“Being kind means responding to the needs of others - and people can be kind, no matter how old or young we are.” Fred Rodgers...

My morning seemed to start normal, just like most days. But my quiet mood was soon interrupted by a call from my granddaughter… 

She could not contain her excitement!!!  She informed me that her mini donkey had had her baby. We had a new foal in our midst... She quickly told me we needed a name and wanted my help naming him. She wanted a name from the Bible. The Easter story was still fresh on our minds. So, this task placed me in the thought of that significant day when Jesus was crucified.   Thinking of that day along with this new little foal. I remembered where a lowly donkey played an essential role in Jesus' life. 

A donkey carried Mary to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. Another carried Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s decree to kill all baby boys two years of age and under. And a foal of a donkey carried Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  Amazingly, this humble animal bears the markings of a cross on its back.  

Many names raced through my mind… And then my thoughts stopped on the name Simon… 

He helped Jesus on the horrific crucifixion day. It was not the disciples; they bailed. Even Peter said, “he did not know Jesus."

After the scourging and other torturous beatings that Jesus endured, He was so weak He could not carry the heavy cross.  He was clearly struggling and would not make it without help. The soldiers grabbed Simon and forced him to carry the cross.

They gave Simon no choice!!! 

I can only imagine that the blood covering Jesus stained all of Simon’s clothes, his arms, and his face. It was a life-changing encounter. One that I am sure Simon would never forget. Simon had an up-close experience with the Son of God, and his life would never be the same. 

This statement is supported by a verse in Romans 16:13. It states that both sons and Simon became passionate witnesses for Jesus. 

Simon… a humble little donkey whose ancestors played a significant role in our Savior's life. Our new little Simon carries the mark of the cross upon his back to remind us of the significance of that day….

“And they compelled one Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear His cross.” Mark 15:21

“Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother…” Romans 16:13

Written by Joann Turnbull

Photography by MJ

Edited by Lori Garner 

Sinner's Prayer

Inspiring Music by (YouTube)

Little Donkey.

“A clean heart is a free heart. A free heart can love Christ with an undivided love in chastity, convinced that nothing and nobody will separate it from his love.” -  Mother Teresa

In biblical usage, the term "purification" refers to a certain rite in the external worship of God. Purification seeks to remove legal uncleanness so that the purified individual may resume normal activity in society

There are 28 verses in the Bible that point us to the word purity. 

Are our thoughts and actions pure? Are they clean from judgment, hate, and discord? Are they from a beautiful place within our hearts or are they tainted from the darkness that can overshadow our very existence?  Do they weigh us down or do they give us the passage of amazing freedom!! 

I do believe it’s a daily struggle!!! Our human DNA makes us work really hard to achieve even the slightest improvement towards purification... It’s a moment-to-moment decision... Do we have the strength to withstand the temptations and harshness of our troubled world ?? Or do we join in the chorus of discord and lash out with our thought or remorse??

What is a pure heart? How do we attain one? And if get close to having one is it sustainable ?? 

I can only share my thoughts and my flight to freedom experience...

As we try with all our strength to obtain this status we will find that it is not achievable without God... We must surrender our ties to things of this world... We must give Him our heart and ask Him to help us become better humans each and every day... 

He knows our heart better than we can ever imagine. He sees every thought, every action, every word that is spoken... 

I can say as we travel closer to His heart we will begin to understand Him.. and our desire will be to please Him ... We will learn to listen to that so small voice from within ... And They will guide your thoughts, actions, and our hearts. This process is getting you ready for the most amazing journey we could ever aspire to travel... 

Into our Savior's arms... where the purest heart can be felt within our yearning souls...

It’s Him, It’s always Him!!! 

He holds all the answers!!! He has traveled this road before us !!  

And He knows we are forever a work in progress!!  And yet He loves us anyway!!! 

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

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A PURE HEART WORSHIP SONG BY HILLSONG WORSHIP (LYRIC VIDEO)

“Selfish people tend to only be good to themselves… then are surprised when they are alone.”

Meaning of Selfish..  (of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure:

There are approximately 50 verses the speak to the subject of Selfishness.

In my opinion, being selfish is a very ugly trait... It is a human trait that raises its ugly head when we least expect it. It is self-satisfying for just a short time.  But it will eventually implode leaving long-term scars... 

I do believe if you wear the suit of being human you can relate to this word... We have either executed this word or we have been on the receiving end of a selfish act... 

As we go through life we began to recognize these actions and separate ourselves from people that show these types of traits. Some people separate themselves because they feel you no longer serve their purpose. And that can leave heartfelt wounds. Some are so self-serving they do not even see the wake they have left in the heart of another.

We live in such an opportunistic world... It saddens me. How did we find ourselves here? Where is that golden thread where people put other people's needs before their own selfish wants? 

As always I turned to the Bible for answers. And then I came to this word from a totally different perspective. 

Sorry to say this, But it was not all about you!! 

My heart went to the most unselfish human we could ever grow to know. He has put all of mankind before His own needs. His own wants and His own desires. 

Who has this type of love, compassion, and heart?  Who thinks of us first always??? No matter what? He does this time and time again with no regard for His own needs??? 

Have you ever given it any thought? What does God need? What are His wants? What are His desires? Many will say He is God He has everything He does not need anything! If you have never thought of this, read this scripture below.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.

Genesis 1:26. 

If we are made in their image. Why do we not believe He has similar desires just on a much bigger scale? 

And as I grow to know Him better each day. I have found myself asking. Do we love you enough to give you our best? Do we say to our Heavenly Father, “ I want nothing from you today? I just want to thank you for the very gift of you!  

