Happy Saturday! 

What an awesome day!! Family is the best!  Our day began with a wonderful breakfast at Cracker Barrel, then we picked up two plastic boxes and bubble wrap at Walmart, made the Starbucks stop for coffee and headed to Daddy’s.  Upon our arrival Geni and I wrapped Mom’s dishes and glasses. Daddy gave Geni the TV he was going to replace, so Bruce and Geni undid the TV from all of its wires and moved another TV in its place for Dad.Then we went to my aunt and uncle’s house where we picked up the table and chairs that have been saved for Geni for a long time.  Geni also needed a table on which to place the TV Dad had given her and, miracle of miracles, my aunt and uncle had a table in storage that is perfect for that purpose.  It, too, came to Geni’s new apartment.  Again, family is so great. 

Prayer:  “Father, I love You.  Thank You for being faithful and true.  Help me to live this day in faith, not fear.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our LORD.”

1 Corinthians 1: 9

Everyone has at least one thing in common.  Each one of us has uncertainties.  Our everyday lives contain uncertainties and we cannot predict what is coming just around the corner.  But as believers one of the most wonderful things about our relationship with Jesus is we can claim with positive certainty that our lives are in God’s hands.  We need not fear because we know the One who has lordship over our past, present and future.  God’s Word tells us that there is no uncertainty with Him.  The life of Jesus models God’s great compassion for each of us through his life, death and resurrection.  We can be secure in our forgiveness and salvation. 

We do not know down what roads our future will take us, but we know our destiny is secure because God’s Word is faithful and reassures us that God has begun a good work in all who believe.  God will bring each of us to completion because His promises are true and our ultimate is future certain because we are secure in Christ.  God is faithful, so faith in God is always best.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  See you in worship friends. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.

Happy Friday and happy June!  

I spent the majority of the day with Geni on her last day of school. She has completed her first year of teaching. What an extraordinary year for her!  I helped with her end of the year party so she could spend time with good-bye’s from her parents and children.  I lost count of the parents and teachers who told me what a great teacher she has been for her students.  It made me feel so proud of her and for her. 

I received a text message from Bruce containing these words, “Houston we have a problem.”  Bruce has been working to make-ready the apartment for Geni.  The problem is the apartment has termites.  The termite men are coming tomorrow and with a few more repairs, new carpet and the final cleaning the apartment will be ready for Geni to move in.  And that is why Geni is so glad her Daddy is the maintenance man!!

As for Travis, the manager of the store nearest us (Travis’ old store) told us that the people who work in his new store are so glad that Travis is there.  Travis really lights his new store and the staff and customers seem to like him.  Thanks for the Mother moment!

Prayer:  “Lord, I am grateful that despite the pull of this world,  I can walk in overcoming faith.  Teach me how to live in this victory and share it with my world. Amen.”

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

1 John 5: 4

Are we victims or victors?  The difference between these two situations is in the way we use our faith.  Victory over the rough situations thrown at us by the world is achieved by faith.  When we come into relationship and are born into a new and victorious life through our faith, we are already conquerors over the domain of darkness because of Christ! We no longer have to be victims of death and condemnation. Because of our salvation we, as believers, have already overcome death.  We can resist the daily pull of the world and live in daily victory by keeping our mind on Christ in reading His Word and allowing ourselves to be led by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We must battle the world daily, but we can battle with absolute assurance and complete certainty about ultimate victory. By Jesus’ death on the Cross, death is swallowed up in victory and victory is ours.

Take extraordinary joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.

appy Friday

Happy Thursday!

Geni has one more day with the children and she can put this year to bed.  As it is with most new teachers she is looking forward to time off in the summer, but she still will have to take her ESL test and prepare to teach summer school in August.  And…I think she is already thinking about how she will do things differently next year.  It has not been an easy year, but she has done great work and learned a lot.  We are so proud of her. And…she moves into her own apartment next week. 

Prayer: “Father, I rejoice that You are sovereign and sufficient to handle all our needs.  Enable us to see beyond the present and focus on the invisible, trusting and resting in our promises. Amen.”

