My Place of Grace

If you've got an itch then scratch it Take a lesson from this squirrel. That nagging little feeling Could be the making of a pearl. Just as a grain of sand Get stuck inside a shell, The itch unscratched will bother But with scratch, the itch will quell. Giving time to question, Why the itch was there? Was it just a passing notion Or something meant to make aware? Just as the grain of sand, Over time becomes a pearl. The itch unscratched can fester Causing damage to this squirrel. Thank you God for speaking to me the way you do, through photographs and nature to get Your message through. No one else may get it...and for me that's quite OK. Just like to share the words You spin into my brain each day. Thank you for the pleasures that knowing You affords. I pray that we come to know you better as you open all closed doors. The itches could mean something that you intend to teach, so that we may grow close to You, should we dare to reach; and s...

You ask things of me every day As you kneel before my feet to pray Answers come and answers go Sometimes noticed, sometimes no. I listen faithfully to each request Figuring carefully how to answer best. Taking into consideration Your hearts desire and consolation. How will my answers affect your life? Will it grow your faith, or cause you strife? My answers aren't always what you expect But they're always for your benefit. I bend down low to hear your cries Your needs and wants and questions why? I know your voice, it's precious to me Now listen for mine and you will see Entrusting your heart into my care Will bring a peace beyond compare With anything that can be measured More valuable than the greatest treasure. It's my delight to answer prayer Be still and know that I am there. Live your life like you believe It's in your faith that you'll receive. The blessings that I have in store As you seek me even more. Love God

Storms will come and storms will go. Waves may toss us too and fro. But Jesus came to save the lost So hold tight to Him no matter the cost. There is nothing on earth that will ever compare, To the security He brings when our life meets despair. He is our anchor, our light in the dark. He won't let us be devoured by hungry sharks. He chases the enemy, calms the waves Keeps us afloat with His hand that saves. He soothes with His word, always faithful and true He plugs the holes in our boat so we don't fall through. Give Him a chance Call out His name. Reach for His hand. You'll never be the same. You will find that in spite of the treacherous storms, He's restored what's been broken, tattered, and torn. Covering over the damages done, Replacing storm clouds of doubt, with the warm hope of sun. Anchor yourself with Jesus today... And you'll sail through the storms not get tossed in the waves. Blessings, Mary

'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3 Sometimes the answers we seek are only as far away as the call. God is always waiting for our call and the best part is, He is always home to pick up. In this age of technology, it is so automatic for us to pick up our cell phones or shoot e-mails and text messages to our friends. We search for answers to our problems and look for direction from friends,counselors, books, television, and Google; but how often do we call on God? How often do we use His resources? God is the source of all life, who better to run to first? He knows ALL the answers we seek before we even ask. He watches our futile efforts at trying to solve our life's problems on our own, and He waits. God waits for us to pick up that direct connect and contact Him. So what are we waiting for? The answers we are looking for are wrapped up in Him. The only way to unwrap them is to call and get to know Hi...

I took a couple days off from posting about the promises set before us by God, so that I could help promote two books that are very dear to my heart, written by two very special godly women. Thank you to all those who are going to purchase their books Now back to the promises, which by the way will help us in our journey to true happiness and help us in times of trouble. Things that relate to both of the books I mentioned. Today's Promise is from the book of Isaiah 43:1-4 When You're Between a Rock and a Hard Place But now, God's Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel:"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your S...

I was reading in Galatians this morning about how Paul was called by God, from being a persecutor of Christians to a promoter of the Gospel of Christ. Paul was writing to the people of Galatia, describing the transformation that God made in his life. He told them that he was set apart from birth by God for this specific time. This got me thinking. God has so very uniquely created each one of us. we are ALL set apart for something special by God. Something that he has planned for us before we were born. Picture this for a minute. Every single person was fashioned and designed for a purpose. Every person plays a role in shaping God's kingdom. We were intended for something, each one of us. So how will we know what our purpose is? It struck me that life floats by so quickly, and if we are not careful and we get too caught up in life's flow, that we risk the chance of missing our very purpose of being here. It also hit me that when God finally got Paul's attention, Paul re...

