THE GIFT GIVER
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure,
pressed down, shaken together and running over, will
be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38 (NIV)
Devotion:
This morning I'll watch with joyful anticipation as my
family opens the gifts that I've given them. I can't
wait to see their faces light up with surprised
pleasure and gratefulness. In moments like these I
understand why Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give
than to receive" (Acts 20:35, NIV).
A few years ago my daughter reached an age where she
could find the hidden stash of unwrapped presents if
she really tried. So I warned her that if she peeked,
and I found out about it, I would return those
presents to the store and she would not receive them.
Sounds a bit harsh I know, but I really wanted her to
learn some important lessons: to exercise self-control
and delayed gratification, and to respect the act of
giving by not robbing me of the pleasure of seeing her
open her presents for the first time. I wanted her to
know that giving and receiving are irreversibly linked
-- and that expressions of thankfulness are part of
it.
It's essential for God's children to respect the act
of giving as well as receiving - He calls us to live a
life of both. I also believe it can help us better
understand God's core nature and our relationship with
Him. God is a gift-giver! And He always knows the
exact perfect gift to give. "Every good and perfect
gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the
heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting
shadows" (James 1:17, NIV).
Let's unwrap today some of the awesome gifts He has
given us ...
He's given us physical life: "The Lord God formed the
man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a
living being." Genesis 2:7 (NIV)
And eternal life: ""For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
(NIV)
He's given us family: "God sets the lonely in families
..." Psalm 68:6 (NIV)
He's given us wisdom: "If any of you lacks wisdom, he
should ask God, who gives generously to all without
finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5
(NIV)
He's given us peace: "Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give you." John 14:27 (NIV)
He's given us joy: "You became imitators of us and of
the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed
the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." 1
Thessalonians 1:6 (NIV)
He's given us rest: "Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all
of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I
will give you rest.'" Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
He's given us a personal counselor: "And I will ask
the Father, and he will give you another Counselor,
who will never leave you." John 14:16 (NIV)
He's given us an inheritance: "...you know that you
will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a
reward." Colossians 3:24 (NIV)
And He's given us freedom: "God alone made it possible
for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God
made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who
made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy,
and he gave himself to purchase our freedom." 1
Corinthians 1:30 (NIV)
In return for all these glorious gifts, God simply
wants us to receive and respond with thankfulness and
a heart that is ready to emulate His gracious nature.
I can't think of a better day than today to respond
with gratefulness and enjoy the act of giving and
receiving -- Merry Christmas!
We have received a gift, a gift of life and a gift
that takes a life time to unwrap. For with God each
day is a new day, each day we are given the gift of
hope, peace, faith, let us enjoy what is given freely.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
and
A BLESSED DAY
Love
Geraldine Johnston
GIVE UP?...NEVER!~~~~
What if at the age of 46 you were burned beyond recognition in a terrible motorcycle accident, and then four years later were paralyzed from the waist down in an airplane crash? Then, can you imagine yourself becoming a millionaire, a respected public speaker, a happy newlywed and a successful business person? Can you see yourself going white water rafting? Sky diving? Running for political office?
W. Mitchell has done all these things and more after two horrible accidents left his face a quilt of multicolored skin grafts, his hands fingerless and his legs thin and motionless in a wheelchair.
The 16 surgeries Mitchell endured after the motorcycle accident burned more than 65 percent of his body, left him unable to pick up a fork, dial a telephone or go to the bathroom without help. But Mitchell, a former Marine, never believed he was defeated. "I am in charge of my own spaceship," he said. "It's my up, my down. I could choose to see this situation as a setback or a starting point. "Six months later he was piloting a plane again.
Mitchell bought himself a Victorian home in Colorado, some real estate, a plane and a bar. Later he teamed up with two friends and co-founded a wood burning stove company that grew to be Vermont's second largest private employer.
Then four years after the motorcycle accident, the plane Mitchell was piloting crashed back onto the runway during takeoff, crushing Mitchell's 12 thoracic vertebra and permanently paralyzing him from the waist down. "I wondered what the hell was happening to me. What did I do to deserve this?"
Undaunted, Mitchell worked day and night to regain as much independence as possible. He was elected Mayor of Crested Butte, Colorado, to save the town from mineral mining that would ruin its beauty and environment. Mitchell later ran for Congress, turning his odd appearance into an asset with slogans such as, "Not just another pretty face."
