Seven Degrees of Me: celebrate

Showing posts with label celebrate. Show all posts

Sunday, September 22, 2019

A representative of Christ

And whatever you do in word or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:17 NKJV

Saturday, September 21, 2019

God is good

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 107:1 ESV

Friday, September 20, 2019

You may think I'm crazy, but I believe that God gives me signs when I ask for them. Some Christians don't believe that He does that anymore and all I can say is, "ya-huh" (as in, 'He does too'). Either way, I would feel very remiss if I didn't share this testimony with you...
My husband and I had a bit of a rocky start in our relationship in 2011, 2012, 2013...so I would ask God for a certain sign that everything would be okay, that my husband and I would get married someday and live happily ever after (okay, maybe that last part is a stretch). Each time, God gave me this sign and each time we worked things out and we did get married.
Back in May of this year, God gave me that sign again, just out of the blue and I thought, "Huh. That's strange," because I didn't ask for that reassurance and as far as I was concerned my husband and I were getting along fine. Well, I got home and words were said and I moved out.
I was so crushed that I wanted to just put everything behind me and sever all ties and even get divorce proceedings going. The whole time, God kept giving me this one sign over and over again and I was so confused even though I knew what He was trying to tell me, but I kept telling Him that I was confused, so He had the Pastor call me and tell me to "slow down." I couldn't ignore that, so I did slow down and calm down. My heart even softened. We communicated through the Pastor for a couple of days and then started texting each other, and then started seeing each other.
We started actually communicating for the first time ever and decided we were ready to reconcile, but I still had some doubts and I wasn't sure if the timing was right to move out of my mom's house because of everything she's dealing with so I asked God for a sign. I wanted to do this in God's time not our time because up until this point, our timing hadn't been very successful, but my husband assured me that it was time and that I didn't need a sign from God to tell me that, so I listened to him - all the while feeling funny about it. I thought about King Saul not waiting for Nathan like he was instructed and you know what a disaster that was! I started thinking maybe the sign I asked for was too far-fetched, but it really wasn't impossible, just unlikely unless it was from God. My husband played this song from 1994 at our wedding and we danced to it for the first time as husband and wife. It wasn't "our song" and it wasn't even from an artist that I was particularly fond of so I couldn't remember the title or any of the lyrics when I asked this of God, but I knew that when I heard it, I would know that was the song and I would know that it was from God. I could've heard it in someone's car, or at a restaurant; it could've even become a commercial jingle, but I never heard it.
Last night I did 2 things...1. was admit to a trusted friend my role in the failing of my marriage. 2. was begin a Christian lesson on being a Godly wife. I'm not sure which of those 2 things did it, or if it was a combination, but I got ready for bed and started singing that song out loud. After I sang the chorus I literally was stopped in my tracks. Where did that come from?! How did that song pop in my head? And I had to drop down and give praise to God for coming through for me and giving me this clear sign that I'm doing what He wants me to do when He wants me to it. This was such a wow moment for me that my heart is just so completely replenished with love and optimism for the future. I had been depressed all week and didn't know why; now I realize it's because I felt like God didn't want me to move back in yet. All of these obstacles kept blocking my progress, but now I know that I have a green light because now I have this sign from God.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

James 1:17 NKJV

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Please join me this week in gratitude for our Lord and Saviour. Let's give thanks for His love, mercy, and grace. Let's rejoice for His answers to our prayers.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Thursday, September 19, 2019

His steadfast love

During the past year, God has heard our prayers and worked out in His perfect timing to answer several prayers in a combination and sequence to heal numerous hearts.

When we prayed for the lonely, the elderly, widows and widowers, parents and family, He brought them all together in one household to help each other through their lonliness and grief. He helped the elderly widow find new purpose and a sense of being needed.

When we prayed for our Pastors, a changed heart, those who moved home, those facing a life change, for patience, to listen, those considering a divorce, God stepped in and had the Pastor call me to soften my heart and listen to my husband and really hear him and consider what he was feeling. I had moved home not because of a failed marriage, but because that's where God needed me to be at that time for my mom who had just lost my dad, for my daughter who had just sold her house. When all of this happened, I couldn't see the "why" but stepping back and seeing the whole sequence of events, I'm in awe of what God orchestrated to help those in my life whom I had prayed for and to help me through my grief and what I was going through emotionally. My husband and I have reconciled and our marriage is so much better now. This had to happen the way it happened in order to fulfill God's plan to answer our prayers. We're here to build relationships and be there for each other and to bring glory to Him. We can glorify Him by being image-bearers and praising how He works in our lives. God is love.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1 ESV

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Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Prayers answered for addiction

During the past year, our prayers for those with addiction have been answered.

A young man who had a drug problem suffers from depression. He hung around with other users and had a girlfriend who was a bad influence on him. At his lowest point, he tried to kill himself. By the grace of God, he changed his mind after taking the pills and was able to call someone. They got him to the hospital, saved his life, and enrolled him in an inpatient care facility where he got the help he truly needed. Since that time, he has separated himself from his friends and girlfriend and has been able to stay away from drugs. Hallelujah!

But by the grace of God I am what I am,

and His grace toward me was not in vain;

but I labored more abundantly than they all,

yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV

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Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Rejoice

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24 ESV

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Monday, September 16, 2019

Let's celebrate

During the past year we have prayed for:

bullies
salvation for the unsaved
those struggling with an addiction
the lonely
those suffering from physical pain
government
victims of hate
veterans
we prayed with thanksgiving
the Church
the elderly
those going through a divorce
our needs in order to bring us back into focus on Christ
Christ
for the New Year
caregivers
widows and widowers
the homeless
for Jesus' love
our Pastors
for a changed heart
to listen
the power of words
anger
those who abuse alcohol
eternal life
family
jobs
money
the terminally ill
those facing a life change
for patience
to become a servant for Christ
those who moved home
emotions
the military
survivors of a natural disaster
graduates
parents
our faith
no fear in sharing the Gospel
those who are judgmental
for parents to raise their children in a Godly home
missionaries
the disabled
to put an end to violence
family
that people learn to forgive one another
for perseverance
for the protection of our children
for the people who support us

How many of these did you pray for? How many of these did you see the fruits of your prayers?
If you didn't notice an answer to prayers, did you open your eyes and ears to see and hear the Lord? He answers all prayers. Some are 'yes', some are 'no'. He answers in His time, not ours. Some of the people we prayed for we may not know what happened in response to our prayers, but rest assured that something did happen, even if it was that a seed was planted, or a plan was set in motion.
This week, let's revisit those we've prayed for over the year. Meditate on them, pray for them again, contact them and follow up on our prayers. Then, if you feel inclined, share your stories. You can send them to me for me to post anonymously, or use them as testimony when you speak to others about your faith. This week is all about gratitude for what God has done in our lives and in response to our prayers. We have an awesome God who loves us and cares for us! Let's celebrate!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

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