“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.” Luke 1:46-47 KJV
When a beautiful blessing caused heartbreak. As a mother how do you reconcile that your child carries the weight of the world on His shoulders? How can you deal with seeing the pain in your child's eyes? How do we stand at His feet and watch Him take is last breath? Witnessing this must have put a rip in her heart so deep she felt it was beyond repair.
She must have suffered every wound, every tear, and every drop of blood that fell. The anguish must have been beyond human comprehension. She gave us such a beautiful gift, it was the biggest most precious part of her life. She gave us her beautiful Son, Emmanuel. She was just a child herself when He was born. But she trusted God to hold her hand through all of the life trials she would endure.
Even knowing how important His role is, the loss must have always haunted her soul. She was left behind with all her human frailties to embrace and understand the magnitude of His amazing life. Only her Son could deliver such an amazing gift of peace and healing to her heart. I am so grateful for her and her sacrifice.
When you look for strength remember this story of a mother and child and their journey. It’s unconditional love at its finest. It’s the most beautiful love story we will ever know...
Today let's embrace all Mothers and acknowledge the sacrifice and the beautiful gift of LOVE they unselfishly give.
“For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah9:6
Meaning of balance: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.
As our world seems to be spinning out of control, many of us find ourselves feeling unsettled, watching circumstances affect our health, our finances, and even our peace of mind. My thoughts drifted to the word balance and how the scales can shift with every passing moment.
How do we cope in the days and challenges ahead?
How do we bring our individual world into some type of order and balance?
When my thoughts settled on the word balance, I immediately thought of a game I play with my granddaughter. We stand with our arms stretched out from our shoulders, lift one foot a few inches from the floor, and hold it as long as we can. A great test of balance and a fun challenge between generations.
We can usually hold that position for about one to three minutes. And it made me realize something… this is often how we relate to God.
We try to balance life, health, and love on our own. We convince ourselves we can manage without Him, at least for a little while. But eventually, we begin to wobble. We lose our balance. And sometimes… we fall.
So I asked myself, how can we avoid this?
And once again, my heart led me back to the same truth… it’s Him. He is always the answer.
But this time, the word revealed something deeper.
He is our assurance.
He is our lifeline.
He is our love.
And in order to bring all the elements of our lives into a steady, beautiful balance, He must be at the center of our heart.
Because even when the scales tip, as life inevitably will, He is there to hold us steady. He walks with us through every situation. He loves us with a love that fills every need.
He brings balance to every facet of our lives.
Run to Him.
Make Him the center of your heart, the very core of your life.
It is His promise of love that stabilizes your world.
Tip the scales in your favor.
We are called to live with balance, loving God fully while enjoying the blessings of this life, without placing our hope in them. 1 Timothy 6:17
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8
Photography, Design & Written by Lori Garner
Bible Collaboration - Joann Turnbull
Bible Verses From (KJV) Sinner's Prayer
Inspiring Music: YouTube
Listen To Our Hearts - Casting Crowns - with Lyrics
He came as a witness to testify concerning that light so that through him all might believe. John1:1:15
In the King James Bible, the third best-selling translation, the word "light" appears a total of 235 times.
Light” in the Bible can be a metaphor for life, happiness, righteousness, or understanding. The Bible is clear that light comes from the Lord God, the “Father of the heavenly lights”
You can see Him in the beauty of the sky. You can see Him in the trees that reach for the heavens. You can feel Him in the warm summer breeze that brushes upon your skin. You can hear Him in the sweet melody of a song. You can smell Him in the crispness of the winter air. You can taste Him in the sweetness of life you witness unfolding before your eyes ...His light will engulf your senses and guide you on the most amazing spiritual journey you can ever experience.
We are all seeking a brighter existence. Our souls crave it. Our hearts long for it. We are seeking a deep peace in our souls. We are seeking absolute acceptance, and deep love in our hearts. When we are blessed by His gift of light. He will ignite a burning fire in your soul. Allowing His light to illuminate within you. You will be pulled closer to his majestic presence and his light will shine through you lighting the path for others.
I pray that his children unite and boldly spill His light upon the darkest corners of the earth. Oh, how I LOVE the light, Be the light! Unite! For I am a child of the light.
It's Him, It's always Him.
“Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.”John 12:36 NIV
“Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark but will have the Light which is Life.”
John 8:12 AMPC
“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 AMPC
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works -- He who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. – Psalm 104:31-32
Wonder is mentioned in 8 books and occurs 15 times in the Bible.
The meaning of wonder: a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.
