God's Refining Fire

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

~ Zechariah 13:9

But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifer of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

~ Malachi 3:2, 3

Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

~ Isaiah 48:10

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

~ Job 23:10

i will sing..

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

~ Psalm 59:16-17

Be an Overcomer

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

~ Revelations 12:9-11

dearest Heavenly Father, thank you so much for promising us in Your precious Word that we can be overcomers in Christ. thank you for helping us overcome every sin, every bondage and each of the devil's evil, satanic attacks by:
1. the power of the perfect, pure and sinless blood of our precious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
2. Your true and holy Word and our testimony of Your indescribable goodness and mercy towards us
3. empowering and enabling us to sacrifice our lives for Your sake, to be faithful to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ unto death
we praise You with our hearts for the ultimate victory is always Yours. thank you so much for salvation in You alone, for strength to live for You, for Your kingdom which is to come..thank you for the power of Christ - His miraculous birth, His sacrifical death on the cross and His wondrous resurrection..our glorious redemption.
In Jesus' name, amen.

Only One Way Through Only One Name

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
~ Acts 4:12

Dearest Almighty God, our loving Heavenly Father, thank you so much for salvation so rich and free. Thank you for loving us so much and so sacrificially with an everlasting, eternal love. Thank you so much for the amazing gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which holds the eternal promise of an outstanding salvation plan that no one, not even the devil himself, can destroy. Thank you for saving us and making us Your children for eternity. Dearest Lord, many people are trying hard to claim the promise of heaven through other means in their lives..please help us to daily and perseveringly point to them the truth, the life and the way in Jesus Christ alone. Continue to help us claim the victory in our testimony as we live for You each day..that people around us may experience Your wondrous love and grace in our lives especially in all that we do or say. Time is running out, Lord..help us redeem every single moment, every single second of this 1 life for Your ultimate glory. Life is short, twill soon be past; only those things done for Christ will last. Your coming is sooner than we think. Please forgive me of my selfish, slothful and lackadaisical attitude, remove my sinful self from my being, change my heart totally, renew my soul with a fresh purpose and a pure vision..ignite my heart with a true zealous love and passion for people and their souls. Please preserve Your evangelistic ministries and churches around the world, protect the truth of Your gospel and eradicate all false gospels in every part of this globe. Please bind the hands of the evil one who seeks to disrupt and destroy the lives and families of Your faithful servants, Your missionaries, Your evangelists and soulwinners, please prevent the devil from wrecking the lives and stealing the souls of many who have yet to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Please expose the lies of the devil outrageously in the lives of every single person in the world today. Break every ensnaring bondage of sin or sinful addiction that each individual has fallen captive to and remains trapped within..please free all of Your children from sinful spiritual bondage for many Christians are struggling to break free from their past, their besetting sins and their bondages of sin in so many areas of their lives. Gracious Lord, this dying world needs You so badly. All of us need Jesus Christ to reign and rule in our lives. All of us desire to experience true spiritual victory in You. Please help us to live above our circumstances and remain joyously victorious in our spiritual lives. People are crying out bitterly for an answer to their aimlessness and emptiness. People are taking their lives and destroying themselves and their families through ungodly choices and utter sinfulness, and the wicked adversary rejoices. We pray that You will deliver Your people and empower all of us daily, Spirit of the Living God, to live for You, to reach out with Your unfailing love to people wherever we are..help us have a true love for souls that we may daily seek to wrest them out of hell with the powerful gospel. Please use us, our spiritual gifts and all that we are for Your honour and glory..we surrender our all to You this day. Continue to save souls like never before from this day forth till Your imminent return. From our hearts, thank you so much for being our All in all..for dearest Lord, You are truly all that we ever need in this 1 life. We praise You for You are our precious Redeemer forevermore, ever mighty to save. In Jesus' name, amen.

Christ is a substitute for everything, but nothing is a substitute for Christ. ~ H.A. Ironside

Give me the Bible

Give me the Bible, star of gladness gleaming,
To cheer the wanderer lone and tempest tossed,
No storm can hide that peaceful radiance beaming,
Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

Give me the Bible - holy message shining,
Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way.
Precept and promise, law and love combining,
Till night shall vanish in eternal day.

Give me the Bible when my heart is broken,
When sin and grief have filled my soul with fear;
Give me the precious words by Jesus spoken,
Hold up faith's lamp to show my Saviour near.

Give me the Bible, all my steps enlighten,
Teach me the danger of these realms below;
That lamp of safety, o'er the gloom shall brighten,
That light alone the path of peace can show.

