IN ME..POWER TO OVERCOME WEAKNESSES...

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

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Yesterday, our scripture said that sometimes we do not know how to pray "in our weakness" and the Holy Spirit will intercede for us! What a blessing! We can give our weaknesses to God and He will help us in multiple ways. Sometimes those answers are big. Sometimes they are small. Two transformations that are on my mind today are one of each.

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Recently, I shared that I have a friend who weighed 444 lbs. Sean has a huge heart and uses it to minister through music and as a youth minister. He was desperate for a second chance! He got the really big opportunity to be on the show, The Biggest Loser, this fall. The show finale was this past Tuesday night and the transformations were incredible. Here is a picture of Sean on Tuesday night. Thank you Holy Spirit for interceding for Sean.

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At the end of this post, there will be a link for more info on The Biggest Loser stories and Sean's interview. But, before you do that, I want to share with you about something that God has put in my path.

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Teaching 4 classes at the university keeps me always preparing for the next lesson. I have been praying to make a difference in the lives of my students. With so much going on in our lives and Steve and Jessica's sicknesses, I have been weak, exhausted, and sometimes "brainless". Then, God puts in my path an email that I had been getting for months but "hadn't had time for". Aha! This time a "small still voice" said "click here". When I clicked, I got a full screen full of inspirational video links that are full of simple truths about life and teaching. Bingo! Thank you Holy Spirit for interceding on my behalf!

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At the end of each class I have the student's write an "AHA! Moment" from that class period. They do not sign them. The aha's are for me to see how the students are learning positively or negatively. The videos have become a class favorite!

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This week the students are writing their final "Aha! Moments" for the semester. Multiple students have sited the following video and our discussion about it as "life changing". Thank you Holy Spirit for interceding for my weakness and letting me be a vessel of blessing for others in spite of having a tough semester.

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For more transformation encouragement, check out:

http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/video/clips/seans-finale-interview/1183656/

IN ME...THE SPIRIT INTERCEDES...

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY
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You've probably noticed that I have had some issues with posting daily and consistently this fall. Becoming full time as a teacher at a local university, having two people in my home who struggle with health challenges, and keeping up with ministry has been a journey that has required total dependence on my Heavenly Father. There have been times the last few days that I have fallen asleep at the computer and in meetings. I totally depend on the promises I find here in God's Word:

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Romans 8:26-28
"And in the same way

the SPIRIT also helps our weakness;

for we do not know how

to pray as we should,

but the SPIRIT HIMSELF INTERCEDES for us

with groanings too deep for words;

and He who searches the hearts

knows what the mind of the SPIRIT is,

because HE INTERCEDES FOR THE SAINTS,

according to the will of God.

And we know that God causes

all things to work together for good

to those who love God,

to those who are called according to His purpose. "

IN ME... WHEN FILLED WITH LIGHT... IT SHINES THROUGH MY CRACKS...

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

Catch Up and Must Do!

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Some people wear their religious costumes much the same way the Mr. Ketchup and Mustard are doing above. This week, on this blog, we've been talking about the Holy Spirit of God filling us up on the inside, so that we can be christians from the inside-out. We must let the Spirit help us to shine, no matter the circumstances.

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Quite a few years ago I read a book by Patsy Clairmont that really challenged me in this. She said, "Picture an empty flower pot with a crack down the middle. Now imagine that pot filled with light and covered. Where does the light shine through? THE CRACK! That's how it works with God..."

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I have found that often God shines through me when I am at my weakest and nothing makes any earthly sense. I concur with Patsy that "God Uses Cracked Pots!"

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God, FILL me up and let the LIGHT of Your Spirit shine through me!!!

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IN ME...FILLED TO OVERFLOWING WITH HOPE...BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT...

