Tag Archives: Inspirational

People Need People

6 Jan

From the Heart 

Louise Gibson

colorful-crowd

 

 

Life does present challenges
that tax us to no end.
When bad things happen, and they often do-
That is when we need a friend.

 

Do you remember when someone encouraged you?
Perhaps when you were feeling low?
It helps to share your burden.
There is strength in numbers, you know.

 

Relate to people.
Call, text, or write a letter.
Just knowing someone cares
will make them feel much better.

 

Caring needn’t be costly,
amazing what a smile can do.
It’s the best face lift in town,
And warms the heart of another, too.

 

“There is little difference in people,
but that little difference makes a big
difference.
That little difference is attitude.
The big difference is whether it
is positive or negative.”

Robert Collier

 

I must end with a bit of humor.
“Don’t tell me that worry doesn’t do any good.
I know better.
The things I worry about don’t happen.”

Author unknown (but it could be any of us-
right?) : – )

 

 

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31 Days of God’s Comfort~Day 7

2 Jan

communing

Picture and paraphrase by DiVoran Lites

 

Day 7

Communing

Isaiah 1:18

 

Beloved,

I want to talk regularly with you in a communion that means we can trust each other and enjoy each other’s company.

You and My other children always have something valuable to say to each other.

You know that I am God and can do anything.

You know that when you talk to me, I hear

You.

You know I care about you as no human ever has.

I will gently teach you to believe.

 

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What to do when our world turns upside down.

31 Dec

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

11-20-16-convertible-jan-e1478897209951Do I really want to do this? I thought. I sat in the back of a bright red, shiny convertible. As one of the winners of the alumni merit award for my alma mater, I was invited to ride in the homecoming parade.

At first, I was hesitant to do such a foolish thing. But as folks cheered and waved, I waved back. They cheered some more and I was delighting in connecting with the crowds lined along the side of the streets.

“Get the phone, Honey” I said to my hubby seated beside me. “Let’s get a live video on Facebook.”

The bright sun made it difficult to see the screen, yet he diligently followed through. He held the phone showing the scenery, the crowd and the decorated floats as I related the details of the event.

Later, we read this comment, “Looks like you’ve been partying a bit too much.”

Partying? What in the world did he mean? We quickly understood the comment when we saw the video. Goodness gracious, it was upside down!

Isn’t that like life? When we’re enjoying the experiences, thinking all is well, we find that unexpectedly, things happen, turmoil appears, suffering shows up and we find our world turning upside down with sorrow.

But when we know, truly know God, we can wave at the world, cheer our triumph and declare with shining reassurance these truths found in Psalm 23 – The Message Translation (MSG)

“God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.” (Psalm 23:1)
“You have bedded me down in lush meadows; you find me quiet pools to drink from.” (Psalm 23:2)
“True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.” (Psalm 23:3)
“Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure.” (Psalm 23:4)
“You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.” (Psalm 23:5)
“Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.” (Psalm 23:6)
What is your life missing these days?

Source: What to do when our world turns upside down. | Janet Perez Eckles

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It Is Always Too Soon to Quit

30 Dec

From the Heart

Louise Gibson

cat-dog-stare-down

 

 

(Is this message for you?)

 

Let your dream be bigger than your fear.
Hold on to your vision and persevere.
The fuel for your journey is a spark.
By perseverance the snail reached the ark.

 

Love always perseveres;
a force strong and true.
It motivates your best interests
and brings out the best in you.

 

Don’t despise the day of small things.
It is the small thing that forms the framework of our day.
Keep an attitude of gratitude
as the Lord leads you to do all things His way.

 

Father Jean Nicholas Grou wrote:
“Little things come daily, hourly, within our reach,
and they are no less calculated to set forward
our growth in holiness than are the greater occasions
which occur but rarely. Moreover, fidelity in trifles,
and an earnest seeking to please God in little matters
is a test of real devotion and love. Let your aim be to
please our dear Lord perfectly in little things.”

 

Love this poem by Edgar A. Guest

“When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
and you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns.

And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow-
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out-
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems so far.

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit!”