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
~ Psalm 12:6

Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
~ Psalm 119:140

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
~ Proverbs 30:5

Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
~ Psalm 119:160

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
~ John 17:17

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
~ Hebrews 4:12

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
~ Jeremiah 23:29

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
~ Isaiah 40:8

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad's of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances don't hinder.
12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.
13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.
14. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.
15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings.
16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
18. Resolved, to live so at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.
19. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.
20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.
21. Resolved, never to do anything, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.
22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power; might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.
23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God's glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.
24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
26. Resolved, to east away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.
27. Resolved, never willfully to omit anything, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.
28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.
30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in Christianity, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
31. Resolved, never to say anything at all against anybody, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.
32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that in Prov. 20:6, "A faithful man who can find?" may not be partly fulfilled in me.
33. Resolved, always to do what I can towards making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, when it can be without over-balancing detriment in other respects.
34. Resolved, in narration's never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity.
35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved.
36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it.
37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year.
38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord's day.
39. Resolved, never to do anything that I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or no; except I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.
40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking.
41. Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better.
42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January.
43. Resolved, never henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God's, agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12.
44- Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it.
45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps Christianity.
46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eve: and to be especially careful of it, with respect to any of our family.
47. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, humble, meek, modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable, even, patient, moderate, forgiving, sincere temper; and to do at all times what such a temper would lead me to. Examine strictly every week, whether I have done so.
48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or no; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of.
49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.
50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world.
51. Resolved, that I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned.
52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.
53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer.
54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it.
55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether ~ have done my duty, and resolve to do it; and let it be just as providence orders it, I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty and my sin.
58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity.
59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times.
60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination.
61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done.
62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty; and then according to Eph. 6:6-8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; "knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord".
63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time.
64. Resolved, when I find those "groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom. 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those "breakings of soul for the longing it hath," of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be wear', of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness.
65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton's 27th Sermon on Psalm 119.
66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.
67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help.
69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it.
70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.

~ Jonathan Edwards

giving thanks..

Thank you Lord for...

Air and autumn and animals
babies and Breath and beauty
children and compassion and Creativity
daylight and Dew and daffodils
Emotions and energy and enthusiasm
faith and Family and friends
grandparents and grandchildren and God
hands and Health and hope
Ice cream and intelligence and intuition
joy and Journeys and jokes
kindness and kisses and Kittens
love and Laughter and leaves
Mothers and music and memories
night and Nature and neighbours
order and oranges and Oceans
peace and Patience and prayer
Quiet and quality and questions
rain and Rest and romance
sunshine and smiles and Stars
time and Teachers and trees
Unity and understanding and uniqueness
vision and Values and vacations
winter and water and Wisdom
excitement and eXpression and experience
Youth and yearning and yesterday
zest and Zip and zeal...=)

~ Tami Stephens ~

~ .sister.love. ~

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

~ 1 John 5:1,2

.crucified with Christ.

People who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks:
1. They are facing only one direction
2. They can never turn back
3. They no longer have plans of their own.

