The Cross Not The End Only The Beginning Praise The Lord and a poem

As I praise and give thanks for the sacrifice of Christ on the cross I realize that this is the beginning of not just our gift of love and eternal life, but  also the begininng of an abundant life in Christ. It is the gift of love, peace, comfort in all things we face in life. It is being adopted into the family of God joint heirs with Jesus.  We have forgiveness and an advocate or intercessor through Christ. Our hope is in and through Christ and Christ willingly went to the cross so that we could have all this. HE LOVES US and all we have to do is believe and accept his gift.

We have a friend in whom we can trust and believe and not be afraid. We have peace and understanding through Christ.



 John 14:27 KJV










We have blessed assurance and faith that in our acceptance of Christ that God has us and we are in his perfect plan. We might not understand everything but we can know it will  be alright.


The one thing we know that God is always in control and that we can trust Him no matter what. He holds our hand and guides us through if we turn to him.







Just like the lighthouse pictured here God is our light to guide us in good times and the storms of life. His light always shines bright and as long as we keep our eyes on the light we will not stray or get lost. I see the lighthouse and I remember that though storms in life come along God is with us lighting our way all we have to do is rely on Him. A verse I like says to not be afraid or discouraged in fact it is a command and one I think of when storms come my way.
Joshua 1:9  NIV "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”


Here is a poem I wrote awhile back I will share again with you. I hope it will lift you up

My Life’s Light

I will trust you where ever you lead me
I will trust you in both the calm and stormy seas
I will follow the path you set before me
I will lean on your love and hope you give me freely
For you are the light that guides my path along my way
You are my guide through each and every day
Like the captain on the sea I will look to the light
Always keeping that beam in my sight.
For you my Lord, are my light
On whom I will keep my sight

By Deb Forbes July 2009
copyright 2009

God is our Light and here is my verse to memorize this week

John 8:12 KJV  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

All of this is because of Christ going to the cross to die for us so that we can live. So the cross was not the end but the beginning for all of us who believe. Thank you Jesus.

Walking for 8 years

Then

Now

Sept 28, 2017 marks 8 years of being out of my wheelchair and walking. I praise God everyday for what he has done for me. I am very thankful and never want to forget to acknowledge and thank God for what He has done. Once again I want to share my post from that day I started to walk again.

I was blessed that God trusted me enough to use me in the way He did when I was in the wheelchair and blessed me more when He told me to walk and has given me back my ability to walk and do what I can for Him.

My prayer is that God will continue to use me and that I can be the vessel His light can shine through.


Sept. 28, 2009 Mike and I went to Shawnee Mission Park to go on one of our walk and rolls. Mike was at the back of the van getting my wheel chair out and once again the Holy Spirit prompted me and said one word which was walk and I walked down to the back of the van and said to Mike I'm going to walk and took off. I walked only about 100 yards that day but for someone in a wheelchair for all those years that was a big step. I walked by myself down the path and back up the hill to the street that the van was parked on. When I reached the top of the hill I raised my hands, like Sylvester Stallone did in Rocky, and shouted yes, yes, yes thank you Lord. I then walked back to the van. This is a picture of that first walk. 
I had never in all those years of being sick and in the wheelchair asked God to heal me or let me walk again so I was surprised when I was prompted to walk. If I had not listened to that prompting though and then followed that one word WALK I would of missed out on a healing and blessing. It would have been easy for me to ignore that prompting or think that it couldn't be done because I can't walk I am in a wheelchair, but I followed the prompt and God blessed me for my obedience. My muscles in my legs were there at that moment I took my first step which is all God after 9 years of my neuromuscular disease and my wheelchair. The next walk a couple of days later was for 1/4 of a mile, then the next a mile and soon I was able to go hiking off the paved trail for over a mile. 
Each day brings new firsts and I continue to Walk with God both spiritually and physically.

The Veil Is Torn My Thoughts and Poem on Easter

That Fateful Day

The cross was just a cross on that day
The nails, so ordinary could have been used in other ways.
But they became an important part of so much more,
When they were used, that day, to crucify our Lord.

In the garden where Christ prayed.

