SNOW!

The weatherman says we will wake up to our first snow this winter in southern Indiana tomorrow morning. Here are pics from snows in past years.

The clouds are hanging low and gray
Yes, I think it will snow today.
The smell of snow is in the air
Is that a snowflake in your hair?

Kaedyn's first snow 2011

Pay No Attention to Their Insults

Listen now, you who know right from wrong,
you who hold my teaching inside you:
Pay no attention to insults, and when mocked
don't let it get you down.
Isaiah 51:7-8 Message

When I was subbing in fourth grade a while back I took the students to the public school library and one little boy decided to check out the Bible that week. Back in the classroom, some of the boys gave him a hard time about it.

"I can't believe you checked THAT out! Why are you reading THAT?" they asked.

The nine year old didn't let it bother him. As he was reading  - I overheard him explaining to his friends, "See those words in red? That's because Jesus is Lord!"

Thank you, Father God, that out of the mouths of babies and children you have prepared praise for yourself!
Matthew 21:16

ASK

"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!"
John 16:23-24 Message

HAVE YOU ASKED? A missionary was witnessing to a man who was in a desperate situation. Fabian tried to tell him about his own faith in Jesus Christ, but the man said he didn't believe in Jesus. Finally Fabian asked him, "Have you ever just asked Jesus to reveal Himself to you?"
The man got down on his knees and began his prayer with, "Oh Lord". Then he began to cry out Jesus, Jesus. He was born again and is now a disciple.

You can hear Fabian's very encouraging message on VIMEO He begins speaking at 3.40 and speaks for 14 minutes. Awesome to hear what God is doing in a war torn country.
 https://vimeo.com/196636079

Victory in Christ

Sometimes I sit and dwell on mistakes I made in years past, but  I was encouraged by my devotional reading this morning from Corrie ten Boom:

"Lord, it is sometimes hard for us to see our victories, but we know that they are there. Thank You that Your Word tells us so clearly that together with You, we stand on victory ground."

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
2 Cor. 4:7

A picture came to mind of Daddy lining his walkway with luminaries on Christmas Eve. They shone so brightly in the dark, even though they were just brown lunch bags. Until he lit the candles, they had no beauty of their own.

Photo Credit

What Lies Ahead in 2017?

Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand, 

but I know Who holds tomorrow and I know Who holds my hand.

Ira Stanfill

Have a blessed New Year!