LIFESONG...ORDERS AND COLORS MY WORLD...

YADSRUHT GNIMROFSNART

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

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Sometimes I just need to repeat myself on this blog. Today, the post is new but this statement is not:
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"TRANSFORMATIONAL THINKING IS

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING."

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Look at the top of this post. What about it is transformational thinking?

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EXAMPLE ONE:

All the letters are there to spell TRANSFORMING THURSDAY. The problem is that they are not in the right order. They are backwards. Changes have to be made for those 20 letters to make sense... to have meaning.

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EXAMPLE TWO:

This colorful pop art, that I found via a google search, has it's simple beauty because of the transformation of color used. Look closely to see what I mean. Each square of 4 squares has two sets of exact objects. The difference is in the changing of the color or color transformation.

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Last night, at our Wednesday night Bible study, Brandon became a christian. After it was over, he and his family stood at the front of the auditorium as our church family formed a huge "love circle". Brandon's dad shared these words, "There's been a whole lot of transformation that's been going on in Brandon the last year." Brandon did not make his decision to change his priorities or purpose lightly. His journey has included spending a lot of time looking at his life... it's purpose. His dad went on to say that Brandon's positive changes in their home had changed the color of his world and theirs. Adding to the joy of family and friends, Brandon posted on his FB a few days ago that he was ready to give his life to God.

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Here, his mama sits on the front row, witnessing his baptism into Christ...

As his Dad baptizes Brandon...

Here, the family stands together in our love circle as Dad finishes sharing...

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There comes a time in each of our lives that we each must make a decision to "order my world" much like the letters above OR to "color my world" in a positive way. This can only truly happen by becoming part of the family of Jesus Christ. It is TRUE TRANSFORMATION!
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My mother was a christian woman who knew the secret to DAILY TRANSFORMATION. She would say these words: "I HAVE SET MY MIND!" It wasn't until I claimed Colossians 3 as one of my favorite chapters in the Bible that I gained a deeper understanding of her words. Below, I have separated the scripture into sections with headings to help us see the orderly, colorful, transformational process that needs to take place daily in the life of christian.
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Colossians 3 HELPS

IN THE DAILY PROCESS

OF TRANSFORMATION...

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1. I CHOOSE TO GET UP THIS MORNING AND SET MY MIND TO THE MIND OF CHRIST:
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• 3:2-3 "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
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2. AS I DO THIS, I CHOOSE TO PRAYERFULLY LAY ASIDE / BURY MY OLD WAYS:

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• 3:5-9 " Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices..."

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3. TODAY, I'LL LET CHRIST ORDER / COLOR MY WORLD:

• 3:10-16 "...put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him —... ... 12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful."

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4. TODAY, I'LL FEED / NOURISH MYSELF BY READING HIS WORD, PRAYING FOR WISDOM, TALKING ABOUT HIM WITH OTHERS, AND SINGING:

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• 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
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5. TODAY, I'll JOYFULLY SERVE JESUS AND JESUS ALONE!
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• 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."

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LIFESONG...OF LOVE...

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

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"I was once more concerned

with the work of the Lord

than the LORD of the work."

Vicki Courtney

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We had a pretty intense Tuesday morning class as we discussed the topic of WOMEN OF PURPOSE. Tomorrow I will share with you some transformational principles from that lesson. Toward the end of our class discussion, we looked at the above quote. How do we each come to KNOW the "LORD of the work"? We all agree that God is love. Jesus is the exact representation of God. Jesus is love. To know Him is to know love.

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We know 1 Corinthians 13 as "The Love Chapter". Instead of the word "love", put the word "Jesus" in it's place. Instead of the word "love" put your name in it's place. That one principle was shared with Steve and I years ago as we were encouraged to put on love in all things. Over the years I have added several plaques around my house with that scripture on it. 1 Corinthians 13 is on a plaque by our toilet. Everyday I read it and am reminded. Many days, I read it and I ponder His love and I come to KNOW Him more.

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One of the gals from our class emailed me yesterday afternoon and said that after class she, "Went to The Way Station and ordered a little plaque with the Love chapter on it. Will hang it in the bathroom or the kitchen where it will be seen often by all.

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"Today, let's memorize the way we learned from Carl Brecheen. Each phrase will be READ! QUOTED! 4 times before going on to the next phrase.

