Grace Point! May 2015

Volume 1 ~Issue 5

May 2015 eMagazine of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM

~Featuring~

Ophelia Hart co-founder of

Open Door Soup Kitchen and Ministries photo courtesy of Hans Pama via Flickr | License/cropped

Table of Contents 3~Notes from Rebecca 4~About Us 5~Restoration & Renewal 6-7~Parton’s Petals by Keitha Parton 8~Young Christian Mom by Rachel Dills 9~Prayer Works 10-13 Handmade in Israel 14-15~Women of Valor: Interview with Ophelia Hart 16~Spotlight on: Angela Carpenter, Blogger 17~Spotlight on: Eric Charles Woodard, Author 18~Special Guest Article by Grace Gayle 19~The Bright Side by Olivia Carpenter 20-21~Women in Scripture: Ruth 22-23~Highways & Hedges 24-25~An Ordinary Aussie Mom by Melanie Baker-Nash 26-27~In the Garden 28~Of Parchment & Passage 29~The Prayer of David 30-31~It is Written 32-33~Cleaning Out the Closet 34-35~Come to the Water 36~Observations: Worth a Thousand Words 37~Poetry of Peace & Praise by Jaime Dills 38-39~Sons & Maidens Back Cover~StillWorks Imagery

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Hello to all readers!

First, I want to thank you for clicking on the link that brought you to this magazine.

Notes from

Rebecca

New this issue: The magazine is expanding!!! There are a lot of new features this month!! New page titles to look for are: PrayerWorks, The Bright Side by Olivia Carpenter, a teen writing what God gives her, about being a Christian teen! Also, look for Come to the Water, a series about wells and water in Scripture. And, look for Observations~Worth a Thousand Words, where I ask questions based on what the picture is ‘saying.’

Also new this month, in a new quarterly feature called Special Guest Article, we have international author Grace Gayle from Canada. She will be contributing an article every three months, based on her book, From Victim to Victor, her story of overcoming depression.

The purpose of this magazine is for help, hope and encouragement toward our fellow man. It is about promoting Godly endeavors and Godly results. It is not about judgment, or whether our beliefs are the same or not. The adversary is about division and subtraction; God is about multiplication and addition. We are our brother’s keeper!

Our prayer is that there will be a blessing for each reader among these pages. God bless each and every one! Shalom.

Sincerely, Rebecca Matthews Founder, administrator, and ordained minister at Philippi Prospect Ministries Editor in chief of Grace Point! eMagazine Photographer and curator at StillWorks Imagery

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The night after spending the night with Hope, and sleeping in Faith’s bed, we slept in the public park. It was January 1, 2011. It was a cold, rainy and miserable night. There was only one structure in the park that had any shelter aspects to it. It was a gazebo with a hole in the roof, but it kept us dry, for the most part. In the center was a metal picnic table, which we turned on its side to form a barricade from the splash of the rain dripping through, and also from the traffic from the road just about one hundred feet away. James hardly slept at all, sitting up against one of the decorative lattice panels that ran the perimeter of the structure. There was a street light just a few yards away so, even though there was a heavy fog hanging in the air, there was great potential that we could be seen. Since I had nothing to cover my head to keep the heat in, James gave me his ball cap, and he pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head to keep warm. We crouched low behind the picnic table, and settled in for the long night ahead.

Earlier in the evening, God had spoken to us, letting us know that we needed to go to Knightsville the next morning, to a church to deliver a prophecy. What happened later in the night and the next morning was the enemy’s attempt to keep us from getting there. Sometime in the early hours of the morning, I saw a tall, hunched-backed silhouette dash from behind one tree to another, about 100 feet from us toward the parking area. The words that came to me were, “Tell James to pray for peace.” He was reading his bible, as he had been the whole night up to that point. As I digested the request made of me, knowing that I couldn’t just blurt out the words, a car came down the road and stopped in a parking area a few hundred feet to our left. It was a deputy sheriff, and was obviously parking there to sleep the remainder of his shift. We tried to make ourselves invisible behind the picnic table. In that town, the homeless shelter had been closed for remodeling, so anyone homeless was arrested. The men were taken into the next county to a shelter, while the women were kept there at an undisclosed location. So, for us, to be caught there would have been detrimental to the plan God had already revealed to us.

Around 7am, on January 2, we walked out of the park, and up the sidewalk toward the McDonald’s about four blocks away. The cop that had parked so close to us had already left, even though we didn’t see, nor hear, him. The walk was memorable, to say the least. And, because the attempt to stop us in the park failed, the enemy was waiting to ambush us as we made our way. At about the halfway point, as we crossed a side street, we saw a police car at the next intersection parked diagonally in the road with the blue light flashing. The officer was standing with his driver’s door open, talking into his radio microphone. At the next street crossing, we saw another police car coming toward us, and he whipped his car in front of us, got out and proceeded to question us. Just as he finished with his questions, another officer pulled up in, and the two of them exchanged ’looks’ that let the second one know that we were not a threat. We continued, and just a little farther were more two police cars parked driver to driver, talking. They eyed us suspiciously as we passed.

