Come As You Are

I saw this song from a new band that I found on itunes, the song is called Come as You are. It may not specifically say the word God or Jesus, but sometimes, we just need to listen to the song lyrics, and realize that no matter who we are we can come to God. No matter how bad we are, or how sinful we think we are in our lives, we can come to God, and ask him for the forgiveness in our lives that we need. God doesn't say go clean yourself up from the sins you have committed, and than come back to me when your perfect, he says Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called bMatthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He *said to him, “cFollow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.
10 Then it happened that as 1Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and 2sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “aWhy is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?”
12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not athose who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.
13 “But go and learn 1awhat this means: ‘bI desire 2compassion, 3and not sacrifice,’ for cI did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
If Jesus did not want to be with the sinners, and thought that they needed to get cleaned up, before we came to Him than why have lunch with them? Be blessed, by the lyrics and by what I feel God wanted me to write to you, because I even as a Pastor, need to repent of my sins, every day of my life. Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for my sins. John 3:16.



I wanna come closer, but I'd feel so out of place
You're so beautiful, but I'm still ashamed
That after all I've done, I've fallen from grace
Are these hands I raise only raised in vain?
Then I hear your whisper say:

Chorus:
You can come as you are
You can never fall too far
You can run to my arms
And I will heal your broken heart
Come as you are

I wanna hold on to every single word you say
It's so wonderful to think that you would want me
But deep inside of me, I know that I'm unworthy
If all I know is this, how can I see what you see?
I hear your whisper say:

Chorus:
You can come as you are
You can never fall too far
You can run to my arms
And I will heal your broken heart
Come As you are

Come to me and I will love you
More than you have ever known before
Come to me and I will take you
Places you have never been before
I love you more

You can come as you are
You can never fall too far

Chorus:
You can come as you are
You can never fall too far
You can run to my arms
And I will heal your broken heart

Chorus:
You can come as you are
You can never fall too far
You can run to my arms
And I will heal your broken heart
Come as you are
Come as you are

Was in PA this past weekend, and had two great and awesome services, God really moved in both services, and I was excited and pumped to see what happened in both.  God moved in the youth service as well, and got to pray for a couple of the teens, and God also used me to bless them as well.  Here is a little blog about what the youth pastor Al Di Salvatore said.  www.aldisalvatore.blogspot.com  Don't give up on what you guys are facing God allows everything to happen for a reason and a purpose. 

You Matter to God

You Matter To God.

    Perhaps, you don’t know then maybe you do, about stiltsville the village,
(so strange but so true).  Where people like we, some tiny, some tall, with jobs and kids and clocks on the wall keep an eye on the time .  For each evening at six, they meet in the square for the purpose of sticks, tall stilts upon which Stiltsvillians can struct and be lifted above those down in the rut:  The less and the least the tribe of too smalls, the not calls and the have-nots who want to be tall but can’t because in the giving of sticks, their name was not called.  They didn’t get picked. Yet they still come when villagers gather; they press to the front to see if they matter to the clique of the cool, the court of high clout, that decides who is special and declares with a shout, Your classy your pretty, your clever or funny, And bequeath a prize not of medals or money not a freshly baked pie or a house someone built, but the oddest of gifs a gift of some stilts Moving up is their mission, going higher their aim, Elevate your position, is the name of their game, The higher-ups of stiltsville (you know if you’ve been there) make the biggest to-do of the sweetness of thin air.  They relish the chance on their high apparatus no struct on their stilts, the ultimate stats.  For isn’t life best when viewed from the top? Unless you stumble and suddenly are not so sure of your footing You tilt and then sway Look out bel-o-o-o-w and fall straightaway.  Into the too smalls, hoi polloi of the earth.  You land on your pride- Oh boy how it hurts, When the chic Police, in the jilt of all the jilts, don’t offer to help but instead take your stilts,.  Who made you king?  You start to complain but then notice the hour and forget your refrain.  It’s almost six No time for chatter It’s back to the crowd to see if you matter.    