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1 Corinthians 13:4-13

• "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous;
• love does not brag and is not arrogant,
• 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own,
• is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
• 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
• 7 bears all things, believes all things,
• hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails...
• ...13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three;
• but the greatest of these is love."
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Know LOVE? Yes! Then, you KNOW the LORD!

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LIFESONG...KNOW! GROW! GLOW! GO!

Today, I am thankful that God wants you and me to be WOMEN OF PURPOSE. He gives us inborn unique personalities, strengths/weaknesses, environmental circumstances, and spiritual gifts and then allows us to use what He's given us to in turn bring glory and honor to Him!

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As I've thought about this topic this week, I've thought of women I know who have made it their purpose, their number one priority to KNOW JESUS. There's nothing that satan would like more than for us to not really KNOW the GOD that we serve. If He can keep our focus off of building a relationship with God, that is all satan really wants.

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Maybe it's since I'm an educator that I think so much about it... maybe it's because I'm a mommy... whatever the reason, I often look at strong christian adults and wonder what their journey was to get to that place. I'd like to know their story? How did they come to KNOW, really KNOW their LORD and Savior?!??!

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Jesus said that the two main commandments were to "love the LORD with all my heart..." and "to love my neighbor as myself". Years ago someone shared with me "a four word summary" of my life's purpose:

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KNOW! GROW! GLOW! GO!

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Our purpose is to persevere in doing that! Going leads to KNOWING some more and then the cycle starts all over again... know, grow, glow, go, know, grow, glow, go, know, grow, glow, go, know...

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In the last 24 hours, two stories have come to my attention that led me to ask the question, "Was the mother of this man "a woman of purpose"? Oh, don't get me wrong! There are many strong christian men and women who have been cycle breakers and have become people of PURPOSE as adults. Then, there are those who deep down in their root system soaked up the KNOWLEDGE and LOVE of CHRIST at an early age.

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This man's picture has been on the internet and Facebook this week. He grew up just outside the same little town in southwest Oklahoma as my husband, Steve, and Carl Brecheen did. Although fame took him and his brothers many places, his mother (A WOMAN OF PURPOSE) had grounded her sons for the long journey of life.

At a very young age, Lindy McDaniel had become an avid reader of the Bible. Lindy was baptized at age 20. He was bringing Bible lessons before the church by age 21. When he signed his first Major League contract with the Cardinals, it was with the understanding that he would be allowed to worship on the first day of every week. Both Lindy and all of the teams he played for kept this verbal agreement. In 1963 Lindy started editing and writing a monthly publication called “Pitching For The Master.” This man knew his purpose in life... it had been passed down to him. .... Steve tells me that when he was young, Lindy and his brothers would return to their town and they would come to Westview Boys' Home where Steve's dad was superintendent and minister to the boys there. You can link to a newspaper article and Lindy's blog below:
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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/08/01/2009-08-01_former_yankees_relief_pitcher.html

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LINDY MCDANIEL'S BLOG:

http://www.lindymcdaniel.com/blogabout.html

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The other man (and his wife) who I've wondered about in the last 24 hours is pictured below.

Dr. Robert Whittaker and his wife, Annette, stand with members of a Nigerian community they serve through Nigerian Christian Hospital. Robert Whittaker, a physician at the hospital for nearly 25 years, was shot in the arm and abducted from his Nigerian home Aug. 2. How does a husband and wife maintain his/her spiritual focus of purpose for 25 years? Or, during such difficult circumstances?

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YESTERDAY'S CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE ARTICLE ABOUT THE ABDUCTION:

http://www.christianchronicle.org/article2158835~

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AN OCTOBER 2004 ARTICLE ABOUT DR. WHITTAKER:

http://www.christianchronicle.org/article1883446~After_20_years,_Nigeria_is_still_Whittakers