~ A.W. Tozer

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ~ Galatians 2:20

ice cream craving, anyone? =p

Cherries Jubilee: Cherry ice cream with cherry halves and a hint of rum flavor
Chocolate: Extra rich chocolate ice cream
Chocolate Chip: Vanilla ice cream loaded with bittersweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Cookie dough ice cream with chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate chips
Chocolate Fudge: Extra rich and flavorful chocolate ice cream
French Vanilla: Rich vanilla ice cream made with egg yolks
Gold Medal Ribbon®: Vanilla and chocolate ice creams with a caramel ribbon
Jamoca® (coffee): Jamoca® ice cream made from our own exclusive blend of coffee
Jamoca® Almond Fudge: Our Jamoca® ice cream with roasted almonds and a rich chocolate fudge ribbon
Mint Chocolate Chip: Mint ice cream loaded with chocolate chips
Nutty Coconut: Coconut ice cream loaded with almonds, pecans and walnuts
Old Fashioned Butter Pecan: Butter pecan ice cream with butter-roasted pecans
Oreo® Cookies 'n Cream: Vanilla ice cream with Oreo® cookie pieces
Peanut Butter 'n Chocolate: Chocolate ice cream with a peanut butter ribbon
Pistachio Almond: Pistachio ice cream loaded with roasted almonds
Pralines 'n Cream: Vanilla ice cream with praline-coated pecan pieces and a caramel ribbon
Rocky Road: Chocolate ice cream loaded with almonds and miniature marshmallows
Truffle in Paradise™: European chocolate ice cream with chocolate chunks and chocolate truffle pieces
Vanilla: Vanilla ice cream made with fresh cream and real vanilla
Very Berry Strawberry: Strawberry ice cream loaded with strawberries
World Class® Chocolate: White chocolate mousse ice cream swirled with milk chocolate ice cream
Apple Pie a la Mode: Real apples, crunchy pie crust, caramel cinnamon crème ribbon and vanilla ice cream. Tastes like homemade.
Triple Play: Popcorn, peanuts and pretzels load a caramel ice cream base. Best if completed unassisted.
Tea Of Tranquility: Chai ice cream soothes the soul with hints of cinnamon and ginger snap cookies to add a touch of "well" to your being
Happy Camper: Trail mix and peanut butter wind a path through a mountain of vanilla ice cream
Here Comes The Fudge: Rich caramel fudge ice cream loaded with chewy fudge Brownies and swirled with a dark fudge ribbon
Boston Cream Pie: Custard ice cream loaded with chocolate sandwich cookies and golden flakes, swirled with a milk chocolate ribbon
Chip off the 'Ole Cheesecake™: Cheesecake ice cream loaded with chocolate chip cheesecake cubes and a dark fudge ribbon
Razza Dazza Chip™: Chocolate ice cream with chewy brownie pieces, mini chocolate chips, and a red raspberry ribbon
Bumble Buzz: Honey ice cream with chocolate coated honey comb pieces and a dark fudge ribbon
SPF 31: Coconut ice cream with coconut macaroon pieces swirled with banana ice cream
Splish Splash: Blue raspberry sherbet swirled with blueberry sorbet
Thunder 'n Lightning: Chocolate fudge ice cream with chocolate pieces and milk chocolate mousse ice cream with a marshmallow ribbon.
America's Birthday Cake: Strawberry and cake-flavored ice creams with confetti-topped cake pieces swirled with a blue whipped cream ribbon.
Banana Nut: Nutty combination of banana ice cream and walnuts.
Baseball Nut™: Vanilla ice cream swirled with black raspberry ribbon and loaded with cashews.
Everyone's Favorite Candy Bar: Buttery caramel ice cream loaded with Snickers® and swirled with a caramel ribbon
Pink Bubblegum: Bubblegum flavored ice cream with candy-coated pieces of bubblegum.
Strawberry Cheesecake: Cheesecake ice cream with cheesecake pieces and a strawberry ribbon.
Strawberry Shortcake: Vanilla ice cream with shortcake pieces swirled with a strawberry ribbon
Tax Crunch®: Kona coffee ice cream with a swirl of crackling chocolate and rice crunchy pieces
Tiramisu: Tiramisu and espresso ice creams with tiramisu cake pieces spun with an espresso-chocolate ribbon
Turtle Cheesecake: Cheesecake and chocolate ice creams swirled with cheesecake pieces, buttered pecans and a cream caramel ribbon
Love Potion #31™: White chocolate and raspberry ice creams swirled with a raspberry ribbon and loaded with raspberry filled cups and chocolate chips
Winter White Chocolate®: White chocolate ice cream swirled with chocolate-covered cherry pieces and a cherry ribbon
Bananas 'n Strawberries: Strawberry and banana ice creams joined by a strawberry ribbon
Cotton Candy: Pink and purple swirled cotton candy ice cream
Quarterback Crunch™: Vanilla ice cream with chocolate-covered rice "crunchies" and a caramel ribbon
Pumpkin Pie: Rich and creamy pumpkin pie ice cream
Egg Nog: Rich, delicious egg nog ice cream
German Chocolate Cake: Swiss chocolate ice cream with coconut, walnut pieces, milk chocolate brownie pieces and a caramel ribbon
Black Walnut: Walnut ice cream loaded with black walnuts
Chocolate Almond: Chocolate ice cream loaded with roasted almonds
Chocolate Mousse Royale®: Milk chocolate mousse ice cream with chocolate flakes
Creole Cream Cheese: Creamy and rich cream cheese ice cream
Lemon Custard: Rich and creamy lemon custard ice cream
Macadamia Nut: Vanilla ice cream with macadamia nut pieces
No Sugar Added Chocolate Chocolate Chip: Lowfat Chocolate ice cream with rich chocolate chunks
Orange Sherbet: Citrus sherbet made with oranges
Oregon Blackberry: Blackberry ice cream with pieces of blackberry
Pineapple Ice: Pineapple flavored ice with chunks of pineapple
Reese's® Peanut Butter Cup: Vanilla ice cream loaded with chunks of Reese's® Peanut Butter Cups
Rum Raisin: Rum flavored ice cream with raisins
Swirled Famous Brownie: Chocolate and chocolate chip ice creams loaded with custard pieces and a brownie batter swirl
Wild 'N Reckless: Swirl of green apple, blue raspberry and fruit punch sherbets

~ Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Flavors

God Created Women

When God created Woman, he was working late on the 6th day.

