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“Look to the ROCK from which you were cut” -Isaiah

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Hi sweet Sisters!

Do you ever get to the end of a great book and wish it would last longer?

This is how I feel about Beth Guckenberger’s latest book START WITH AMEN. 

In Chapter 12 (the last chapter 😩), Beth writes this:

“I believe this is how God sees us, so firmly grafted into His tree that His history becomes ours. The stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are my stories. The tales of Daniel, David, Ruth, and Rahab are my family lore. Now that I am adopted into his family and considered a coheir with Christ, their faith is where I come from. “Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn” the prophet Isaiah challenged us (Isa. 51: 1). I am in this community, and by design, the more I identify with it, the stronger I will be.”

“The Bible calls the community that goes before us the “great cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12: 1). They fought battles and stood firm. They trusted when it was hard and let go, surrendering to a plan written long ago. They embraced this live-amen theology in ways that leave me breathless…”

Isn’t it reassuring, that the cast list of THE GREAT WITNESSES are imperfect…just like you and me:)

God’s story, our story, is filled with “players”  that have highs and lows, faith & unbelief, obedience and disobedience; but in the end…God uses them all for His glory and our good, and still does…the story isn’t over.

Our story isn’t over.

Our bloodline, our heritage…lies within this community of faith. A community of imperfect believers who were able to look beyond the circumstances of life on earth, because they obeyed. Through them, we can see the thread of God’s glory running throughout the pages of scripture from beginning to end.

AND…because of  His mercy and love, He chooses to rebuild…sending “someone from the outside” to enter in and level the playing field…It was His plan all along.

We’re messy and complicated…a dysfunctional family at best, yet at the core, very simple.

God is love. God loves us, despite our wandering hearts.

And it is by FAITH & through HIS POWER that we are able to join this cast of overcomers…we’ve already been written into the story.

We can’t easily grasp the reality of what lies beyond our human reasoning and understanding, but the faithful witnesses listed below chose to hunker down and lean in hard anyway, setting aside their own agendas for the will of God…

forever “growing” our family tree.

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Heb. 11)”

We are in this together Sisters! You and me, Abraham and Noah…Rahab and David.

“And so amen. If you’ll ask me to administer justice and conquer kingdoms, so be it. If you rescue me from flames and swords and enemies abound, I’ll credit you. There is a better resurrection ahead. Amen. There is a communion with you I’ll prefer to any other. I confess my sins. Forgive me, amen. I adore you, your ways, your plans, your nearness. Where you go, I’ll go. I’ll struggle along the way, but I trust you’ll give me what I need. Oh, dear Jesus . . .” 

-Beth Guckenberger

Beth, I’d like to read more, but I know that the there is more story left in you. There is more to be written, so I will look forward to your next book…God’s good work in you, passed on to others.

“Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn” (Isaiah 51:1)

Blessings fellow witnesses!

Amen!

 

DAY 7/ iPad Journaling through John / with SHE READS TRUTH app

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Today also happens to be a “SCRIPTURE DAY” as our study encourages us to memorize God’s Word so that it is depostited in our heart…

In order for it to flow in our mind and off our tongue!

I find journaling so helpful with this!

As a student, the only way I seemed to remember facts, was to write and re-write them… hearing the words in my head, actively putting them down on a page as I spoke them to myself:)

There is a great resource for this that I like to share (especially for those who don’t enjoy the actual process of drawing truth but, feel comfortable writing it.)

These are Journibles. Individual books of the Bible, filled with blank pages for re-writing scripture, word for word!

I don’t have mine with me (I’m out of town) but I found one image in my photo library along with a few others online (see below)

Right side page / verse numbers

Left side is blank for notes 

If you are interested in trying them out, you can find them —->HERE.

Our scripture to memorize today is of course, from the book of John ❤️

In the beginning was the Word,
 and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
—John 1:1-2

If we don’t know God’s Word, we will not know Him. If we do not know God’s Word, we will not have the life, power and love that truth provides.

Without it, we will suffer at the hands of the enemy.

he is powerless over Christ, who is the Word of God.

What helps you remember God’s Word?

Let’s do it!

Blessings,

Give thanks today and every day:)

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Free Printable below.  Happy Thanksgiving!

thanksgivingprintable/Sue Carroll

I am thankful for many things…

Family & Friends….opportunities to share the good news…God’s provision…

and of course, His rescue of me.

May this be a day you can reflect on His goodness and faithfulness in your life:)

Blessings overflow,

Sue/signature