How do we wrap our heads around the word wonder? My research pointed me to the 7 wonders of the world? I found myself in of course Wikipedia? Where much to my surprise the 7 wonders are many different lists?? How can this be??
I don’t know when things became so complicated?? I will try to simplify it. You may or may not agree. But without God, there would be no list. So, when I look at the word wonder I go to the source.
And I can only speak from my experience and my heart. My Journey has been filled with wonder, the Triune surprises me at every turn.
With each passing day. I discover more about God, The Son, and The Holy Spirit … Holy Moly if that is not the greatest wonder we will ever know??
How did He come to us in so many different ways?? How has He sustained a following since the beginning of time?? How does He become ingrained in our soul? How does He have the power to heal? How did He give up His life? How did He become alive again?? How? How does He LOVE His children so much??
I stand in awe most of the time. He takes my breath away and leaves me speechless.
I can’t help but wonder what does He want with us? Why hasn’t he given up??
I think He is like any great artist He falls in love with His work. He admires what he created from nothing. He places great value and will take special care of each and every one of His priceless creations.
Imagine if this is true… this beautiful essence of the word wonder is reciprocal, and It holds a Love that bridges time and space. How can we not admire and love Him with our very last breath? How can we not give Him our heart? I stand in awe! I wonder why we are so blessed to have Him?
It's Him! It is always HIM!!
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, Deuteronomy 13:1NIV
And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. Acts 3:10 NIV
"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Meaning of blind: unable to see because of injury, disease, or a congenital condition.
There are approximately 74 verses about the word blind.
Our eyes are such an amazing gift… To not be blessed with sight must be such a true challenge. I can not even begin to imagine. I do believe most of us do not give it much thought unless we are faced with a problem with our eyes. The smallest grain of dust can cause such a major discomfort.
Some say the eyes are the window to our soul… So, how does someone that has been blind from birth see? How do they see the beauty that surrounds them daily? I do believe they build extrasensory abilities. Many of these abilities we find difficult to understand. Just how do they do it?
I don’t know exactly how they manage. So before I continue to write about the word blind. I will close my eyes and try an experiment. I will use my ears to hear the music, I will use my sense of touch and my sense of smell and I will see what if anything I can see…Can our spiritual eyes see what our human eyes can not? I say yes, without a doubt I know you can.
My soul felt the beautiful music, as it opened my heart. I could feel the vibrations of the sounds being made. There was a sweet smell of home in the air. And in my mind's eye, I began to see many details of our Savior's face.
I will describe what I saw with my spiritual eyes. He appeared to be approximately 30 years of age. His hair was brown shoulder length. As I approached Him I could look into His eyes they were a deep shade of blue. There I could see His kindness. His beard and mustache were neatly trimmed. And he had the most amazing smile. A smile that can speak volumes to my soul.
So how does this happen? How do we see with our spirit? I believe it is His voice… It calls to our soul. Our soul hears His song of love.. and our heart vibrates to the sound being made while we feel His presence. There is a sense of home felt when He fills your heart with an explainable love. And then the mind paints a picture..with all the detail our sense have gathered. And we can see a vision of Him that speaks to our mind, and then we began to feel Him in our heart and soul.
How sharp are your senses? Do you see our Heavenly Father in your mind's eye? Do you hear His voice? Do feel that sense of home?
If not I urge you to close your eyes. I urge you to invite Him into your heart. Listen for His voice because I know He is calling your name. And if you diligently seek Him you will find Him. And for those who do not believe or that have no desire to find Him. Here is a quote from a remarkable blind soul.
“Better to be blind and see with your heart, than to have two good eyes and see nothing.” (Helen Keller)
With her extrasensory abilities... She found the beauty in Her soul and shared it with the world. It's not a secret...
It's Him, It's Always Him!
He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” John 12:40
“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God Second Corinthians 4:4
“Love is the beauty of the soul.” – Saint Augustine...
In Scripture, the word soul appears 754 times in the Old Testament and 102 times in the New Testament—856 times in all. Clearly, God wants us to notice the soul.
The soul is the essence of who we truly are. It is our life-source—the God-given flame that burns through eternity. While our body and mind serve as vessels for this earthly journey, it is our soul that carries the magnetic pull to commune with our Creator.
We all travel at different speeds along life’s road. None of us are perfect. We stumble, we falter, we fall short. But each day we are given a choice: to nurture and define who we are in our souls. Our life, our legacy, and our eternity depend on it.
Did you know that Scripture even speaks of God’s own soul (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
Just imagine—a God who not only gave us a soul but shares His own heart and essence with us.
