Author Archives: Marie

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About Marie

Happily married to the same awesome guy for many years. Love God, reading, cats, and travel. Avid crafter especially counted cross stitch and crochet.

Anticipating Worship

The words of David ring through my ears as I begin to anticipate worship.   I find myself thinking of the music, the Word, the possibility of a new life given to God, the fellowship, the sermon and what I will learn from it, what will I wear to go into the Presence.

I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

Does the music stir your heart and bring you closer to the throne?  The tunes and choruses of the Worship Band, the hymns, the quiet prayer music, the Offertory, the altar call.  God loves music.  (Did you know when you see the word ‘said’ in the Creation story it can also be transliterated to, ‘and God sang’.)  At the most important moment in the history of mankind, the birth of the Son,  the angels sang.  Music is evident throughout the Bible.  Job speaks of God as ‘the one who gives us songs in the night’ in Job 35:10.  Psalm 98 tells us to sing a new song, to shout and break out in praise with voices and instruments.  In Luke 19:37-40 we are told ‘even the rocks’ will sing out if we don’t. 

Ah, the fellowship.  The joy of seeing my forever brothers and sisters.  The hugs, the tears, the words.  Just knowing that I am loved and can return that love with more love.

I wish each of you reading this the joy that comes with being in the presence of our Lord.  Not just on Sunday but any other time you choose to worship Him.

Heavenly Father grant us all the passion and desire to be in Your Presence worshipping.  Let us come into Your sanctuary with hearts and minds that are forgiven.  Keep us mindful that worship is about You.  I lift this prayer to the throne in the Precious Name of Jesus.   Make it so!

Ancient Words

2 Timothy 3:16 -17   All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Can you imagine placing your hands on any page of your Bible and feeling His very breath on the page.  That is exactly what this verse is saying (to me).  This is how I see it – – if I can’t see Him face to face until I enter heaven then I’ll settle (hardly the right word) for experiencing His breath in the words I’m reading. 

Think on the words of this beautiful chorus from the song “Ancient Words” by Lynn DeShazo.

Ancient words ever true, changing me and changing you; We have come with open hearts, oh, let the ancient words impart.

Friends, family, sisters, and brothers in Christ there is nothing more important than knowing God’s word.  In every action and situation of our lives  we can draw on the Word and know without question it was written for that very purpose.

God did not leave us alone on this earth.  He is still breathing every word, in every verse, on every page of our Bibles.   

Holy words long preserved for our walk in this world, they resound with God’s own heart; Oh, let the ancient words impart.

Ah, Lord, God thank You for every word, every phrase, every letter of Your Word.  Heavenly Father place a real hunger in our hearts to know Your words and use them for our lives.  Let us not only read them but let us use them.  Put teachers in our lives to help us understand them.  Drench us with the Holy Spirit as we read and learn how to apply them.  Make it so.

You can find the whole song in several arrangements on YouTube.  Enjoy!

Personally His

 As humans we tend to be groupies.  Everything is more acceptable in a group.  Conformity is part of the human condition.  Our thoughts begin to change when we come to the realization that we are personally acceptable and accountable to God.  We worship in groups but often find it difficult to worship alone.  We pray in groups but may experience some anxiety when asked to be the leading voice.  We believe that Jesus died for us as a group of sinners but find it difficult to believe that we sin personally.  I believe if I were the only person on earth Jesus would have still died for just me.

When we read John 3:16-17 we group ourselves as part of the world (and we are).  Look at John 3:18.  The ‘voice’ changes and becomes more personal, saying  ‘whoever…’  At this point it becomes a very personal choice.  Either I believe and reap the blessings of personal belief or I deny and am condemned.

David, a man after God’s own heart, had more than a bit to say in his writings about a personal relationship with God. Look at Psalm 40:1-3. 

