God Is God...

In Memory of Maria Sue Chapman, 2003-2008,
daughter of Steven Curtis & Mary Beth Chapman

We know not why, but we know that God is still God.

"The eternal God is your refuge, & underneath are the everlasting arms...." ~Deut. 33:27

"Forsake me not, for without thee I am weak, but with thee I am strong. Forsake me not, for my path is dangerous, and full of snares, and I cannot do without thy guidance. The hen forsakes not her brood, do thou then evermore cover me with thy feathers, and permit me under thy wings to find my refuge. 'Be not far from me, O Lord, for trouble is near, for there is none to help.' 'Leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation!'" ~Charles Spurgeon

The Word of the Lord Stands Forever

"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, 'All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.'...." (1 Peter 1:23-25)

In Honor of Mama...

Today is Mother's Day & my dear mama's been in heaven since 1986, but I will never forget all that she taught me. Both through word & deed she showed me to keep my eye on eternity...truly there is no measure for how priceless is the gift of Christian motherhood!

Mama understood that it was *not* This Old House that mattered most! PTL! :)

(This Old House, sung by The Cathedrals. What a FUN toe-tapping, hand-clapping song.)

(Mama Prayed by Randy Travis.) For Mamas & their prayers...all answered in God's own way & God's own time...some with a "yes" and some with reasons unknown to us, yet always known to Him:

"I remember my mother's prayers, and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." ~Abraham Lincoln

To moms be due honor this day, but to CHRIST be the glory for ever & ever!

Trials and the Persecuted Church

"...if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." ~ 1 Corinthians 12:26

Whenever I hear this song, You Never Let Go, by Matt Redman (set to video below), I think of my Christian brothers and sisters around the world, whom so willingly & bravely suffer intense physical persecution, oftentimes laying down their very lives for the sake of the name of Christ. Oh how slight my own trials of faith are in comparison!

"For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,...." (Romans 1:9)

One of the best ways to help is to remember to keep the persecuted church (http://www.persecution.com/) & members daily in our prayers. Intercessory prayer is a wonderful contribution to the kingdom of Christ, and although we won't know until Heaven one day, the entire worth of it for our brothers and sisters in Christ...we can rest assured that it is more greatly needed & used than we can ever begin to imagine!

By contrast, if your own trials of faith feel overwhelming, whether within your family, your workplace, your neighborhood...know dear brothers and sisters, that there is glory in suffering for Him. "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18) I pray that when you feel discouraged, you find great courage and inspiration from our fellow Christians around the world who are so severely persecuted for their beliefs. For me, they put my own life of faith in perspective, reminding me to always look vertical, to *Christ*, whom out of His deep and abiding love for us, suffered most of all. Know we are just passing through...this is not our real home. We are to "...count it all joy when [we] fall into various trials,...". (James 1:2) As we "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), isn't it a blessing to know that we can take comfort, knowing that one day "...God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:4)

Praise the Lord...He Never Lets Go!