Father, you have so many people clamoring for your attention... Every moment of every day.  Please escape with me today .... Can I hide you in my heart for just a little while... Many see you as a genie and fill your request jar with many shallow wishes. 

Do you ever get any peace ??? Do you ever rest?? Or are (we) your children so selfish!  So self-centered. So preoccupied with self that we do not consider your feelings! your needs! your desires!  We seem to always come to you with open hands, with our wants, our needs, our requests?? 

Please come, hide in my heart for a little while... I want to give you peace... I want to take care of you...I want to love you as much as you love me.. I want to put you first... 

I feel I can never love you as much as you love me ... teach me!!! 

His amazing unselfish love is such a beautiful gift. 

I challenge you today to ask Him, to hide in your heart for just a while.  Put Him first. Ask Him what does He desire from you today? Cherish these unselfish moments with Him. 

Time with Him is priceless.  

It’s Him, It’s always Him. 

Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinner's Prayer

Inspiring Music by (youtube)  

Beautiful Relaxing Music, Peaceful Soothing Instrumental Music, "Hummingbird Flight" By Tim Janis Janis

“There was a star riding through clouds one night, and I said to the star, 'Consume me.'”- Virginia Woolf, ‘The Waves’.

 The meaning of a cloud: a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the ground.

There are 49 passages in the Bible that refer to clouds.

Have you ever laid back in a soft green meadow, hands clasped behind your head, and simply watched the clouds drift by?
I see an angel… look, that one looks like a lion… and that one, a dove…

Have you ever imagined sitting in heaven, perched on a weightless, soft cloud? What exactly are these beauties?

Scientifically, clouds are described as tiny water droplets or ice crystals floating above the Earth. Water from land or sea evaporates, becoming a gas — water vapor — that rises into the sky.

Then technology brought us another meaning — “the cloud” where we store photos, documents, and memories.
But what does the Bible say?

Come with me as we turn the pages and lift the mystery of the cloud…

Many references point us toward the clouds when speaking of our Heavenly Father or Jesus, His Son. 

I believe they offer us an understanding — a reminder — that He resides in a heavenly realm. And as I close my eyes and rest back with my hands behind my head, I can see the beauty of that symbolic cloud.

Look… there He is.

I see His face.
I see His amazing Son.

And I see His loving heart drifting gently toward mine.

Look toward the heavenly realms… open your spiritual eyes and heart.
Be ready to witness our Savior’s return.

It is written in the Book. And it will be a glorious, monumental time for all mankind.

It will be the beginning of a new adventure with the Creator of all the heavens and earth.

It’s Him. It’s always Him.
Be ready to be WOW’d.

Scripture

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
Mark 13:26 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Matthew 26:64 (ESV)

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 (ESV)

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube

Seated in Heavenly Places (official lyric video) 

Am Who You Say I Am // Kelanie Gloeckler                                                 I 

Elohim, touches hearts with an unforgettable love, from here to eternity. 

Meaning of unforgettable impossible to forget; very memorable:

Ops I forgot to find out how many times the word unforgettable is written in the Bible... 

The mind is such a fascinating gift... We seem to run on long and short-term memories. Our daily tasks are stored in our short-term memory and deeper memories make up highlighted times in our lives. And then they are stored in our long-term memory... 

How do these memories affect our hearts, our emotions, and our mood???  

The emotional memories have what are known as emotional memory triggers. This help guides our lives by protecting our hearts, our mind, and our physical being. For example “ Don’t play with fire you may get burned” a memory of getting burned could stop us from making the same mistake... However, a “feel” good memory will keep us yearning for more of the same” 

I question if we know our Creator at birth is there a memory built at that moment in time? Has it stayed hidden deep within our minds? Has it laid dormant, just waiting for that memory to be ignited by special triggers He Himself planted in our minds... 

These “feel good” memories of knowing Him so long ago... leaves us with an empty yearning, and a desire to fill a void that has haunted our soul? 

What is it about our Creator that makes Him so unforgettable? He has so many outstanding qualities... But do we only scratch the surface ... Do we take the time to make long and short-term memories of Him??? 

I believe rituals and devotionals, and reading the Bible becomes a special part of our short-term memories... However, when we close our eyes and can “feel” His presence, We can open our spiritual mind to amazing wonder. We can see with our spiritual eyes His true beautiful brilliance. We can be swept away into His heavenly realm.  By spending spiritual time with Him we can create long-term intimate memories. These beautiful heartfelt memories leave us with a thirst and a yearning in our soul to return to His unforgettable LOVE, time and time again... 

I can only share my thoughts and my own experiences that have built with Him... Many will think of it as being odd... Some may think that I am losing my mind... However, I would not change one day, one minute, or even one second that I have spent loving Him and growing to know His beauty... 

He has gifted me with such beautiful memories, memories that have tapped into emotions that I never knew even existed. He has open my heart to His world of wonder. 

But as the lyrics of a beautiful song states “ He thinks I am unforgettable too”  Now looking back on my journey He has been chasing me with such a relentless heart... I can not thank Him enough for never forgetting me... 

The question becomes am I in His short or long-term memory? Is His love permanently ingrained in my heart and mind?  Will I chase Him with the same relentless vigor He has shown me?  

Forgive me as I settle into a meditative state and make sweet memories with my Creator ... His presence will ignite my emotional triggers and my heart will be freed to FEEL His grace and everlasting love ... He is an unforgettable force of amazing wonder... 

He wows me!!  

It’s Him, It’s always Him! He posses that relentless love we seek...  

“Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Matthew 7:7 TPT

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Nate King Cole and Natalie Cole Unforgettable Lyrics