The soldiers came and took him after he had been betrayed.
Pilot asked the crowd what should be done with Christ live or die!
The crowd they cried crucify, crucify.
Then Christ, his clothes from him were stripped
And with the cat of nine tails his skin was ripped.
The whip it tore his flesh and from these stripes he bled
Then a crown of thorns was thrust on his head.
He was made to carry that cross to Golgotha hill
Where his blood for us he did spill.
Those nails were pounded through his feet and hands
Then the cross was dropped in the ground and the thump could be heard by all where they did stand.
But Christ, his resolve, never waivered while he hung there.
He never asked the angels to get him down, the torture for us he did bear.
He suffered the pain, knowing for all of us this was done
From his birth he came to die for us because he was the chosen one.
Chosen to save us from our sins, so we, who deserved to die, could live.
He gladly suffered all he did and went to the cross that day, his life he did freely give.

So remember that day and all the Lord’s suffering and pain

Remember it was done so our eternal life we could gain.
Ask forgiveness today and Give your heart to the Lord.
And when your work is done and life is no more,
The Lord will take you to heaven with him to live for evermore.


 By Deb Forbes
Copyright 2008




I have all week been thinking and reading about Christ's crucifixion and the one thing that has really stuck in my mind is the veil being torn. That isn't making light of the sacrifice Jesus made for us to take away our sins, suffering death so that we didn't have to.  It is just that it is another wonderful amazing gift that was given to us when Jesus died on the cross.

Matt. 27: 45-54 NIV


⁴⁵ From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. ⁴⁶ About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,^[c] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^[d]
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split ⁵² and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and^[e] went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”




The veil was up in front of the Holy of Most Holy in the temple the place that kept the ark of the covenant and it would be God's Most Holy Dwelling place. The veil or curtain would separate the people from God and only the priests could take the sacrifices to God for the people. 


Ex. 26: 31-34 KJV
³¹ And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
³² And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
³³ And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
³⁴ And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.


When Christ died on the cross his sacrifice for us tore this veil or curtain from top to bottom and made it so that we would now through Christ not only have forgiveness for our sins, but the old sacrifices were no longer necessary, Christ was that sacrifice and now we have access to God through Christ Jesus. Christ was the sacrifice for our sins, he became or intercessor to God, he gave his life so we might live. Hallelujah Praise God. He took our sins and punishment, He who didn't deserve to die, died so that we can live. The veil was torn a symbol that the only sacrifice needed for atonement for our sins had been made. All we have to do is accept this gift of forgiveness and atonement and love from God who sent his Son for us. 


1 Peter 2: 24  NIV ²⁴ “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”


1 Tim. 2:5 NIV ⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,


When you take time today and this weekend to reflect on Christ and His crucifixion think about how he came knowing he would die for us. He chose to be the sacrifice, taking our punishment and death because he loved us that much. Think also about the veil being torn from top to bottom opening up to the Holy of Most Holy places and think how that not only proved that Jesus was the Son of God but also made through Him a way for us to God. Happy Easter and Good Friday to everyone.

12 Gifts From God Gift # 12 Eternal Life and my poem

To finish off this blog on the 12 Gifts of God I thought I would share a poem I wrote back in 2004

BEST PRESENT

THE BEST PRESENT I EVER RECEIVED,

DIDN’T COME UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

IT CAME FROM GOD WITH ALL HIS LOVE

                                      WHEN HE SENT HIS SON DOWN FROM ABOVE.

                                     HE CAME TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS,

                                       SO WE COULD GO TO HEAVEN TO BE WITH HIM.

                                        SO THE BEST PRESENT I EVER RECEIVED,

                               WAS WHEN JESUS CAME AND DIED FOR ME.

                                      SO AT CHRISTMAS TIME WHEN GIFTS ARE ALL ABOUT,

                                  JUST REMEMBER THE BEST GIFT YOU COULD EVER GET

IS JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

 

By Deb Forbes

Dec 2004 copyright 2008

Gift Number 12: Eternal Life

The 12th and final gift from God is eternal life. God promises us eternal life if we accept His son Jesus as our Saviour. This gift is so important; it gives us security in what happens after we die. We are not condemned to hell to live in continual torture but we are given the gift of eternal life. We will live with God and there will be no more sickness, no more tears, no more sorrow, instead we can look forward to having eternal happiness. God gives us this gift of eternity because He loves us and wants us to be with Him for eternity so that is why Jesus was sent to earth to die for us so that we can go to heaven for all eternity. John 3:14-16) 14”And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV) Thank you Lord for this love and gift that ensures our eternal life.

