Do you ever wonder "what you are"?
When we meet someone new, we usually associate what we do with who we are.
If I am "only" what I do for a living, I'm not much. I am a low paid factory worker, who is broke and struggling to pay her bills.
I could get all depressed and sad about this. And I do sometimes.
But during these times I have noticed something.
I realized life goes on around me. Whether I have money or not. The world doesn't stop turning when I'm broke or hurting.
So if I just think that is who I am, where is the hope of something better?
During these times, I go to my Bible and read. And if I believe the Bible, I am so much more than a low paid factory worker.
Here is a short list of what I am............
I am a child of God....Galatians 3:26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
I have a heavenly Father. He loves and protects me. He is always there for me. He is my daddy, and I love him dearly.
I am blessed...............Ephesians 3:6 And this is God's plan; Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.
Blessings don't always mean money. I am blessed with a wonderful family, multiple church families, a job, a good home and friends. I am blessed because Jesus chose to die on that cross for my sins. And I chose to accept his most wonderful gift and serve him.
I am redeemed.............Psalm 34:22 But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
I looked up the definition of the word "redeemed".
........to free from the consequences of sin...........
CONSEQUENCES OF SIN = A life of eternal damnation.... That's not for me......And I don't want it to be for you
Because of what Jesus did by dying on that cross, he paid my sin bill in full. I sin everyday. I am not blameless. But I can ask for forgiveness, and he is faithful to grant it.
It is time for me to confess who I am to myself each day. I need to stop listening to the devil, who says I am not anything on my list.
So listen to this devil.......I am a child of the most high God!
I am blessed beyond measure. Beyond my wildest dreams. I can do all things through my Father God!
I am redeemed! Yes redeemed! My sins have been paid for! Bought and paid in full! And I choose to follow God!
Listen to this great video by Big Daddy Weave. It's called Redeemed.
I love this song, it speaks to me more than any song has in a long time. I got the soundtrack yesterday so I could sing it at early praise service today. It is an awesome song....Enjoy :)
http://youtu.be/VzGAYNKDyIU
Truly Blessed,
Kathy
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
The Happiest Man I have Known
1 Thessalonians 3:9
How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God's presence.
The world lost a happy man the other day. It was a sudden loss. It still doesn't seem real. But heaven gained a big smiling face!!!!!
A dear sweet man from church passed from this life into the glory of God the other night. I don't think I ever saw him without a smile on his face. I have only known him for a few short years. He was in his late 70's when I met him.
He started coming to church with a sweet little lady. They were boyfriend/ girlfriend and were so sweet together. He always had his arm around her or they were holding hands. Sort of made me a little jealous!
She was a christian and loved church. He was a man who had thought for years that "maybe" he was all right with the Lord.
She doesn't drive, so he took her everywhere she needed to go. And he loved coming to church. Whatever the occassion, whatever was going on at church, every picnic, cookout, hayride, wagon ride, revival, Sunday school, preaching, worship service,Bible study, they were there. And always with a smile on his face. Always asking, "Ms Kathy, how are you"?
He had a thirst for God's word. He was hungry for God. He would ask questions. We answered them the best we could.
One night after Bible study, in the Sunday school room of the church, he committed his life to the Lord. He realized that he hadn't been saved but needed to be saved. He was 77 years old.
I'm sure there was some shouting going on that night. On earth and in heaven
. He was baptized. He said he thought once he was saved and baptized the devil would leave him alone. But he said he was wrong. He said the devil was on his shoulder when he came up out of the water.We told him the devil had had him before and didn't like that he was God's child now.He said the devil could just get over it. He belonged to God!
He was a happy man, because he trusted in God to take care of everything..
He had troubles and problems, like everyone else. He took everything with a smile. He prayed to his Lord and Savior and trusted Him to take care of whatever problem he had. He wasn't ashamed to go to the altar to pray. He wasn't ashamed to raise his hands in praise to the Lord who saved him. He wasn't ashamed to proclaim God's word to his neighbors.
