Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Do You Love God With All You Have?
“Love
God, your God, with your whole heart: love him
with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!” Deuteronomy 6:5 (The
Message)
In February we tend to focus on ways to
express love to our sweethearts, family and friends as the valentine cards,
candy, and gifts start to flow. Almost
44 years ago my husband and I were married on Valentine’s Day. I thought it was so romantic and would help
my husband to always remember our anniversary!
I would be upset if he didn’t express his love on that special day, but
it is also important that we show our love to each other on a daily basis.
This year as I read this passage about
loving God, I began to wonder what our expression of love to our Abba Father
might look like. How do I show Him that I love Him every day? What can we give Him as an expression of our
love? Here are some ideas:
·
Get to know Him as we pray and read His Word
·
Verbal expressions of Thanksgiving and Praise
·
Service to Him as we minister to others in His
name
·
Striving for holiness as He is Holy
·
Share His Love with others
·
Obedience to his direction
·
Worship Him corporately and individually
·
Spend time with Him daily
·
If you haven’t done so yet – give Him your heart
Let’s ask him to show us new ways to express our love to
Him this year and then act on it. Add to
this list and commit to loving Him with all that’s in you. After you make your list post it close to
your quiet place where you meet with Him as a reminder ways to express your
love to Him daily. He is worthy of our love and praise. What better way has He shown us His amazing
love than when He took our place upon the tree? Love Him with your whole heart.
Sandra
Day Retreat
Day Retreat! February 8,2014
At the On Wings Office – 10:00am to 3:00 we are having a Day Retreat with Chris Pritchard speaking on the Re-Entry Process. You may register by emailing Sandra@onwingslikeadove.com or
calling 336-972-4213. If you will be faced with this issue soon it will certainly help you. If you just want to gain the education to help others in their process, you are welcome. Lunch will be provided.
calling 336-972-4213. If you will be faced with this issue soon it will certainly help you. If you just want to gain the education to help others in their process, you are welcome. Lunch will be provided.
Friday, November 29, 2013
My Son's visit at the Youth Detention Center
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth.” 3 John 1:4
Last month, several volunteers from OWLAD were privileged to go to our local youth detention center. We had been the month before and because another group could not go in October, we were offered the chance again.
Since I don’t believe in coincidences, I know God orchestrated this time of sharing with these youth. The reason I say this is that our son, Rob, agreed to go and share with the residents. They ranged in age from 12 to 16 years old. So sad to see them making destructive life changing choices at such an early age. Some were in for murder. Oh how early the enemy grabs the young, once innocent, souls.
We shared from Luke 15 about the prodigal son and how he left home and ended up in the pig pen before heading back home. Rob shared his journey as a prodigal. He urged them not to travel down the same path he did. He shared about having to go to prison and that it is definitely not a party or a party time. He is often able to discern from their attitude and stance whether they are going to make positive changes or be right back on the street. This time he noticed a young man who was very attentive and asking questions. He spent some time talking with him alone, encouraging him to return to his studies and his involvement with football. He also encouraged him to avoid activities with old friends. This young man seemed to engage with what was shared and showed promise of turning his life around.
Next, one of our mothers shared from her heart about both her daughters who had served time. She continues to pray for one daughter who has not come home. Afterwards, we were able to sit down and share with the youth one on one.
After talking more with Rob, two of the guys wanted to pray to re-ceive Christ and others rededicated their life in answer to our prayers. We were so grateful for the chance to share God’s love with those young people. We pray it will make an impact and that they will begin to make wiser choices. Hopefully, they will think about what they heard and it will be a deterrent in the future.
We literally had to drag Rob out as he continued to warn the kids and encourage them to change their direction before it led to prison. Maybe he is beginning to realize God’s call on his life. He displayed a tender caring heart and the kids seemed to respond well to his sharing.
You have that same opportunity to share with those who you live with day in and day out. Your life can speak volumes as you live Christ in front of them. Share your testimony as the opportunity arises or you can share God’s Word, or
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth.” 3 John 1:4
Last month, several volunteers from OWLAD were privileged to go to our local youth detention center. We had been the month before and because another group could not go in October, we were offered the chance again.
Since I don’t believe in coincidences, I know God orchestrated this time of sharing with these youth. The reason I say this is that our son, Rob, agreed to go and share with the residents. They ranged in age from 12 to 16 years old. So sad to see them making destructive life changing choices at such an early age. Some were in for murder. Oh how early the enemy grabs the young, once innocent, souls.