Despite his initially shocking looks and physical challenges, Mitchell began white water rafting, he fell in love and married, earned a master's degree in public administration and continued flying, environmental activism and public speaking.
Mitchell's unshakable Positive Mental Attitude has earned him appearances on the "Today Show" and "Good Morning America" as well as feature articles in Parade, Time, The New York Times and other pubications.
"Before I was paralyzed, there were 10,000 things I could do," Mitchell says. "Now there are 9,000. I can either dwell on the 1,000 I lost or focus on the 9,000 I have left. I tell people that I have had two big bumps in my life. If I have chosen not to use them as an excuse to quit, then maybe some of the experiences you are having which are pulling you back can be put into a new perspective. You can step back, take a wider view and have a chance to say, "Maybe that isn't such a big deal after all."
"Remember: "It's not what happens to you, it's what you do about it."
~~~~
Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him.....
FAITH
~~~
We're a rugged breed, us quads. If we weren't, we wouldn't be around today. Yes, we're a rugged breed. In many ways, we've been blessed with a savvy and spirit that isn't given to everybody.
And let me say that this refusal of total or full acceptance of one's disability all hooks up with one thing -- faith, an almost divine faith.
Down in the reception room of the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, over on the East River at 400 East 34th Street in New York City, there's a bronze plaque that's riveted to the wall. During the months of coming back to the Institute for treatment -- two or three times a week -- I rolled through that reception room many times, coming and going. But I never quite made the time to pull over to one side and read the words on that plaque that were written, it's said, by an unknown Confederate Soldier.
Then one afternoon, I did. I read it and then I read it again. When I finished it for the second time, I was near to bursting -- not in despair, but with an inner glow that had me straining to grip the arms of my wheelchair. I'd like to share it with you.....
A CREED FOR THOSE
WHO HAVE SUFFERED
~~~~
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey...
I asked for health, that I might do great things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things...
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise...
I asked for power, that I might have the priase of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God...
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things...
I got nothing I asked for -- but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am. among men, most richly blessed!
~~~~
"I Pray that out of God's
glorious riches he may
strengthen you with power
through his "Spirit" in your
inner being, so that Christ
may dwell in your hearts
through faith. And I pray
that you, being rooted and
established in love, may have
power, together with all the
saints, to grasp how wide and
long and high and deep is the
love of Christ, and to know
this love that surpasses
knowledge--that you may be
filled to the measure of all
the fullness of God."
....Ephesians 3:16-19
~~~
May God Richly Bless and Keep You.
Have a Blessed Day....
~~~~
God allows us to experience
the low points of life
in order to teach
us lessons we could
not learn in any
other way...
~~~~~
Good night!
Love
Geraldine Johnston
Hello There! As I am new to jcfaith or rather have not been using it...I am just getting started setting up my page...Not sure what I am doing...but will eventually learn what I am doing...ha.
My first objective is to get some friends on my page...So if you get a message from me..please consider turning over to my page and take a look at me...and my likes and interest.
What I am interested...in are friends that love the Lord and are dedicated to serving Him....age does not matter and sex does not matter. I am not looking for a relationship or chatting only on-line friends that I can share my life with and share our concerns with. I love to talk about the Lord and what He has blessed all of us with and how much He loves us.
I met the Lord when I was 9 years of age and He has been by my side ever since...seeing me through some good times, bad times, sad times, happy times, low times, high times, broken-hearted times, rejoicing times and many victorious times. As you can see He is my ALL IN ALL!
I am very interested in children's ministry. I have 20 grandchildren and 2 great granchildren...so you can see why my heart is with the children. I have see many children abused and neglected and needing someone to love them and place a comforting arm around them so they can feel safe, loved and protected. Jesus told us...except we become as a little child we cannot see the kingdom of heaven...His heart was with the little children...He told His disciples to "suffer the little children to come unto Him and forbid them not"....as the disciples tried to keep the children away from Him because He was "busy". What a loving Lord we serve.
Well, enough for one evening. Just wanted to get acquainted and say Hi to everyone. Look forward to a long wonderful friendship with many jcfaith friends.
God Bless Each One of You and Have a Blessed Day. God loves you so much and wants to meet your every need...all we need to do is to ASK!
Love
Geraldine
