Is it Still Snowing?

I look out my windows today and find it snowing again. What a sight it is, even after we have just returned from Texas. On the way there we traveled through steps of progressive warming. By the time we reached Texas we discovered temperatures warm enough to sit by the pool with the kids (but with no swimming) an enjoy the weather. Now we've returned to our Ohio and find it is still snowing :) But, I am so glad to be home.

Taking a nine day trip with five children three years and under in a motor-coach was exciting to say the least. The 'closeness' you find as a family can be warmly welcome if you take advantage of the time. We had to get creative with sitting time, table time, and sleeping. Singing and talking, puzzles and coloring all filled the miles as we went to Daystar and returned home. The challenges along the way seem faded in the sunlight of purpose and returning home. Knowing we all learned so much and we were 'all' changed by God in positive ways. My 18 month old came out to new horizons on this trip. He flourished in talking and 'knowing what HE wanted'. Of course it was often quit different from his brothers and sisters and ourselves ;)

As we reach out and minister, I rely completely on God to pour out that same anointing back to us in a harvest for our family as well as yours. God is God and without Him all would have nothing. We all need His touch, we all need His grace, we all need His mercy, we all must have His blessing and His outpouring. The most wonderful thing about that is, we 'ALL' have it because He has freely given it through Jesus Christ! That we can be grateful for, especially because He desires our children to receive it and have it too.

I know for the days we were on the road and the hours of time we gave to travel to Texas to be on 'Celebration', our travels were seeds planted for others and their families. We believe and trust that our time with Daystar has touched the lives of people and made a difference for God's plan for kids. Without believing that I would feel that our time given was without purpose. I'm ready to receive my 100 fold return! Just remember as you give your time to others, you can know that you're not forgotten in the harvest. Even though that time given may cause an inconvenience to you in some way, like traveling 3000 miles round trip as we did with five toddling children, you're harvest is coming and you can receive a special blessing as you give it. God has a plan for your blessing as well as those He has used you to bless... Receive all that He has for you today! And, receive that harvest He has for your family, for you, and for your kids.

By the way, 'the snow's beautiful as it sets on the empty trees'. As I write in this blog, I can reflect on His glorious creation and know that He has adorned us with His beauty by making us white as snow. He has forgiven us and He has caused us to be the righteousness of God through Christ. Those barren areas in your life, He has covered with His glory and brought great increase as you believe Him at His word. As my toddlers awoke to see the freshly fallen snow this morning one of them said, "Look mommy, it's Christmas snow!" May you remember that Jesus came to bless you and your family so you can 'Celebrate" Christmas all year long.

"Consider the Sands Abraham"

Abraham knew the 'I AM' of his life and he became a friend of God. Do you know your kids can know the 'I AM' of God? To think, who did Abraham know? Abraham had an encounter with the one who made the stars, the sun, and the moon. The Bible tells us that he is a friend of God because he believed. He believed in the 'I Am', the Elshaddi, the one true God.

Abraham lived in a land that was full of idolatry. It was full of worship to other 'gods'. Those of whom were made of stone and wood, who were images of things rather than the creator of those things. In that land, he heard God speak to him personally. Your kids can hear God personally speak to them in a land that is filled with the noise of other things that call for their attention. God is God, and He is the 'I Am' in their lives as well as ours.

God says He is the 'I Am', who is the all that you need Him to be for you. When Moses asked God, 'Who shall I say sent me?" God answered Him from the burning bush and said to tell them that 'I Am'. That in Hebrew is 'Elshaddi'. The God who is the answer to everything in your lives. As Abraham heard God, he followed God. In a land where the allegiance of the people were towards other things, Abraham's allegiance was to his God and he became as we know him, 'The Father of Faith!". If you want to understand some things about faith look at Abraham's life. Through Abraham's faithfulness to God in his life, God made a promise to Abraham that comes our way through the blessing. God stood by that promise He made to Abraham and He brought Abraham into relationship to know the things of God. In Genesis 18 verses, 17-19, we find what the Lord says about it here:

"And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."

What a beautiful promise. Through God's promise He made Abraham a mighty nation. A nation greater than the sands on the sea shores and the Lord has blessed the nations, and us personally through him. As we see from Abraham's example, we can see that God expected him to command his children and his household to keep the way of the Lord! That through Abraham teaching God's ways that justice and judgment would be done in his life and all that the Lord had spoken to Abraham could come. As we teach our children the same and command our households in the ways of God, His word, and His way of doing things, we will see the promises of God made manifest not only in our lives but also in the lives of our children.

"Consider the sands", and you will find the great 'I Am' coming to you in magnificent ways of promise and blessings. Those sands not only represent every promise in the blessing of God to bless the families of the earth through Jesus Christ, the lineage of Abraham but, they represent the very number of God's household who He has adopted in through His mercy and grace... Our children are a part and our families are blessed in ways more numerous than the sands on the seas shores.