When they left she had just one girl with her in the car
and they headed on their way home.

Apparently heady with adrenaline of a great game
Chelsea was not paying enough attention and 
went through a stop sign.
She simply did not notice it existed.

Fortunately the person coming the other way was 
an off duty State Patrolman and he was able to stop.
He got out of his car and gave her a serious talking to.

Now, some might have been upset if their child was 
spoken to in this way but I was so grateful.

When Chelsea returned home she was in tears.
Simply crushed.

I knew that anything I could have said couldn't have 
made her feel worse than she already did.

So, I told 
her that I knew it would make her more careful
the next time.
I told her how much I loved her and was thankful that 
she and everyone else who could have been hurt or killed 
were o.k.

A while later I was doing dishes 
and Chelsea came to 
the kitchen.
Her eyes were just so full of pain
and regret.
I simply asked, 
"Do you need a hug?"

She was very quick to say 
she did.

As we we embraced in the kitchen
Chelsea said:
"This must be what grace feels like."

Thud.

Melt my heart.

How many times have I grieved the Spirit to only have 
Him wrap me in arms of love and forgiveness
when I come to Him in my sorrow and pain.

Oh, the repentance was there in our little girl.
I pray that I am quick to repent.

But, I was reminded that evening....
grace.....it is a beautiful thing.

We mustn't take it for granted.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
 to forgive us our sins, 
and to cleanse us 
from all unrighteousness.

Ephesians 1:6,7
To the praise of the glory of his grace, 
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, 
the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace;


Thanks for reading.....Becky - Good Neighbors Candle Co.


"Unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord."  Psalm 32:10 NLT


Cuff "do ordinary things with extraordinary Love" quote Mother Teresa


Love Scripture Valentine Word Art - 10x8 Mixed Media Canvas


Happy Sunday!

"For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment."  2 Timothy 1:7

WhisPaws Intense Pet Calming Sachets
by K9Solution
When I picture God granting us power and love -- taking away all our fear -- this picture is what I see.  This sweet pictures just exudes comfort, love and peace to me.  It's how I feel when I turn my fears over to God and let him handle them. He can do it for you, too!!


Happy Sunday!

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command:  "Love your neighbor as yourself."
 Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)


Have a blessed Sunday!


Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
2 Peter 1:5-7

Blank Note Cards, Valentine's Day Cards, Set of 3 Valentine Candy Hearts Photo Note Cards, 5x7, Blank Inside

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 NKJV

Love Never Fails 1 Corinthians 13 Art Print by RKR Creations    


Love is Patient Stamped Floating Heart Necklace by Sissy's Pretties
Scripture Wall Art by grace for grace

... the definition of true love

Have a blessed Sunday!
Loretta / Thoughtful Gems Crafts
John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/84059370/digital-download-yaquina-head-lighthouse

A new year has began, will we be new again too? We stepped over into the new year on January 1, 2012 12AM.

I have been thinking, what does this mean for us?

A bridge from old to new in our life. A new year depends not on the calender nor the clock, it depends on us. Will we make it new, will we see the neighbor, friend, family, homeless in a newer better light when we start over. Will we work with a new beginning, hear each other better, listen, trust anew, hope anew, show good will towards each other anew. 
http://www.etsy.com/listing/88844595/5x7-snow-covered-bridge-with-scripture

Our future, the new future lies "over Jordan" on the other side of the river. We have to step over the threshold from the old to the new trusting God to be there to protect us from all our inequities and guide us. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/82142312/water-for-the-hart-4x6-print-double?ref=v1_other_1

I took my step, nothing to fear, just walk on with GOD.....
and never, ever judge someone if you have not walked in their shoes .....in this new year.

Spread the word...until next Monday
Monika
Devotion taken from Harvest.org (by Pastor Greg Laurie)
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.— Jeremiah 29:11
SissyPretties
We never know what the New Year will bring. We don't know what problems we will encounter or what changes will come our way. We don't even know what blessings the Lord has in store for us. 

