Jesus and Satan

My son, Grant wrote a poem in school. I thought it was very good and I asked him if I could share it. Here is his poem:

Jesus and Satan

JESUS

nice, kind

helping, dying, rising

cross, Heaven, hatred, hell

evil, not wise, bad

dares Jesus

Satan

I thought it fit in very nice at this time in Lent.

Have you ever read The Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent? If you have kids, you need to read this book. I picked it up from the town library. I am not finished with it yet, but wanted to tell you all about it.

In the Bible, some of the most powerful words to a son was the blessing that was spoken at the end of life ex. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. They spoke words to their sons that were powerful and as parents we should do the same. Isaac's blessing to Jacob was this, Genesis 27:28-29 "May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness—an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you."

A blessing includes:

• Meaningful Touch


• A spoken Message


• Attaching "High Value" to the one being blessed


• Picturing a Special Future for the one being blessed


• An Active Commitment to fulfill the blessing

The book goes on to discribe what each of these look like but the benefits of them is enormous. Some people never get a "blessing" from their parents and the book describes how to live without it (I'm not up to that part yet.) The chapters that I have read so far have convicted me that I as a parent need to give my blessing to my sons, so that they can grow up healthy.

So get the book - and bless your children.

Crisis of Belief!

Have you ever had a crisis of belief? Not sure if that is the correct way to label it but in my definition, it's where you either believe or don't believe.
I had one this weekend. I was at a Spiritual Retreat called Cursillo. It is a weekend where you listen to speakers, discuss their talks and learn about God. It is a "short course on Christian living." I was blessed to be a table leader, a person that engages with the table to start discussions, etc. A cracked pot if you will (2 Cor. 4:7) leading others.
I was worried about the weekend because I still get really tired yet from the surgery I had in December. The three days are big days and the rest that one gets is not like at home. But I knew that God would sustain me.
By Sat. evening, I was feeling physically sick. I was able to lay down for 10 minutes. I prayed and God helped me, and He did. Sunday morning, my body was dragging, my mind was willing, but my body was exhausted. I was able to ask some of my prayer warriors for prayer.
I felt that God was helping me, but.... I wanted them to keep on praying so that He would continue to help me get through.
I was able to talk to one of my prayer warriors at noon. I was getting by but there were waves of tiredness, just pawing at the fringes. She asked how I was doing?
I said, "God is answering, I can feel that it's working but just keep praying."
She asked me, "Steph, do you believe God?"
I said, "Yes, but just keep praying, it's working but I just feel right on the edge, the prayers are helping, but..."
"No," she said, "Do you Believe God?"
Ohh, now I get what she is asking me -- "Yes."
"Then BELIEVE HIM."
Do I believe that God is who He says He is? Do I believe God can do what He says He can do? Do I believe I am who God says I am? Do I believe that I can do all things through Christ? Do I believe that God's word is alive and active in me?
Do I BELIEVE GOD?
Yes! YES!! YES, I DO BELIEVE GOD!!!!!
Right after this encounter with my friend, I was singing a song. I'm not even sure what the song's title was. But in the song it talked about God's grace and how great it is. One line in the song said, "the weak shall lead the strong." Tears started to pour out of my eyes.
I get it God!!! I get it, --- talk about "Learnin' by Grace!" I had no inkling of tiredness after that. I was completely free! God did amazing things this weekend. I will never forget what He has done for me!
Thank you, Lord, you are amazing! I Love You with all my Heart, with all my Soul, and with all my Mind!!
I praise You for what You have done, what You are doing and what You will do!
Some of you may know that the questions that I was asking myself came from Beth Moore's Bible study, Believing God. If you have never done that Bible Study, I encourage you to complete it. Have your own crisis of belief and go from believing in God to Believing God!!