           
            Their are times, in our lives when we look around and wonder do I matter.
We have dreams and visions of what we want to do in our lives, but we question and doubt will we be able to do it.
We may have people tell us that we won’t succed, we won’t make it in this life, we are useless, worthless, that were nothing.
I may not have been told that exactly in my life, but I’ve had people stare and point at me, call me monster, freak, and even today I have times that I feel people staring and looking at me.
To give you an example of one point, I was working at target, in October of ’08 during Halloween, and one of the Managers came up to me, and said we don’t wear masks.
He may have been kidding or joking around, but when I took my break and he came back and said it again, I didn’t take it as a joke.  Their are times in my life, when I would wonder what does God have for me, how is God going to use me.  Do you wonder the same thing?  Do you wonder if you are going to be able to be used by God?  Are you wondering if your past sins, will hinder how God will love you or how God will take care of you?  Well those answers can be found in his word.  It doesn't matter what sins, we have committed, God loves us enough that He will forgive us.  He loved us enough that he sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins.  John 3:16.  If God was concerned about our past sins, He wouldn't have used his disciples, Matthew was a tax collector, Peter denied Jesus three times, Thomas doubted that Jesus rose again on the Third day.  But regardless of what these guys did, God still continued to use them.  Saul who was a murderer, and wanted to Kill the Jews, was converted, became Paul, and became one of the greatest men of the Bible.  As it says in Jeremiah 29:11 God has a plan and a purpose for our lives.  God loves us, and wants to use you for his honor and glory, because you matter to him.

What is Love?

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 says

1 If I speak with the ​a​tongues of men and of ​​angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a ​clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of ​a​prophecy, and know all ​​mysteries and all ​​knowledge; and if I have ​​all faith, so as to ​remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 And if I ​​give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I ​surrender my body ​​to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love ​is patient, love is kind and ​​is not jealous; love does not brag and is not ​arrogant,
5 does not act unbecomingly; it ​does not seek its own, is not provoked, ​does not take into account a wrong suffered,
6 ​does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but ​b​rejoices with the truth;
7 ​bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Verse 12 Continues But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the ​greatest of these is ​​love.

Their are times, when I look in the mirror, and wonder where is my cinderella, when is she going to come into my life, will I ever find her? TV shows, and movies, represent love by having men and woman be attracted to each other by what they see on the outside, not by what is on the inside. But because of what we see on TV, and in the movies, we sometimes wonder are we attractive enough to find that Mr, or Mrs Right. We may have a significant other, and for most of us, we look at the outside appearance, but if that man or woman does not show us love, what good are they. Some of us today, may not feel loved by others, maybe because of our past experiences, or because of our past hurts. We have valentines day coming up, we may wonder how do we celebrate a day of love when we don’t have someone to love or someone that loves us. We may not have that significant person to celebrate Valentines day with, I know I don’t. But we do with God, because no matter what anyone has ever done for us, Jesus Christ came to this earth to die on the cross for our sins. He showed us the greatest example of love more than anyone has ever done, because of his love for us, we can now spend eternity with him. John 3:16 tells us that God loved us enough that He sent his only son for whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life.

No one is useless to God No one.

Their are times in our lives, when some if not most of us, may wonder what can God do with me? How can God use me? We may look in the mirror, and wonder are we too old, to be used by God. Moses probably wondered the same thing, God called Moses through a burning bush to lead the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. By the way Moses was called when he was 80, and didn't finish his task until he was 120, and died. Or do we look in the mirror, and wonder are we useless to be used by God because we are to young. Did Mary, wonder about that, she probably did because didn't she question the angel, when He came, and told mary that she was going to be bearing a son. Who in turn would come to be the savior of ALL Mankind. What about those who have some type of disability, regardless of whether it's something that God wants us to do, or what we want to do it on our own, We question it. We have the desire to do something in our lives, but yet we wonder, can we do it, do we have the knowledge, strength, determination to do it. Than we have those on the sidelines, telling us you won't make it, your nothing, your worthless, your hopeless. We may have those on the sidelines, but what about those who we are closer to, who are actually supporting us, who are actually telling us you can do it. You just have put your faith in God, and allow him to give you the strength, determination, and hope that you need, and not rely on our own abilities. Some of those on the sidelines, may be your family, who may not encourage you or ask you how it's going. But regardless of what others say listen to your heart, and listen to what God is telling you to do.
Ephesians 3 20 says 20 ​Now to Him who is ​b​able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, ​​according to the power that works within us. John 15:5, also says with out God we can do nothing. Without his strength, without his love, and power in our lives, we are incapable, or doing what it is that He has for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to Prosper you and not to Harm you to give you a hope and a future.
Regardless of what you are feeling or what you are thinking about when it comes to your future, you are not useless, and you are especially not useless to God, because He has a plan and purpose for your life.

