(II Corinthians 12:5-10 NKJV)

Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 

For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. 

But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, 

a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, 

lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times

 that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,

 in reproaches,

 in needs, 

in persecutions, 

in distresses, for Christ’s sake. 

For when I am weak, 

then I am strong. 

Who is Leading?

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. – Jer 10:23 KJV

“Lead me in a plain path” (Ps. 27:14).

Many people want to direct God, instead of resigning themselves to be directed by Him; to show Him a way, instead of passively following where He leads. —Madame Guyon

I said: “Let me walk in the field”;
God said: ’Nay, walk in the town“; 
I said: ”There are no flowers there“;
He said: ”No flowers, but a crown.”

I said: “But the sky is black,
There is nothing but noise and din”; 
But He wept as He sent me back,
“There is more,” He said, "there is sin

I said: “But the air is thick,
And fogs are veiling the sun”; 
He answered: “Yet souls are sick,
And souls in the dark undone.”

I said: “I shall miss the light,
And friends will miss me, they say”; 
He answered me, “Choose tonight,
If I am to miss you, or they.”

I pleaded for time to be given;
He said: “Is it hard to decide? 
It will not seem hard in Heaven
To have, followed the steps of your Guide.”

I cast one look at the fields,
Then set my face to the town; 
He said: “My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?”

Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He; 
And I walk in a light Divine,
The path I had feared to see.

—George MacDonald

Strong in Suffering

Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. – 2 Kgs 4:26 KJV

“Be strong, my soul! 
Thy loved ones go 
Within the veil. God’s thine, e’en so; 
Be strong.

“Be strong, my soul!
Death looms in view.
Lo, here thy God! He’ll bear thee through;
Be strong.”

For sixty-two years and five months I had a beloved wife, and now, in my ninety-second year I am left alone. But I turn to the ever present Jesus, as I walk up and down in my room, and say, “Lord Jesus, I am alone, and yet not alone—Thou art with me, Thou art my Friend. Now, Lord, comfort me, strengthen me, give to Thy poor servant everything Thou seest he needs.” And we should not be satisfied till we are brought to this, that we know the Lord Jesus Christ experimentally, habitually to be our Friend: at all times, and under all circumstances, ready to prove Himself to be our Friend. —George Mueller

Afflictions cannot injure when blended with submission.

Ice breaks many a branch, and so I see a great many persons bowed down and crushed by their afflictions. But now and then I meet one that sings in affliction, and then I thank God for my own sake as well as his. There is no such sweet singing as a song in the night. You recollect the story of the woman who, when her only child died, in rapture looking up, as with the face of an angel, said, “I give you joy, my darling.” That single sentence has gone with me years and years down through my life, quickening and comforting me. —Henry Ward Beecher

“E’en for the dead I will not bind my soul to grief; 
Death cannot long divide. 
For is it not as though the rose that climbed my garden wall 
Has blossomed on the other, side? 
Death doth hide, 
But not divide;
Thou art but on Christ’s other side!
Thou art with Christ, and Christ with me;
In Christ united still are we.”

Very encouraging devotional I wanted to share with y'all!!!

In God, Not Out of Trouble

And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest. – Jer 45:5 KJV

A promise given for hard places, and a promise of safety and life in the midst of tremendous pressure, a life “for a prey.” It may well adjust itself to our own times, which are growing harder as we near the end of the age, and the Tribulation times.

What is the meaning of “a life for a prey”? 

It means a life snatched out of the jaws of the destroyer, as David snatched the lamb from the lion. 

It means not removal from the noise of the battle and the presence of our foes;

 but it means a table in the midst of our enemies, a shelter from the storm, a fortress amid the foe,

 a life preserved in the face of continual pressure:

 Paul’s healing when pressed out of measure so that he despaired of life; 

Paul’s Divine help when the thorn remained, but the power of Christ rested upon him and the grace of Christ was sufficient. 

Lord, give me my life for a prey, and in the hardest places help me today to be victorious. 

—Days of Heaven upon Earth

We often pray to be delivered from calamities; 

we even trust that we shall be; 

but we do not pray to be made what we should be, in the very presence of the calamities;

 to live amid them, as long as they last, in the consciousness that we are, 

held and sheltered by the Lord, and can therefore remain in the midst of them, 

so long as they continue, without any hurt. 

For forty days and nights, the Saviour was kept in the presence of Satan in the wilderness, 

and that, under circumstances of special trial, 

His human nature being weakened by want of food and rest.