An angel came by and said: “Why spend so much time on that one?”

And the Lord answered: “Have you seen all the specifications I have to meet to shape her?"

"She must be washable, but not made of plastic, have more than 200 moving parts which all must be replaceable and she must function on all kinds of food, she must be able to embrace several kids at the same time, give a hug that can heal anything from a bruised knee to a broken heart and she must do all this with only two hands.”

The angel was impressed.

“Just two hands....impossible!“

"And this is the standard model?!"

“That's too much work for one day....wait until tomorrow and then complete her.“

“I will not do that,” said God. “I am so close to completing this creation, which will be the favourite of my heart.”

“She cures herself when she's sick and she can work for 18 hours a day.”

The angel came nearer and touched the woman.

“But you have made her so soft, Lord!”

“She is soft", said God, “But I have also made her strong. You can’t imagine what she can endure and overcome.“

“Can she think?" the angel asked.

The Lord answered:

“Not only can she think, she can reason and negotiate."

The angel touched the woman's cheek..

“God, it seems this creation of Yours is leaking! You have put too many burdens on her.”

“She is not leaking..these are tears,” God corrected the angel.

“What’s all that for?" asked the angel.

And the Lord said:

“Tears are her way of expressing grief, her doubts, her love, her loneliness, her suffering and her pride.”

This made a big impression on the angel: “God, you are an absolute genius!"

"You thought of everything. The woman is indeed marvellous!"

And indeed she is!

God created women to have many strengths and abilities.
She can handle trouble with a heart of peace and carry heavy burdens.
She holds happiness, love and opinions.
She smiles when she feels like screaming.
She sings when she feels like crying, cries when she is happy and laughs when she is afraid.
She fights for what she believes in and stands up against injustice.
She doesn’t take “no” for an answer, when she can see a better solution.
She sacrifices and gives herself up so her loved ones can thrive.
Her love is caring and unconditional.
She cries in joy when her kids are victorious. She is exuberantly happy when her friends do well.
She is cheerfully glad when she hears of a birth or a wedding.
Her heart is broken when a next of kin or friend dies.
She knows that a kiss and a hug can heal a broken heart.
In times of trial, she finds the strength and perseverance to press on in life.

There is only one thing wrong with her..
She often forgets what she is worth..

Thank you Lord for blessing us with loving Mums and with God-fearing + God-loving women who impact our lives so greatly..our loved ones, our sisters, our friends, our mentors, our missionaries..they make such a huge difference to our lives..we praise you dearest Lord for each precious one..for each dear one is a wondrous creation of You. =)

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

~ Proverbs 31:30

Meaningful quotes

The safest place to be is within the Will of God.

God's answers are wiser than our prayers.

Never get so busy doing the work of the kingdom that you forget who the King is.

God specialises in happy endings.

The Bible: More up-to-date than tomorrow’s newspaper!

You can no more outgrow your need for God than you can outgrow your need for oxygen.

The Hellbound sinner's famous last words: "I did it my way."

No one can ignore Jesus forever.

The outlook is gloomy, but the uplook is glorious!

Death is not extinguishing the light from the Christian; it is putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.

Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.

.Beautiful for God.

For excellent lips, speak words of wisdom and kindness.
For beautiful eyes, always look for the good in everyone.
To lose weight, give your heart completely to God and let go of stress, hatred, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, discontentment and the need to control others around you.
To improve your ears, listen to the word of God and obey it with all of your heart.
Rather than focus on the thorns and trials of life, take time to always smell the roses and count your many blessings..giving thanks to God for showering you so graciously with each one of them.
For poise, walk tall with the wisdom of God and the wonderful knowledge of His Holy Word through absolute faith in His divine guidance.
To strengthen your arms, hug at least 3 people a day.
Touch someone with your love each day.
To strengthen your heart in the Lord, surrender your all, your mistakes, your past, your future, your talents, your life, your heart to Him..always seek to forgive yourself and others around you.
Don't worry and hurry so much. Life is fragile, always handle with prayer.
Walk firmly on this earth with determination and leave your mark for the glory of Christ.
When living as a child of God in this dying world, remember to put on the robe of Christ daily; it fits like a glove and allows room for spiritual growth as long as one has a faithful and teachable heart. Best of all, wearing this robe will enable your testimony for the Lord to shine so radiantly, lead many to His Kingdom and impact so many lives; it never goes out of style and is appropriate for any occasion.
Doing these things on a daily basis will certainly make you a more beautiful person. May the fragrance of Christ's beauty be always seen, experienced and known in our lives.