As we have looked at before, we have sinned and our penalty is death, but Jesus paid this penalty for us with His death and when we accept Him as our Saviour then we can have eternal life. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (KJV) It is so simple all we have to do is believe in Christ and ask for forgiveness and eternal life for us is guaranteed. 1 John 5:11-12 11 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”(KJV) It is just that simple if we have Christ we have eternal life and will live forever in heaven with Him. What better gift can there be than the assurance of eternal live.

In John 14:1-3 it tells us that Christ has gone to heaven to make our room ready for when we join him. John 14:1-31 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”(KJV) God not only made a way for us to have eternal life through His son but Christ is preparing a place for us and is waiting for us to join Him so that we can be with him Hallelujah what a wonderful thing to look forward to. When I think of these verses I picture a parent and younger siblings who get the room ready for a returning child from college. They clean and arrange things just so and they are so excited on waiting for that child to get home. This is how God and Jesus are they are excited about us coming home to be with them in heaven and they are getting everything ready for us to come home. We can be assured of our place in heaven by asking Jesus into our hearts as our Lord and Saviour and asking God to forgive us. The minute we do this then we have our place in heaven ready and waiting for us to spend eternity there. Thank you Jesus.

These are the 12 gifts of God that we have looked at. So at Christmas this year I hope if you haven’t received these gifts that you will. I pray that if you have been born again that you will think about all these gifts and more that God has given us. Be thankful and tell God thank you for His gifts and especially the gift of His Son and the gift through His son of eternal life. Next time you hear the song “12 Days of Christmas” think about the 12 gifts of God. Merry Christmas and God Bless You.

12 Gifts From God Gift # 11 Comfort/Comforter

Gift Number 11: Comfort/Comforter
by Deb Forbes

copyright 2008

What comes to your mind when you think of comfort and comforter? One of the first things I think of is when my kids and grand kids were little and one of them would bump their heads or trip and fall then I or my husband would go and make sure they were alright. We would hug them and tell them they were alright so we were comforting them and being their comforter. Or how about when someone is sad or grieving and you are there for them to talk to or be the shoulder for them to cry on then you are a comfort to them or their comforter. This is true about God too. God gives us the gift of comfort and is our comforter. When we seem to struggle and fall, when we are hurt, when we are lost, and when we are grieving God gives us comfort and is our comforter. It says in
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 8 “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” KJVThank you Lord. He comforts us as it says in these verses through anything that comes our way. He is there and wraps His loving arms around us.
God also gives us the gift of comfort when we are facing death. Even Christians can be afraid when it is their time to die but they have a strength and comfort that people who don’t believe in Christ don’t have. It says in Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” KJVPraise the Lord even in death he sends comfort and is with us. For Christians God waits with open arms to welcome us home to heaven. What a comfort that God and Jesus is our welcoming committee when we go home to heaven. God also comforts those we love who are left behind it says in Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”KJV This is a definite not a maybe thing He states those who mourn will be comforted all we need to do is turn to God and call on His name and He will comfort us and give us strength.
Last we have the comfort or promise of comfort that we never have to be without God’s comfort when Jesus tells his disciples before he ascends into heaven that he goes but God is sending another comforter to them John 14:16,18 16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”KJV He promises not to leave us comfortless but that another comforter will come to be with us and the other comforter he is talking about is the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful promise that we will never be without a comforter or the comfort of God. This gift from God is so important and free. I know with all my illnesses that without God and his comfort I don’t know how we could make it. My husband and I say all the time that we don’t know how people without God in their lives make it through life. This gift and all the others from God are given to us out of God’s love for us and I thank him everyday for them. I pray that I can share his gifts with others and be a person God can use to show them His gift of comfort too. I thank Him for His loving arms that He  holds us in and His comfort throughout our lives. Thank you Lord.