It was clear that the whole police department was after someone who must have been hiding in the area. Then, as we went in the door of McDonald’s, two more officers came in the door behind us. He said there was no way we could get to the church with all the cops outside. So, he bowed his head and prayed. He said to God that if He wanted us to get to Knightsville, then He would have to furnish us a ride. He finished the prayer and looked up, and on the other side of the restaurant walked Odis, the brother of the pastor of the church where we needed to go. When we got to the church, the only other persons there was Roscoe and his wife. It was Roscoe that the Lord had sent us to speak to. We told him what had been given to us, and Odis confirmed the prophecy that we had come to give had been put in motion some twelve years earlier, and only five people knew of it.

When asked how we knew, we told him them that the Lord had given me a dream a month before, and by it we knew we were supposed to tell Roscoe that it was time for his church to move ‘from the back street to the front street.’

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We have many stories, praises, testimonies, life-lessons, and unique happenings to write about each month.

We look forward to sharing them with you.

A Journey to

tacle ees s b o s An n o s r a pe e their t a h is w y tak e h t when eyes al. o g e off th ~ E. Joseph Cossman Oftentimes, it is we ourselves who stifle our own progress. We get caught up in the busy-ness of life, and the goals God has for us seem far away and unreachable. We justify it easily with children, spouses, work, and other goings-on. And while it is true that it is not always about the destination but the journey, being stuck in a rut is not moving forward. So, let’s take inventory of our lives~clean out our spiritual closets~and get rid of what is holding us back.

The flip-side of having an obstacle hindering our walk is when God is teaching us patience.

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you must have patience to do the will of God and receive the promise. Hebrews 10:35-36

The only time we are to ‘be still’ is when God is being exalted, lifted up and worshiped. He is, and becomes, our focus, our goal, and our destination.

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 Quote Credit

a publication of Ruth Ministries-The Virtuous Woman,TM a woman's restoration ministry/a segment of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM

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petals of wisdom, hope, inspiration, and truth by Keitha

Self-Esteem and God

Parton

In sociology and psychology, self-esteem mirrors a person's general emotional assessment of his or her own value. It is a judgment of oneself, as well as an inward look toward the self.

I will be the first to admit that I struggle with my self-esteem. I was raised in a home where my dad was an alcoholic, and when he was completely intoxicated he was the nicest person you could ever be around. However, on the days that he wasn’t drinking, he was extremely verbally abusive. He would say really mean and hurtful things to my mom, my sister and I, that would cut to the bone.

After living with years of abuse, it starts to grow inside a person’s heart, soul and mind.

Then, eventually, the negativity takes over, and becomes a part of who a person feels they are.

When I was fifteen years old I gave my life to Christ, and felt a love and acceptance from Him that was like no other….but after a while I strayed. I started searching for the physical and emotional affection that I wasn’t receiving at home, and found myself in several abusive relationships. I was so needy for approval and affection, that I was willing to accept this as normal just as long as the boys/men acted like they loved me. It wasn’t until after I was left pregnant with twins to raise on my own by one of these want-to-be-Romeo’s, that I started to explore self-love, appreciation, and acceptance.

Now that I am older, I wish I could tell you that I have been able to move past the abuse of my childhood, and love who I am completely. But, that would be a lie. What I have been able to do as an adult, with God’s help, is to realize that the abuse I endured as a child did have a profound effect on my self-esteem. I also realize that it is up to me to rebuke the negativity from my youth that Satan uses against me, and continue to move forward.

Sometimes it is hard, especially if when I am struggling. So, I turn to Scripture and see in black and white what the Lord, my God, wants to say to me.

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photo courtesy of Kevin Dooley via Flickr / License

4:7 n y mo olo air, m t S f f g o rt all no spo n o a S ou ere is h T “ h e; t .” v o l hee t n i

Psalm 139:14-16 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

When I read these scriptures my heart soars! How can I hate what God created? How can I hold back on the plan that my Master has for me? How can I let Satan defeat me? When I doubt, when I feel like I am nothing, when I feel all is lost, I must look back and remember that God Made Me!!! He Makes No Mistakes!!! I Do Have A Purpose!!! Through Him My Wounds Are Healed!!! learn more about Keitha at Tuckasegee Country Living and Keitha Parton-Official Mary Kay Consultant

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Young Christian Mom

by Rachel Dills

So here I was working two jobs but still had no money. Every day was a struggle to get up and work nonstop to barely be able to pay bills. CDV finally got a job at some sort of calling company. So we needed a babysitter. We brought in CDV’s brother to watch my son. That didn’t last long. I had to walk back from work and one day when walking up to the house I could see my son standing in the window crying. I went inside to find the babysitter sleeping. My son had been crying for so long his eyes were swollen, he was wearing the same diaper I left him in that morning, and he had barely eaten. Needless to say I immediately quit my job and the brother was kicked out. I was not going to risk my son’s well-being.