I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry.     David had it figured out.  He knew the Lord personally and with that knew He would answer.   Verses 2 and 3 tell us what God did for him.  The end of verse 3 gives us reason to rejoice.  David knew he wasn’t the only one but many more individual believers would see that God insures our safety personally.  The Message says this so well.  More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

Oh, how He loves you and me!

Heavenly Father, give us the desire and courage to abandon ourselves personally to You.  Help us know and understand Your personal love for each of us.  Let us go and tell others they can have the same thing.  Send Your blessing on us.  I lift this prayer in the Precious Name of Jesus.  Make it so!

Award Season

What a surprise.  I was recently awarded the ABC Award.  This particular award recognizes the many blogs who create a positive atmosphere in their content.  It is named this because one of the requirements is to alphabetically name those positive things/people/thoughts etc. that define one as a person.  As I thought about it I decided to use some of my favorite hymns to honor the One Defining Person in my life.  (Posted in a previous blog.) It has been my desire and mission to follow Matthew 28:19-20.  To go and teach.  If in that mission I reach just one through my blog or my teaching or my life then I have honored my Jesus and that is what really matters.

The other requirement is to pass the award forward.  These are blogs that inspire me and keep me aware of the many around the world who are “not ashamed of the gospel”.  I grow from them and am blessed by them.

http://awomanforhim.wordpress.com

http://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com

http://365devotions.blogspot.com

http://myhmmmcollection.wordpress.com

http://beautyandspice.wordpress.com

http://hallelujahanyhow.blogspot.com

http://mydailywalkinhisgrace.blogspot.com

What a difference you have made for me.  Pass it on.

As I lift this prayer in the Name of Jesus I give you praise for the many people You have placed in my path to remind me of who You are and of Whose I am.  I ask You to bless them and enlarge all our territories for You.   Amen and Make It So!

Humble Pie

Many of you who know me personally know that humbleness is not an attribute often applied to me.  That is not to say I am not humble but that it usually takes something BIG to remind me of my place.  After I graduated from college, at the tender and all-knowledgeable age of 22, I often did solo work and gave vocal recitals.  My degree was a Bachelor of Science in Music Performance and Education.  Of course, I was the best that ever happened to those who heard me  and mistakes were not part of my repertoire.  I thought!  However, as God always has and does with me He was about to show me that I was human and only He is perfect.  Case in point – I had been asked to sing Voi Che Sepete at a recital.  This is my signature piece and one that I often sing so imagine my surprise and embarrassment when I belched, quite loudly, right in the middle of the song.  Yep, Humble Pie, ala mode!  How about this one?  Shortly after we were married and moved to Bryan, OH I was asked to sing at the 1st Church of Christ.  Of course I jumped at the chance to sing in my new community.  I chose to sing The Lord’s Prayer because the accompanist was excellent and would showcase what I could do.  Yes, but…I simply forgot the words (that I’ve known since childhood) about half-way through and showcased what he could do.  Humble Pie, plus!

As my life progressed I began to look at humbleness a little differently.  It became more a reminder of Who is in charge and less’ all about me’. 

I am humbled:

   When my prayers are answered in ways I could not even imagine.

   When Ray expresses his love for me after 39 years of marriage.

   That God chose me.

   At having awesome Christian best friends.

   By the spiritual gift of teaching and the opportunities I’ve had to use it.

   At the mercies and miracles I’ve seen throughout my life.

   With being allowed to worship (freely, daily, hourly) the One and Only God.

I could go on and on, but as I look at the blessings in my life I am humbled more and more by an Awesome God who is loving me through humbling me.

Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.   Proverbs 22:4

Heavenly Father, Creator of ALL, Master Designer, You alone are worthy of my praise.  I am humbled by Your desire for the best for me.  Forgive me when I stumble, make me always humble in Your presence, for You are everywhere.  Oh, Lord, give me strength and courage to pursue Your plan for me with humbleness and joy.  Let this prayer come before the Throne with delightful fragrance in the precious Name of Jesus.     Make it so!