12 GIFTS FROM GOD Gifts 9 & 10 Grace and Mercy

GIFT NUMBER 9: GRACE

by Deb Forbes

copyright 2008

Gift number 9 is grace that I want to look at. What is grace? To me grace is the undeserved, favor from God or gift from God of the goodness He has shown man even to saving him from his sins when he didn’t deserve it. In Romans 3:23-24 it says we have all sinned but God freely by grace redeems through his son Jesus so that we are able to be saved from our sins. Grace or favor is given to us by God even though we did nothing to deserve it. Rom. 3:23-24 23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” KJVGod gives this gift of grace to all who will accept Christ. We don’t receive God’s favor or grace by how good we are or how much work we do for others. You can’t receive it for just going to church or giving to the poor. Works are good and we should take care of those around us, but without the grace of God through our receiving Christ in our lives the works are worth nothing.
Ephesians 2:8-9 8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.” KJVWe can’t do enough or be just good enough to get in to heaven, but the grace of God through acceptance of Christ will get us into heaven. Christ’s death on the cross took the blame and penalty for our sins and in doing so this was God’s grace being shown and given to us even though we were sinners and as it says in Titus 3:7 we then by grace are made heirs to the throne of God which makes heaven our home when we die. Thank you Lord
Titus 3:7 “That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” KJVThe gift of grace as it says in Eph. 4:7 is given to everyone by the gift of Christ so this means no matter who we are or how bad we have been we are given the gift of grace by Christ’s death for us, all we have to do is ask for forgiveness and ask God into our hearts and it is all ours. Eph 4:7 “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”KJV Next time you think or hear someone say surely he will get into heaven he is such a good person then remember the gift of grace is not given to you for just being good but it is given by accepting the gift of Christ as your Saviour. Neither can you think you or anyone else can not receive the gift of grace because you have done too many bad things or are a really bad person because when you accept Christ and ask for forgiveness then the gift of grace is freely given. That is the wonderful thing about the gift of grace from God he wants to give it to you so all you have to do is accept it just like the other gifts. You don’t have to get good enough first but you are washed clean by the blood of Christ when you ask for forgiveness by God’s grace. Hallelujah Thank you Lord. So remember that everyone has a soul and all of the gifts from God are for everyone of us so lets, while we are giving Christmas gifts out this year, remember to share the love of God and his gift of grace as well as all the other gifts of God.  

Gift Number 10: Mercy
By Deb Forbes

Copyright 2008

When I think of mercy I think of a criminal asking a judge for mercy not to give him the maximum penalty for a crime he has committed. We, like that criminal, have sinned against God and even though we don’t deserve it he has shown us mercy by giving his son to pay our penalty for our sins which is death. Rom. 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”.KJV If we got what we deserved then we would get death and hell, but God loved us and had mercy on us and that is why Christ suffered and was crucified for us. Oh what a gift this is from God to give mercy to the ones who have sinned against him. God didn’t have to do this he could of just given us what we deserved, but thanks be to God for having given us love and mercy so that we didn’t have to suffer the punishment for our sins, Christ did this for us and when we accept Christ as our Saviour then we receive the gift of mercy from God and our penalty is paid and we are free. As it says in 1 Chronicles 16:24 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.”KJV we should continually give thanks to God for his gift of mercy to us.
When I think of mercy from God I also think of compassion. Because of the compassion of God we have his mercy. God shows compassion when he provides for us and keeps us in his loving arms and each time he forgives us he is showing mercy through his compassion for us. Daily we sin because we are human and not perfect. Christ is the only perfect man to ever have lived so daily we have to ask God to forgive us. God daily shows compassion and mercy because when we ask him to forgive us he does. Praise God. He also shows us mercy when he gives us strength to face trials and tribulations. God could surely turn his back on us, but instead his mercy is shown and he wraps his arms around us and gives us the strength and love and a way to make it through. Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”KJVSo God’s gift of mercy is given to us daily, it is a gift that we receive first when he sent Christ to die for us because he loved us and took compassion and mercy on us and second the gift of mercy is given everyday by forgiving us our sins daily and giving us strength. I don’t know how I could go through every day without this mercy and strength. So remember to thank God for his gift of mercy that is ours through Christ daily. Praise God for all he gives us and especially for his gift of mercy through Christ Jesus. Thank you Lord.

12 Gifts From God GIFT NUMBER 4: FORGIVENESS

GIFT NUMBER 4: FORGIVENESS
By Deb Forbes
copyright 2008

Forgiveness is something we all seek at one time or another. Have you ever said or done something that has upset or hurt someone else and then have to ask them to forgive you? When my kids were little one would hit the other or call them a name or yell at them and I would finally have enough of the bickering and fighting and name calling so I would tell them to stop and say I’m sorry. Of course the I’m sorry yelled at each other wasn’t what I was looking for so then I would tell them to hold hands, smile, and say I am sorry like they meant it. This got a quick response because they didn’t want to do that so they would hurry and say it the way I wanted so they would be able to stop holding hands. They may not have meant it then any more than the first time they said it but at least they were talking nice and acting nice for the moment and I think they probably didn’t think anymore about it till the next time they were fighting. The lesson I was trying to teach them was that we shouldn’t do things to hurt each other, but if we do we should say I am sorry and seek their forgiveness. 