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My friend Mandy is an R.N. who did an internship while in college at Dr. Whittaker's Nigerian Hospital. Yesterday Mandy said, "Dr. Whittaker is one of the most humble individuals I have ever met."
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It is evident to me that these two stories have people in them who know their purpose in life. Do you know yours? Do you desire Christ more than anything or anyone else? Do you KNOW Him better than anyone else? Are you GROWING in Christ? Is His Holy Spirit GROWING within you? Are you the light of the world? When people look at you, do you GLOW? Do you share your KNOWLEDGE and LOVE for Him when you GO?
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As we come to KNOW Jesus Christ, we come to KNOW ourselves and we have a desire to GROW in that knowledge. There are many ways to better KNOW about ourselves. We can each learn about our own inborn unique personalities, strengths/weaknesses, environmental circumstances, and spiritual gifts.
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This last week Steve and I and several of our children took the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory. I am thankful that so many of these things are now available online. You can take the inventory for free online here:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm

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Use tools like these to get to know yourself a little better. It also helps to understand all the differences that there are within people. Most importantly, keep yourself immersed in prayer and the WORD. A woman who KNOWS her LORD and KNOWS herself can grasp her eternal purpose. I am so grateful for the power of PURPOSE IN CHRIST! I have a LIFESONG!

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KNOW! GROW! GLOW! GO!

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LIFESONG...A WOMAN OF PURPOSE

MEDITATION MONDAY

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A Woman of Purpose driven by love for her Savior! Yes! That is what I want. How about you? I listened yesterday to missionaries who are so joyfilled about the last seven years of their lives that they have spent in China. They know their purpose. They are fulfilling their purpose. You can see it in their faces and hear it in their speech. Their lives have become a song of praise to their LORD.

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This summer our Tuesday women's class is going through a book by Vicki Courtney called, THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN: Shattering the Superwoman Myth. We are now on the section called A Woman Of Purpose. There are a few quotes from this section that I have chosen to meditate on today. Will you join me?

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• "The Proverbs 31 woman was a woman of purpose because she prioritized her God above all else in her life. A virtuous woman will allow God to dictate her purpose, rather than look to the world for guidance."

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• "Both we and those we disciple must get to know and love Him more than life itself... ...Once we begin the pursuit to know Christ, He will equip us for the task of making Him known to others."

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• "To know God and make Him known is our primary purpose in life... ...A woman of purpose knows God, and makes Him known to others."

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This reminds me of a little rhyme I heard years ago that I have written in several of my Bibles. There is really no ending to it. You just start over again at the end.

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...KNOW, GROW, GLOW, GO, KNOW...

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I have expanded it to read like this:

• The more I KNOW Him, the more in Him I GROW.
• The more I GROW in Him, the more in me He'll GLOW.
• The more I GLOW, the more His light through me will GO.
• The more I GO, the more I and others KNOW.
• Praise Him!

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Today, I hope you take some time to think about how you are making Him your LIFESONG!

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LIFESONG

Sunday in the Son

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Lyrics as sung by Casting Crowns

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Empty hands held high

Such small sacrifice

If not joined with my life

I sing in vain tonight

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May the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

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Let my lifesong sing to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day

Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You.

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Lord I give my life

A living sacrifice

To reach a world in need

To be Your hands and feet

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So may the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

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Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Let my lifesong sing to You!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let my lifesong sing to You!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let my lifesong sing to You!

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Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You.

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Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You.

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YOU RAISE ME UP... WHEREVER I LIVE...

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY - PART TWO
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Several of us headed north today to Bordentown, NJ to join a group of family and friends honoring Matthew, Brenda, and Lexi Collins as they prepare to be transferred to Okinawa. Matthew's uncle and aunt were wonderful hosts as they offered their pool, trampoline, and lots of food as the backdrop for this mixed emotion fellowship. I'll take the opportunity to post here some pics from my cell phone with comments. Enjoy!

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Brenda has endeared herself to us as a woman transformed by the love of Christ. We spent time visiting... keeping close eye on the kids in and around the pool area.

Kind of like in an old western, Brenda and I both drew our weapons at the same time - our cameras!

Brenda relieved Matthew on duty with Lexi in the pool.

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Tanner was showing off his new skill of walking. Still a little wobbly, he traded off walking for crawling. Right after this picture was taken he headed for the pool and fell in. It happened so quickly!

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Within seconds Carla had jumped into the pool after him. Here they are minutes afterwards, shaken and thankful. After changing into dry clothes, they joined us for dinner.

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We enjoyed an awesome cookout provided by Matthew's relatives. Maggie really enjoyed the corn on the cob!

Lexi hung out with her twin boy friends.

