Things I am Thankful For:

*My loving and merciful Lord and Savior, who provides all we need, at all times!

*My loving supportive husband.

*My 4 wonderful kids; Jaron a fantastic big brother who although is just like me in looks and personality (which is great for him but we butt heads a lot) is just one of my little heart beats. Kristofer, my special little kid who struggles through every day events but is a lion full of courage and a kitten who is tender hearted. Eli our youngest son who is super tenderhearted, is a protector of his sister (when they aren’t fighting) and a constant buddy to his brothers who he adores. Sara, my only little princess who is all girl and all tomboy. She is one of the best surprises and blessings!
Last but not least, for my little angel boy, SeanPatrick who would be 11 and is celebrating this thanksgiving at the feet of Jesus with my grandparents, Mamaw and my Uncle Bob.

*For my parents, who help us so much more than I could ever repay, for my brothers and sister and their families.

*For Sean’s Mom and brother’s and sister’s who our kids adore!

*For my friends throughout the US and in other countries such as Dominican Republic, S. Africa, Germany, China, Japan serving our Lord and winning souls for Christ.

*Good heath and healing knees.

*The ability to walk without crutches or a cane.

*A warm house and a running vehicle.

*Our funny kittens- CC (fostering), Sugar and Mr. Jingles, our dog Izzy and our wonderful ferrets- Woody & Uno.

*A wonderful church.

*A beautiful sunny crisp day to take my children to the park while the turkey cooks and Sean sleeps after working all night.

*Thankful that although Sean has to work 32 hours from last night till Sat. he has a job in this economy and is making extra money through overtime while helping a coworker who’s husband is battling leukemia.

*This computer and the ability to talk to friends across the miles through the internet…thank goodness for the internet!

*For Facebook.com of which I have reconnected with old friends from high school and college and can keep in contact with close friends in Florida.

*For Myspace.com of which I am able to keep in contact with cousins, aunts, sibs and friends who are not on Face book (come on gang Facebook is better!)

David and Peter

Tuesday morning the Lord woke me up. As I began to open my eyes this thought went through my head, “Just like David you have faced the giant and stepped out in faith and you will have the victory.” PRAISE GOD! Can someone shout with me?!!! I sat up and I knew without a doubt that was from the Lord! That is not something I would say to myself at all. In fact to be honest I tend to see negative before I see the positive. I don’t know why, I have just been that way my whole life. I pray all the time ~ God help me to be positive and speak the truth into situations. I can for others but when it comes to situations I am facing, I struggle with staying positive and having faith that God will see me through. Just being honest here.

So having a thought like that is HUGE for me and I know it was from my Heavenly Father. All day yesterday I was unable to shake it I just kept thinking about David and Goliath. Then in the middle of the night last night, once again God woke me up. This time the first thought as I laid there looking into the dark was, “You have stepped out of the boat as Peter did, do not fear, trust in Me, you will have the victory.” PRAISE GOD! Can someone shout with me?!!!

I laid there thinking about that story in the Bible and pondered both as I laid there. I should have just gotten up right then and gone to read the scriptures but I didn’t (it was 3 AM and I really wanted to sleep). Well for the next 3 ½ hours I tossed and turned, those stories going through my head I finally just got up like God wanted me to.
So I looked at the scripture in I Samuel 17 and in Matthew 14. Do you know what those two stories have in common? Both David and Peter trusted God fully and acted on their faith IMMEDIATELY! David’s focus was fully on God’s promise to save the Isrealites, he fully trusted in God and had faith that He would deliver him from the hands of Goliath. Here read this:

I Samuel 17: 45-48

45 Then said David to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day will Jehovah deliver you into my hand; and I will
smite you, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,
47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand. 48 When the Philistine came forward to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.

David stood on what he knew about God and he acted on it. He did not wait and
ponder on whether he would succeed. He “ran quickly toward the battle” how many times to do we do this? I know I don’t, most times I say, “well I have to pray about it, I need confirmation.” But God wants us to be more like David and act quickly and do as He has called us to do ~ sometimes that might mean face the giant and run quickly towards it and say what David said, “for the battle is the Lord’s.” Instead of wondering if you are good enough, have the capabilities or not, we need to ACT on what God has called us to do and leave the results up to Him. When we do this we will have the victory. Sometimes that victory may just be the act of laying down the results and trusting God for the outcome. Other times it may mean the giant is killed, defeated and put to rest! Other times it means stepping out of the boat like Peter.

Matthew 14:26-30

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spoke to them, saying Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to You on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And Peter stepped out of the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand, and took hold of him, and said to him, You of little faith, why did you doubt?