Readying myself to head for the Jersey Shore for a couple of days. Packing my bags, making sure I don't forget anything. Taking great care folding my clothes, and double checking that I've remembered the camera, a book, the GPS, the cellphone and charger, toll $, suntan lotion and the like. My mind has been busy and focused on this task, the preparations, and the beautiful prize that awaits me in a couple of hours, when I am finally sitting in the warm sand watching the waves roll in. Somewhere in the middle of all theses preparations, Jesus popped in my head. His name and face were there. A gentle reminder. I stopped my scurrying around and thought for a moment. I've forgotten surely the most important thing. I forgot to invite my best friend. If only I would take as much time and care in preparing for my eternal destination. Checking and double checking, taking care to remember why I am able to go there in the first place. Jesus should be the first thing in my mind every...

Sometimes I wonder in which direction the Lord is leading. There are so many things I want to accomplish while here on this earth, but are they the things God wants for me? I don't want to waste my time and efforts on temporal things. Our time here is short and there is so much work to do. I wish that God would make His path for me clear with signs and arrows and all. but I guess if He made it that easy I wouldn't seek Him earnestly, I wouldn't have to listen for His voice as hard; and our time together would be cut short. The thing I want to most accomplish while I'm here is to daily become more and more like Jesus in the way I speak, act, and love; bringing glory and honor to God the Father, lifting Him up and making Him famous, so that every ear that hears and eye that sees will never be able to mistake Him or His voice. I want to help gather sheep to His flock, help build his kingdom. Lord Jesus, what can I do to serve You? Please direct my path. Fill me with Your S...

Matthew 11: 28,29 -- 28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. I'm running to you Jesus, today has been so hard and heart breaking. My son, Steven, the third of my 4 sons, has been battling mental illness for about 5 yrs. He's been hospitalized 5 times and today will be the 6 th . Today Steven got upset over the fact that his father asked him to leave an I pod that didn't belong to him here at home, while Steven went to work. He and his dad went back and forth and Steven finally gave it to his dad. This episode upset Steven so much that he went into his rage mode, pacing, swearing, kicking things, talking to himself, going in and out the door and the like. The last time he stormed out, my youngest son ran in and said"mom, Steve just dumped Gasoline all over himself and took off running down the street threatening...

"So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!' ( 2 Corinthians 5:20, NLT ) WE ARE CHRIST"S AMBASSADORS! WOW! What an honor that Christ called US...you and me... and entrusted us with spreading His message of salvation and love! We are to speak FOR Him...What an Awesome gift this is! It is a great responsibility then, to listen for Gods call upon our lives. We are all given gifts in which to use to get His message out...May we use these gifts to Make Him famous, glorify His name, and build His kingdom! We all have our part in the body of Christ. May we each exercise our part and keep it working to its fullest potential. When we see a part of the body growing weary, may we take the time to minister to it so it can continue to function in its true capacity! Let us be body builders...growing strong in the ways of The Lord! Being an Ambassador for Christ means that we are His representatives...

A friend of mine wrote a poem about Rainbows. It got me thinking. God first placed the rainbow as a promise to Noah after the great flood, that He would never destroy the earth in that manner again(Genesis 9:13) God himself said" every time I place a rainbow in the sky it will be a reminder of that covenant." Where I live, every time it rains and the sun peeks through those clouds, I can see a big beautiful rainbow(sometimes a double one) when I look out my picture window or stand in my front yard. How symbolic that is, that the rainbow(Gods promise) comes when the sun (God/hope) peeks through the storm clouds(our trials). What a creative God we have! Lord, I thank You for the symbolism that a rainbow represents and for the fact that You have thought of every detail, have set them in place and rejoice when we, Your children discover them. I praise You and Love You. Lord, I pray that we remember the promises set forth in Your word, run to Your first, instead of as a last res...

Philemon 1:22- And one thing more:"Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers." 2 Corinthians 1:10b-11 “On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” The apostle Paul was in prison, he wrote many letters while in chains. As I was reading Paul's letter to Philemon, verse 22 caught my attention. It was almost as if God himself was tapping me on the shoulder, saying "Hey Mary, I want you to pay attention to this." Whoa! It's not every day I get messages from my God that are that loud and clear, so I figured I'd better pay attention to these seemingly simple words. "Prepare a guest room for me, because...