ROLLER DERBY SKATER
 
     
 
   
 
 
  I believe in prayer. It's the best way to draw strength from heaven above.
 
 
 
ASAP- Always Say A Prayer

Something happens when we pray.
Powers of evil lose their way.
We gain strength, and fear gives way.
Therefore let us always Pray.

~Author Known to God

 
 
  Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its trouble, it only empties today
of its joy.
 
 
 
Choices

Choose to love...
rather than hate.
Choose to smile...
rather than frown.
Choose to build...
rather than destroy.
Choose to persevere...
rather than quit.
Choose to praise...
rather than gossip.
Choose to heal...
rather than wound.
Choose to give...
rather than grasp.
Choose to act...
rather than delay.
Choose to forgive...
rather than curse.
Choose to pray...
rather than despair.

Amen

~Author Known to God
 
 
 
Dear Lord...

In the midst of solitude,
I come to You in prayer
to express my GRATITUDE
for the blessings that You share.

You're ready with Forgiveness
You Love without reserve.
You richly bless my life
with more than I deserve.

You give me faithful GUIDANCE
through the journey of my day,
and cover me with GRACE
You so freely give away.

Please Lord fill my heart
with true HUMILITY,
as You help me live a life
of PEACE and charity.

Amen

 
 
 
The Knots Prayer

Dear God - Please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart and my life.

Remove the have nots, the can nots and the do nots that I have in my mind.

Erase the will nots, may nots and might nots that may find a home in my heart.

Release me from the could nots, would nots and should nots that obstruct my life.

And most of all, Dear God, I ask that You remove from my mind, my heart and my life all of the ‘am nots’ that I have allowed to hold me back especially the thought that I am not good enough. Amen

~Author Known to God

 
 
  Kindness is Hard to Give Away
Because it Keeps Coming Back
 
 
 
Live your life so that those who know you, but don't know God, will come to know God because they have known you.

~Author Known to God

 
 
  May you always know peace, love, light and laughter.
 
 
  God always gives His best to those who leave the
choice with Him.
 
 
 
A hug is a great gift...one size fits all.
It can be given for any occasion and it's easy to exchange.

 
 
 


Christ loves to show His hand through the unexpected. Often He keeps us from seeing His way until just before He opens it, and then immediately it is all unfolded, and we find that He was walking by our side in this very thing long before we even suspected its meaning.

~A. B. Simpson


 
 
 
The Rose

It's only a tiny rosebud -- a flower of God's design; But I can't unfold the petals with these clumsy hands of mine. The secret of unfolding flowers is not known to such as I -- The flower God opens so sweetly in my hands would fade and die. If I cannot unfold a rosebud this flower of God's design,

Then how can I think I have wisdom to unfold this life of mine? So I'll trust in Him for His leading each moment of every day, And I'll look to Him for His guidance each step of the pilgrim way. For the pathway that lies before me my Heavenly Father knows -- I'll trust Him to unfold the moments just as He unfolds the rose.

~Unknown Missionary

 
 
 
May You Find Him

May you find Him
to be:

the peace for every
struggle,
the supply for every
need,
the solution for every
problem,
the escape for every
temptation,
the release for every
burden,
the balm for every
pain,
the comfort for every
sorrow,
the victory for every
battle,
the wisdom for every
decision,
the strength for every
endeavor,
the hope for every
tomorrow,
the song for every
day.

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me. Philippians 4:13

~Roy Lessin, DaySpring co-founder and writer

 
 
 

"The Choice is Ours"
from A Gentle Thunder by Max Lucado

I will make you my promised bride forever. I will be good and fair; I will show you my love and mercy. Hosea 2:19

For all its peculiarities and unevenness, the Bible has a simple story. God made man. Man rejected God. God won't give up until he wins him back.

God will whisper. He will shout. He will touch and tug. He will take away our burdens; he'll even take away our blessings. If there are a thousand steps between us and him, he will take all but one. But he will leave the final one for us. The choice is ours.

Please understand. His goal is not to make you happy. His goal is to make you his. His goal is not to get you what you want; it is to get you what you need.