But then that created even more problems. Since I was bringing in any money, I couldn’t control any of it, so none of it was going to bills. Rent wasn’t getting paid, electric was about to be turned off, and there wasn’t much food in the house. We were being threatened to be evicted. I didn’t have much choice but to deal with it and do the best I could to talk him into paying bills.

It was also really hard because I didn’t have a car and he did. He would stay gone all the time claiming he was working, but he really wasn’t. We were constantly fighting about money and paying bills.

Things were just getting worse and worse. I would pray harder and harder but nothing was changing. I had finally had enough. I was done living the way I was and subjecting my son to things a toddler shouldn’t be subjected through. The relationship was over, but the problem was I was stuck. My family couldn’t come get me. So I still had to stay with him.

A couple of weeks after ending it, I met Corey. He was amazing, nice, and compassionate. He called me beautiful and showed me true kindness; something I had been craving for so long. After leaving each other, we texted throughout the night. But then at about 5:00 that morning I got arrested.

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photo: Woody Hibbard via Flickr / License/cropped

Father, I pray that this new season brings about hope for the future, lives changed, and prayers answered.

I pray that it would bring about an outpouring of Your spirit, and peace in abundance to those who seek You. In the name of Yeshua.

PrayerWorks TM a publication of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM

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See more from this artist at

cafetorah

I am a Painter, Designer, Photographer and Products Developer in Jerusalem, Israel.

photos used by permission

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See more from this artist at ArgamanOsnatt

Colorful designed jewelry . Earrings , Rings Necklaces, and more - Handcrafted from porcelain, glaze, gems and gold, in a soft and romantic appearance - Vintage Style and Victorian Style. You'll also find here jewelry in young and modern style.

And, I will be happy to create a piece of jewelry especially for you by your own design I create each a piece of jewelry handcrafted with high quality materials. Hadera, Israel

photos used by permission

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See more from this artist at

Michal Kirat

I am very glad to share with you some of my favorite creations. I hope that my designs will remind you of the Sun, Spring and the Ocean.

I set my jewellery with authentic shards of the Roman glass, which was made by special recipes about 2000 years ago. It was used for creating cosmetic bottles, vases and other objects of beauty.

Roman glass jewellery making requires treating individually each and every shard of glass, cleaning, selecting the pieces that could be made into design, cutting every glass into the shape desired for jewellery.

I hope that you will share my excitement with this gift on Nature and will enjoy the jewellery very much.

Tiberias, Israel

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photos used by permission

see more from this artist at

SmadarEdri

Born in Israel, I designed my very 1st piece when I was an Art & Design high school student. Back then I already knew that this is what I want to do. The satisfaction I get from my work only intensifies upon seeing the excitement of a happy customer.

Personalized orders & bridal orders are my favorite, so please feel free to message me.

All jewelry in my shop are made to order, please allow 13 business days to make. Feel free to ask for any color combination you wish, just email me the colors you like.

Givat Ela, Israel

photos used by permission

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sure of a e l p e h I had t this g n i t e e in m woman e m o s e , aw of 2012 r e b m e al Dec a mutu h g u o thr ance. acquaint , a warm s a h She heart c i t e h t a symp ho are w e s o h for t , once d n a y hungr es her t s a t e anyon hey oods, t g d e k ba for life! d e k o o h are

PPM: How did the concept of a soup kitchen come to you?

In the winter of 1996, I saw in the news a number of situations that started me thinking about the possibility of needs in our County (Haywood). I was really not out in the community much due to working long hours in our bakery, which, by the way, gave us plenty to eat and, for me, most of the time more than I needed!! I realized we were so well blessed. So many friends had helped us along the way, and I needed to “give back” in some way.

These thoughts kept persisting, through my morning devotions, through sermons, through Bishop Tullis’ Sunday School lessons and, I feel, thru God’s leading. I would think about it real strongly for a while, then get extra busy and let it drop til Sunday morning, and then be reminded at least twice through the services! Finally, one Sunday the sermon was written just for me. I told Rob (Fuquay) on the way out that I had to talk with him. He came on Wednesday and we had a long conversation. He really did not know much about the needs in the county as he had only been there a short time.

I need to say here that I was thinking VERY small!!!! I had in mind perhaps making pots of soup and maybe distributing it thru Haywood Christian Ministries or some other means. At that point Rob didn’t know how to get it to the people who needed it, either. BUT, his vision was much bigger than mine. He saw possibilities of this becoming more than just a pot of soup. It was very exciting talking with him about it. We left our meeting with the plan that we would pursue getting needed information. Little did we know, but the Lord already had His plans in place!!

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photo courtesy of Hans Pama via Flickr | License/cropped

The Open Door, still in the same location, serving a free meal Monday through Friday, along with a thrift store that helps to fund it.

The next day, I called two help centers and left messages, hoping to talk with them about delivering soups, etc thru their facilities, but neither called me back. I later realized that the Lord wanted a soup kitchen in Haywood County and didn’t need any snarl-ups from us humans!!

