The numbers have shown for a long time that this just isn’t happening.  The blog will remain up for a while, but there will be no new posts.  I do understand that time is precious, and that it takes so much more of it to do normal daily activities in many places; so, reading a blog and getting involved in that kind of give-and-take is one more thing to add to an already full plate.  I also understand how much Facebook is used now, though this blog would be a better venue for what the Lord showed me it was to be – but never was.

Anyway, while it might be the end of this way of reaching out to my beloved sisters around the world, I truly believe the Lord will open other doors for me that He will use to touch your hearts and lives with His encouragement and love.

Thank you for the time that you have spent here.  I truly hope your spirits have been lifted at just the right moments, and you were able to refocus on the One Who is right there with you always.  As much as I love you, He loves you so much more and is for you in ways I never can be.  Be blessed with all grace, love, and peace that are in Jesus Christ, Who is in you!

Meanwhile, I saw this video clip – a little more than 4 minutes in length – from Joseph Prince, and thought it might charge you up as it did me.  The question would be: Does what you know line up with what God really wants you to know?

3 weeks later

3 days old

You have no choice but to allow me to deviate from my normal posting.  You see, I am no longer a surrogate grandparent to friends’ children.  I am now Nana, just back from a trip to see and hold my first-ever grandchild, Colton Lewis Stocking.  He was born September 1, weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and measuring 21 1/4” long.  Three weeks later, he already weighs 10 pounds, 15 ounces, and has grown to 22 1/4″. You experienced grandmothers understand my elation, and those of you yet-to-be grandmothers will have my full enthusiasm when your time comes around.

I’m overjoyed with this little fellow, even though he is 1100 miles away!  At least the days are gone for film cameras, waiting to develop pictures, make copies, and stick them in the mail.  Now we have digital cameras, card readers, internet, and instant sharing of the most up-to-date pictures.  How thankful I am for these technological advancements!

Mom, Dad, and son

My heart overflows with thanksgiving to the Lord for my children and my children’s children, and for His promises to them of righteousness and truth.

Psalm 103:17 NIV  But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord ‘s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children —

Isaiah 59:21 AMP  As for Me, this is My covenant or league with them, says the Lord: My Spirit, Who is upon you [and Who writes the law of God inwardly on the heart], and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your [true, spiritual] children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from henceforth and forever.

Thanks for letting this proud nana beam!

1. Listen to the other person’s story.
2. Listen to the other person’s full story.
3. Listen to the other person’s story first.  George Marshall

I must admit, this short quote stopped me in my tracks.  How often I think I’ve been a good listener; yet I’ve zoned out when something the speaker said reminded me of a similar story in my own life.  Or, maybe I wasn’t really all that interested in what they had to say, so I only listened halfheartedly.  Jesus listened with His whole being, heard everything spoken, and heard so much more than words – and changed people’s lives.

I think I’ll quit “speaking” now, so I can practice listening like Jesus.  Won’t you join me?

James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry NIV

Today seems like a good day to cheer your mind so you will have the good medicine of a happy heart.  I don’t know that there is really any other spiritual significance with this clip, but it’s clean and it’s enough to bring a smile.  Enjoy, my sisters!

As a homeschool teacher, then in my second year of educating my sons at home, I had chosen this verse for my “students” to learn as the school year began.  I didn’t know why I had chosen it, and didn’t fully understand the high places of responsibility part.  I just knew I was drawn to this verse, so the boys and I learned it together.

Only a few short weeks later, it became obvious that I had been drawn by Holy Spirit to this verse because He knew what was coming into my life, and He knew I would need to be reminded of His amazing strength.  My world changed suddenly and dramatically when NOW was the time for moving my father from his long-time home more than 300 miles away to a new home in my city; when his mind was no longer what it had been, and would only get worse; when the diagnosis was made – Alzheimer’s disease.

In the ensuing days, weeks, months, and years, I understood what high places of responsibility were.  In those times I was totally overwhelmed with decisions, situations, and life in general, His Word came back, reminding me that the He is my Strength, and He makes me to walk, even making spiritual progress on these high places of responsibility.  I am a walking testimony today that what He promised in this verse, He performed in me!

What are your high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility as you minister today to the people God put in your heart and then put you in their midst?  Instead of being overwhelmed with it all, declare this verse aloud and be strengthened by His Spirit each time you do!

How easy it is to become hardened in so many different ways – offenses, continual exposure to people in desperate situations, financial struggles, etc. – and not even realize it is happening.

What will destroy that hardness?  Being renewed in God’s love.

17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! (Eph. 3:17-19 AMP)

I can see God’s love enveloping those hard hearts, not just causing the hard deposits to crumble, but actually dissolving them.  As the hardness disappears, the sound of the Father’s heartbeat is strong once again, where it had become so faint.  Joy and peace return, and there is the sabbath rest once again.

With the heart renewed in the love of Christ, the mission He has given doesn’t look so impossible.  The passion for the people around you has been reignited, because it’s no longer human passion, but our Father’s passion.  Now His strength has replaced your strength, and you can soar above the fray on eagle’s wings!

I want to minister to you in the way(s) you need – not necessarily what I think you might need.  After all, you are the ones on the foreign field serving Christ, and you know best what little or big things would help keep you going emotionally and spiritually.

So, tell me what types of posts have done the most for you (this one or others you read).  How frequently do you read blogs or other website posts or devotions?  Understanding your time constraints, I’ll reduce the frequency of posts to keep you from feeling the need to catch up, if that’s an issue.  If you think a couple of times a week would be best, I’ll do my best to do that.  Be free to make suggestions beyond these questions, please.

In addition, I would love to share the posting space with any of you who have something to share with other women on the mission field.  It doesn’t have to be long – or even perfectly written.  If it comes from your heart and will touch the hearts of others in similar circumstances, that’s perfect.  Share it with me and I’ll touch it up for grammar and punctuation and post it, with credit going to you, certainly.

I look forward to hearing from you as to what will make this blog more appealing to you.  You are the reason the Lord gave me the brilliant idea in the first place!

Praying for you to draw ever closer to the heart of our loving Daddy!

Kay

• Optimism is

taking a camera along when you go fishing:

the ability to smile at misfortune when fortune doesn’t smile at you;

expecting someone to drive a car six feet wide through a garage doorway eight feet narrow;

never worrying about the future because it never becomes serious until it is the present;

the cheerful frame of mind that enables a teapot to sing, though it is in hot water up to its nose.

• The optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.

• A man who gets treed by a lion but enjoys the scenery is an optimist.  Walter Winchell

• The optimist is often as wrong as the pessimist; but she is far happier.

How to be an optimist?

Philippians 4:8 NIV  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.