My Life,

It wasn't like this Thirty Three years ago, I don't remember because I wasn't even a day old, 33 years ago. But from what my parent's told me, they had told me that it was a very cold, and snowy day in NYC. My dad had gone to drive the church van, my Mom decided to stay home, because I believe she was having labor pains at the moment. By the time, my dad got back from driving the church van, he had to take my Mom to the hospital. Several hours later the doctors had to rush me off to examine me, not knowing exactly what was wrong but knowing that something was. Doctors, came back, and tried the best they could to explain to my parent's what exactly was wrong with me. The doctors said because I had no soft spot, that I would eventually become, brain dead, and that the best option for my parent's would be to put me into a institution, and to let me be. Thankfully with my parent's faith and trust in God, they believed, maybe not necessarily knew what that plan or purpose was but they decided to take me home anyway. Not knowing what was going to happen, my parent's left from that hospital, and decided to take me home, and see what doctors at Columbia Presbyterian, where to say. The doctors their said that as long as I had the operation to open skull and allow my brain to grow and function, although, I would have to undergo alot of operations and difficulties in my life, that I would survive. Long story short, 68 operations, 9 years of College, doctors telling my parent's I wouldn't make it, people telling me I wouldn't make it in College, people telling me I wouldn't make it in the ministry. I am now an Ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, traveling around giving a message that with God all things are possible. My favorite life verse is Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to Prosper you and not to Harm you to give you a hope and a future.

What it means to Be loved by Mark Schultz with a little rearranging by Dorsey Ross

January 16th 1977, on a Cold Sunday Morning, my wife and I had waited
Gettin' ready for our baby Boy,
My wife, decided that she would have the labor pains, while I was driving the van,.
The doctors delivered the baby, but unlike, the other delivers they have done, and we have seen, they rushed the baby out of the room,
Not knowing what exactly what was going to happen, the doctors came back in, and said that your little boy, may not live, whata want to do,
Turning to each other we said we want to,

I wanna give him the world
I wanna hold his hand
I wanna be his mom for as long as I can
and I wanna live every moment until that day comes
I wanna show him what it means to be loved

so we spent each day, watchin' every minute
and prayin' for our baby boy
and I will not forget the way I felt that moment
when he came into this world
but they took him, from the room just as soon as he was born
and watchin' through a window I could see him holdin' on
when a voice inside me said...

I wanna give him the world
I wanna be his dad
I wanna hold him close for as long as I can
and I wanna live every moment until that day comes
I wanna show him what it means to be loved

I said everyday
he's been out to prove the doctors wrong
oh and you should see him now
he's as handsome as his dad, (probably when he was younger ;) )
He now has the wedding band, and now
theres a woman at the front door waiting just to walk down the church aisle,

and he wants to give her the world
wants to hold her hand

My parent's have shown me what it means to be loved

Trust In God.

Matthew 6:25-34, and Luke 12-22-34, both talk about not worrying about your life, what we will eat, or what we will drink, wear, and not worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has enough worries of its own. Philippians 4:6-7 says do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition present your requests to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Provers 3:5-6 says trust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Their are more that tell us, to trust in God, not to worry, not to be anxious but do we not worry, do we not be anxious, do we trust God? Not always, we have the school bills, that we just finished up from school, and we wonder and worry about how we are to pay back those bills. We faith health issues, and people tell us oh that isn't good to have, and we read things on the internet, that till us things about it. Instead of giving it to God, and trusting in him, that He will helps us through the trials and difficulties that we face. We lose our job, and we send out resumes. We pray and we ask God to help us try to find that job, but we don't because the unemployment rate is at 10%. So we start to panic, instead of trusting in God and not worrying. So whatever you are dealing with today, do not be anxious, do not worry, do not fear, but Trust in God, pray and ask God to take care of the situations that you are dealing with in your life, and know that God will lead you through it. Because He has the plans and purposes for your life. Jeremiah 29:11

Jesus is Born

A Virgin Conceives

Luke 2:26-38

26–28 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean

village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name

was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:

Good morning!