But one thing is guaranteed. No matter what the New Year brings our way, we don't have to be afraid because Jesus Christ will be there for us.
VElishArt
I like the words of Corrie ten Boom, that wonderful woman of God, who said, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." God is in control of our future. He is ready to bless us in this coming year. But we must be ready to walk with Him, worshipping Him and obeying Him. We can't expect the Lord to bless someone who is in opposition to His law and His love.
haveart
As you look back on 2011, was it a year when you progressed spiritually? Was it a year when you found yourself becoming a bit more like Jesus Christ? Or was there some kind of spiritual breakdown? 

If so, now is a good time to make a change. Now is the time to resolve to grow closer to Jesus Christ.
Submitted by Julie Blanck of Collar Topia and Jules Java Jackets


WildAppleDesign
thecountrysignshop
vchleborad


ClairAshleyJewelry
ShadowCutterJewelry
OakLeafDesigns
PrayerNotes

by Phyllis Ducey
pfdoriginalartworks


Soul mate pendant by pureoxfaith
"this sweet sterling heart is stamped "soul mate" . ..there is a tiny sterling cross that hangs with it representing the owner of the soul."

(I don't normally include what the seller writes about their item but this was so beautiful I wanted to make sure you understood the meaning of the pendant.)


Oh my! It is 10:00 pm Sunday night and I just realized a little bit ago that it is the 2nd Monday of the month which means I need to do my monthly blog post. I have not been online hardly at all this week but all week I have been itching to write. I just did not know what to write about. Even this afternoon I was restless but still could not think of what to write. But I have been praying about it.

The day you will be reading this is Valentines day and I know many singles are cringing inside at the loneliness that they are feeling. Personally, I think it is all a bunch of unimportant hype (and I am married 39 years to an awesome man but the V-day has no significance to that love). Love is either there or not. For us who know Christ personally, it is always there! He is our Lord, lover, confidant, rock, salvation... the beginning and end of all we are and all we need.

This week I turned 60! Who would have ever thought I could get that old? The strange thing (I know many of you my age and older would agree) that inside I feel much younger. I remember when I first started to get to know my Lord. Some people have a sudden life changing experience but I did not. My Lord was patient and courted me. He allowed me the grace to slowly discover the wonder of who He is and how He could become a part of me. I was particularly slow and it took almost 13 years to fully grasp that my life was all about Him... but He was patient and waited.

I was so afraid that over the years I would drift away never to return but I learned how to draw closer. When I drifted I found myself restless but when I worked to be closer to Him, I found peace. He taught me to count the victories and forgive myself the failures. That was big for me. Every time I stumbled I would tell myself that I was not a true Christian and could never be after all I kept messing up!
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.
1 John 4:16-18
Jesus taught me to look at the times I did right. Once I began focusing on my victories and forgiving my failures I began growing by leaps and bounds in my faith. I understood grace and God's great love. Truly as much as I love my husband, children and grandchildren... none of that would have any value without my love for my God.

So if you are a person who cringes over the dreaded V-day... ignore the advertisements of worldly love.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
1 John 4:4-5
Take a few minutes to enjoy the greatest gift you could receive for any day. Enjoy the love of Christ and allow His grace to seep deep into the depth of who you are so that you may realize how special you are to Him. He created you for a reason and He knows your struggles and will guide you through them. He wants you to be who you are because He created you to be His.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:13-18

WOW... what a great gift of Love! And that Love message is not just for one day a year but for every minute of every day!

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When I started writing all I knew was I was itching to write... So I scratched that itch and hope it blesses you as much as it did me!
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I am blessed to be a part of the CAST Team and always in awe of the wonderful talent that each one of us possesses. Please take a minute to check out these great shops!















Giant paper clip by SomCreations


















Pendant by GBMBdesigns














I had planned to post on prayer tonight, but must admit I was going to take it a completely different direction until I found the picture shown above.  These cards instantly made me think of Valentine's Day and I can't think of a better way to celebrate our loved ones (be it spouses, other family members, friends, etd) than by praying for them.

