Happy Saturday! 

Studying for my current class has taken many hours and has deprived me of sleep. I was really a bit nervous that I would not get everything completed along with everything else I needed to get accomplished before 9:00 Monday morning. I prayed for God to stretch my time and get my studying done, my cookies made and my song learned. I am currently at 2 out of 3 and my song is almost learned. And it was Bountiful Basket day!  It is an early call for pick-up, but a worthy one!

Prayer request:  Travis and Sarah are leaving on Monday for a week long honeymoon trip.  Please pray travel mercy and great joy in their time away.

Prayer:  Holy Lord, Living Presence,  Great Forgiver, I am rejoicing in this day because You have created it and allowed us to once again to be receivers of Your grace.  Thank You for answered prayers. Thank You for your mercy and restoring my discouraged soul. Please let me stand on Holy Ground covered in Your grace, bathed in Your love and cleansed by the power of Your forgiveness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear this prayer.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Friends, sometimes we make wrong choices.  But we don’t have to let wrong choices define who we are. Each time we come before the mercy seat of God asking for forgiveness from our wrong choices God’s light shines upon us.  Each moment provides a chance to begin anew and enjoy the Presence of God. I pray, “Lord, I am asking You to be with me right now.” God knows why we need Divine Presence.  I pray that God will not let me be discouraged and to focus on Him. I have been known to do this many times each day. So when I have thoughts renting space in my head and heart that are making me discouraged I pray. Our verse tonight says that we live in a world that isn’t always easy, but God’s promises tell us to “take heart for He has overcome the world through the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint. Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a heart filled with gratitude and cast your cares upon the Lord. Since God is up all night anyway, get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene.

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 Thursday! 

Busy day going to school, writing a paper and studying. 

Prayer:  Blessed, giving and Most High God, I place my hope in You and praise You for Your help in times of trouble. Lord, I will praise You because You allow me to stand in Your presence where the ground is named Holy. Lord, in Your mercy, hear this prayer. Amen.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

This is one of my most favorite verses of scripture. This verse from the prophet Jeremiah gives promise, after promise, after promise!  When we live in the shadow of the almighty, in the very presence of God, all fear is gone and there is nothing by glory.  It is in this knowledge that can help in our everyday life.

Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and is our Hope. God will never let us down.  No matter what is going on in our lives, it is still our opportunity to hope in God through faith in Jesus.  If we persistently place our faith in God praising God even in the most difficult of times, we can give praise for the presence of God and the blessing of peace will surround us. When we stand in God’s holy presence, knowing how much God loves us in our sorrow and claiming God as our hope for tomorrow we know we are standing on holy ground.

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint.  Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a heart filled with gratitude, cast your cares at the feet of God and get some sleep. God is going to be up all night anyway! Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene.

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! 

Well, I messed up today. I wrote the information for the graveside service for Steven Baker down incorrectly. The service is tomorrow and I accidentally wrote down the information for the family time at the funeral home. Oh, well. I think perhaps I have too many irons in the fire. I need to check more carefully when I put things on the calendar.

Please continue to pray prayers of comfort for the Baker family.

On a good note…I completed my outline to lead class discussion tomorrow. 

Prayer victory:  My friend Casey Carter is healing beautifully!   We are celebrating God’s gracious healing and restoration to good health. I am also so very thankful that God’s strength was within this young man so he was able to endure the healing process.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Prayer:  Holy and loving Lord, it has been a long day and a good day. It was good because I have been allowed to remain in Your loving Presence throughout the day. Thank You, Lord, for guiding my steps. Today I asked for You to stretch my time and I was able to complete my work for class. Lord, when I get tired, please be the fuel source of energy I need to work in Your will and walk in Your ways. Lord, in Your mercy, hear this prayer.

“To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.”

Colossians 1: 29

God’s unfailing love is always with us. The more we focus on God the more we become filled with God’s ever present love. I was in a Bible Study tonight with Bruce and Geni. The study has begun with a study of the building of the temple. One of the questions is “how did the Hebrews keep the fire of the Mount Sinai alive as they wandered the desert?” One of the ways was that they constructed a mobile temple. When they would leave one area of the desert on the way to the Promised Land they would pack the Tent of Meeting and its contents take it to the next area. The Tent of meeting was where God lived.

As Christians who have Jesus dwelling within us and have round the clock access to the Savior, we have become the Temple or in our case the Church and can carry our access to God no matter where we go. This wonderful indwelling of Jesus is the Holy Spirit and is the source of energy that flows through each of us freely as we continue to look to God and trust in Him daily. When we trust in God we get rid of some of our baggage and our source of energy rises because more of God lives in us. So my friends, let the limitless love of God energize and empower us, walk with us and live with us.

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint.   Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a heart filled with gratitude and cast your cares upon the Lord before you sleep tonight; He is going to be up all night anyway. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene.

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! 

Dishes done! And Team Blake has both of his artists in the finals of The Voice.  The rest of the time I have been studying and preparing my notes to lead class discussion on Thursday.  This always makes me a bit nervous especially because it involves politics and as you well know I am not well versed on that subject. However, I am going to facilitate the class discussion on the Catholic Church and social ministry. I can latch onto some scripture and that will help me a lot. Please pray for me.  Thanks.

Prayer alert:  The graveside service for Steven Baker is tomorrow at DFW National Cemetery. I am leaving class early to attend the service. Please keep the Baker family in your prayers as they celebrate the life of their husband and father and mourn his loss.