On Thursday night (24 hours after talking with Rob) Connie White called me. She had been in Rob’s Disciple class where they talked about needs in the county. Connie was working in a capacity to know about these needs. Rob suggested she call me and as the saying goes”THE REST IS HISTORY” I won’t say it was all clear sailing from there but things moved along in a hurry. I believe the Lord went before us working out every detail There were many, many hours of planning and working out details but it all came together very quickly and very RIGHT!!

I sure am thankful that Connie couldn’t cook. If she could have made soup, the Lord might not have needed me and I would have missed out on the greatest spiritual experience, and blessing, of my life. I thank God for that nearly every day of my life. Also for Connie and all the hundreds of volunteers that have made this ministry a beautiful reality. PRAISE HIS NAME!!!!!!!! photo courtesy of Hans Pama via Flickr | License/cropped

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Angela Carpenter

Blogger

Have you heard the saying ,"There are too many cooks in the kitchen?"

When God looked down on Earth and saw total chaos (too many cooks in the kitchen), He knew He needed to intervene and make a change. He sent Jesus and He was the intervention, the change. Jesus taught us how to take total chaos (desires of the flesh ) and use a perfect blend of grace and truth (fruits of the spirit) to make a difference. John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

When there is a lack of compassion, show compassion. When there is a need for truth, speak truth. When someone is mean, show kindness; when someone is prideful, be humble. Where you see a lack of something, teach it by showing it to another, over and over until they get it.

Jesus showed us how to be relentless in our teaching. They literally had to nail Jesus to the cross to stop Him from teaching. Yet, even on the cross, He was still teaching. He taught us to pass the torch.

We believers are called to be leaders and shepherds of our own flock of followers, but good leaders are also great teachers. When He was on the cross, His love and passion for God was taught for the profit of God and His people. He trained others to carry on His job and become leaders. He knew He was the change, and knew it was time for us to be the change.

There are times when it seems there are too many cooks in the kitchen around us. There are times we feel like we are up against a giant. There are times we feel we need to part the waters for Gods people. And, there are times we need to see things change in order to keep going.

Don't be afraid. God sent Jesus to show us that, because of what He did for us, in faith we can now do through Him. Do the things you ask God to change in prayer. Prayer is not a question; it is the answer, for God to use you to intervene. Allow the gift Jesus in you (the Holy Spirit ) to lead you to make the difference. Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open."

Use the passion God has given you, and the passion in your heart, to show God that, to you, Jesus’ life was worthwhile, and you understand His teaching and training. Teach others the right way to live. Be proud to be the change in others lives, and get ready to pass the torch that Christ passed to you.

read more from Angela at notbusinesitspersonal.blogspot.com

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Eric Charles Woodard Author I am Eric Charles Woodard, author of Into The Marvelous Light, a spiritual novel. Growing up, I never dreamt about becoming a writer—more less a minister for our Lord. Apparently, God had other plans for my life.

By trade, I’m a mechanical engineer with over 20 years of practice. I’ve worked for several of the top 25 Fortune 500 companies. In addition, I’ve started an outreach ministry, whose mission it is to provide help to the homeless and downtrodden.

As I look back on my life, I know that the only reason I’m still standing is because of God’s merciful grace. You see, when I turned 23 years of age, I inherited an empire from my father. His net worth was in the ten’s of millions. However, through lack of knowledge, I lost everything and ended up homeless and addicted to drugs. After several months of surviving on the streets, I nearly died of a drug overdose. God picked me up and cleansed me completely. The next day I gained employment in the city of Chicago. Two years later, I quit my job, moved to Tennessee and enrolled in college.

All the while, something inside me was yearning to connect with God. I prayed, read the bible, and fasted for days at a time. In the end, I did not feel like God was listening. The following is a passage from my novel.

Sometime during the wee hours of the morning, somewhere between the third and fourth stages of sleep, I felt an extremely low frequency that vibrated my spirit to its' core. Slowly the sound intensified like the blast of a mighty ram's horn. It was like I was lying underneath a megaton freight train that was traveling at 6000 mph.

Every nerve in my body became excited, and my muscles twitched as if I were being electrocuted.

Then, like an elephant rumbling out a low frequency in search of for her calf, I heard His voice. It was the voice of The Almighty God—calling me. The instant I felt the vibration, I recognized that it was that of the Lord and I awoke. I don't know how I knew that it was Him; it was undeniably the Lord. His voice was more recognizable to me than the voice of my birth mother. Then, as removing gum from the bottom of a shoe, the Lord pulled my spirit, and it begun to tear away from my flesh.

I looked down at my corpse as my spirit ripped away. And, as if my body was a newborn baby leaving the security of the womb, it trembled with fear and clung tightly to my spirit—refusing to release its grip. Nevertheless, no force in the universe could stop me from uniting with my Lord.

God gave me a message to deliver to those who are willing to humble themselves.