While sometimes I think we don't feel we are doing much when we pray, I truly believe that it is one of the greatest ways we can show our love to others.  By faithfully praying for them, taking what is special and important to them before the Lord, is one of the greatest ways to show our love and devotion.


"Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication." Ephesians 6:18 ESV


Happy Sunday and Happy Valentine's Day!













Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.


by Rita of sammysgrammy



the FRANCES cookie

This is a "reissue" of a recipe I shared with you about a year ago. It's wonderful tasting, and easy to prepare and, depending upon how your dress it, can be quite a ***sTaR***. It's making a reappearance because of Valentines Day coming up soon, plus I just made a batch of heart shaped ones and will probably make a couple more before Valentines Day 2011 rolls around.

For those of you who didn't see it the first time, it's named after my Mother's next-door neighbor, who gave me the recipe. She was a wonderful baker and her house always smelled like something wonderful was happening there.

For the FRANCES cookie you'll need:


  1. 1 cup of room temperature margarine (2 sticks)

  2. 1 & 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

  3. 1 whole egg plus 2 egg yolks at room temperature

  4. 3 cups of AP flour

  5. 1/2 tsp. of baking powder

  6. 1/2 tsp. of salt

  7. 1 &1/2 tsp. vanilla

Put dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) into a bowl and whisk together to combine thoroughly. In another bowl, cream together margarine and sugar with electric beater. Add eggs and vanilla to creamed sugar/margarine.

Add the dry ingredients in thirds to the wet ingredients, incorporating each addition of the dry ingredients. Depending on the power of your beater, you may need to mix the final flour addition in by hand. Knead this dough either in the bowl or on a floured counter top, into a silky, smooth ball.

I divide the dough ball with a pastry scraper into workable portions. Pat the dough portion (on your lightly floured counter) into a flat, pancake shape about 1/8 to 1/4" thick. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. Remove the shapes from the counter with your scraper and onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet about 3/4" apart. Gather up the unused dough and pat it out again. You may need to get another portion from the dough ball to make it the right size to pat out. The great thing about this cookie dough is: it does NOT need to be refrigerated, it can be used immediately and you can pat it out over and over again. Bake for 7-9 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven.

Cool completely before glazing.

Glaze: note: I use the same parchment I used for baking as a table protection while glazing. Put 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar into a small, deep bowl. Gradually add hot water by the tbsp. to the sugar, beating vigorously with a wire whisk. Optional: add flavoring to this - i.e., lemon, orange, almond, or vanilla. You'll want the glaze to have the consistency of melted chocolate or gravy . Apply to cookies using a pastry brush. While the glaze is wet, sprinkle with colored sugar or nonpareils.

Pass around to your family, the neighbors, or bring to work (so you won't eat them all yourself)

*********************************************************

For several days now I've been singing the scripture, "I will love the Lord with all of my heart, I will love the Lord with all of my soul, I will love the Lord with all of my strength............" I've been waking up with that song permeating my consciousness. Years ago we sang it in "rounds" . One would start, "I will love the Lord with all of my heart", then while they continued on to the next verse ("I will love the Lord with all of my soul") the second group would sing the song from the beginning......and so on. What the Lord heard was the entire scripture sung at the same time.

This verse, Matthew 22:37, was Jesus' response to a lawyer (one well versed in the Mosaic Law) who asked Him, "which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus' answer was " you shall love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" NKJV

When we sing that song or make that confession - "I love the Lord with all my heart", we are in effect, saying, with all my being, with everything in me.

The heart is a very powerful symbol. It is the core/center of our being, both physically, emotionally and spiritually.

*********************************************************

Fellow castteam-mates shops where you can find wonderful heart/valentine/love related items....

cupcake toppers by

http://www.cardsbycarla.etsy.com/




Red and orange heart pendant by:
http://www.blogger.com/www.helixelement.etsy.com



Heart trimmed boxers by: dogbarks

http://www.dogbarks.etsy.com





coke heart earrings by wildappledesign

http://www.wildappledesign.etsy.com




heart puzzle by newcreatioNZ

http://www.newcreationz.etsy.com



Psalm 143:8 (NLT)

"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you."

