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Thursday

The Gift

One day, after Bible study:
HE: "Come here, dear, I have a surprise for you."
[He picked up a box that had been on the floor by his chair and held it out to me.]
SHE: "What is it?"
HE: "Well, here…. take it. See for yourself."
[I took the box from him. I could see that it had come through the mail.]
HE: "I ordered this for you." (He was always looking through mail-order catalogs.) "You're such a pretty girl… you need to have pretty things."
[The warning flags were up... I didn't like the sound of this.]
HE: "Come on… " he urged, "open it!"
[So I did...And what was inside? A cute little number… strapless... with short shorts! Something I would NEVER pick for myself, much less wear! How embarrassing. Why would he buy this for me? Let him buy it for his wife. Of course he could see I was not thrilled. This was way too personal!]
SHE: "I can't take this… You shouldn't be buying me things. And I don't wear this kind of stuff. "
HE: "Well you should. You're beautiful. You need to show yourself off."
SHE: "I'm sorry, but I just can't accept this from you."
HE: Well won't you at least try it on? Come on… let's have a little fashion show." 

     And he coaxed and pouted and acted disappointed… He spoke sternly and frowned and insisted… and eventually, [I can hardly believe it]  he got his own way... because I felt like I needed to stay in his good graces, and it was so hard to keep saying 'no' to him.
     I just don't understand how he made me do things I absolutely did not want to do! 

BIBLE VERSES TO HELP ME___________________________________

Psalms 37:40—"And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him."

Jeremiah 23:1-4—"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture" declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: "You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, , and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds," declares the Lord. "Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing," declares the Lord.

MORE_____________________________________________________

FURTHER READING ON THE WEB [click here]_______________

RELATED VIDEOS ON THE WEB [click here]_________________

HELPFUL WEBSITES [click here]__________________________

HELPFUL BOOKS [click here]_____________________________

DEVOTIONS AND MEDITATIONS [click here]_________________

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UNFINISHED MELODY

Someday, Lord I pray,
there will be a place for me,
where ears take time to listen,
where eyes take time to see.
A place where I can laugh and cry
and know that I belong.
Someday, that's where
I will sing my song.

And someday, Lord I pray, in a place......
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SERMONS

The Power of Pentecost
This sermon helped me so much... and gave me the push I needed to begin the healing process in earnest. Thank you to the minister who wasn't afraid to preach it!
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Looking Forward In Faith
[part 1]


[part 2]

During a recent Sunday morning worship service I was blessed to hear a sermon that spoke to my heart, and reminded me that I am forgiven. I will cling to these words as I continue to move from victim to survivor to thriver.
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Oh, For the Wings of a Dove

[Mendelssohn]
Oh, for the wings,
for the wings of a dove,
Far away,
far away would I rove!
Oh, for the wings,
for the wings of a dove,
Far away,
far away, far away,
far away would I rove!

In the wilderness
build me a nest,
And remain there
forever at rest
In the wilderness
build me, build me a nest,
And remain
there forever at rest