That is why my novel, Into The Marvelous Light, will be available for free once it's published. It’s taken several years and thousands of dollars to get to my novel to its' present state. We have started a Crowdfunding campaign to get this marvelous novel on the market. Visit our site to get sample chapters at http://www. ourfatherswork.org To God be the Glory, Eric Charles Woodard

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Special Guest Article: Forgiveness by Grace Gayle Unforgiveness is a major cause of depression.

It eats at your soul like a cancer, burrowing you deeper into depression. When we don’t choose to forgive, all our other relationships will be contaminated by our bitterness, and we will inevitably hurt those we love most.

When we choose to forgive, we are opening the door to allow God to change us as an individual.

Forgiving our offender is giving up our right to demand retribution. By forgiving the one who hurt me, I am not saying what he did was okay. Nor am I saying I am over the emotional pain. Forgiveness simply means I am willing to live with the consequences of his sin against me. I let him off my hook, but he is still answerable to God. Forgiveness is a major and necessary step to healing. Forgiveness sets us free to move through the healing process and continue to grow as a person. Forgiveness is the key to healing for all emotional wounds.

www.healingourbrokenness.com www.fromvictimtovictor.ca www.gracegayle.ca www.depressionhurts.net

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Author- “From Victim To Victor”, Founder- “Healing Our Brokenness Ministries” Speaker- on the healing journey Creator- of workshops and Bible studies for wounded hearts Grace lives with her husband, Paul McMullen, in Brighton, ON.

by Olivia

Carpenter

Who Peed in Their Cheerios If you've ever been in high school, you've probably heard the phrase, Who peed in their cheerios?

Not many people know this, but there's a lot of truth behind it.

Have you ever been bullied? I know I have. In fact, I've been bullied by the same girl for roughly 5 years. I'm not sure when it all started, but I know it was bullying, & I know that it wasn't right. This girl would isolate other classmates & myself from our groups of friends. She wanted just ONE friend, never more, never less. She would only use them when she needed them, then just drop them when she was done with them. Does this sound familiar? Satan has done the exact same thing.

Most of the time, it isn't YOU that has done anything wrong. Usually, it has to do with the bullies home or family environment, not yours. Someone peed in their cheerios.

It wasn't until my mother signed me up for self defense classes, that I realized I didn't have to put up with this. That I could defend myself. Not with violence, but with the way I carry myself. With confidence, kindness, honesty, & just the right amount of integrity. God doesn't want you to be inconsiderate & judgemental, but he doesn't want you to be a bump on a log, either. There are times when you have to stand up for yourself. Not with violence or ruefulness, but with truth and understanding. It took me 5 years to stand up to my bully, but when I did, it was healing, so I know it was the truth.

You may not know this either, but Jesus himself was bullied. Throughout his whole life, he was constantly being bullied. And, every single time, he told the truth. He stood up to the bully in the most perfect way possible. He wasn't rude, or judgemental, when he talked to his bullies. He was honest and truthful when he dealt with them. He asked them to prove him wrong. Even when he was nailed to the cross, even when he was publicly humiliated, harasses and tortured, he didn't resort to rudeness or vulgarity. He asked God to forgive them. Jesus knew that the bullies didn't know any better.

In the 21st century, when people do something wrong, like bullying, they usually don't know any better.

Maybe they were raised being bullied, so they think that is how they have to treat everyone. Or, maybe they just want something you have, and have no way to get it. So, they are ruled by jealousy.

Everything we will ever go through, Jesus has already gone through already. If you ever find yourself being a target of bullying, think of this scripture from Ephesians 4:29: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such a is good for building up, as it fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

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Women in Scripture and What We Can Learn From Them

by Rebecca Matthews

Ruth: The Loyal 20

Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave you, or return from following after you; for where you go, I will go; and where you live, I will live: your people shall be my people, and your God my God. How often have we been in a position to value the life of a child of God so strongly that we want to have a life similar to that person?

Ruth 2:12 The Lord recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to trust.

Isn’t it a wonderful thing to be examined while laboring for the Lord and found to be in favor, not only of the Lord in a new-found faith, but also of those that have taken notice of our labor?

Ruth 3:11 An now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to you all that you require: for all the city of my people do know that you are a virtuous woman.

How many carry on with the honorable work that the Lord gives us to do, not expecting a reward, but welcoming it when it comes?

Ruth 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.

When we follow all we are told to do, the Lord will open up doors of opportunity to us that would never been possible otherwise, thereby continuing the growing the kingdom.

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Highways & Hedges

photo courtesy of Alejandro De La Cruz via Flickr | License/cropped

by Rebecca

Matthews

Is God

leading you

down a narrow street?

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Or, is HE sending you out into the great unknown?

Some Christians call themselves followers, disciples or apostles. Others call themselves missionaries, emissaries, or ambassadors. Still others refer to themselves as just plain messengers. No matter how you refer to yourself, the bottom line is that we are called to go out and be witnesses for Him throughout the world.