We shared from Luke 15 about the prodigal son and how he left home and ended up in the pig pen before heading back home. Rob shared his journey as a prodigal. He urged them not to travel down the same path he did. He shared about having to go to prison and that it is definitely not a party or a party time. He is often able to discern from their attitude and stance whether they are going to make positive changes or be right back on the street. This time he noticed a young man who was very attentive and asking questions. He spent some time talking with him alone, encouraging him to return to his studies and his involvement with football. He also encouraged him to avoid activities with old friends. This young man seemed to engage with what was shared and showed promise of turning his life around.
Next, one of our mothers shared from her heart about both her daughters who had served time. She continues to pray for one daughter who has not come home. Afterwards, we were able to sit down and share with the youth one on one.
After talking more with Rob, two of the guys wanted to pray to re-ceive Christ and others rededicated their life in answer to our prayers. We were so grateful for the chance to share God’s love with those young people. We pray it will make an impact and that they will begin to make wiser choices. Hopefully, they will think about what they heard and it will be a deterrent in the future.
We literally had to drag Rob out as he continued to warn the kids and encourage them to change their direction before it led to prison. Maybe he is beginning to realize God’s call on his life. He displayed a tender caring heart and the kids seemed to respond well to his sharing.
You have that same opportunity to share with those who you live with day in and day out. Your life can speak volumes as you live Christ in front of them. Share your testimony as the opportunity arises or you can share God’s Word, or
Face To Face with the Enemy
Face to Face with the Enemy
Seven years ago God called me into ministry to prodigals and their families with the passage in Isaiah 42: 6-7, “I, the LORD have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gen-tiles [Prodigals], to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.”
Because God is setting prison-ers (captives) free our minis-try has faced opposition from the enemy in his attempts to either bring us down or to bring confusion. We pray of-ten for God’s wisdom and dis-cernment as God directs our steps. We have sixty some prayer partners that have covenanted to hold us up with warfare prayers. We covet your prayers also as we also intercede for you and your family. Many of you have said you pray for us and we thank you.
I am such a visual learner so recently as my husband and I turned off the major highway and rounded the curve we came face to face with a coy-ote (wolf), to me they are the same. He was huge and stood in the median staring our way. It was unnerving! I thought, oh man, this is very signifi-cant.
Don’t we wish we could ‘see’ our enemy all the time from a protected viewpoint, like an armored car? Well we can’t always see the enemy so we have to stay in the Word and not be ignorant of the tactics of the enemy. We need to be prepared to face our enemy. We will share more about that in the Application.
The next morning I opened the Word straight to Mat-thew 10:16, “Lo, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent--harmless and without falsity--as doves.” A wolf here was used to describe false proph-ets who persecute the true sheep and seek to destroy the church or a ministry.
If we are a child of God we are His sheep and He, as our Shepherd, protects us. The Shepherd tends, keeps, guards, and guides us as our Good Shepherd. I know this visual He gave me was meant to make me more aware that the enemy is prowling around seeking who he may devour, but He also provided His pro-tection in the safety of my car.
Just like my surprise at com-ing face to face with the coy-ote we can all come around the bend and find ourselves face to face with the enemy. That is why preparation and intercession keeps us ready for the daily battles that come our way. Are you pre-paring?
Application:
1. Are you daily applying the armor as described in Ephesians 6? The ene-mies fiery darts come before you step your foot on the floor, so apply it before you get out of bed.
2. Are you starting your day in His Word? He will lead you to a passage that pre-pares you for what you may face that day. Don’t neglect meeting with Him.
3. Are you letting the enemy come in and bring you discouragement or are you speaking a word of rebuke in Jesus name?
4. Are you falling to tempta-tions that come your way? Hide His Word in your heart and speak it when temptations come. Sin in your life needs to go. You cannot do battle with the enemy when you are half-way in his camp. Your life must be striving towards holiness.
Seven years ago God called me into ministry to prodigals and their families with the passage in Isaiah 42: 6-7, “I, the LORD have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gen-tiles [Prodigals], to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.”
Because God is setting prison-ers (captives) free our minis-try has faced opposition from the enemy in his attempts to either bring us down or to bring confusion. We pray of-ten for God’s wisdom and dis-cernment as God directs our steps. We have sixty some prayer partners that have covenanted to hold us up with warfare prayers. We covet your prayers also as we also intercede for you and your family. Many of you have said you pray for us and we thank you.
