1.24.2009

Thankful

I am simply amazed and humbled by how You work God!

This week hasn't been the easiest in my life but it hasn't been the hardest either...

I found myself feeling selfishly hopeless and in despair one night...

It amazes me how You knew BEFORE that would happen to give me a word from Beth Moore's Daniel study that very morning that would strengthen me and get me through...You put people in place at exactly the right moments to encourage me to press on and people to pray for me...

The body of Christ was engaged in the battle, when a soldier was down others stepped up in her defense...

Thank you Jesus for putting these fabulous people in my life...people I know and love as well as one I have never met and one I hadn't talked to in over a year...

You amaze me beyond ANYTHING Father and I love YOU above all...help me to always look to You...in EVERY circumstance...let me be aware of Your will for me in each moment and allow me to encourage others in their walk as I have been encouraged!

In Jesus' name,

Amen

1.05.2009

Philippians

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Philippians 3:7-21
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God is SOOOO good! I praise Him for the life He extended through His son!!! Not just life here, but ETERNAL life! And my prayer is that everyone I have ever come into contact with could know the same peace and press on toward the goal alongside me and the body of Christ! The more we have pressing, the faster the work gets done and we can join Him in all His glory! And did you see??? WE GET NEW BODIES!!! AWESOME! I bet we can still zumba though, since it is fun! They aren't JUST new bodies...they are "glorious bodies like His own!" I am so excited! Anyhow, please take to heart the words of Paul here and press on, forget what is behind...nothing you can do about it now anyways, it's over!

1.03.2009

Jesus, hard work and coffee

Friends...I tell ya there is nothing like Jesus hard work and coffee...mix in some Christian fellowship and hard working kids and it makes up an almost perfect day! The almost is because it was 14 degrees!!! BRRRR!!!

Today, I got up, had some fabulous Jesus time, decided to make Cinnamon melts for the boys, which I botched, but they ended up being good...not my fault that I am not used to propane ovens!!! BUT it ended up being the perfect day because the Lucas, friends of Ryan's came to visit and we had 2 left and iced tea to serve them!

We didn't expect the Lucas and had planned on going to work on the house Ryan is building (Rophe House). Well, by the time the Lucas left, like 5 of Romi and Armando's friends had come to the apartment to hang out, play wii, etc. It is a big hit, I must say! Praise the Lord!!! So, we got out the door to go work around 5pm...

Needless to say, two of the boys, Arnold and Armando came to help us and boy am I glad they did! We had tons of stuff to move and they were very diligent and hardworking today! It filled my heart to see!

So then we went to McDonalds, had some big macs, fish sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, coffees, hot chocolates, and laughter and conversation...it was GREAT! So then we returned and I got an email from one of my fabulous friends whom I love (she sells Longaberger) and it warmed my heart even more to hear from her and I just had to blog and tell everyone I am more blessed than I deserve...GOD IS SOOOO GOOD!!!

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7

Love you all!

In Christ,

Amber

1.01.2009

Another New Word!

On the way to Venice, I learned a new word!!! Ryan taught me...

The air was really thick and cold and was forming layers of ice and crystals on everything...Ryan told me that is called Hore frost...

Go ahead, laugh, I did...HARD! The comments that were made! Oh my! Anyhow...this Hore frost is fabulously gorgeous and did things to spread jollification to my heart!

I wanted to share and show a couple of pics I took...both were while we were on the road...BUT if you google it, there are some prettier ones!