I read this recently on Facebook and it hit some kind of chord within my soul. I ended up using a picture that I love and adding the verse to it, and printing it out. (That picture is here on the post at the top now). I'm putting it on my vanity table to see it each morning and say it to the Lord. It sounds like a wonderful prayer to start each day with. I want to hear His voice and walk where He wants me to walk. I long to live my life in a way that He wants me to live.

Dear Lord, help us to live each day with You in mind. Remind us that you are always with us, whispering in our ears to tell us what You want us to do. I realize that what you want is fellowship with us. Not always a "gimme" prayer about what we want or need even; just to say "hello God" and thank You for the blessings in our lives. Shower us with Your love on a daily basis. We are open to Your love and Your voice in our ears. In the name of your wonderful Son, Jesus. Amen.

Thanks to Ingrid at IngridsCreations for posting the verse on Facebook!




The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and start to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.


The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again

if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else

He asked once more if the jar was full... The students responded
With an unanimous 'yes.'


The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.


'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions
Things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.


The sand is everything else --

The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.


If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
important to you..


So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.

Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

'Take care of the golf balls first --

The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand

and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.


'I'm glad you asked'.


It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

NEED I SAY MORE???

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Sing and laugh today-it's good for your heart!



XOXOXO, HANK AND DAFF



by Phyllis Ducey




"God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power,
of LOVE
and a sound mind



2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)




Reality bites and love hurts? The most wonderful loves in our lives are often the most painful. As a mom, wife, daughter and grandmother my worst moments were when those I loved suffered and I could not do anything to help.

I watched my mother take 18 months to die. Wondering daily what good could come out of her lingering and the effects it had on our family. We had her come live with us for a year and during that time she needed 24-hour care. We were blessed that she had enough money to pay for a live-in caregiver to assist in her care at our house (cheaper than a nursing home). Most days I'd check in on her before work, then would go to my church (I had keys) and sit in a pew in the dark alone crying before the Lord. I would read the psalms of David. I often relate well to David because he has a tendency to wallow in self-pity, throw a bit of a tantrum and then succumbs to God's will AND finishes praising God for his trials. At the time I could not pray, I just read David's psalms out loud and let him lead me into praise.

I was never the "natural" mother type. I thought I might as well have a kid because it seemed like what I should do. I stumbled through motherhood but my daughter was born to be a mother. (I think I was born to be a grandmother.) She always loved kids and knew that is what she wanted. When she struggled for years trying to get pregnant, it hurt tremendously. I could not understand God's purpose and I could not fix it for her. Finally after she went through 5 tearful, hormonal, anguishing years, she adopted her first child. She has since given birth to an additional 5 babies, one of which never went to term and is waiting to meet her in heaven.

Probably the most gut wrenching event was watching my son go from being a "normal" 26+ year old person who worked full time and went to school to him returning home and being in a fetal position in bed for months, not being able to function and barely communicate. Each day, my husband and I wondered when we returned home if he would be dead or alive. I would cringe inside as I would walk to his room to see. Over the course of the past 7 years we have watched him take steps to improve, they are slow but there. He is still not able to leave the house. We are told that this kind of personality disorder onsets in their twenties and will remain with him. We are never to expect him to live a "normal" life. (Of course, I do believe all things are possible through Christ and will not have false expectations but always hope in Him.)

So does life bite and love hurt? At times without a doubt. I share a few of my painful moments in hopes of giving you something that each in your own way can relate. We each have different trials, pains, gut wrenching moments... moments that seem like hours, months and years until they have passed. When I realize the depth of our pain in watching our loved ones suffer and how as a parent, I can't think of anything more painful than seeing my children in pain, suffering or struggling to get through, I find I cannot even remotely fathom the depth of God's feelings for us.