The same is true with God. We do things we shouldn’t and things that grieve God and if we ask him he will forgive us. So the 4th Gift from God I think is Forgiveness. In 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” and in 1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world”. KJV God doesn’t want us to sin but knows we will sin because we are human, so the key is if we ask to be forgiven He will forgive us. He provided this forgiveness through the sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ for us. All children do things that are wrong even though we, as parents, would like for them not to. We don’t stop loving them because of it but we forgive them because we love them. That is the same with God, it grieves him for us to sin and do wrong but, just like a parent, He still loves us and wants us to have forgiveness all we need to do is like I made my kids do say we are sorry and mean it and ask Him to forgive us and He will, done deal, He will forgive us and continue to love us. 

So the 4th gift is Forgiveness given to us from God for our wrong doing because He loves us. Thanks be to God for being a loving forgiving God. This is a wonderful gift that we get daily if we ask for it. Remember to pass this gift on to others also so that they know they are forgiven too.

Summer is Surely Here! Or It Sure Is Hot Hot Hot

Wow has it been hot!!  I chose this desert picture from our vacation a few years back because this heat we have been having reminds me of the desert. Summer is surely here and the heat with it. It has been a scorcher and heat indices are up in the 100's here. It makes you just want to stay in and enjoy the air conditioning and not do much, including heating the place up cooking. With my Myasthenia Gravis and other conditions I don't do well in the heat. It zaps my strength really fast and takes longer to recover so I stay in mostly unless it is to go out on a ride where I go from air conditioned home to air conditioned car and back again. We have become so soft compared to what we use to be. I can remember when there were no air conditioners in the homes and we opened windows and played outside under the trees. We seemed to handle the heat better then, but now after years of air conditioning our bodies don't seem to like the hot weather anymore. Can you imagine what our Grandparents and Great Grandparents did before there was air conditioning everywhere you went. What if we had to go back to living without? I just am thankful for what I have to keep me cool and comfortable so that I don't get sick or weak.

I have been trying to catch up on some reading and genealogy this week  but the three day weekend slowed me down. We did go on a road trip and went to some museums this weekend.  I will share pictures later. I just wanted to pop in and let you know I have not melted away, I am still kicking.

Last thought is that I have been trying to come up with recipes to use so that when my husband gets home from working in the heat all day he can have a light,refreshing meal since he doesn't feel much like eating after  8 hours in the heat. I don't want to bake and have been looking at easy desserts that he might like and that wouldn't require much cooking or baking.
 Here is one of my Grandmother's Hot Weather dessert recipes appropriately called:
                                 Hot Weather Strawberry Pie

This is in my Grandmother Gusta Jester's own hand writing so I hope you can read it from the pictures I took of the recipe cards. I think this would be just as good without the crust. Maybe try it with a different flavor of jello and fruit also. Hope you try it and enjoy. Please stay cool and safe in this heat.


                                                       UNTIL NEXT TIME:
                                          JOURNEY ON!

TBT You KNOW Me OH Lord!

It has been storming off and on all week and I was thinking of a poem I wrote and have shared before about God being our light in the storm. I have once again included it in this TBT post. I chose this post because I always go back to these verses in Psalm 139 because they remind of how much God loves and cares about us. Hope you enjoy this poem and TBT post.

My Life’s Light

I will trust you where ever you lead me
I will trust you in both the calm and stormy seas
I will follow the path you set before me
I will lean on your love and hope you give me freely
For you are the light that guides my path along my way
You are my guide through each and every day
Like the captain on the sea I will look to the light
Always keeping that beam in my sight.
For you my Lord, are my light
On whom I will keep my sight
By Deb Forbes July 2009
copyright 2009


As I was reading my Bible today I was reading Psalm 139 and the first few verses really jumped out at me. Psalm 139:1-3 NIV 

1You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

Wow, think about it. God knows us and knows our thoughts, He know what we are doing and is familiar with us. That is such a comforting and sometimes scary thought to know God knows us in every way. Comforting because God knows us and understands in everything, He has intimate knowledge of us, which to me is a way to show just how much He loves and cares about us. If God didn't love us or care why would He get to know us and watch over us like these verses say.  