We started an early Praise and Worship service. We start an hour before our regular worship service. He and his lady were usually the first ones there. If I got there and they weren't, I would pray nothing was wrong. And in a few minutes they would show up. He loved the praise service. We would sing and listen to songs and just praise and worship our Lord.He told us more than once that he needed a bigger cup because his cup was running over with joy.
He would say that he couldn't understand why people didn't come to church. That the church and all churches should be full each week. He believed if more would come to church that the world would be a better place. If we had more people like this dear man, the world would be a better place.
Last Sunday he went into the hospital. He thought he had food poisoning. Monday afternoon, my pastor called and said they were sending him to another hospital, that he had cancer and his organs were shutting down. He made it through that night. Late Tuesday night he departed this earth.
A service is planned for Saturday, to celebrate his life. I don't think he would want us to be sad. I think he would want us to remember the good times we had.
I'll always remember his smile. I'll remember his hunger for the word of God, his questions, all his stories.
By meeting this precious man, talking to him, praying with and for him, he brought joy to my life. He makes me want to be a better person. He makes me want to spread God's love to others, just like he did. He makes me want to be a happy person.
I can just imagine the smile on his face right now. And I pray he's getting all his questions answered.
How I thank God for you, Mr. Charlie! Because of you I have great joy as I enter God's presence.
With love, Kathy
The world lost a happy man the other day. It was a sudden loss. It still doesn't seem real. But heaven gained a big smiling face!!!!!
A dear sweet man from church passed from this life into the glory of God the other night. I don't think I ever saw him without a smile on his face. I have only known him for a few short years. He was in his late 70's when I met him.
He started coming to church with a sweet little lady. They were boyfriend/ girlfriend and were so sweet together. He always had his arm around her or they were holding hands. Sort of made me a little jealous!
She was a christian and loved church. He was a man who had thought for years that "maybe" he was all right with the Lord.
She doesn't drive, so he took her everywhere she needed to go. And he loved coming to church. Whatever the occassion, whatever was going on at church, every picnic, cookout, hayride, wagon ride, revival, Sunday school, preaching, worship service,Bible study, they were there. And always with a smile on his face. Always asking, "Ms Kathy, how are you"?
He had a thirst for God's word. He was hungry for God. He would ask questions. We answered them the best we could.
One night after Bible study, in the Sunday school room of the church, he committed his life to the Lord. He realized that he hadn't been saved but needed to be saved. He was 77 years old.
I'm sure there was some shouting going on that night. On earth and in heaven
. He was baptized. He said he thought once he was saved and baptized the devil would leave him alone. But he said he was wrong. He said the devil was on his shoulder when he came up out of the water.We told him the devil had had him before and didn't like that he was God's child now.He said the devil could just get over it. He belonged to God!
He was a happy man, because he trusted in God to take care of everything..
He had troubles and problems, like everyone else. He took everything with a smile. He prayed to his Lord and Savior and trusted Him to take care of whatever problem he had. He wasn't ashamed to go to the altar to pray. He wasn't ashamed to raise his hands in praise to the Lord who saved him. He wasn't ashamed to proclaim God's word to his neighbors.
We started an early Praise and Worship service. We start an hour before our regular worship service. He and his lady were usually the first ones there. If I got there and they weren't, I would pray nothing was wrong. And in a few minutes they would show up. He loved the praise service. We would sing and listen to songs and just praise and worship our Lord.He told us more than once that he needed a bigger cup because his cup was running over with joy.
He would say that he couldn't understand why people didn't come to church. That the church and all churches should be full each week. He believed if more would come to church that the world would be a better place. If we had more people like this dear man, the world would be a better place.
Last Sunday he went into the hospital. He thought he had food poisoning. Monday afternoon, my pastor called and said they were sending him to another hospital, that he had cancer and his organs were shutting down. He made it through that night. Late Tuesday night he departed this earth.
A service is planned for Saturday, to celebrate his life. I don't think he would want us to be sad. I think he would want us to remember the good times we had.
I'll always remember his smile. I'll remember his hunger for the word of God, his questions, all his stories.
By meeting this precious man, talking to him, praying with and for him, he brought joy to my life. He makes me want to be a better person. He makes me want to spread God's love to others, just like he did. He makes me want to be a happy person.