 The furnace was heated seven times more than it was wont to be heated, 

but the three Hebrew children were kept a season amid its flames as calm and composed in the presence of the tyrant’s last appliances of torture, 

as they were in the presence of himself before their time of deliverance came. 

And the livelong night did Daniel sit among the lions, and when he was taken up out of the den,

 “no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.” 

They dwelt in the presence of the enemy, because they dwelt in the presence of God.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!!! (Yes it was yesterday, I know) hope you had an awesome one!!! 

We are so blessed and have so much to thank the Lord for, 'Even In The Valley God Is Good'!!!

  We stayed home with just the six of us (our lil diva counts too) with Kelsey heading up as main chef and her side-kick Kaitlyn right beside her.(Shania has been fighting a nasty cold) 

 Oh my, thse girls know how to throw down let me tell ya.. Bobby Flay move on over!! 

 Was so megalicious.... just enjoyed each other's company making new memories and thanking the Lord for all the other ones we have together. With the girls getting older we just want to soak it all in. 

  We were blessed to hear from so many of our friends and family, girls face-timed, and just had a great time. We were reflecting on what a great year this has been, even though fierce trials arose over and over... So did our Great Big Moutain moving God!!! He has carried us through each one and we know He is working ALL things for our good and His glory!!! 

 We do have a few pic's so I need to get those and post them for ya.  

    Trust this finds everyone doing well and keep in touch, we love and pray for y'all as JESUS brings you to mind OFTEN!!! Enjoy Black Friday... I know we will.. Plan is to decorate forrrrrr........

       CHRISTmas!!!!!!!! Whooooooooohoooooooo!!!!! 

Soooooo excited... Just don't even know how to express it! Not having been in the house yet last year we missed out on decorating for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.. Surprisingly had things worked out we would already be decorated.. Something that would have been a first for us as I always wait until after Thankssgiving is over, but we are just so ready to celebrate our SAVIOR!!! 

    Until next time... Keep your head up and eyes on Jesus, our soon coming King!!! 

        This could be the year He returns to take us home!!!! 

Oh, what a day that will be... Just soak it in and let all the hoopla of the "none-sales"(mostly) just fade into the background and make some new memories and be content with what you have and enjoy the life God is blessing you with and those in it!! 

Don't Be Offended

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. – Luke 7:23 KJV

It is sometimes very difficult not to be offended in Jesus Christ. The offenses may be circumstantial. I find myself in a prison-house—a narrow sphere, a sick chamber, an unpopular position—when I had hoped for wide opportunities. Yes, but He knows what is best for me. My environment is of His determining. He means it to intensify my faith, to draw me into nearer communion with Himself, to ripen my power. In the dungeon my soul should prosper.

The offense may be mental. I am haunted by perplexities, questions, which I cannot solve. I had hoped that, when I gave myself to Him, my sky would always be clear; but often it is overspread by mist and cloud. Yet let me believe that, if difficulties remain, it is that I may learn to trust Him all the more implicitly—to trust and not be afraid. Yes, and by my intellectual conflicts, I am trained to be a tutor to other storm-driven men.

The offense may be spiritual. I had fancied that within His fold I should never feel the biting winds of temptation; but it is best as it is. His grace is magnified. My own character is matured. His Heaven is sweeter at the close of the day. There I shall look back on the turnings and trials of the way, and shall sing the praises of my Guide. So, let come what will come, His will is welcome; and I shall refuse to be offended in my loving Lord. —Alexander Smellie

Blessed is he whose faith is not offended, 
When all around his way
The power of God is working out deliverance 
For others day by day;

Though in some prison drear his own soul languish, 
Till life itself be spent,
Yet still can trust his Father’s love and purpose, 
And rest therein content.

Blessed is he, who through long years of suffering, 
Cut off from active toil,
Still shares by prayer and praise the work of others, 
And thus “divides the spoil.” 

Blessed are thou, O child of God, who sufferest,
And canst not understand
The reason for thy pain, yet gladly leavest 
Thy life in His blest Hand.

Yea, blessed art thou whose faith is “not offended”
By trials unexplained,
By mysteries unsolved, past understanding, 
Until the goal is gained. —Freda Hanbury Allen

Still here!!!

I have s few new blog posts I need to finish and get put up here. Been busy and most of it is just medical stuff going on with both hubby and I, but we do have updates to give so hope I can get that done really soon. We do desire your continued prayers.
God is so good to us and we have MANY blessings to thank Him for.

Also, please pray for our dear Pastor and his wife.