Then at the end of Psalm 139 David says 

Psalm 139: 23-24 NIV 

23Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

He is asking God to look at his heart and test and know what is in his heart and if God finds anything that He doesn't like to show him how to change and to lead him in God's way, down the right path.  

I think this should be our prayer each and every day, when we wake up and when we go to bed at night. Ask God to search us and our hearts and thoughts and show us anything we need to change and be forgiven for and then ask God to show us the path He has for us to follow and to help us follow it. God wants us to know Him and He is there willing to help and show us the way if we ask and then allow Him to show the way. 

As I start back to studying and memorizing God's word this really was a good one to start with because I want be more like Jesus and to be what and who God wants me to be. I hope you will join me in this journey through the Bible and Memorizing. I am no scholar but  just a believer who is relying on God and the Holy Spirit to guide me.

I know it is a lot to memorize but I am going to write these verses on a note card and put it where I will see it through out the day to remind me how God knows me in all ways and how I want Him to lead me.

Verses to memorize this week

Psalm 139:1-3

Psalm 139: 23-24

Our Weekend Day Trip to Lamar MO

It has been a whirlwind of things going on. We bought a new car then took it out for a drive this weekend. I Saturday afternoon started having a sore throat and could hardly talk by end of the day. It was really weird because I felt great  but then it just hit me. I think it must be allergies going into a head cold but still with taking the cold meds I have been sleepy and not very productive. I hope that it will be better and trying not to take meds today so that my foggy head is gone.

We just did one of our pick a direction and head in it on Saturday. We headed down 69 highway and stopped at the Downstream Casino in OK no luck there then headed over to Joplin Mo and drove around the city then headed up I 49 and stopped off at Lamar MO where Pres. Harry S Truman was born. We drove by the house but didn't go into it maybe another time. I just love looking at old homes and buildings. I know that if the walls could talk they would have a great story to tell. The house is a Missouri State Historic Site and even though we didn't take the time to go in the house we enjoyed stopping and taking pictures of the outside.

 This is a picture from across the street of the house.

 This is a side view of the house from the west side

 This is a east side view

 Memorial of Harry S Truman and jobs held on top and memorial on bottom

 Picture from back where you see the well, outhouse and smoke house

Another view from across the street from the house.

If you would like more information on this historic site check out

https://www.mostateparks.com/park/harry-s-truman-birthplace-state-historic-site

We enjoyed seeing it and will go back sometime.

We then went to Osage Village State Historic Site  It was the village of Osage Indians but it is just a walk and marked with markers to tell you what was there at one time. Though it would be a nice little hike it is only about .8 mile. It is a nice walk but was disappointed there wasn't more to see we didn't walk the whole thing because when we left home we weren't planning on doing any walking and I just had slip on shoes and the ground was saturated from the earlier rains. We will go back sometime and do the whole walk maybe but it isn't high on the list of things to do.

There are so many things to see and do in Missouri and Kansas that I think many weekend day trips are in the future.

Until Next time

God"s Light and Peace All The Time And My Poem

Another week is half over and things are going pretty good. We had a bit of a scare last week and my daughter had to have some tests done. With lots of prayer we got through it all.  God does answer prayer we got the report back and it was normal so I want to say thank you God. When we pray we sometimes forget the next step of thanking God for his answering our prayers. I share this because not only did God answer our prayer about the tests but God also gave me a peace that helped me and her get through the tests and waiting. Like it says in this verse
 John 14:27 KJV













The one thing we know that God is always in control and that we can trust Him no matter what. He holds our hand and guides us through if we turn to him.







Just like the lighthouse pictured here God is our light to guide us in good times and the storms of life. His light always shines bright and as long as we keep our eyes on the light we will not stray or get lost. I see the lighthouse and I remember that though storms in life come along God is with us lighting our way all we have to do is rely on Him. A verse I like says to not be afraid or discouraged in fact it is a command and one I think of when storms come my way.
Joshua 1:9  NIV "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”


Here is a poem I wrote awhile back I will share again with you. I hope it will lift you up

My Life’s Light

I will trust you where ever you lead me
I will trust you in both the calm and stormy seas
I will follow the path you set before me
I will lean on your love and hope you give me freely
For you are the light that guides my path along my way
You are my guide through each and every day
Like the captain on the sea I will look to the light
Always keeping that beam in my sight.
For you my Lord, are my light
On whom I will keep my sight

By Deb Forbes July 2009
copyright 2009

God is our Light and here is my verse to memorize this week

John 8:12 KJV  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."