You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,

Beautiful inside and out!

God be with you.

29–33 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the

angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become

pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

He will be great,

be called ‘Son of the Highest.’

The Lord God will give him

the throne of his father David;

He will rule Jacob’s house forever—

no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”

35 The angel answered,

The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

the power of the Highest hover over you;

Therefore, the child you bring to birth

will be called Holy, Son of God.

36–38 “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone

called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with

God.”

Luke 2:1-20

The Birth of Jesus

1–5 2 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire.

This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his

own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of

Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he

had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

6–7 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her

firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in

the hostel.

An Event for Everyone

8–12 There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over

their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They

were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event

that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior

who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and

lying in a manger.”

13–14 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,

Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

15–18 As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to

Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left,

running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing.

They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the

sheepherders were impressed.

19–20 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The

sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard

and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!

Whatever reason you celebrate Christmas, whatever your intentions for getting the Presents, whatever you believe or don't believe about religion. We must remember that Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, and to remember Him today, and to Thank God for giving us his son, and allowing his son to come to earth, and be born. Thank you God, thank you Jesus.

With God's strength you can do Anything.

Growing up as someone with a disability, we are sometimes limited in what we can do, and in our abilities. Though growing up we are told that no matter what we put our minds to, we can do whatever it is that we want. That is sometimes difficult, because when we are looking for what we want to do, with that desire and job. Or that plan or purpose for our lives, we are turned down because people who don't have disabilities are limited to what they see, and what they think we can do. We are sometimes told that we are not smart enough, we can't do this or that because of our limitations, so how are we supposed to do what we want to do when being told by others that we can't. Some of you that read this may not believe in God, may not believe in him because of what you have gone through, and because of what you have had to deal with in your life. Regardless of believing in God, or not, we will always have limitations, and we will always have difficulties that we will face. In Philippians 4:13 Paul writes I can do all things through Him who ​​strengthens me. Another words regardless of the limitations that we have, the difficulties that we face in this life, when we have that faith in God, He will give us the strength to do what it is that we want to do, and that He has for us. Because God has a plan and a purpose for us, and He loves us. Life in general is not always easy, that's why we must keep our focus on God, and not take it off of what it is that He has for us. If we do we will get distracted, we will get those people that till us we are useless and worthless, and will not fulfill the plans that we have set up for our own lives. We will take our eyes off of what it is that God has for us. Know this that whatever you feel or believe or don't believe about God, He loves you, and He has made you however you are for a plan and a purpose in your life, and with mustard seed faith, when you believe in Him, He will show you what He has for you in your life, as He has in mine.

God's plan for you.

Their are times in our lives, when we are born differently or born with a birth defect, that we ask why. Why would we be born with a birth defect. We don't always know or understand why we are born with a birth defect. Though God says that the thing being molded will not say to the molder, who is God why did you make me like this. Romans 9:20 20 On the contrary, who are you, ​a​O man, who ​b​answers back to God? ​​The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Psalms 139:13-17 says 13 For You ​a​formed my ​1​inward parts; You ​​wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for ​I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.15 My ​​frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the ​depths of the earth; 16 Your ​a​eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in ​​Your book were all written The ​days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. We as people with disabilities, may not be able to fully understand or comprehend how a loving and caring God, who loves us would create us the way that He did. Because of the disability, we may not even believe that their is a God, or maybe we do but we are so angry with him, because of what we have gone through, that we can't fully understand who God is. Here is an illustration that talks about some great men and women that have had to deal with disability, but still where able to do great things in their life. Overcoming and Achieving

Some of the world’s greatest men and women have been saddled with disabilities and adversities but have managed to overcome them. Cripple him, and you have a Sir Walter Scott. Lock him in a prison cell, and you have a John Bunyan. Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington. Raise him in abject poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln. Subject him to bitter religious prejudice, and you have a Benjamin Disraeli. Strike him down with infantile paralysis, and he becomes a Franklin D. Roosevelt. Burn him So severely in a schoolhouse fire that the doctors say he will never walk again, and you have a Glenn Cunningham, who set a world’s record in 1934 for running a mile in 4 minutes, 6.7 seconds. Deafen a genius composer, and you have a Ludwig van Beethoven. Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T. Washington, a Harriet Tubman, a Marian Anderson, or a George Washington Carver. Make him the first child to survive in a poor Italian family of eighteen children, and you have an Enrico Caruso. Have him born of parents who survived a Nazi concentration camp, paralyze him from the waist down when he is four, and you have an incomparable concert violinist, Itzhak Perlman. Call him a slow learner, “retarded,” and write him off as ineducable, and you have an Albert Einstein.