 
 
   
Words To Live By...
   
     

The Knots Prayer


In Between Living and Dying

Please Don't Let This Happen To You...

First I was dying to finish high school and start college;
And then I was dying to finish college and start working;
Then I was dying to get married and have children;
And then I was dying for my children to grow old enough
so I could go back to work.
But then I was dying to retire.
And now I am dying...
And suddenly I realized I forgot to live.

Please don't let this happen to you.
Appreciate your current situation and enjoy each day.

...an old friend                  


To make money we lose our health;
And then to restore our health we lose our money...
We live as if we are never going to die;
And we die as if we never lived...


How to Stay Young

To Live Life to its Fullest...

  • Throw Out Nonessential Numbers
    • This includes age, weight and height.
    • Let the doctors worry about them.
    • That is why you pay 'them'.
  • Keep Only Cheerful Friends
    • The grouches pull you down.
  • Keep Learning
    • Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.
    • Never let the brain idle.
    • 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'
  • Enjoy the Simple Things
  • Laugh
    • Often, long and loud.
    • Laugh until you gasp for breath.
  • The Tears Happen
    • Endure, grieve, and move on.
    • The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves.
    • Be ALIVE while you are alive.
  • Surround Yourself With What You Love
    • Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.
    • Your home is your refuge.
  • Cherish Your Health
    • If it is good, preserve it.
    • If it is unstable, improve it.
    • If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
  • Don't Take Guilt Trips
    • Take a trip to the mall;
    • Even to the next county;
    • Even to a foreign country.
    • But NOT to where the guilt is.
  • Tell the People You Love That You Love Them
    • Tell them at every opportunity.
  • And Always Remember
    • Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take;
    • But by the moments that take our breath away.

Worry about nothing, pray about everything!



ROOTS

Don't Give Up...

One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.

I gave them light.
I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.

Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo."
He said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
But I would not quit."

"In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".
"I would not quit on the bamboo.
I will never quit on you."

"Don’t compare yourself to others." He Said.
"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me.
"You will rise high."
"How high should I rise?"
I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you. Never, Never, Never Give up.

For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.
Don’t tell the Lord how big the problem is, tell the problem how Great the Lord is!


Clay Balls

A man was exploring caves by the Seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock . Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.

Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.

We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have. Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!

Life is too short and friends are too few!

Pass this on to another Clay Ball!!!

'Do not ask the Lord to Guide your Footsteps if you are not willing to MOVE your Feet'


God's Got An 800 Number

Oh, if there were only someone I could talk to right now. Frantically I go through my phone book and find the number and dial. Instead of a person, I get, We're not here right now, please leave your name and number at the tone and we'll get back to you as soon as possible . . . beep . . .

Phone machines are a blessing and a curse. Sure, it's great to be able to leave someone a message when they're not home, but it sure would be nice to get in touch when you need to. Don't get me wrong, as a person who receives my share of phone calls, I know that it's nice to not always have to answer the phone. But, with that machine, you're still obligated to call them back. I once knew someone who didn't have a phone machine just so they wouldn't have to call people back.

The Psalmist writes, (Psalm 116:1) I loveth the LORD, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications.

Does God have an answer machine? I don't think so. He's always home, and He never gets burned out on too many phone calls. In fact, He enjoys receiving our calls. You don't have to worry about busy signals either when you call Him. He's never too busy for you. And when you call, you can be sure He'll answer because He's always home. It may not be exactly how you expect Him to, but He'll answer. Billy Graham once said, Heaven is full of answers to prayers for which no one even bothered to ask. Phone home precious one.


Forgiving Yourself

You've blown it. You have really messed up this time. You know that God heard your prayer asking forgiveness, and you really meant every word. But you still feel guilt and condemnation. We make life hard by blaming ourselves for things we did in the past. But God says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Gal. 5:1). What does that freedom really mean? It means that you are not saved from the pit of hell to be imprisoned in self-punishment. God has set you free. You are no longer a slave to self-condemnation and self-hatred. The Bible says, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1)."