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

2 Corinthians 5: 7

“When there is nothing left to do, but just depend on You and the power of Your name.”  When I read the meditation for this verse this phrase from the Sandi Patti song came to mind. All of God’s blessing come to us through faith.  They come through our faith in God and His Word and God’s faithfulness to us.  Our problem is that we always want to see it, prove it and think we are in a mindset of faith.  When in truth it is when there is nothing left to do, but just depend on God that our faith shines its brightest.  

Walking by faith means focusing confidently on the Word of God.  Walking by faith involves living obediently to the will of God.  We may not know what God’s will for our lives is, but we know that God’s will is His faithfulness to us.  Living by faith is having a surrendered heart and mind no matter what the cost.  Finally, walking by faith is patiently waiting on God and to persistently believe God is working on our behalf even in the direst of circumstances.  We do not need to doubt in the dark what God has shown us in the light.  We walk in faith and faithfully wait with joyful expectation as the riches of heaven are opened to us.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.

Happy Wednesday! 

I had a wonderful treat today.  My goddaughter and her mom came by and took me to lunch.  We had the loveliest time. 

I have spent the rest of the day with the Song of Solomon.  Our Hebrew friends consider this book the holiest of holy books as they view it as the love story of God and the nation of Israel.  Christians look at this writing as the love story of Christ and the Church.  Many biblical commentators look it as the story of human love with the most interesting metaphors.  I told my professor when it came to the passage where the male voice in the poem tells the woman her hair is like goat running down the mountain.  I laughed and thought, “What smelly and matted?”  I have been to that goat barn at the livestock show.  I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

Prayer:  “Lord, I rejoice in Your great grace that was expressed at Calvary so that I might know the fullness of Your love.  I rejoice in Your great gift of eternal life that has given me righteousness I could never gain on my own.  Empower me through Your Spirit to show and share this gift with others this day. Amen.”

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.”

Romans 1: 17

Righteousness is that which God is, has and gives when individuals receive Jesus as Savior by faith.  This is how we gain our likeness to God, we become “just” and live by faith.   We receive righteousness through the power of the Holy Spirit. We then reproduce that same righteousness as we live by faith.  We have no capacity to gain righteousness on our own.  Ok here it is…God gave us His righteousness, Jesus, who took upon Himself all of our sin and dying our death on the Cross as an exchange for our salvation and gives us His righteousness. WOW!

God accepts us as we are through the blood of Jesus so we no longer have to live lives full of guilt and shame.  We have righteousness because we are now motivated by the One to whom we have surrendered our Lordship.  Let us praise God for the victory given to us as His children and the complete head to toe blessings we have received.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.

Happy Tuesday! 

I spent most of the day working on a study guide for a verse in the Book of Ruth.  I have to do two of these study guides.  I think I am going to work tomorrow on a verse from Esther.  These biblical ladies and pretty amazing!!!

I think I have begun to understand how some people become, as my daddy says, “professional students.” I come to understand that studying and learning are really great.  I am learning how to research and once I find out something I want to know something else.  I am looking for other sources that will increase my knowledge and deepen my understanding of a text or subject.  My favorite study is on scripture. 

News alert!  Geni will be teaching Kindergarten next year.  Specifically, she will be teaching bilingual Math.  She has a teaching partner who will teach literacy.  They each will have a classroom of students for a half day and then switch at lunch.  Geni is pretty excited.  We do love adventure! 

Prayer:  “Father, I rejoice that nothing is impossible with You.  Empower me to be disciplined in developing a mountain-moving faith that meets needs around me. Amen.”

“So Jesus said to them, ’Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17: 20

Jesus is scolding the disciples for their lack of faith.  Jesus had just cast out a demon from a young man before their very eyes.  The disciples asked Jesus, ”Why could we not cast out the demon?”  Jesus answers, “Because of your little faith.” The disciples knew they had the spiritual authority to meet spiritual needs, but they were powerless to make a difference where they should have been able.  Jesus revealed to them it was because of their unbelief.  Unbelief dishonors God because it tells God that He is not worthy of our trust.  This sin, more than any other, causes a shift in our relationship with God.  The disciples’ faith had been misplaced as they only trusted in their faith by earthly means and authority rather that Christ’s.  (Sound like any one you know?) Jesus used the mustard seed to teach a spiritual principle…(here it comes)The least amount of faith is greater than the greatest amount of difficulty (read that statement again).