In Jeremiah 29:11 it says for I know the Plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to Harm you to give you a hope and a future. No matter what your thoughts, feelings, or beliefs about God, He loves you, He died on the cross for your sins, and regardless of the disability, He has a plan and a purpose for your life.

God Of The Second Chance

Romans 3:23 says All Have Sinned And Fallen Short of The Glory of God. Even though Romans 3:23, says ALL SIN AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. And we know from the Bible, that all we have to do is to call on the Name of the Lord, ask for forgiveness of our sins, and we will be saved. But because of our human selves and the condemnation we put on our selves we do not think that God will forgive us. But what about people in the bible, people like David, who although was a man after God's own heart, had sex with Bathsheba, and had her husband killed. Though God still anointed him King. What about Jonah who was called by God, to go and minister, at Nineveh. Though instead of going to Nineveh he decided to get up and flee and go to Tarshish. Eventhough Jonah disobeyed God, and God could have said okay you will get your way I will use someone else. God decided to send a giant Fish, and have the fish take him to Nineveh. What about Paul, who was previously named Saul, and was a murderer, and wanted to kill all of those who believed in Jesus. While, Saul was walking down the road to Damascus, Jesus comes ot him in a light, and asks Saul why are you persecuting me. Long story short, Saul becomes Paul, one of the greatest Evangelists of all time, and wrote most of the new Testament. What about Peter who after denying Jesus 3 times after the crucifixion, but after rising from the dead, Jesus doesn't forget about Peter. When Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jaes, and Salome, the angel in the tomb says do not be afraid But go, tell His disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you. Mark 16:1-7 Because of what we have done, in our past, and even what we have done, while we have had a relationship with Christ, though Jesus still forgives when we ask him. Jesus isn't a God, of one strike, and your out. The Bible says He will forgive us 70x7. Jesus will give us a second, third, and a fourth chance, and more if we need it, and because we are human we will need it. Lets remember those that have gone ahead of us, and remember those guys, and what they have done, and remind ourselves, that God uses anyone that allows him to.

Do not let anyone look down on you.

The Denver Broncos, head coach, Josh McDaniels is a first year head coach. Coming from the New England Patriots as the Offensive teams coordinator. At the time, he became the Broncos head coach he was the youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports and the fifth-youngest NFL head coach ever, although less than a week later the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's named the even-younger Raheem Moorisas their head coach. As with any new and young guy as the head coach, the critics, where saying they are going to do no good, they are not going to do well. So much for the critics, since the Broncos are now 5-0. I am not saying they will win the Superbowl, and I will not say they will go undefeated. My point comes from 1 Timothy 4:12 12 ​a​Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. In our Christian walk, we must grow in these area's of our lives, and become more like Christ each day. And when we feel God calling us to do something, not allow those that say we are too young or not ready to do that to put us down. Because look at what happened to Mary and Joseph who where both Teenagers, and yet Mary gives birth to Christ. God chose Mary because He saw those values in her and her maturity level. Now I do not know if Josh is a Christian or not, but whenever we do things in our lives, we should not allow others to look down on us because we are young or because we do not have the experience to do what it is that we are going to do. But do it to the best of our ability, whether it be in the physical or spiritual world.

Fulfilling Our Dreams.

To all my friends, that have one type of disability, or another. Do not let anyone stop you from pursuing or fulfilling the dreams, that you have in your heart. You and I may have different beliefs and different views of God. Some of you may be angry at Him, some of you may not think He exists, some of you may wonder why such a loving and caring God would make me with this horrific disability. Thats ok, because I wondered and asked the same questions somewhere along the line. We may have limitations and we may not be able to do everything that everyone else can, though that doesn't mean we still can't shoot for the stars. I believe that God created each of us differently for a reason and a purpose. It says in Psalms 139:13-17

13 For You ​a​formed my ​1​inward parts;

You ​b​wove me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will give thanks to You, for ​1​I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

​a​Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

15 My ​1​​a​frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the ​b​depths of the earth;

16 Your ​a​eyes have seen my unformed substance;

And in ​b​Your book were all written

The ​c​days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.


