Five Minute Friday - Giving Thanks

Father as I meditate on Your loving-kindness and goodness

Thanksgiving comes from my heart and is on my lips

Thank You for sending Your Son to bear my sins upon the cross

Because of Christ, my sin debt was marked “Paid in Full”

Thank You for the blood of Jesus Christ

Which cleansed me from all my sin

Thank You for the Gift of Promise

The Holy Spirit, my Guarantee of a future spent with You

Thank You for redeeming this wretched sinner

Taking my heart of stone and giving me a heart of flesh

Thank You for clothing me

In the righteousness of Christ

Thank You for Your life giving Word

Like a river of life for my thirsty soul

Thank You for Your transforming power

Empowering and enabling me to walk victoriously over sin

Thank You for the promise of heaven

An eternity spent with You…the Lover of my soul

By Susan Wachtel

November 23, 2012

If you would like to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday Challenge head over to her website “Tales from a Gypsy Mama”.  Be sure to read some of the entries from other writers.  I can promise you that you will be blessed.

Five Minute Friday – Stay Close

Like a ravenous wolf

The enemy trailed the flock of sheep

Watching and waiting

For an opportune time

Before long his next victim was in sight

A young lamb who had wandered from the flock

He lost sight of the Good Shepherd

Faced a vicious enemy alone

With lighting speed and power

The enemy pounced upon his prey

Tearing flesh, ripping muscle and crushing bone

Jaws poised and ready to clamp down on the lamb’s neck

Without warning the enemy was struck with a rod

The Good Shepherd went looking for His lost lamb

He heard the terror filled cries

Intent upon destruction he didn’t see the death blow coming

The lamb was freed

Saved from certain death

The Good Shepherd picked up the injured lamb

Carried him back to the fold

Tenderly his wounds were nursed

Healing balm applied

The Good Shepherd lovingly spoke

Precious lamb, stay close to the One who loves you

Susan Wachtel

November 17, 2012

If you would like to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday Challenge head over to her website “Tales from a Gypsy Mama”.  Be sure to read some of the entries from other writers.  I can promise you that you will be blessed.

Curl Up with A Wreath of Snow

A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs is set in Stirling, Scotland during 1894.  Main characters Meg Campbell and Gordon Shaw are both heading by train to Edinburgh on Christmas Eve.  Most folks head home on Christmas Eve, so why is Meg leaving town without even saying goodbye to her family?  Though Stirling was once his hometown, Gordon is anxious to leave without anyone recognizing him.  A chance meeting on the train will reintroduce characters whose lives were profoundly changed by an accident that occurred twelve years earlier.  Through their Christian faith Meg and Gordon grapple with lies and truth, sin and forgiveness and the possibility of finding true love.  The story unfolds against the backdrop of a Victorian Christmas. 

This is the first book that I’ve read by author Liz Curtis Higgs and I selected it because it’s fun to read a Christmas novel during the Christmas season.  The author’s style of writing was easy to get into.  When I wasn’t reading the book I found myself thinking about the characters and tried to figure out what was going on and how everything would be resolved.  I would recommend this book to fans of Liz Curtis Higgs and people who like to read Christmas novels and Christian fiction.  After this introduction to this author, I would like to read more of her books.

Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers provided me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book for review purposes.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review. 

Rivival Needed

Below is a comment from Ken at Following Jesus.  A while back I stumbled upon Ken's blog and am blessed to read his posts.  He always seeks to glorify the Lord.  Kind of like Andrew...he brings people to Jesus.  I'm posting his comment in response to a recent post about the election.  Ken captures my feelings too about our nation and the need for repentance and revival

Hi Susan,
I struggled deciding what to do with this election. First off, no way I was I going to vote for Obama and was not liking Romney either. It was hard for me to vote for a Mormon.

Over the last couple of days one thing became clear to me, this nation needs a revival in the church. I believe us believers need to be on our knees praying for this nation, that God grant us repentance. If we are going to change the direction of this nation, it must start in the church.

I did not like the outcome of the election, however God is still sovereign. I can still look to heaven and rejoice because He is in control.

God bless,
Ken

In the Quiet of Early Morn

It’s in the quiet of early morn

I seek the Lord

Though others are fast asleep

The sun has yet to kiss the dawn

I meet with You

Before my day begins

I read from Your Word

You give me fresh eyes to see it anew

Scriptures I’ve read a dozen times before

Leap off the page and capture my attention

You give me wise counsel

For the day ahead

You are not a distant faraway God

But my loving Father who keeps His eye upon me

It’s in the quiet of early morn

I meet with my Heavenly Father above

By Susan Wachtel

November 11, 2012

If you would like to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday Challenge head over to her website “Tales from a Gypsy Mama”.  Be sure to read some of the entries from other writers.  I can promise you that you will be blessed.