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I took this picture on Thursday, my birthday. As I shared previously, I started out the morning driving under a blanket of clear blue sky, then encountered a sky that began to fill with these "white fluffy clouds" . As I stopped on the Jersey shore to watch, I saw the dark foreboding clouds move in to envelope the other clouds and FILL UP the sky. That experience and the picture below, as well as the pictures I shared yesterday, remind me of our journey of life.
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It is the parts of the journey when the dark clouds come... when the sun (Son) can not be seen clearly... that our faith in God and our character are challenged. Sometimes we see the dark clouds coming and know what lies ahead. Other times the storms almost blind side us. Our faith and character come under assault.
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When my spirit is at war with God's Holy Spirit, I do not allow Him to FILL up all my cracks and crevices with the fruit of His SPIRIT: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
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When I allow Him to FILL ME UP, then I can do what my friend, and sister in Christ, Mandy encouraged me to do yesterday via a birthday card message:
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DANCE IN THE RAIN!

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Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope FILL you

with all joy and peace

as you trust in Him,

so that you may

overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit."

IN ME....FILL...FILLING...FILLED

TRANSORMING THURSDAY

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It's actually after Thursday when I write this. Yet, I think that it's good to share with you what was important about this Thursday. I'll do it briefly... in bullets... and then share a few pics that will help tell the story:


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1. Thursday (yesterday) was my b-day! Fifty seventh to be exact! 56 to 57 is transforming!
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2. I'm thinking a lot this week about the word FILL... TO FILL... FILLING... FILL UP... FILL IN...
   
3. Last week when I was at J & J's, they talked about J needing a whole lot of dental work. The old wives tale about loosing one tooth per baby is mild compared to what J is having to go through. Her current challenges remind me that I need to go to Dentist Greg in the next few weeks to take care of 2 FILLINGS that I have lost and have those holes FILLED.


4. Yesterday, as I drove around South Jersey to observe student teachers, I headed out around 7 a.m. The sun had risen in the east. Further west of the sun was a full moon that God had just hanging there in the clear blue cloudless sky. A little after noon, I was at the Jersey shore with the sand below, the Atlantic Ocean ahead, and a cloud FILLED sky above. How had that happened? The sky had transformed and was transforming. As I watched, more and more dark clouds moved from the west to replace the fluffy white clouds and FILL the sky.


5. This week, according to our Holy Spirit theme, I've been doing a lot of thinking about "FILLING". The FILLING of the Holy Spirit was in our scripture this week on WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY! I will post here. Meditating on it is transfomring.

Ephesians 5:15-20.

"Be very careful, then,

how you live-not

as unwise but as wise,

making the most of every opportunity,

because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be foolish,

but understand what the Lord's will is.

Do not get drunk on wine,

which leads to debauchery.

Instead,

be filled with the Spirit.

Speak to one another with psalms,

hymns and spiritual songs.

Sing and make music

in your heart to the Lord,

always giving thanks

to God the Father

for everything,

in the name of

our Lord Jesus Christ. "

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FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT?

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• Unwise to Wise Transformation

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• Foolish to Understanding Transformation

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• Drunk/Debaucherous to Making Music in My Heart Transformation and Being Thankful Transformation
  

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NOTE: The full moon in this first picture of the clear blue sky was not picked up by my trusty Blackberry camera.

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IN ME.... FILLING ME UP....

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY





What does the Holy Spirit do?

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He fills!

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Ephesians 5:15-20
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"Be very careful, then,
how you live-
not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity,
because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish,
but understand what the Lord's will is.
Do not get drunk on wine,
which leads to debauchery.
Instead,
be filled with the Spirit.
Speak to one another with
psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Sing and make music in your heart
to the Lord,
always giving thanks to God the Father
for everything,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "
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IN ME...GRATITUDE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS....

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Both Steve and Jessica have seen better days. Yet, they are both hanging in there with great attitudes.
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After Steve's knee surgery on Nov. 12th, his back went out. He has had painful and limited movement since then. Jessica is now on her 14th year with chronic pain. We had originally planned to go meet up with the rest of the family in Missouri for Thanksgiving. Instead, I flew alone to Kansas City for an encouraging time with three of our children, two daughters-in-love, and one very precious GRANDdaughter! What a blessing!
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None of this would have been easy without the love and support of our christian friends and family. Several people provided meals for Steve and Jessica. What a blessing!
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Mandy and Maggie took me to and from the airport. What a blessing!


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Charles, Alana, and kids came over on Thanksgiving with Doc and Cathy. They brought all the Turkey and trimmings for Steve and Jess. What a blessing!



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God, Thank You for family and friends IN CHRIST!

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