So, where is God leading you? Can you look out your window, and see people walking by on the sidewalk, or do you have to drive several miles just to see your nearest neighbor? No matter where you are ~ in whatever capacity is your walk with God ~ He will have someone there that you need to speak to, encourage, or help in some way. There will someone that the Holy Spirit is wooing, and you are given the honor of being a part of it. He uses what is unknown to us to build our faith.

God will work with your personality; He will not ask you to do something that you are not equipped to do. But, He will keep expanding our envelope, and putting us outside our comfort zone. That’s one way we can know something is from God-if it makes us uncomfortable. If we stay within that safety zone of comfort, we cannot grow, and if we cannot grow, then we are essentially unteachable. If we are unteachable, then God can’t use us.

So look around your small town, your city block, or your country lane, and see where God is sending you. It might be outside of your comfort zone. If it is, then go with confidence that the situation will be used to help you grow and mature,so as to broaden your horizons and prepare you for the journey ahead.

The

next part

of your journey

starts here! see more of my blogs at My Story...My Walk

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Disciplining Our Children God’s Way

Melanie with her three boys

I do not think disciplining as a Christian parent is easy and would contend for this point against any Christian who would assert that it is as simple as, spare the rod, spoil the child, by referring to 1 John 1:8; If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. For I believe we are in a continual battle with God, against

by Melanie Baker-Nash our sinful flesh – which includes disciplining our children God’s way and not our own. I have found it is like being in the world, but not being like the world when it comes to disciplining my children, as we need to keep ourselves in constant check! And discipline for me is a part of my children’s upbringing in the faith – not really a separate issue.

In the past I have read quite a few Christian parenting books and while I would not say this has not been a benefit, I would say the answer for Godly parenting and disciplining our children is found by going to the source Himself. I believe it is out of a close walk with Jesus, connecting with Him through His Word (the Bible) that we become more like Him, and do all aspects of parenting better. I know when I am not parenting as well as I could, that it is actually more related to my own relationship with Jesus than from any other stress.

You see, I have found if I slip in my parenting when I slip in my own obedience to His Word…and if this continues too long my heavenly Father, because of His love for me, actually disciplines me!

Hebrews discusses our fleshly struggles and God disciplining us as His children:

In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children— “My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” Heb. 12:4-6. NRSV Have you experienced God’s discipline? I have found His discipline to be both gracious and fair.

I know I can seek His forgiveness and that, sometimes, there will also be consequences to follow, for I need to learn. I know He looks at my heart and knows if I am truly contrite or not. I find scripture teaches me what God desires, just like the family rules I set for my children, and when I fail, God is gracious and fair with me, as I need to be with my children as their head.

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Yet, how many Christian parents are well read scripturally? How many of us are plain lazy, and prefer to parent as we are taught by other fallible Christians, rather than the Word of God? You know what I mean…like the parent who hears, ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child’; so uses a switch to discipline EVERY time, rather than being well read in scripture to see God’s grace and of how he deals with people and situations with the appropriate response; not always the same response. We can’t be lazy Christians period, and this includes the part of us which is a Christian parent. We should be light and salt in the world and this includes the upbringing of our children – maturely dealing with each situation and child individually, talking things through and taking the time to be close in our relationship with God and our children. Yes, it takes more time and effort but is so worth it…

Do we really want Jesus to call us a wicked and lazy servant in regards to the precious children He has entrusted us with?

We should aim to do the best job possible with our children to help them in their relationship with Jesus – for we know children gain an impression of God from significant people in their lives. If we, as disciples of Jesus are like Him, we will discipline like Him, for Jesus said if we love Him, we will obey His commands.

But again I have to ask…do you know Him…do you know how He handled situations when here on Earth…do you know scripture well?

Discipline for our children may be: a rebuke, a short smack, time-out, grounding, a discussion with our pastor involved, the taking away of a prized possession, chores, removal for a period from even a church activity or of taking Holy communion, the severing of a friendship.

I could go on, but really I believe The Lord will guide us in these decisions and the most important thing is for us to stay close to Him and model His love. I believe we model His love, when alongside discipline, we still offer things like: an encouraging word, a hug or some sort of reassurance…Not forgetting to apologise ourselves if we’ve done something wrong during the process, like acting out of anger.

One final tip ~ try not to get too legalistic, be open to grace and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

see more from Melanie Baker-Nash at Life of an Ordinary Aussie Woman original artwork by Melanie Baker-Nash

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In the Garden

by Rebecca Matthews

Fruits in Scripture

The Olive 26

The olive has been linked to many attributes in the biblical literature: beauty, health, power and stability, a good reputation, rituals, and the anointing of kings. Symbolically, it represents the Holy Spirit.

The fruit resembles a plum in shape and in color, being first green, then pale, and black when ripe. It is gathered by shaking the limbs, and by beating them with poles, the only tree allowed to be beaten, according to Scripture. Olive oil was used extensively among the ancient Hebrews. The best oil is from olives plucked before being fully ripe, and then beaten or squeezed.

