Standing Firm in the Midst of your Storms

Earlier today I spoke with a good friend that I don't get to talk with very often. She is going through some things that are very difficult. God gave me a word to share with her & for some reason I feel that maybe some of you could use it also. If it doesn't apply to your life just tuck it away for future use.

Most of you know the NIV of this verse & if you read it in the MSG it gives you a better understanding.
Ephesians 6:11-13 So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life or death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.

Sometimes its hard to stand firm against the devil. Its also hard to continue to listen to our Heavenly Daddy's voice during those times. Its like trying to listen to the whisper of Heavenly Daddy (HD) when everyone & everything around you is screaming. These things you may know with your head but you also have to know them with your heart or vice versa. This is not always easy to do. I went through a problem several months back that really left me with hard feelings toward people that were supposed to be brothers & sisters in Christ. I couldn't believe that these people would not have considered how this would not only affect me but my children (Momma claws coming out)! I knew that I had to forgive them but how? God showed me several things through this problem. There are times when all of us are human & we act like it! When we have our stupid moments(and we all do), HD forgives us. Do we want him to hesitate when we need his forgiveness. We can't let those stupid moments steal our joy! Our faith & hope is in HD & not people, so.....don't be surprised if people disappoint us. This is where we have to walk out our faith! Keep our eyes on HD & he will see us through whatever the situation. OK this does not mean that it will be easy by any means or that it will happen overnight but if we keep the faith & keep walking the walk, we will be past the finish line and into a new race before we know it. The main thing that helped me was prayer. Asking God to help me to earnestly forgive & take away any hard feelings for everyone involved.

The great news is HD answers prayer!!! It wasn't overnight by any means but it did happen. I'm very thankful because I really love these people more now because of what we've been through!! I hope that this helped some of you. Have an Awesome Evening! AND A Blessed Friday! Love to y'all! Joannie

Trying to get back on track

Hey Friends! I'm praying this morning that each of you has a blessed Tuesday! Thank you for the prayers concerning the marriage retreat from all I've heard it was great! I am trying to get everything back on track from last week. The weekend (fri.) started off with yuck & continued throughout. This week started off with a bang by taking my parents back to the VA hospital Those days are exhausting, mentally, emotionally, & physically! So I'm saying today is the official beginning to my week. We did have an AWESOME service Sunday!! It is so great to be part of a church where the Spirit of God takes over & the congregation & pastor allows him to move!!!! If you've never been a part of that WOW your missing out!!! Today I'm interceding on your behalf. I don't know the things/problems/situations in your life that your facing but I'm bringing you before the Lord today. Lord, bless each of my friends today. Give them strength for the tasks at hand, wisdom & discernment for the difficult things they are facing, peace to endure & know that whether they feel it or not that you are working in every thing on their behalf. Give them joy in the little things. Let them see the love notes that your sending them. Let people see your love shining through them in everything that they say & do!! Bless my friends Lord & whatever may be going on in their life, use it to draw them closer to you. Thank you for my friends & what they mean to me & others. Thank you for answering this prayer. Let everything we do today be for your glory, honor & praise! In Jesus name, Amen.

Now we are on track for today! Love & Blessings to y'all! Joannie

Trying Day

Today should have been a good day it is Friday! It didn't start out very good & felt that it spiraled downward! I woke up early with some stomach thing. YUCK! I got Kirsten & Douglas off to school & then had to lay back down. I slept for a long time. (Also meant I didn't work today-not good if your self-employed!) I got up had my devotion time & was hoping to salvage some of the day but.....it was just not to be! I tried to get a few things done. But that was short lived. Douglas came home on the bus(Kirsten was at ball practice) & he did some things that needed an attitude adjustment! Yea ---- I love being the bad guy----NOT! This took time away from trying to finish dinner. Its also Douglas' weekend at his Dad's! Tear, Sniff, Tear! Kirsten can't go because of a JROTC drill meet. Dinner was late, Kirsten came home tired & irritable (that's always fun), phones ringing, dogs barking, etc. Calgon---take me away!-----------that didn't work! The best part of this day other than the devotion time----right now. The house is quiet, I signed on blogger & got inspiration from a fellow blogger who had a GREAT day & wrote about prayers being answered in her life!!!! It made me stop & thank God for all the stuff that I had to deal with today! You ask why? Because if I didn't have difficult days like today, I would not truly appreciate the Great days when I have them! I am extremely blessed in so many different ways & I don't want to EVER take any of them for granted! So.....My trying day is ending & tomorrow will be better. FYI Prayer Request: Several couples from our church are on a weekend marriage retreat. (Gary had to work so we couldn't go) I would ask each of you to join me & pray for them. Pray that their relationship with the Lord & their spouse would be refreshed, renewed & that their love for each would grow stronger! Thanks! Have a BLESSED weekend & don't forget to spend time with your heavenly Father everyday not just Sunday! Love to y'all! Joannie

New Changes, Staying In Touch!