Jeremiah 29:11 says in the Message version of this verse I know what I am doing, I have it all planned out plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. God loves you guys, even though life sucks sometimes, and living with a disability isn't easy. Take away this one thing do not let anyone, around you to stop you from doing what it is on your heart to do or to dream. God Bless,

Be Anxious For Nothing

We watch the news and we see the warnings for the terrorist attacks. We see the unemployment rate rising, we see the economy and the housing market, dropping faster than President Obama's approval rating. We see these things, and we are worried, and anxious, are we going to lose our jobs. Are we going to be able to pay next month mortgage or car payment? We walk into a doctor's office and we get a bad report, the doctor says you got six months to live. My parent's where told by doctor's that when I was born, I wouldn't survive, I would eventually be brain dead. Well thirty two years, 68 operations, a high school diploma, and 3 College degree's later, and I AM STILL HERE. By God's grace, mercy and healing power, but I am still here. God says in Philippians 4:6 Be Anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. The Greek word Anxious means to be anxious to be troubled with cares.
Matthew 6:25-34 says 25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

30 “But if God so clothes the agrass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

31 “Do not aworry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’

32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be 3added to you.

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will 1care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Dr. Walter Cavert reported a survey on worry that indicated that only 8 percent of the things people worried about were legitimate matters of concern! The other 92 percent were either imaginary, never happened, or involved matters over which the people had no control anyway. It isn't always easy not to worry and not to be anxious when things are tough and hard, but we have the promise, made by God, that He will supply for us, and take care of us.

What Are You In Need Of

Philippians 4:19 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ. There are times in our lives, when we ask God for something, and we don't get it right away. God has said that we need to ask, seek, and knock, for things as well. Like Dr. Dippold, used to say keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. Though sometimes those things that we ask for are wants, and not necessarily something that we need. It may be something that we think we need but not something that God thinks that we need. Will God open the doors for me next year, yes, because that is a need in order for the ministry to continue. God will supply you with the job, and finances, because you need to live, and need to supply for yourself and your family. Though we all have to keep God first in our lives, we can't put him first when we are asking him for something, get it, and than put him back on the shelf either. We need to have him first in our lives. All the time. God help us to know that as long as we are serving you, that you will supply all of our needs. And during these days of economic turmoil and distress, that you will supply our needs that we have.

Man looks on the outside but God looks at the Heart

1 Samuel 16:7 says But the Lord said to Samuel do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature because I have rejected him For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the Heart. How many times, do we go to church, and say hello to our church "family", but don't really know what's going on, on the inside. How many of our friends, are hurting, struggling with situations in their lives, divorce, job loss, relationship difficulties, and we don't even know it. How often when someone does open up to us, do we just give advice, and brush them off, without even listening to what they have to say. Maybe all they want to do is someone to listen to them, and not to give them advice. I was in the Brooklyn Teen Challenge today, and if I would have passed any of them on the street, I would have never known that they where in a drug rehab place. The outside appearance to any one of us may look fine, but it's what is on the inside that is hurting. If we do not have the friends, family, that we are able to open up to. The only one that knows what is going on inside of us is God, and He knows even before we tell him. I do not think that we need to tell our friends every little secret, though I do think that when people are hurting that we need to be their for our friends when they need us. I am not going to push my friends to open up to me about what is going on in their livs, though I do want them to know that I along with God will be their for them, and with them.

Give our burdens to God,

There are times in our lives, when we pray and ask God to take the burdens that are weighing us down off our shoulders and lay it at the foot of the cross. Because thats what it tells us to do in Matthew 11:25-3025 ​at that ​1​ time Jesus said, “I praise You, ​b​Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that ​c​You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.