Peter did just like David did. Jesus said, “Come.” Peter didn’t question he stepped out of the boat immediately. The scripture does not say, “Peter pondered the call, he prayed about the call or asked for other’s advice about the call!” NO, it says Peter stepped out of the boat. We need to act upon our faith and step out of the boat! Only then can we see God’s hand upon us and walk on water! When we step out, God will perform miracles! Peter would have never known what it was like to walk on water had he stayed in the boat! Yes we see in verse 30 that Peter got scared. God never told us that stepping out of the boat was going to be easy or that storms wouldn’t come. But
if we respond like Peter did and cry out to the Lord, He is always faithful to stretch out His hand.

Thank you Lord!

Just a word of thanks. Despite the fact that You decided to take our son so early from us I will still give you praise! Today is his birthday and ironically he was born on a Sat 11 years ago. I will NEVER forget that day. He was beautiful and fit so nicely in my arms. I know he's in better place but I sure would lie to hold him again! Just once I would like to hold him close an tell him how much we love and miss him! SeanPatrick Eugene Kelly I love you baby boy! I love you! Happy Birthday!

Thank You Lord

I was so busy this week and yesterday preparing this for Children's church. Actually I was getting things ready to tie-dye shirts for the kids that I never had a chance to look at a lesson. Last night when we were talking Lord I asked you to help me and this morning You did just that...gave m great lesson on Anger and Control. What a great topic. The kids seemed to get it really well. Thank you again for showing up Lord!

One Touch

Speak to the Mountain

Earlier this week as I was driving home from town the Lord impressed on my heart to speak to the mountains in my life. Honestly I thought, "ok God that is just strange! Speak to the mountains what do You mean?" I didn't get an answer but I started to pray for the mountains to move, mountains of illness, the mountains that are hindering a situation that could be blessing to our family, mountains that seem to be hindering things at church and others. I prayed hard and started proclaiming God's Word and His promises over those situations.

All week it has weighed on me and I have asked the Lord to show me, lead me to the scripture He wanted me to read to understand more about this, "speaking to the mountains." Well last night I was sitting here listening to praise and worship music and asked again for the Lord to direct me to scripture. I opened the Bible to Ezekiel 36:1. Which states (paraphrased) "speak to the mountains and declare the Word of the Lord." Which sent me to shouting! Because that is exactly what I was doing ad had no idea it was there in the word. Now the circumstances are different in that scripture but it said "declare (prophesy) to the mountains My Word" said the Lord.

Well this morning during Sunday school I was trying to listen to the teaching but God was speaking to my heart about the mountains again. I grabbed a Bible and began writing down everything the Lord was showing me. SO AWESOME! So listen to this!!!
In Matt 17:20 Jesus tells His disciples that if they have faith as small as a mustard seed then they can tell the mountain to move and it will. A mustard seed is pretty small. To have just that amount of living faith can move those mountains.

In Matt. 7:7, scripture says to ask, seek, and knock and you shall receive. Does it say it will be immediately ~ no! But the Greek meanings of the words that were used are to "pray persistently."

So lets tie this together an I hope you grasp what God is saying here today. When faced with mountains whether it is an illness, debt, direction that is not coming, maybe its something that is hindering you from going forward in a direction God is leading you stand firm, face that mountain and proclaim God's Word. Not only that but stand facing that mountain in faith (even if it is a smidgen of faith) and tell it "MOVE MOUNTAIN MOVE!" Do it persistently! The reason we are told to ask, seek and knock is to build our faith and to be persistent. You pray till you get an answer! Keep praying till you get that answer! Keep proclaiming God's Word against those mountains.

If you are facing a terrible illness even a small one, stand and face that mountain and proclaim scripture (God's WORD) and state "BY HIS STRIPES I AM HEALED!" Maybe you are facing uncertainty about a situation or finances, face that mountain and say "MOVE MOUNTAIN!! God's WORD says, HE SHALL PROVIDE FOR ALL OF MY NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES I GLORY!"

Speak the living eternal truth to those mountains. Stand in faith, stand firm and keep declaring the Word of God. He is faithful to answer! Hallelujah! He is faithful to touch and heal, He is faithful to provide not only your needs but the desires of your heart if He knows that they will bring glory to Him! He wants to show you His power! He wants to amaze you today! He wants to make it clear that when you rely on Him fully that He will sustain you. Yes He allows things to take place but the point of those things is to help you to grow, draw closer to Him, for His plan for your life to be worked out according to His will. There is a purpose for everything!