With Easter being a few days away, it seems like the best time to contemplate the depth of His love. How can we even remotely comprehend that God's only Son dwelling in perfect harmony in what we refer to as heaven would seek to take on a shell of a human, feel human pain, grieve as a human, weep as a human and love as a human? What pain it must have been to watch His Son get spit on, tortured and treated like dirt then left to die on the cross? Even more so that time of separation when all our sins blocked the light between Father and Son...

Oh God, what love you must have for us.

Let us recall the suffering, to remember our deepest hurts, to dwell on the gut wrenching pain that we have felt for our loved ones. Then let us take the time to dwell on the awesome love of God that has taken on all our suffering and our sins to the cross. How great is that love? We have no choice in watching our loved ones suffer, they are in our lives and unless we walk away to try not to feel the pain, we are stuck. But God had a choice and He still did it out of love. Jesus was so overwhelmed by what He was about to experience on the cross that He sweat blood but He chose to do it for us.

That is the power of love!


I cannot bring myself to showcase anyone's shops this week. The only one I want to showcase is our incredible Creator, lover of our souls, Savior, Rock, Redeemer and King.

May the eyes of your heart be opened to the depth of His great love for you.
by Phyllis Ducey
pfdoriginalartworks



"God did not give us a spirit of fear
but of power, of love and a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)





I love this verse... it has spoken to me deep within and has aided me in controlling my thought processes. I have often felt as though my mind contained myriads of caverns, each leading down unknown tributaries. There are times I would get lost in those caverns... some were dark and tortuous while others lead towards the light. And at those times it would seem that I would never find a way out. But as I grew in knowledge of God's Word and learned to apply it with trust, light began filtering in and the caverns turned into paths of discovery.

There is so much content in these mere 18 words that I thought I would break it up to several sections. In the next two weeks I plan to write about how God has brought this verse alive to me. Today I would like to focus on the word fear. It is used in various ways in the Bible.

There is the word as used in "fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov 1:7). Fear in that verse is like awe or deep reverence. Possibly you could compare it to the first time you may have seen the ocean. It is incredibly vast, it is gorgeous, its depth (not only physically but also in its colors) is amazing, it is inviting and at the same time so powerful it can overwhelm you. It fills you with awe. And that is the type of fear this verse refers to. Once you begin to grasp how awesome God is -- how incredibly loving, how gracious, compassionate, powerful and just -- you can start to understand why fear of Him is the beginning of wisdom.

Sometimes fear is used in the sense of cowardice such as when the storm came up when the disciples were in the boat. (Matt 8:26) "Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm." Cowardice is probably the most common way we think of fear.

And there is a "slavish" fear. This is the fear the apostle Paul speaks of in 2 Tim 1:7. Slavish fear is not unlike the cowardice kind. It prevents us from doing something or keeps us under its control such as a slave is to his master. I think each of us have our own inner fears that prevent us from doing things that could possibly enhance our lives. Some more obvious than others such as if you had a fear of flying that prevents you from traveling to new and interesting places.

This part of the verse "God did not give us a spirit of fear" has been important to me because many of the caverns of my mind were carved out by fear prior to Christ in my life. One cavern that I got lost in was low self-esteem which was filled with all sorts of tributaries. Fear of not being as good as others; fear of when I did something well, someone would figure out that it was a fluke and I was a sham. Fear that I really was not a good person inside. Fear of being exposed.

God has taught me to move forward in spite of my fears. When that fear rises in me that makes me feel as if I am immobilized or I can't find my way out, I recite this verse. I dwell on it. I trust it. I trust God at His Word. Light creeps in as I realize that the fear is not from God and I remember that if He is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:28) That He created me to be me with all my foibles, talents, weaknesses and strengths. He allows me to make my choices and when they are wrong, He invites me to His side for forgiveness. He has taught me how to rebuke the wind and waves and allow Him to calm the restless seas within. And as I choose to allow Him to shed His light, I have no doubt that "God did not give us a spirit of fear".

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Below are some wonderful Etsy shops that I hope you will take a few minutes to discover all their great items, heart their shops and maybe find things to use as gifts (Christmas is only 9 months away!). Some of the items relate to my verse and some I just chose because I so admired their work.