I can just imagine the smile on his face right now. And I pray he's getting all his questions answered.
How I thank God for you, Mr. Charlie! Because of you I have great joy as I enter God's presence.
With love, Kathy
Monday, October 8, 2012
Forgiving The Most Obvious Person Ever...
amazon.com
barnesandnoble.com
astraeapress.com
Reply to:
Reply to Kelly M
One of the
hardest things in the world to do is forgive someone. I, personally, have a
hard time not holding a grudge. Take my husband for example: I’m one of those
people who will bring something up from five years ago if it makes my point in
an argument, “Do you remember when blah blah blah blah…”
Yeah, it’s
not the healthiest way to be lol.
But there is
another person we have to forgive… and this person is one of the hardest people
ever to forgive.
Not the
person who broke your heart…
Not the guy
who broke into your house…
Not the girl
who taunted you in high school…
Nope, the
hardest person to forgive is yourself.
Have you
ever tried to forgive yourself for something… even something minor? It takes a
small act of Congress to convince yourself that whatever it is isn’t your fault
and even if it is, it’s not the end of the world.
That is one
of the themes in the new book, CROSSING THE DEEP (Astraea Press). In it, Rachel
Harker’s life pretty much stopped two years ago when her father died. She
blames herself for it (maybe for good reason… maybe it was just a coincidence),
and can’t forgive herself for it. While on the hike with her church’s youth
group, she sees a sign for Harker Cemetary. The lure is too much for her since
she needs a connection to her past. That act cuts her off from the rest of the
group and sets in motion a four day nightmare in the woods, stuck with Asher
Jenkins, a guy she barely knows.
Rachel has
to decide if she can let go of her past in order to have a future.
What about
you? Is there something in your past you are hanging on to? Can you let it go?
Pray about it. Extra baggage weighs your shoulders down, but when you are free
of it, you walk straighter—less heavy.
Big, huge
thanks to Kathy for having me here today... And for being my cheerleader and book 'editor' Love you :) J
Back Cover
Blurb:
Sixteen year old Rachel Harker
expects the church sponsored hiking trip in the Smoky Mountains to be short and
painless. Four days later, injured and scared, Rachel prays to just make it
home alive.
Asher Jenkins, fellow hiker and
handsome skeptic who is only on the hike so he doesn’t have to go home and face
his abusive ‘uncle’, finds Rachel in the woods and tries to get her back to
Deep Creek Trail. A small hole hidden under the fall leaves causes her ankle to
twist and forces Asher to leave her to get help. As night falls, he comes back,
unable to find the right trail.
As hours stretch into days, an
unexpected rainstorm bears down the mountain, flooding Deep Creek and cutting
off their way home. Rachel puts all of her faith in God to save them. Asher
thinks believing in God is a waste of time and does what he can to prove to
Rachel that He doesn’t exist.
With their food gone and the
temperature dropping, time is running out. Will Rachel be able to do what needs
to be done to get home? And can Asher find faith when he needs it the most?
AUTHOR BIO:
Kelly Martin is a
writer, blogger, mommy, teacher, wife, sleep deprived lady (not necessarily in
that order). She writes young adult/Christian fiction. Her second book, SAINT
SLOAN, is coming late winter 2013. For more information on her, please visit her
blog at http://www.kellymartinstories.com/
BUY LINKS:amazon.com
barnesandnoble.com
astraeapress.com
You can find her on:
Twitter:@martieKay
faceboo: Kelly Martin, Author
Friday, October 5, 2012
Amazing Grace
Amazing grace.. how sweet the sound...that saved a wretch like me...I once was lost... but now I'm found...was blind but now I see.
A dr had told me 5 years ago I had cataracts. But he said that I was too young to have them and it was no big deal, no hurry to have them removed.
I was at the point that I couldn't see anything out of my right eye. My left was not much better. When you scare yourself driving because you can't see cars coming at you, and you don't drive much at night because of the glare from headlights, life gets very limited.
I went for years, feeling like I was looking through a dirty, scratched piece of plexiglass.