It can be used in several ways immediately after being pressed from the fruit, and does not require refinement. It can be burned in lamps, used as a cooking agent, or used for anointing, to name a few. In the anointing of the head, it is to present someone, appointed by God, to serve as priest, prophet or king. In other instances of anointing, the whole body can be rubbed in oil.

In Exodus 20, God commands that the people bring pure olive oil so that the lamps may burn continually. In Jeremiah 11, the people of Israel are likened, by God, to a green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit.

The olive has the following properties: 1. Evergreen 2. Fire, drought and pest resistant 3. Can produce fruit for a thousand years or more 4. Stump regrows after felling, easy to grow from sprigs 5. Produces fragrant edible oil that can also be used for lamp oil 6. Produces beautiful hardwood fit for making utensils

zayith: olive tree, olive Original Word: ‫ַ֫זי ִת‬ Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Phonetic Spelling: (zay'-yith) Short Definition: olive from an unused root word Ziv: an olive (Ziv: the second month of the Jewish calendar) Original Word: ‫זִו‬ Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine Phonetic Spelling: (zeev') Short Definition: Ziv from an unused root word: to be prominent, brightness 27

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.

My soul thirsts for you; my whole being longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

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Philippi Prospect Ministries | Of Parchment & Passage TM

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It Is Written by

Find a Space to Call Your Own

pped

nen via Flickr | License/cro

photo courtesy of john leva

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Rebecca Matthews

re. e h s t h thoug r u o y t Pu , and n e p e th Pick up r the e v e t a n wh w o d e t wri art. e h r u o s on y y a l d r Lo When we write, we are putting down on paper the words we would say if we were speaking. And, paper is meant both literally and metaphorically. This ‘paper’ I am typing on is on the computer screen. So, whether you use real paper, or electronic paper, the key is to write!

I have found that I write better when there are no distractions; no TV, people milling around, or other things like that. And, I know we all have lives that are busy and take up the bulk of our time. But, here are a few little things to do during your day that will help you keep track of your writing project. ●

Put a notepad and pencil on your bedside table. I usually have some project idea or reference to what I’m working on come to me after I’ve gone to bed.

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Use your phone to record a note to yourself for later use, or to send yourself an email, when you are out and about and an idea comes to you.

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Talk about your project with other people, and get their feedback.

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Keep a positive attitude about your project, even if everyday life tries to get in the way.

Whatever you have a passion for, set aside some time to devote to it, even if it is just half an hour once a week. If your project has been given to you by God, to share with others, then the enemy will surely try to hinder your progress. If that happens, don’t let the enemy win! Press on for God, and He will see you through! A space to write should be just as personal and private as times of prayer. Find a place that makes you comfortable, and grab a coffee, and give God a few minutes on paper.

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Cleaning Out the Closet by

Rebecca Matthews

Do you have clothing in your spiritual closet that has you bound up and restricted?

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If you watched the Pirates of the Caribbean, you are familiar with the scene where the maids are tightening the corset of Elizabeth Swann, played by Kiera Knightly, and then later faints because the corset was so tight she could not breathe. It is hard for us to imagine in the 21st century, that barely a hundred years ago, we women were so fashion-conscious, that we subjected ourselves to what amounted to ‘torture by fashion.’

This x-ray from 1908 show how the corset narrowed the lower ribcage, making it difficult to breathe, and displaced internal organs, by forcing them downward, causing ailments like enlarged livers, spleens, stomach problems, and the inability to eat more than a few spoonfuls of food at one sitting.

And, as if not being able to eat or breathe wasn’t enough, along came the ‘hoop’ dresses that weighed us down with metal sewn into our skirts.

This got me to thinking about how Satan continually tries to restrict us, while making it look ‘fashionable’ or ‘popular.’ His whole purpose - laid out in Scripture as ‘steal, kill, and destroy’ - is meant to hamper, or stop, our spiritual breathing, keep us confined in a garment of his making, that he can draw tighter and tighter, until we faint and die. In Genesis, God breathe into us ‘the breath of life’ and the Enemy uses every mechanism he can to stop it.

So, what do you have in your spiritual closet that has you bound, restricted, and drawn up so that you can’t breathe, can’t move, displaces vital parts of your being, all while making you think that that is how you are supposed to interact with others and society as a whole? And, what do you have in your spiritual closet that has you weighed down like the metal framework of the hoop dress, pulling your shoulders down, causing you to be a spiritual Quasi Modo, humpbacked and stooped over?

In Luke 13, this type of ‘weight’ is categorized as demonic. Now he was teaching in one of the

synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.

It’s time to clean out the closet, and get rid of the old ways of thinking, and the things that are religiously fashionable, but are contrary to God. It’s time to let go of the spiritual corset and the weight of a demonic framework, and send it back where it came from. It’s time to get rid of what’s keeping you bound, gasping for breath, and destroying you from the inside out.

photo credits: corset x-ray | hoop skirt

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Come to the Water by

Wells: Beer Lahai Roi - the well of the Living One who sees me Beersheba - the well of the oath

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photo courtesy of David Niblack via Imagebase.net

Rebecca Matthews

Genesis 16:7-14 Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” Then the angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” The angel of the LORD said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. He will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’ s hand will be against him; and he will live to the east of all his brothers.” Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

Genesis 21:14,19 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was used up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “Do not let me see the boy die.” And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice and wept. God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. “Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.

