Have Confidence in God

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized14 Comments

These last few days, I have had to keep reminding myself to trust in God. On September 14, I fell and badly sprained my foot. It’s still very swollen and discolored and hard to walk on, but I am thankful that it’s not broken. Then, my nephrologist put me on a new blood pressure medicine which my body decided to react to with chest pains. Really bad chest pains, radiating into my back and numbing my left arm. So, off to the cardiologist who put me on new medication that makes me dizzy. Thankfully, I take it at bedtime and then fall asleep with a little fuzzy headed feeling. But, I’m thankful that the EKG was normal. I have to go in for more tests in three weeks (my doctor wants to wait until the new medicine is firmly established in my system). I have to have two chemical stress tests and an ultrasound of my heart. But, I’m thankful that tests are available and that the doctor has ordered them to try to find out what exactly is going on with my heart. In between doctor visits and hobbling around, I have been reading my Bible and praying. God is my go-to person when I need help or assurance. Pray, praise, repeat.

I am not writing this post so that you feel sorry for me or anything like that. I’m writing just to remind you that God has not changed and is still there, no matter what is happening in your life or in the world. He is still there, waiting to answer our prayers. Isn’t that wonderful news? The whole world is shifting around us. There is chaos everywhere, and yet we are stable in our belief in a God who is bigger than all that is happening. Cities burning? God is greater. Businesses closing? God is greater. The government clearly divided? God is sovereign.

When I fell and just could not get up because of my injured foot, I prayed and asked my husband to pray. And, guess what? I was able to lift myself up with the help of a chair next to my bed and then onto the bed. (I fell in the bathroom, of all places!). When I stand up from my chair now and feel the pain radiating through my foot, I ask God to help me to take the steps that I need to take to get to my next destination in the house. Praying without ceasing is a real thing and in these days, it is needed.

Franklin Graham held a Prayer March in Washington, D.C. today. He was leading a group of prayer warriors in prayer for our nation. God, I have no doubt, was listening. He hears our prayers and acts on them, maybe not with the answer that we want or when we want an answer, but God always answers.

I hope that you will join me in praying for the United States, for our government leaders and for the safety of our first responders. These are perilous times, but God is greater. He is on His throne and waiting for us to call on Him.

God is the Strength of My Heart by Don Moen

Arise, Shine

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized2 Comments

All around us these days there is a lot of darkness. And you know what dispels darkness? You do, with the light that God has given you to shine on the world. One candle can take care of a lot of darkness. Think about what all of us Christians can do if we stand together, take a stand with our lights and show the world what Jesus was all about. He was about love and forgiveness, justice and healing. That is what our world needs today, a good dose of Jesus. I hope that you can relate to these Scripture verses today. I have been calling to God, and He really spoke to me through the Book of Isaiah recently. In these days of darkness, our lights shine brighter just because of all of the darkness. Please join me in shining your light.

Arise, Shine from Hosanna Music

Just a reminder that Franklin Graham is leading a prayer march THIS Saturday, September 26th, in Washington, D.C. For information about the event, go to: Prayer March Info. If you cannot attend, you can livestream the event at: Livestream. And if you, like me, cannot do live-streaming, you can still pray for our nation from 12-2 p.m. on Saturday. Let’s shine our lights and pray!

Review of THE EDGE OF BELONGING by AMANDA COX

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized1 Comment

What an absolutely beautiful debut! Amanda Cox weaves a perfectly complicated tale of intersecting lives and how each person affects others. The story of Ivy Rose trying to find the truth about her roots is told in the present time. In the past, we have Harvey, Miriam, Thom and Pearl, a group whose lives are forever touched by their choices and their kindness. Harvey is homeless. Thom and Miriam are childless. And Pearl is a good soul, the widow of a former pastor who just wants to make a difference in the lives of others. This story was told in a totally captivating, engaging and easy-to-read way. There is mystery, sacrificial love and romance, all within the pages of this wonderful book. I cannot say enough good things about it. The characters are well-developed and seemed to speak to me personally about their desires. The plot was complicated, but the author’s method of going back and forth between the current times and the past, unraveled the plot perfectly. It was like a well-woven tapestry, completely awe-inspiring when I read the conclusion. I highly recommend this book and hope that all who are looking for an uplifting book that offers hope and light will read it!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from #Revell as part of the #RevellReadsBloggerProgram. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

A G-rated novel told with love and heart. The book itself will determine the age of the child that will be able to read it.
Information and photo from the author’s websiteAmanda Cox

Available NOW! Purchase Links:

Indiebound

Powells

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Baker Publishing Group

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A Christian book that is absolutely one of the best that I have ever read!

Our Opinions and God’s Word

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized1 Comment

God does not change. His Word does not change. Sometimes we have tried to twist God’s Word so that it meets what we want to believe or do. I think that it the case with homosexuality and abortion. Some people want these immoral behaviors to be okay, and they try to justify them by either ignoring or interpreting God’s Word in creative ways. I read two quotations in Dr. Denison’s newsletter today that said exactly what I am trying to express.

…let’s note that changing our opinions regarding God and his word changes neither God nor his word. As C. S. Lewis observed, denying the sunrise does not harm the sun. -Dr. Jim Denison Sept. 21, 2020

When we change our opinions regarding the truth, we do not change the truth. President Abraham Lincoln once employed a popular riddle: “If I should call a sheep’s tail a leg, how many legs would it have?” His audience answered, “Five.” Lincoln replied, “No, only four; for my calling the tail a leg would not make it so.” -Dr. Jim Denison, Sept. 21, 2020

So, calling abortion the choice of the woman does not make it okay. It’s still murder, and God’s word calls murder a sin. Calling homosexuality okay because you were “ born that way” does not make it right. God’s word calls it a sin.

You have the right to disagree with me. After all, this is a free country. However, you disagree with God’s Word to your own peril because His Word is never-changing, never bowing to the interpretation of fallen mankind.

Why I’m Writing This Today

Well, as everyone knows, the Supreme Court has a vacancy and the big issue is how liberal Ginsberg was and how she supported abortion rights for women. In fact, she supported many liberal causes. Now the liberals are upset that they will lose their influence on the highest Court of the land. My desire is that the Supreme Court just follow the Constitution, not add things to it that are not there. Recently, this body normalized gay marriage. One justice dissented because he was concerned about what might be normalized next, like polygamy perhaps. Now, there is the chance that the highest court might begin to once again interpret things constitutionally, giving their decisions more of an interpretation that would be acceptable to God and following the guidance in His Word. So, once again, I state that we can change our opinions about God and the contents and meaning of the Holy Bible. But God doesn’t change. Just because you deem that something is okay does not mean that it’s okay with God. We need to spend a lot of time in prayer during this season before the election because our nation’s future depends on it.

Blessings to you, my friends. I hope that you will read my blog today with an open mind and heart. I wrote from my heart and know that God forgives sin today just as He always has. There is nothing you have done that God cannot forgive.

God’s Word Will Stand