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God’s Shining Light

29 Nov

A Time to Live

Melody Hendrix

The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are….
The second greatest is being happy with what you find…..
unknown
Let your light shine so brightly that others can see their way out of the dark.
Katrina Mayer
Speak to your children as if they are the wisest, kindest, most beautiful and magical humans on earth, for what they believe is what they will become.   Brooke Hampton
light-painted-sunflower

 

 

I am retired and enjoying life. My hobbies are my 5 grandchildren, son and daughter, and my loving husband. I am a photographer and extreme nature lover. I love spending time in my garden or in the wilderness connected to God my Creator.
Melody

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31 Days of God’s Comfort Day 2

28 Nov

trails

 

Picture and paraphrase by DiVoran Lites

Day Two

Trails

Jeremiah 29:10-12

Beloved,

Because you are mine,

My plans for you are real, constant, and good.

You are my design.

My designs are built to last.

You need never tell me what to do or how to do it.

I am the One who knows what to do.

You will not need to “help” Me.

I am the Helper.

All you need to do is ask Me how to pray.

Ask Me what you need to plan for.

Listen and intuit my answers.

Wait.

I show you how to live the life I have planned for you,

As you travel along the trails I have cleared ahead of you.

Watch, as wonderful, unexpected things begin to happen.

 

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God Has Been Watching Over Me~Part 2

16 Nov

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

 

One day on my way to school, the traffic around the school was hectic and I tried to go around an older car that was double parked. Just as I got alongside of that car the driver (who obviously hadn’t seen me) started off, while edging over toward me. There was oncoming traffic so I couldn’t move away from the car. I tried to slow down and let the car pull ahead, but it was too late. My brake pedal got caught under the rear portion of the car’s running board (Google “Running Board” if you have never heard of such a thing) and flipped my motorcycle and me to the pavement under the car (luckily, behind the rear wheel).   The motorcycle and I ended up sliding down the street behind the car on the pavement a few yards. I don’t think the driver knew what had happened, because he sped off down the street. I got some minor road rash out of that experience, but was otherwise unhurt, and there were only a few small scratches on the motorcycle. It would have been a totally different story if I had ended up on the street in front of that car’s rear wheel! Thank you Lord!

 

1

 

Another time, I was giving one of my friends a ride on my motorcycle. He was quite a bit heavier than I was, and that made it difficult to turn if he didn’t lean into the turns with me. When we got to his house, I was turning into the driveway but my friend wasn’t leaning into the turn with me. His extra weight kept me from being able to turn enough, and we sideswiped a three-foot high flagstone wall that tore my jeans and scraped a 2”x4” patch of skin off of my right leg. That incident could have ended up with broken legs for both of us if Someone hadn’t been watching over us both that time.

 

2

 

The summer after my junior year in high school, my girlfriend’s family moved to El Paso, Texas and I longed to see her again. After getting the OK from her family and much promising, on my part, to be careful and not to do anything foolish, my parents gave me permission to make the.* I left early on a Friday morning and rode my motorcycle the 225 miles, from our home in Albuquerque to El Paso, to visit Barbara for the weekend (when her folks would be home). The trip down was long (3 ½ hours), uneventful, and I was filled with anticipation. I liked Barbara’s parents and we had a great visit that weekend. Then it was time to tear myself away from her Sunday afternoon in time to make the trip back home to Albuquerque before dark. It was during the second hour when the lack of sleep, the desert heat, and the constant hummmm of the engine that I woke up with a start, just as my motorcycle went off the road onto the gravel shoulder of the oncoming lane! Somehow I was able to get back onto the pavement, without crashing, and back into my lane. As LUCK would have it, there was not another car anywhere on that stretch of the hiway at that time (now who do you suppose arranged that?). And, as you might have guessed, the amount of adrenaline that incident produced kept me awake for the rest of the trip home.

 

 

3

 

* See Bill’s blog “Trip To El Paso”- 9/29/2012

—–To Be Continued—–

 

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This is one test you don’t want to fail

12 Nov

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

11-04-16-f-failure

 

“This way, Ma’am” the airport agent said as she took me by the arm, leading me close to the security counter. “Hold out your hands, palms up.”

I obeyed. And with quick strokes, she swiped both hands with a paper/cloth material. That was their way to detect if I had handled any controlled substance.

A minute later she drew close. “Okay, all clear. You may proceed.”

Wow! That’s what I would like God to say should He swipe not my hands, but my heart. Sadly, He might not see it clean. Instead, He might detect insecurities, restlessness about the future, feelings of inadequacies, confusion and at times, fear.

What about you, will your heart be clean, clear and ready to proceed on?

No need to stress because it’s more crucial to answer God’s question. He will put us through one more test. The one that makes the difference. The one that determines if we will cross the entry to heaven.