26 “Yes, ​ father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

27 “​All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father ​except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

28 “​Come to Me, all ​who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Though how many times, in our lives, do we do that, and the next morning we are thinking about the same thing, we just supposedly gave to God the night before. How many times in His word, does he say do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition, present your requests to God, and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. I have heard from other people, though haven't applied it to my life, and that is there is an aspect of life, that we just have to wait and give it to God, and allow him to give to us when it is his time. It doesn't mean we can't look around, and speak to people, and wonder if they are the ones that can fulfill that aspect of our lives, God doesn't say sit on your hands and I will bring you your future husband/wife. But in my own life, I wonder sometimes, because we are human if someone will love me, for me. Yes we need to be attractive to the outside but we also need to know what that person has on the inside. I just need to give this aspect of my life to God, say God I give it to you I am going to allow your will to be done in this area of my life, one of many I have to give you everyday, to allow your peace to overcome my life. God I give it to you.

Something To Chew On

In a week, and a half I will be going to be giving bible study lesson's at the special touch camp in PA. Which I am really excited about. A few months back, their was a verse in Romans that I was reading that never really hit me before. Which was Romans 9:20 On the contrary, who are you O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "why did you make me like this" Will it? Their has been times in my life, when I would wonder why God would create me like he has, though I don't think their has ever been a time, when I asked God why did you make me like this. I know the typical christianese answer is that God has a plan and purpose for us. Which is true, for all of us, though how do you explain that to someone who is in a wheel chair? or someone whose parent's where told that He would be brain dead at birth? Or someone who has a brain defect? I am sure their are people with disabilities, that has asked God why would you make me with a disability?, I have wondered, since most disabilities have to do with a genetic defect, can we just say that God allowed it to happen, since he allows things to happen for a reason and a purpose. Or can we say that He created us, this way since birth, since that is what it says in Psalms 139:13-17 and Jeremiah 1. Not saying anyone has the specific answer or theological answer to that statement, but just something to ponder and chew on.

Give Thanks, in all Circumstances

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. The biggest question I have is how are we to give thanks in all circumstances when we see people with guns, shooting others and than shooting themselves? How do we explain this verse to those who have lost loved ones, and family members because a Mother was driving down the wrong way on a highway drunk and possibly high on drugs? I am going down to the Special Touch Camp, in 2 and a half weeks, with people that have the minds, of school kids, though their love for God, is something stronger than I have even seen in my life. I know we have to give thanks in all circumstances because thats what the bible says to do, but the question is HOW when tragedy like this at times hits us. How do I explain to someone who is in a wheelchair, or even mobile that doesn't have a regular education, that we are to give thanks in all circumstances. Not because I don't think they would understand my explanation of it, but because of all that they have gone through in their lives. It's the same thing in my life, if someone would have told me when I was a teenager and going into the hospital for major surgery, that even though I could die, I have to give God thanks, I probably would have looked at him with two heads. How in 2002 when my Mom suddenly passed away from a stroke, through that difficult time, was I still supposed to give thanks? I suppose I could have given thanks that she knew and trusted in God, and I will someday see her again, and I am grateful for that. And I understand that when tragedy does hit us, that we don't always have to explain everything but just be their to comfort those who are hurting. But when the questions come what do we say?

Waiting for Marriage.

I was recently at a Casting Crowns Concert, and the main Singer mark hall has a saying, God doesn’t need me he wants me. Well, I turned that into me getting married, God willing at some point. God doesn’t need me to get married, He wants me to get married, though he wants me to get married to the woman that He has for me. I have heard and spoken to a few people lately, even got an email, from one out of the blue, about wanting to get married, and why their is such a long waiting process. Maybe thats just God’s way of telling me that their are other people in the boat with me, waiting for that woman/man that God has for them. Though their are times in my life, when I look in the mirror, and wonder if I will find that woman that God has for me. I wonder because of the way I look, will I ever find, that woman, not because we don't look on the inside but because for most people including myself, we are attracted to what people look on the outside. Even for you ladies out their, when you are waiting, and looking, for the man that God has for you, don’t give up hope, and pic the first guy that comes along, wait, and if you have to wait some more. We may never have the perfect marriage, no one ever does, but I do believe that God does want us to find that special someone. We just need to be patient at some point, their are always times in our lives when we need to be patient and wait, when we are cooking, we need to wait until it’s properly cooked, before we can have it. It’s the same thing when we are waiting for that someone, we have to wait until we are mature enough, and ready enough to get married.