The best relationship we could ever know is soul to soul with God. Search your heart. Free your soul. Let Him guide you into the fullness of life everlasting. A happy soul cannot be contained, because it rests secure in what the future holds.
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” – Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
“And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” – John 10:28 (KJV)
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (KJV)
So in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians NIV
🌊✨ September 2, 2018, at 4pm… I stepped into the waters of baptism. That day wasn’t just about going under the water—it was about rising into a love that changed everything.
I crafted a video on that day to share my journey, and today I feel led to share it again. Not because I have all the answers, but because I found the One who is the answer.
If you’ve ever wondered if there’s more—more peace, more hope, more love—there is. His name is Jesus. 💜
This is not just my story… He is writing your story even now. Get to know the Author—He knows your story better than you think.
Born Again (the exact words) is only mentioned 3 times in the King James Version.
Meaning: A person converted to personal faith in Christ.
Born ... Again? How, What, Where? Hmmm... I have heard the words 'Born Again' over the years and had no idea! But what do they truly mean? Do we use these two words to mean multiple things?? Do we say the sinner’s prayer? Do we get Baptized? Do pray? So many options? Sometimes things can be so confusing.
I can only share my experience and thoughts...
As we pointed out in previous studies, we are born with a body, soul, and spirit. That said, the best visual I can share about being Born Again is the following. Picture a pilot light that resides deep within us. It sits there dormant as we move through life. And then one day, when you least expect it... the Holy Spirit will breathe his Holy breath on our wick and heat the embers to a beautiful glow.
As your spirit awakens. You will feel an unexplainable warmth deep in your soul. From that moment, your life will take on new meaning. You will have a new sense of purpose. Your senses will become heightened. You will start seeing things in our world in a new light. The things around you will become beautiful. You will hear birds singing, and you will see the beauty in the vibrant colors of the delicate flower. You will feel newfound freedom in your soul. Your lungs will inhale the sweetness of life. You will taste life like never before. You will find a burning desire to learn more about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. And as your confidence grows and you discover the depths of Trinity’s LOVE.
You will feel the need to share this Amazing LOVE with the world and the people around you. So, to sum it up, Born Again is our souls’ response to the Holy Spirit's call to awaken our very spirit. The essence of who we truly are will spill out for the world to see. Lighting the path for others to find their way home.
The Trinity will place you in the state of WOW
😍🥰✝🕊🤟🏼.
The term “born again” refers to a new beginning in the relationship between God and the person who is born again.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
1 Peter 1:23 Born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
John 3:3-7 Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." ⁴"How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!" ⁵Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.
Dear God, I am a sinner. I’m sorry for my sin; please forgive me. believe Jesus Christ is Your Son and that He died for my sins and You raised Him to life. I want to invite Him into my heart to take control of my life. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.
The Baptism of Jesus
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”Then John consented.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him, I am well pleased.”
“The fears we don’t face become our limits.” – Amy Elizabeth
Meaning of lost: unable to find one's way; not knowing one's whereabouts.
The word lost is in the Bible forty-nine times.
Lost, have you ever felt lost? Have you ever witnessed a child when they have lost sight of their parent and panic sets in… They are afraid, tears stream… cries can be heard!! I do believe we still can feel that panic and anxiety as adults. However, as adults, we learn to internalize those emotions or choose to suffer in silence.
The lost feeling can manifest within for many reasons. This life can be unpredictable and difficult at best. Each day is a difficult hill to climb. But how do we cope? How do we hold on to a rope that seems to be unraveling? Darkness and doubt can overcome our very existence.
Where do we turn when our hearts are longing for relief? Where do we go when our souls are aching for answers? It sometimes seems to hurt so bad that we bleed.
I am not a doctor or even qualified to give medical or clinical advice. But I can share my heart. I have found a healer, a therapist, a friend and a lover of our souls. That if you will open your heart and let His light in He will heal every scar. He will fill every void. He will bring peace to your soul that you will have difficulty in understanding. Where there was once darkness, you will feel a warmth from the love that will glow from within.
There is no medical insurance needed, no copay. His heart is open 365 days a year, rain or shine… I can’t recommend Him enough.
So, how do you contact His office? Go to a quiet place. Close your eyes and call His name and wait on Him… Open the life manual He provided. It’s a best seller and holds a wealth of information…It’s called the Bible. Meditate on the words between the pages day and night. The most important action is to chase Him with all you are worth. Never give up, the rewards are endless…
The only true cost is to LOVE Him… He will return love to you, far greater than you ever knew could exist. So, now I will ask you who in our troubled world could not use this type of LOVE.
It’s Him, It's Always Him!!
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6 ESV
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ESV
Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. Luke 12:3 ESV