And in case you thought that we’ll pass the test by simply saying we know who Jesus is, or if we called out His name, or if we turned to Him in hard times, here’s His answer: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

Will you be one of those who pass the test by doing His will?

 

Source: This is one test you don’t want to fail. | Janet Perez Eckles

Janet’s Two Minute Video for this week

 

 

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Your security depends on what you choose from the menu.

8 Oct

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Menu of life

I sat at a large table among friends at a restaurant famous for its delicious Bar-B-Q. The smell would make anyone’s mouth water. We laughed, made comments and oohed and aahed at the menu items.

And since I don’t eat red meat, I tasted delicious moments with dear friends instead.

I looked in the direction of the waiter standing beside me. “I’ll order a side salad and cole slaw…and a baked potato with nothing on it.”

“Sure,” he said, “And your meat? Ribs, steak, chicken, pork?”

“No I’m fine with my salad,”

“You mean…” he said with disbelief in his tone, “You don’t want to order any meat?”

I shook my head and grinned as I always do when folks ask me that question in that you-must-be-crazy tone.

The same happens even in airplanes. A passenger seated beside me and I chatted for a long time. I told him a bit of my story and we discussed faiths.

“I don’t believe in religions,” he said. “I think we’re here on this earth to serve a purpose for the next life and that’s it.”

“Interesting,” I said.

“For example,” he said, “since you like to help people and you can’t see, you probably will come back as a guide dog in your next life.”

Gulp.

And when I stated that Christ Jesus, the one who died for my sins, is the Lord of my life, the ruler of my days and my guarantee for life eternal in heaven, he gave the are-you-crazy tone similar to the waiter

That’s okay because in John 14, the Bible makes it all clear. We don’t come back as dogs or other creatures, we remain in heaven for eternity because…

  • In heaven is where Jesus prepared a mansion for us.
  • He extends that invitation to all.
  • Jesus healed the sick to display His power.
  • He transformed souls to leave room for freedom.
  • He’s the only truth so we would see clearly.
  • Jesus died on the cross to kill our sin.
  • He rose from the dead, so we would, too.
  • He wrote Scripture to guide our path.
  • And finally He loves unconditionally, passionately, eternally so when the world lets us down, we can count on Him.

While you analyze the menu of religions, philosophies, beliefs and notions what do you choose to feed your soul?

Source: Your security depends on what you choose from the menu. | Janet Perez Eckles

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What to say to a depressed loved one. 

1 Oct

Walking by Faith , Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Depression, anxiety and worry are the enemies trying to kill our peace and they are on the rise among men, women, and teens. Why? Few know the answer. But here, Dr. Michelle Bengtson has important guidelines so you can help someone begin the victory path.

09-23-16 Bengston

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Proverbs 18:21

What we say to others can either build them up or tear them down. We must take care not to further injure someone in their suffering from something we say.

As a neuropsychologist, I’m witness to the well-intentioned but misdirected words of friends and family to depressed loved ones that only serve to pull them down further.

When people suffer from depression, they often also harbor low self-esteem, guilt, and shame. What they crave is to know they are loved, accepted, and not alone.

Let Scripture help you determine what to say to a depressed loved one: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Here are a few things to say to someone struggling with depression:

  • I love you. There is no better time to hear this than when they are struggling to love themselves and wonder if others truly love them too.
  • I’m here for you. This is one of the most comforting things you can say to someone feeling alone.
  • You are important to me. It’s vital to know they are still acceptable, accepted, and important.
  • I’m sorry that you are going through such a painful time. Expressing your sorrow for their pain communicates that you care, even if you don’t fully understand.
  • Is there something I can do for you? This communicates your willingness to help and just your offer will lend comfort and encouragement.
  • You may not believe this now, but you won’t always feel this way. The depressed individual often needs reminding that there is hope.
  • We will get through this together. This communicates your acceptance, and your love.
  • Nothing. Actions often do speaker louder than words. I remember when Job encountered great hardship. Job 2:13 says his friends came and sat with him for seven days and nights. During that time, they didn’t speak a word because they saw how great his pain was. Words could do nothing to help his misery, but their company spoke volumes.

Remember, when you are speaking to a depressed loved one, your goal is to encourage and uplift them. “But if it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief” (Job 16:5 NLT).

How will you encourage a loved one today?

 

Source: What to say to a depressed loved one. | Janet Perez Eckles

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