If anyone had really known how little I could see, no one would have gone anywhere with me.
Living by yourself means that if you go anywhere, you drive yourself. I was at the point I tried to go nowhere unless I just had to. I went around sad for years because my vision was so bad. Only because God was watching over me did I not wreck and injure someone else or even myself.
I went to a different eye doctor. He took one look and said we were gonna remove them and that age had nothing to do with it. Some people are born with them. And if you had ever had an injury to your eyes it could cause them.
Yesterday I had them removed from my right eye. I was so scared because I just knew it would hurt. I was wrong. No pain. And when it was over.....I could see clear!!!!!!!!
I came out of that surgery room with a HUGE smile on my face. And I have been smiling ever since!
I went for post op visit today. They checked my vision. The dr asked, you do know you were legally blind in the right eye before don't you? I hadn't thought about that.But only one day after surgery I have 20/25 vision in that eye. And it will get better. I actually can't wait for him to remove the one on my left eye in two weeks. Because if I can see this good with one, just imagine how I will see with two!
I'm seeing things now I hadn't seen in years. The beautiful fall colors, the bright red color of my little nieces hair, the blueness of her eyes.
The dirt and cobwebs in my house..........
That is the same way as spiritual blindness. We see through a dark glass, a dark or cloudy lense. We don't see how great our God is.
We have an awesome creator. He made a way for us to have salvation. He loves us, cares for us, protects us.
I love my Lord!!!!!! I want to praise him for healing!!!! I praise him for giving people the knowledge and the expertise to do things to help us to feel good and to see!!!!!!
I want to praise and thank him for grace!!!!!! I am not worthy on my own, but I serve one who makes me worthy of his love, of his mercy and his grace.
Please listen to this beautiful video.....
Amazing grace how sweet the sound...........
http://youtu.be/DDDlxmsciqY
God Bless,
Kathy
A dr had told me 5 years ago I had cataracts. But he said that I was too young to have them and it was no big deal, no hurry to have them removed.
I was at the point that I couldn't see anything out of my right eye. My left was not much better. When you scare yourself driving because you can't see cars coming at you, and you don't drive much at night because of the glare from headlights, life gets very limited.
I went for years, feeling like I was looking through a dirty, scratched piece of plexiglass.
If anyone had really known how little I could see, no one would have gone anywhere with me.
Living by yourself means that if you go anywhere, you drive yourself. I was at the point I tried to go nowhere unless I just had to. I went around sad for years because my vision was so bad. Only because God was watching over me did I not wreck and injure someone else or even myself.
I went to a different eye doctor. He took one look and said we were gonna remove them and that age had nothing to do with it. Some people are born with them. And if you had ever had an injury to your eyes it could cause them.
Yesterday I had them removed from my right eye. I was so scared because I just knew it would hurt. I was wrong. No pain. And when it was over.....I could see clear!!!!!!!!
I came out of that surgery room with a HUGE smile on my face. And I have been smiling ever since!
I went for post op visit today. They checked my vision. The dr asked, you do know you were legally blind in the right eye before don't you? I hadn't thought about that.But only one day after surgery I have 20/25 vision in that eye. And it will get better. I actually can't wait for him to remove the one on my left eye in two weeks. Because if I can see this good with one, just imagine how I will see with two!
I'm seeing things now I hadn't seen in years. The beautiful fall colors, the bright red color of my little nieces hair, the blueness of her eyes.
The dirt and cobwebs in my house..........
That is the same way as spiritual blindness. We see through a dark glass, a dark or cloudy lense. We don't see how great our God is.
We have an awesome creator. He made a way for us to have salvation. He loves us, cares for us, protects us.
I love my Lord!!!!!! I want to praise him for healing!!!! I praise him for giving people the knowledge and the expertise to do things to help us to feel good and to see!!!!!!
I want to praise and thank him for grace!!!!!! I am not worthy on my own, but I serve one who makes me worthy of his love, of his mercy and his grace.
Please listen to this beautiful video.....
Amazing grace how sweet the sound...........
http://youtu.be/DDDlxmsciqY
God Bless,
Kathy
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