Just like the mustard seed our faith must be cultivated and nurtured, for when it is, it will see miraculous grace.  The best way I know to grow our faith is to renew it daily through God’s Word and release it through prayer.  So in the words of the great old Dottie Rambo song, “I believe.  Help Thou my unbelief.” 

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.

Happy Monday and Happy Memorial Day! 

Thank you to all who currently serve or have served in the military. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made each day to secure our freedom while placing your own lives at risk.  Your efforts and dedication are not forgotten. 

Prayer:  “Father, help me to hear what You are saying through Your Word.  Help me to respond to Your Word with faith and faithfulness. Impart to me a greater understanding of what it means to trust and obey. Amen”

“So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

Romans 10: 17

Just before I begin to write, the prayer that is printed here is almost the same as I pray before I read the meditation and prepare to write. 

“Faith is not positive thinking or moving in accordance to subjective feelings.  “Faith is hearing from God, believing what was said, and then acting upon it as truth.”

When Casey was diagnosed with incurable cancer we were not prepared for the news the doctor told us.  Cancer is evil that seeks a host and cares not for age, wealth or poverty, position in life, male or female or anything else.  Cancer just wants a place to grow and take over the body.  We had heard from a great physician now we needed to hear from the Great Physician.  

Psalm 118: 17 says, “I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the LORD.” The written word became alive in our hearts as never before and was claimed in our speaking and as print on the walls of Casey’s hospital rooms and even in his room (our dining room) in our house.  Even though Casey was not to survive his battle with cancer we know that by God’s Word, Casey’s faith and faithfulness to that Word that even though he never got well, but he most certainly was healed.

The way our faith become stronger is through testing and, even more important, our listening to God’s Voice through His Word.  God’s Word empowers us to steadfast obedience and enlarges our faith until it finally becomes reality in our lives.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Enjoy the rain, count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.

Blessed Sunday to you all! 

Prayer:  “Father deepen the magnitude of my spiritual intimacy, intensity and influence upon my world around me by guiding my life and growing my faith through Your Word.  I yield my life to You for that end. Amen.”

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11: 1

Faith is an assurance convinced that God’s promises are so trustworthy that we can base our lives upon them.  Our faith does not depend on the circumstances we find ourselves, but on the certainty of God’s truth we believe. This kind of faith gives us the security on which to hold and to remain steadfast.

If you read this chapter of Hebrews it speaks of faith through the life of Abraham. Pastor Marc preached an awesome sermon on this today with some phrases on faith worthy of committing to memory.  There are two things that really shake our faith; fear and worry.  Abraham in his old age was asked by God to leave all he knew and go into a strange land and begin a nation.  

Faith responds with faith needs security while faith takes a risk.  Abraham did not know where God was going to lead him and his family, but he was willing to take the risk of stepping out on faith and following the voice of this invisible God.  Abraham developed a strong faith because he placed his faith in something strong.  He placed his faith in God.  When God asks us to obey, God gives us His faith and promises to stay with us no matter what, 

Worry wants predictability while faith values hope.  God promised the make a great nation of Abraham.  But Abraham was quite old as was his wife Sarah. Sarah was so worried that she could not give Abraham a son that she had her hand maiden to sleep with Abraham to produce the heir.  God then told Abraham that this was not the son to receive the blessing, but the next one.  God made good on his promise to Abraham and there was a second son, Isaac.  Later in the story of Isaac we read the worst passage in the scriptures when God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac.  Can you imagine Abraham at this point…Abraham sees all of his future in Isaac and God has asked Abraham to part with his past and now is asking him to give up his future. 

Faith in ourselves cancels out God’s faith in us and faith in God cancels out our faith in ourselves. Faith has confidence that every promise of God will be fulfilled. Faith has a commitment that the future God has promised is so sure, we can patiently rest in the present.  So, faith renounces self-dependence, embraces God, and enjoys as fulfilling fellowship with a loving God who is pleased with those who live by faith.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Have a safe and blessed Memorial Day.  Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.