During my absence from blogging A LOT of things happened! There have been to many to explain in one post but maybe I will share them as we go along. My wonderful husband & I have gone through things recently that have caused us to sit down & reprioritize our lives. We are both committed to God first, family second & then various other things fall in order (ours differ after these). We have prayed about our church involvements & committments. We both feel that we have heard from God as to how we are to proceed. WE LOVE OUR CHURCH & our family there!!! With that being said, God has shown us that sometimes we become so absorbed in doing "good" things/being busy for the Lord that we loose focus of our true priorities! I love being with people & enjoy all the church activities. I hate to admit it, but to be truly honest with y'all, it has caused me to not always have the quiet time with God that I need! My recent quiet time(time out)has allowed God to really minister to me & speak about his plan for me. The devil sure has tried to attack that plan by using people & situations to try to make me want to completely leave church. God has revealed to me that I can have my quiet time with him, bible study, take care of my family & even encourage my friends!!! Its amazing how God works everything out for his glory and honor! I know I shouldn't be surprised but sometimes I am! Here's the vision God has given me. A lot of you want to be involved in bible studies or life groups but can't for all sorts of reasons. These could be work/jobs, family/spouse, & time constraints just to name a few. He's given me the answer: blogger! I know that just brought about more questions for some of you but listen to the plan. I'm going to do a bible study online using blogger!!! Its my journey to a deeper relationship with Jesus that I want to share with each of you. As I share verses & questions & answers that are being revealed to me, I want to hear from all of you as you read & hopefully receive insight or just have words/scriptures to ponder. You don't have to buy any books just use your bible, you get online & read according to your own schedule. Its an answer to prayers that I've been praying for a long time about my calling & purpose. I hope that each of you will want to be a part of it but listen its not mandatory. Don't feel obligated to put something else on your "To Do" list. You can visit & comment as God leads you. I'm just being a facilitator for you to study your bible & hopefully it will be so easy for you that it becomes a habit quickly!! It also gives me the opportunity to keep in touch with friends without infringing on their work time, home time or me time. Your suggestions & comments are always welcome. Have A Blessed Wednesday & remember to talk to God today(thats what prayer is...a converstation)!
The new page is titled joannie-wordstoponder.blogspot.com!!

New Blog Coming

Its almost finalized & ready!

The big reveal is only days away!

It will involve a new blog that hopefully will attract a lot of you to stop by on occasion & add insight/inspiration/wisdom or whatever it may speaking to you!!!! The countdown is on. Stay tuned for the new blogger address & details of how it will work. Enjoy this AWESOME day that God has provided for you! Look around & count your blessings. It should not be hard, let me give you an example. If you have a job and work with difficult people, at least you have a job-----thousands don't! You have your health (even if you are among those of us with sinus issues)! You have a warm home & food to eat, some people are homeless & or don't have food to eat! You obviously have access to a computer if your reading this, some people can't afford a computer! You live in country that allows you to openly worship your Savior! That alone should be enough!! Just take a moment, look around & count all your blessings. After doing this, THANK GOD FOR EACH & EVERY ONE OF THEM!!! FYI: Also pray that you never take any of them for granted, that's when you risk loosing them! Have a GREAT day enjoying all the blessings around you!! Love y'all!

Update & Prayer Request

Hey Friends! I'm praying that God is richly blessing each of y'all! I wanted to give an update on the new direction of my page. Things are moving right along but with any new endeavor (especially ones geared toward Jesus), Satan wants to step in & destroy it. He is using my parents to attack me.

To explain that statement, they are 82(Dad) & 75(Mom). My Dad's health has been spiraling downhill for a LONG time. My Mom has had various health issues also. Her biggest problem right now though is my Dad. I can not begin to explain this. It has various terms/diagnosis but to sum it up.....he's mean to my Mom & anybody that gets in the way of him being mean to her. My Momma is an AWESOME woman & still loves & tries to care for this mean grizzly bear(her recent nickname for him) even after 60 years of marriage!!!!! I spent 12 hours with them yesterday at the VA hospital. Yes I was exhausted & still feeling the effects of that day. My request is for my Momma that God will continue to grant her the patience & peace to deal with him, wisdom for the doctors to be able to diagnose & treat him, for me & my siblings(there are 5 of us) to be supportive of both of them(we are finding it hard to love my Dad)! Thanks!

But back to the big reveal, it is coming soon just had some minor setbacks. According to my heavenly sources, its going to be something that will be a blessing & I'm really excited about all of it! Got to run now its almost time for church & I don't want to miss it!
Love to y'all!!!!!

You've been forewarned!

To all my fellow bloggers.........I'M BACK!!! OK, now you've been forewarned! The time away has been extremely difficult with conflicts, tests & trials that I couldn't begin to explain. But ANYTHING meant for evil God can use it for his glory & honor!!! (BTW if any of these things/emotions are going on in your life: difficult/annoying/aggravating/infuriating/perplexing/
discouraging/sadness/unrest/stress or etc. -------- do yourself a favor & ask God (thru prayers)to help you handle it so he will receive glory & honor!!! God has opened up things over the last few weeks thats unbelieveable. He's ALWAYS working whether we see or feel it! The interesting part of that is he is doing more than we can even imagine when we don't see or feel him! Its like he wants to surprise us with how AWESOME he really is!! I have two new things going on with my blog for the future but I'm not quite ready to share it with you! I have to work on the big reveal so........let the anticipation build & the drum roll continue until........ Keep watching/reading its coming soon! Love to y'all!!!!