Have you ever run away from a problem that you could not deal with, only for God to show up to tell you what you need to do, and give you hope for the future? When we have a problem, of which the source of it is out of our control, the symbolic well that we need to search for is the well of the Living One who sees us in our time of need. God does not sleep, and His eyes are not shut. He is not blinded to our needs, and supplies them in due time.

God not only rescued Hagar once, but twice. Two times He showed her the location of the well of water, so that she and the boy would not die in the desert. The name of this well was Beersheba, which means well of the oath. Here, God made her a promise - an oath - that He would make Ishmael a great nation.

Sometimes in life, we may have the same threat come against us multiple times, but God may have us react differently to it each time. In the first instance, Hagar was told to return to her mistress and submit herself.

But, the second time, God changed her course, made her a promise, and she went on her way, doing what was needed for that promise to come to pass. He will do the same for us.

If you are faced with an insurmountable issue, and you are in obedience to God, know that He will bring you to a symbolic well of an oath, where He will make you a promise, and then set you on the path that brings it about.

So, Hagar experienced God symbolized in two types of wells. First, He sees us, our needs, and comes to our rescue. Second, He comes to make us a promise, and sets us on a new path to make that promise happen.

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Observations: Worth a Thousand Words

by Rebecca Matthews

What does this picture say to you?

Can't get past your past?

Do you keep returning to the dry, dusty shell of the person you used to be?

Are you not letting that old life go, or is it not letting you go?

What is it that has such a hold on you that you cannot take that step into a new life?

Do you yearn for something better, something that seems just out of reach?

Are you comfortable in your old ways, so that the fear of change keeps you from moving on?

Do you feel that you deserve where you are, and are content to stay?

Do you feel trapped in your current situation, unable to do anything about it?

ALL of these scenarios are means the Enemy uses to keep you from reaching your full potential, and going where God wants to take you.

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photo courtesy of Donnie Nunley via Flickr | License

Trust Be patient and let God show you His way.

Follow His path and be sure not to stray.

His love and words will guide you every day.

Keep the faith and study His commands.

Be sure not to get caught up in life's demands.

If you stumble He will be there holding your hands.

Say his name and the demons will flee.

He is always with you, you will see.

Trust in God, and what is meant to be, will be.

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by Jaime Dills 37

for and about today’s youth

from Timothy Ministries-The True Son & accompanying blog, The Maiden’s Portion

Dying To Be Cool

A new study shows heart disease, lung cancer, and emphysema may be more prevalent in popular youths. The University of California and the University of Texas collaborated on a study which found that popular students in seven different California high schools were more likely to smoke cigarettes than unpopular students. (see full article: www.medicalnewstoday.com) When I was growing up, almost everyone in my family smoked in one form or another. My dad preferred Winston's, and smoked about two packs a day, but quit cold-turkey in 1980. My great-grandfather, Bly, smoked a pipe. Even though he lived to well into his 90's, it was throat cancer~caused from the raw tobacco in the pipe~that killed him. The cancer came to the top of his skin like giant bruises, 2 to 3 inches in diameter, all over his body. He died the day after my 19th birthday.

All teens are looking for acceptance~they need to fit in, be a part of the gang, yet be unique at the same time. In their search for the place within the popular groups, they fall into the trap of being just like everyone else. It was not so many years ago that I was a teenager myself, and I have since raised two of them, so I know what I am talking about.

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photo courtesy of Alex Jones at Valentin Ottone via Flickr | License/cropped | read more at The Maiden's Portion

Everyone knows that cancer kills. And, everyone knows that one of the many ways to get cancer is by smoking. But, what is the reason behind the smoking? Why would teens risk their lives to 'look cool'? Are the peers they want to be accepted by really a better person than they? Of course not! Sometimes, acceptance and confidence can be hard things to come by, especially if there's turmoil at home, grades are low, or there is other social pressures. Smoking does not keep things like this from happening, or make them go away if they show up. In fact, if anything, it shows weakness of character in a person who gives in to the peer pressure. A person should not have to smoke just because their 'friends' do.

It's time teens and young adults found their originality. And the best way to do that is live their life for Jesus. After all, He was an advocate for the minority in His day~women, outcasts from society, children-teens included. Remember, Mary was young when she was chosen to bear the baby Jesus~probably 13-17 years old.

A person should not have to risk their health, or die, just to be accepted and 'look cool'.

11:00 A. M . Monday, May 9th, 1910. Newsies at Skeeter's Branch, Jefferson near Franklin. They were all smoking. Location: St. Louis, Missouri.

photo credit By Lewis Hine [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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