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The announcement of a new upcoming addition to the Collins family came on the cake: Best Wishes to Matt, Brenda, and Lexi and Baby Jay(hawk)...

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There was lots of visiting and loving on Lexi!

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We had a great time and then right after this picture of Mandy and Brenda P. was taken, Brenda and the hosts' dog had an argument over some cookies and the dog won. (His name is Chewy!) And Chewy bit Brenda!

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Of course, having RN Mandy around "saved the day". As daughters, Maggie and Brianna watched from the deck into the family room, Mandy gave Brenda some first aide treatment.

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Pitman ladies and kids provided a lot of excitement for the party! We all agreed that we were so glad we went. We know that the Collins will be a blessing to those in their new place of residence. Matthew has qualified to come back to next year's New York marathon. So, LORD willing, in a little over a year we'll see the Collins family of four. Thank You, God! They have certainly been a blessing to us!

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YOU RAISE ME UP... IN SPITE OF MYSELF!!!

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

Ketchup and Must Do
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If I were in control of my life, my ketchup and mustard would probably never make it to the check out counter of the grocery. Without God, my life would be a mess!

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With God, even a simple meal with a little ketchup and mustard becomes a banquet! That's how I feel today! A banquet in spite of the mess!

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I still have boxes everywhere, until we finish with the work on our house. I have piles of paperwork to do between now and school starting September 1. I have unfulfilled obligations that need to be met. I have questions with no present answers! We have a sick daughter who has had a really rough week. In spite of it all, I choose Jesus! I choose wisdom! I am encouraged by so many of you!

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Here is my Catch Up and Must Do for this week:

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1. God has reinspired and "raised me up" this week to GET WISDOM! In fact, one week is not enough time to talk about how wisdom will raise us up. So, sometime before the year is over on this blog, I hope to come back to WISDOM for a few weeks.
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• Proverbs 4:5-95



• "Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.


• "Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;


• Love her, and she will watch over you.


• "The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;


• And with all your acquiring, get understanding.


• "Prize her, and she will exalt you;


• She will honor you if you embrace her.


• "She will place on your head a garland of grace;


• She will present you with a crown of beauty."
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2. God has "raised me up" this week by answering our prayers for Lauren Schwamb. If this is your first time here this week, go back to Tuesdays post and start there in catching up: Lauren got her heart transplant! It was a "perfect match"! (additional note: This morning on FB, Cristi posted this update about Lauren... " Cristi Schwamb is proud of her amazing little girl. Almost all of the lines/wires are out, and she sat up in bed for quite a while this morning. She's begging to get out of bed, but I'm insisting on bit of rest first. God is good!")
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3. God has "raised me up" this week by being with young people traveling to camp and back and at camp. I am so encouraged to witness young people who love the LORD... and older people who take off work to serve!

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4. God has "raised me up" this week as I spent some time meditating over our Grandaughter Chloe's "July 2009 pics". New Life! Milestones! I am encouraged!

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5. God has "raised me up" this week in my Bible study time with my Tuesday morning "sistas" AND my late Wednesday evening prayer group. What a blessing to know women who want to be transformed and are transparent in the process.
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6. God has "raised me up" this week as I've witnessed the great pain of our daughter Jessica, to hear her talk. and know that in spite of this terrible trial GIGATTAATTGIG.
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7. God has "raised my up" this week with the consistent encouragement of my life mate, my husband Steve. I definitely get a "piece of the Rock" through him.

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8. God "raised me up" this week when I went again to read the blog of Terry Rush and find that the Spirit had led him again and again to write just what I needed. GIGATTAATTGIG!

http://terryrush.blogspot.com/2009/07/keep-god-outlook.html

http://terryrush.blogspot.com/2009/07/you-are-targeted.html

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9. I'm looking forward to a wonderful afternoon honoring Matthew, Brenda, and Lexi Collins as they prepare to leave for a tour of duty in Okinawa. I praise God how he has "raised me up" through this couple. I praise God for how He has "raised up" this young family. I hope to post pics here of our "send off" later this afternoon.

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NOTE: THIS NEXT WEEK WE ARE MOVING ON TO THE TOPIC OF WOMEN OF PURPOSE! PLEASE JOIN US BEGINNING TOMORROW RIGHT HERE!