You have agreed with God that what you did was sin. You believe that Jesus died for you on the cross and that His blood sacrifice forgives all your sins. You know from the Bible that God has forgotten that sin. He has removed it from you as far as the east is from the west. But you still feel horrible! How do you get past that feeling? Forgiveness is not a feeling. You must choose to deny Satan the accuser and his plans to make you feel guilty and dirty because of sins in the past. When Satan tries to remind you of your past, do these things:

- Meditate on the truth of who God is and who you are in Him.

- Take into your heart and spirit scriptures about God's forgiveness, mercy, grace, and love. Psalm 103 is a good place to start.

- Take an objective view of your past to learn from your failure. What did you learn about yourself and God through this experience?

- Allow God to expose the wound for His healing touch, and refuse the attempts of the accuser and destroyer to harass you anymore, because the King of glory stands as your Defender and Advocate.

The Spirit of truth and grace says that you are free. Start living like it. If you are still living in bondage to self-condemnation, you are like a dog whose leash has been removed, but he stays in the yard because he thinks he is still tied up. Jesus Christ got rid of that "leash" forever at Calvary. There is nothing you can do that would make God love you less or not forgive you. You are forgiven. It is settled in heaven. Let the Spirit of the Lord witness to that in your inner being. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Pray this prayer of commitment and begin enjoying the blessings of forgiveness and freedom.

Heavenly Father, thank You that you have never rejected me, and You never will. You have received me unconditionally. I am accepted in Jesus. My acceptance does not depend on anything but Jesus, His love, mercy, grace, sacrifice, and righteousness. I am not ashamed before You.

I repent of my sins in Jesus' name. Thank You that I am completely forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. I will not allow the enemy to harass me about the past. I choose to forgive myself and receive the full freedom of Your forgiveness.

Thank You that my body can function in Your peace, healed and whole. My mind is at rest, and I choose to let Jesus cover past failures and struggles and enjoy Your love, Your thoughts, and Your ways. What amazing grace that You remember my sins and iniquities no more! Jesus took them on Himself.

Because of Jesus' forgiveness, I can forgive others in His name. I choose to forgive all those who have hurt me, harmed me, or spoken against me. I free them in my thoughts and no longer hold their sins against them. Bless them in Your mercy. I do this by Your indwelling power. Thank You that I am a brand new creation. All the old has passed away, and I stand clean in Your sight. I can settle this today with You. I choose to receive Your healing grace by the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit within me.

Thank You that You control me, not my emotions or what others say. I receive all Your blessings for my life and give You all praise, honor, and glory. Amen.

From Prayer Portions, page 95-96. © 1991, 1992, 1995 Sylvia Gunter.
Available at www.thefathersbusiness.com


Paradoxes of Prayer

Let me share with you some of the paradoxes we all are learning about prayer.

Prayer is easy, even a child can do it.
And it's hard. It requires positive commitment to pray and not to do other things.

Prayer is simple, as simple as obedience to the next thing the Father says.
It is complex, the inexplicable invasion of the invisible.

Prayer is dramatic enough that the answer makes headlines in the newspaper.
It is also without fanfare, as a matter of course, about the mundane, like lost keys.

Prayer works.
Sometimes it appears not to work, but always God is at work.

Prayer will be misunderstood and even resisted. (The seven last words of the church are "We've never done it that way before.")
It will at times be grabbed like a life preserver thrown to a drowning man.

Prayer is rejoicing and hilarious at times.
Sometimes it is with tears, weeping with the Father's heart over a city or the church or your prodigal.

Prayer is war, and the language of the war room is appropriate: strategies, targets, "Prayer Force" saturation intercession.
It is intimacy, our hope for peace and rest.

Prayer will be opposed by the enemy.
Yet it will hit the bulls-eye with the accuracy of a sharp-shooter.

Prayer is infinitely powerful and a priceless privilege.
It is abjectly humble and an absolute necessity.

Just do it!
Your Father is pleased to hear His Son and His Spirit praying through you.

From Prayer Portions, page 15. © 1991, 1992, 1995 Sylvia Gunter
Available at www.thefathersbusiness.com.

 
   
   
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