I am such a visual learner so recently as my husband and I turned off the major highway and rounded the curve we came face to face with a coy-ote (wolf), to me they are the same. He was huge and stood in the median staring our way. It was unnerving! I thought, oh man, this is very signifi-cant.
Don’t we wish we could ‘see’ our enemy all the time from a protected viewpoint, like an armored car? Well we can’t always see the enemy so we have to stay in the Word and not be ignorant of the tactics of the enemy. We need to be prepared to face our enemy. We will share more about that in the Application.
The next morning I opened the Word straight to Mat-thew 10:16, “Lo, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent--harmless and without falsity--as doves.” A wolf here was used to describe false proph-ets who persecute the true sheep and seek to destroy the church or a ministry.
If we are a child of God we are His sheep and He, as our Shepherd, protects us. The Shepherd tends, keeps, guards, and guides us as our Good Shepherd. I know this visual He gave me was meant to make me more aware that the enemy is prowling around seeking who he may devour, but He also provided His pro-tection in the safety of my car.
Just like my surprise at com-ing face to face with the coy-ote we can all come around the bend and find ourselves face to face with the enemy. That is why preparation and intercession keeps us ready for the daily battles that come our way. Are you pre-paring?
Application:
1. Are you daily applying the armor as described in Ephesians 6? The ene-mies fiery darts come before you step your foot on the floor, so apply it before you get out of bed.
2. Are you starting your day in His Word? He will lead you to a passage that pre-pares you for what you may face that day. Don’t neglect meeting with Him.
3. Are you letting the enemy come in and bring you discouragement or are you speaking a word of rebuke in Jesus name?
4. Are you falling to tempta-tions that come your way? Hide His Word in your heart and speak it when temptations come. Sin in your life needs to go. You cannot do battle with the enemy when you are half-way in his camp. Your life must be striving towards holiness.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Dear Child, let Me lead
Several years ago a dear friend gave me a plague with the following statement: "Dear Child It's Not Following Unless You Let Me Go First". After we moved into our new office the plague sat on the floor for a while. Today I put it on the wall and have reflected on it all day.
Isn't it a true statement. Often we want to be in the lead. That reminds me of another picture I saw at a conference one day with a couple waltzing together. It so reminded me of our relationship with Christ. We are either letting Him lead us or we are walking all over His feet and plans for our life and not following His lead in this dance we call life.
Lord forgive me when I try to lead. I want to surrender to Your plan and purpose for me, so I rest in Your arms and look forward to our dance together. I want to stay in perfect step, letting you go first.
Isn't it a true statement. Often we want to be in the lead. That reminds me of another picture I saw at a conference one day with a couple waltzing together. It so reminded me of our relationship with Christ. We are either letting Him lead us or we are walking all over His feet and plans for our life and not following His lead in this dance we call life.
Lord forgive me when I try to lead. I want to surrender to Your plan and purpose for me, so I rest in Your arms and look forward to our dance together. I want to stay in perfect step, letting you go first.
Praising the Lord
I recently had an hour long conversation with our son and was rejoicing when it ended. He was sharing how he had witnessed to a friend the day before. The friend was using some language that was offensive to him and he asked him to stop saying it when he was talking to him. Now that is truly amazing.
What a witness that will be to his friend and what a wonderful bold step for our son. He is ministering to others that are having anger and relationship problems. He can certainly do that because he has been there himself in the past.
Who better to share with us than someone who has been there, right? It reminds me of the passage in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
I am thrilled to see our son reaching out to someone whether a believer or not and making a stand. I love it when I am in a group and someone hesitates to share a joke or say words that are not pleasing to my Father, aren't you. I always tell them thank you.
Lets all look for those Divine Appointments we have and be bold enough to speak out. It's in those moments that we do that I think the Lord and His angels are rejoicing in heaven.
What a witness that will be to his friend and what a wonderful bold step for our son. He is ministering to others that are having anger and relationship problems. He can certainly do that because he has been there himself in the past.
Who better to share with us than someone who has been there, right? It reminds me of the passage in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
I am thrilled to see our son reaching out to someone whether a believer or not and making a stand. I love it when I am in a group and someone hesitates to share a joke or say words that are not pleasing to my Father, aren't you. I always tell them thank you.
Lets all look for those Divine Appointments we have and be bold enough to speak out. It's in those moments that we do that I think the Lord and His angels are rejoicing in heaven.
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