Prayer:  Holy, Sovereign Presence, I love You and give thanks for Your continual presence with us. When we pray constantly Your Presence is as near as our next breath. Your love has no borders we have to cross to receive Your love. It is there the moment we breathe Your name or cry out in the night. Lord, please cover those we love with Your holiness and protective love. Hide us in the cleft of the rock where the enemies of fear, doubt and uncertainty cannot reach and we dwell in Your perfect love where only love, forgiveness, tender mercies and grace are our coverings. Forgive when we doubt and take our eyes off of You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear this prayer. Amen.

“Let [God] have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.”

1 Peter 5:7

“I’ll keep my eyes on You. When I turn my gaze to people they just let me down. For Your love is the strongest thing I’ve ever found.” This is one of my “hurtin’ songs.” It reminds me that when there are struggles going on in my life or the one’s I love I remember to “keep my eyes on God” and only glance at the problem. Even though sometimes it is really difficult when the problem is pretty big and takes up a large space in my heart and mind God’s Word promises that God is always thinking about what is going on in my life and watching over me knowing everything that concerns me. But when it is difficult to stay focused on God, God gives us permission to give ourselves some grace and return to the heart of God.

God asks for our worries and cares. We are used to taking care of ourselves which makes giving over our troubles hard for us to do. So we have to practice. When we remember that we are never alone, God is always with us. God has all authority in heaven and earth. Once we give our cares over to God, God does not return the problem to us. But sometimes we take our cares back. So try again. Give ourselves some grace and try again, wasting no time in returning to our Lord, offering worship in prayer, calling the name of Jesus in reverence and love.

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint. Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a heart filled with gratitude and cast your cares on God before you go to bed. God will be up anyway and we all need the sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene.

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! 

Prayer alert:  Steven Baker passed away quietly last evening. Please pray for this family in their time of grief and loss. His wife Terri was the secretary at South Davis School when our children were students there. I think Casey was the same age as their son and went to school him and his sisters.

I began my new class today. It was really interesting. It is causing me to think about our governmental systems, public events, the church and the Kingdom of God somewhat differently. Not different in a bad way, just thinking about things like, “Why do we have patriotic songs in our hymnals?” I am not against it, I just never thought about it before.  The professor is really great and the students in the class are far better versed in laws and politics than I will ever be. Today we discussed different kinds of faith; iconic faith, priestly faith, public Christians and public church. Interesting stuff! Tonight I read about the fall of man and how it links to social justice.  WOW!

And I love living with a plumber! Once again we had a water leak. Bruce worked on it all yesterday afternoon until 11:00 last night. And after working all day today he brought home dinner and worked under the house until about 10: 30 tonight. We have success and water. So far I have flushed and made coffee for tomorrow. Dishes can wait until after class. He’s the best!  I think I’ll keep him and love him forever.

Prayer:  Holy One who remains with us at all times, even when the time in our lives is not very easy and the terrain is pretty rough it will be full of struggles and full of blessings. Help us to be willing to learn the lessons You want to teach as we travel with You.  Traveling with you sometimes means that we leave familiar comforts behind and go where we have never gone before. As we travel with You let us walk by your side in the shadow of Your perfect love where love and forgiveness are present. And Lord if we see someone who needs to travel with us may they dwell in Your shadow with us. Lord in Your mercy, hear this prayer. Amen.

For he shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

Deuteronomy 29: 29

“Pray continually.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 17

I am claiming the promises of God that God will give us everything we need to cope with whatever challenges we face. I know it is hard to not project the “what if’s” and the whys of “not yets.” God has the unlimited resources to provide us with what we need including the armies of angels at His command.

When we are faced with brokenness or adversity we need to pray continually and listen for God’s direction as we journey. Sometimes the journey means that we stay where we are until it is time to move forward or to the right or left.  Our minds and hearts listen for God’s instructions and we make the choices to the best of our abilities. But God directs our steps and makes them sure.  “A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.” Proverbs 16: 9

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint.  Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a heart filled with gratitude and since God does not sleep anyway, let us cast our cares upon Him and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene.

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!

Ok. I will begin tonight by sending a recipe. It is the easiest and most wonderful potato soup recipe.

Crock Pot Potato Soup

1 30 oz. bag of hash browns

3 cans chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

½ onion chopped

¼ tsp. pepper

1 8 oz block cream cheese

Toppings:  grated cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, green onions

In a crockpot put the hashbrowns, chicken broth, chicken soup, onion and pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir every so often.

One hour before serving add the cream cheese. Stir occasionally to blend in the cheese. Serve with the toppings. Super easy and delicious. It has become a family favorite.

Prayer alert:  Dale Chrystie, Bruce’s brother, had his hip surgery today. He received a full hip replacement. He seems to be doing well. Please keep Dale and his family in your prayers.

Prayer:  Lord, Your Word promises strength to your people.  There are so many folks facing so many challenges who need your peace and comfort. Please send all of us Your joy. Let us stand in the realm of Your perfect love where grace and forgiveness lives.  Lord in Your most tender mercy, hear our prayer.  Amen.

“The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”

Psalm 29: 11

“The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4: 7

God is God. We can rest assured that the One who has the power to give eternal life will also give us strength for the journey.  God stands ready to help us when we feel weak and find it hard to face the challenges in our lives.  Because we were bought by God’s atoning blood, God has His all invested in us. God wants to bless us with His peace, but not the peace that the world gives. This peace that God gives rises above our circumstances and our understanding to lift us up.

My friends, let not our hearts be troubled or let us be afraid because the God of eternal peace and mercy loves us so very much.

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint. Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a heart filled with gratitude and get some sleep. Today I read, “Give your cares up to God and go to sleep. He is going to be up all night anyway. “ Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene.

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.