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Book Review by Debbie Hymer: Dangerous Virtues
Dangerous Virtues John Koessler Let me start off by saying this book is not an easy read. Let me explain. I am not a highly educated person but, I have a fair amount of education, some college and plenty of life experience. I can read a book with words not in my vocabulary and provocative thoughts however, it is a slow and cumbersome experience. Not a reading experience I typically enjoy. This book does have that type of content to be fair. The reasoning behind my explanation in the first sentence of this review has more to do with its convicting and deep, thought provoking content. The writer has written…
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Fruit of the Spirit: Joy
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. (HCSB) How in the world do we have Joy in the midst of chaos, heartache, fear, hatred, wars, and a worldwide pandemic? There is an overload of sadness and hatred in our world. I’m not even going to pretend to know or relate to the heartache and misery people have gone through or are currently going through. I do know that with the Holy Spirit, we, His children can and are filled with His Joy. It’s unexplainable, it’s a miracle, it is mind blowing! Don’t…
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Fruit of the Spirit: Love
I’m writing a mini blog series if you will, on the Fruit of the Spirit. The first fruit is Love, and I thought how appropriate to start this on Valentine’s Day. Many of my blogs have been about Love. God is Love. I think “Love” is misunderstood. We talk about love, and people even ask the hard question, How can God be a God of love and allow all the evil? I’ve touched on this subject in previous blogs. I think the answer is to know what real Love is. And I really believe we, humans, have no idea what “real” Love is. And that brings me to the fruit of…
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Fools
I am reminded that this world is full of fools, and God is still in control. This is a strong statement to make, yet the Bible speaks so much about fools and being foolish. The book of Proverbs is filled with verses about fools, how to handle a fool, and how not to be a fool. The book of Proverbs has been one of my go to books of the Bible for almost 40 years. There is no surprise that Proverbs 31 is my favorite chapter, which is also my chapter for the ministry God gave me, JVR Ministries. I hesitate to say “my” ministry because it is not mine,…
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Happy New Year 2021!
“In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27 HCSB Happy New Year Everyone! 2020 has been different for everyone around the world! So many differences in how we live our daily lives to how we celebrate the Holidays to everything in-between. The one thing that always remains the same, the one thing we can all count on that never…
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Book Review by Debbie Hymer: Motherhood Without All the Rules
Motherhood Without All the Rules Maggie Combs All my life I have been confused by pride and self-doubt. This is a hard lesson to understand and fully comprehend, and an even harder lesson to learn and move forward positively. Maggie Combs book, “Motherhood Without All the Rules” touches on this concept and opens our eyes on the truths. Instead of being filled with guilt, and instead of being filled with pride, Maggie gently leads the reader to being filled with God’s Grace. To living in a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Raising four children, I have struggled with many of the topics Maggie touches on. Though I have learned by…
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It’s Not About Us
“Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”1 Corinthians 15:58 HCSB This scripture reaches out and comforts me. I’ve been questioning this very thing. I know that I’m far from what I should be. I question if anything I’ve done in my life has really made a positive difference. We don’t always see results, and sometimes the results we do see aren’t the ones we want to see. I’ve failed more often than I’ve triumphed. My intentions are many times, misunderstood. But then that leads to the questioning of self, the self doubt and…
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Deep Breath, Intense Prayer…Release! God has this!
“Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.” This is the week that everyone has been stressing about, anxious about, dreading, anticipating, hopefully praying about. No matter what happens we must all know that God is in control, no matter what. We, Gods children, must be in prayer! In prayer for our leaders, country, world, families, ourselves, for everything! If we are in prayer with our Holy God, and listen and obey to what He tells us, we need not fear about anything. Yes, it’s a very scary world we’re living in. It’s easy to sink into anxiety, anger, fear…
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Be Proactive not Reactive
“Pray constantly.”1 Thessalonians 5:17 HCSB “But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.”2 Corinthians 12:9 HCSB With the pandemic, riots, political unrest, all the hatred and fear and confusion, we need more than ever before to remember prayer instead of angry words and deeds. Praying is not an easy way out. Praying is not an escape. Praying is the only answer that is strength, healing, and comforting. Prayer is the strongest of all weapons that any Child of God has access…
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Stand Strong Among the Devastation
We are being divided against each other. We need to pray to our almighty God…speak to me! But how can we hear what He tells us to do if we are fighting against each other? “Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.” Luke 11:17 HCSB “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Mark 3:24–25 HCSB “Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.”…