This morning in service I was able to share this word with our congregation BEFORE we had worship and let me tell you something...God showed up in a mighty way! This word was not just for me and our situations we face but for others. That is why I know someone who will read this will be encouraged today! Hold fast to the Potter! Hold fast to the Maker of ALL things! Speak to those mountains...MOVE MOUNTAIN MOVE IN JESUS NAME! In fact I told our congregation not only proclaim that the mountain be moved but may the mountain be destroyed today!

Be encouraged today and stay persistent! SPEAK to those mountains and proclaim the promises of God!

Complete by Chonda Pierce

God's Beauty

This week has been long for me. I have been battling a nasty sinus infection, ear infections and a UTI. SO MUCH FUN! NOT!!! I have thought about my Uncle Bob a lot this week to. He died this past Sat. and today he was laid to rest. He was the oldest of my Dad's siblings. He was a wonderful cook and was a veteran of the US Army and played in his own band. He could make wonderful wooden toys of which my kids loved last year when they got to meet him for the first time. Little did we know that a year later he would be gone. But what is awesome is that before he died he was able to make amends with the Lord and accepted Him as his Savior. I write this because this week, my youngest brother Bryan and his wife, Amber and their two beautiful kids, Aiden and Kamiya traveled from Florida to Ohio for the funeral with my parents. I was told that Aiden was totally amazed at the colors of the trees. Mom told me that he was so excited and kept saying, wow look at the orange leaves, the red trees and the yellow ones. He was so excited to see God's creation! He is three years old and this was his first time seeing the fall colors. The excitement he must have had not only in his voice but his eyes. I can see them twinkle with excitement. To stomp and crunch through the leaves...what fun! I remember the first fall I spent in KY when I went to Morehead State University in the fall of `94. Oh the colors, sounds and smells of fall! I remember the excitement of raking the leaves, piling them high and having leaf fights! It was so much fun!

When my mom shared about Aiden's reaction to the leaves my very first thought was this: "If only we were excited about being in the presence of God as Aiden is about the colors of the leaves, we might actually hear from Heaven!"

We get excited about football games, new movies coming out, the holidays, music concerts and even the presidential election proved to excite people who never voted before. Yet, the one person we need to be the most excited about we don't even make time to spend with. Yet He sits and waits for us patiently.

Lately, it's all I have wanted, to spend more and more time in His presence. I need to hear His voice! I need Him to pour into me! I am in a place where it's not enough to read one scripture verse. I need more! I am so hungry for Him, His presence, His voice, His power, His touch! I just want to be with him. This song "Word of God Speak " by Mercy Me is my song right now. I get caught up in it when I hear it and sing my heart out. It's my prayer! In fact I posted the video to it in a previous post here. SO if you want to hear it just scroll down! If not pray the words of this song and make them your prayer today!

"Word of God Speak" by Mercy Me

I'm finding myself

at a loss for words

And the funny thing is

it's okay

The last thing

I need is

to be heard

But to hear what

You would say

Chorus:

Word of God speak

Would You pour down like rain

Washing my eyes to see

Your majesty

To be still and know

That You're in this place

Please let me stay and rest

In Your holiness

Word of God speak

I'm finding myself

in the midst of You

Beyond the music,

beyond the noise

All that I need

is to be with You

And in the quiet

hear Your voice

(Chorus 2x)

I'm finding myself

at a loss for words

And the funny thing

is it's okay

A word!

Saturday night late, we had a gentleman show up at our home. He was one of the first people that got saved after we took over the pastorate at our present church. Unfortunately despite all of our efforts he left the church and turned his back on God. He came to us for help, prayer and guidance at midnight I might add! Sean and I were able to talk with him for a while and then he asked if he could spend time at the altar. So Sean took him over to the church where he was able to pray with him and this gentleman stay for a few hours at the alter praying. I'd like to report that he showed up for services Sunday morning but he didn't. We are praying he makes the right choice and returns.
That night at around one in the morning I was praying and God gave me a very strong word for our church. It is awesome. I am not going to share it here but I can tell you when the picture that God gave me is fulfilled out church will be busting at the seems and we will have to bring on a full time youth pastor and possibly children's pastor! What I can share is that we are to prepare. The first step to preparing for the incoming souls is prayer and fasting and of course getting more into the word of God. It's the first step for anything God has planned. We are very excited about what is in store for our church.

Sunday morning we were blessed with a new family who was visiting for the first time. They live just a few blocks from the church. They have two wonderful little boys who are 6 & 7 yrs of age. Very cute little guys and so polite! They all seemed to enjoy Sunday School and the main services. The boys definitely enjoyed Children's church. Planning to make contact with the family this week and invite them back.
Have more to write later tonight if I get a chance to.

Gentle Reminder