Perfect peace is not the absence of trouble but it is God's glorious presence in your life..=)

Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

~ Psalm 90:16-17

Be still and know that I am God..Psalm 46:10

God is always greater than our need.
God always is far greater than the devil and our enemies.
God always loves us more than we can comprehend.
God always has better plans for our lives than we do.
God always gives to us what is good for us.
God always is available to us.
God gives us what we could never give ourselves.
What God graciously gives to us can never be taken away from us.

dearest Lord, You have dealt with me, You have brought me to the end of my ways. i am so tired of living my life the ways i have. please forgive me and cleanse me whole..please grant me a great, irreversible breakthrough that will impact my life like never before. please take me, my everything..break me..change me..make me into the woman You so desire me to be. for once in my life, i cry out to You to strengthen my heart and to help me be completely committed and sold out to Your divine Will alone. i need You so much, my God. help me live for You and Your glory alone always. in Jesus' name, amen.

L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P

. character . self discipline . teachability . commitment . responsibility . courage . servanthood .

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him..

~ 2 Chronicles 16:9a

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

~ Ever, On­ly, ALL for Thee, Lord.. ~

The Sweetest Name I Know

The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.

~ Henry William Baker

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear;
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

~ John Newton

I know of a world that is sunk in shame,
Where hearts oft faint and tire;
But I know of a Name, a precious Name,
That can set that world on fire:
Its sound is sweet, its letters flame.
I know of a Name, a precious Name,
'Tis Jesus..

~ J. Wilbur Chapman

Give Them All To Jesus

Are you tired of chasing pretty rainbows?
Are you tired of spinning round and round?
Wrap up all those shattered dreams of your life
And at the feet of Jesus, lay them down.

Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
Shattered dreams, wounded hearts, and broken toys.
Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
And He will turn your sorrows into joy.

He never said you'd only see sunshine,
He never said there would be no rain.
He only promised a heart full of singing
About the very thing that once brought pain.

Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
Shattered dreams, wounded hearts, and broken toys.
Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
And He will turn your sorrows into joy..

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light..

~ Matthew 11:28-30 ~

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

~ Psalm 133

My heart overflows with praise to the Lord! Thank God so much for the really blessed privilege of serving with James, Eric and Jessie at Fireagles + [s.U.R.f]2 tribal camp..thank God for their sacrificial love and great humility in service. Thank God for their faithfulness, their ever-ready availibility to do anything that is required for the teens, their perseverance and tenacity in tough situations and unexpected trials, their thankful, prayerful and sincere hearts. They truly serve the Lord with unwavering joy..without counting the cost. Have learnt so so much from their lives and am much blessed by their faithful labour of love in all that they do for the glory of God. Praise the Lord so much for you, Bros and Sis! :) ~*

*~ supremely glad for such wonderful koinonia with the 3 of you..shine on! ~*
ur lao jie :D

k o i n o n i a . m e m o r i e s

Giving thanks to our Almighty God:

thank God so much for Teenz Koinonia Camp 2006..a supremely blessed camp beyond description peppered with the abundant and precious blessings of our loving Heavenly Father! thank God for His unfailing love that He showered upon all of us first such that we can love one another and have our hearts knitted together in a deep and special way. thank you Lord for granting us the sweetest bonds in our Saviour! thank you so much Lord for allowing us to experience true and precious koinonia together as a family-of-Christ!

thank God for the wondrous privilege of prayer..that we can seek Him with all of our heart anytime, anywhere with regards to anything or any situation or circumstance. there is simply no way that Koinonia Camp could unfold in the beautiful way it has without the power of prayer. thank you Lord for answering all of our prayers!

thank God for using Bro Ian in a very mighty way as he preached to us..thank God so much for empowering him so greatly that God's Word can pierce us so deeply and take root in our hearts and souls. truly appreciate and learnt so much from the faithful and sacrificial service of dear and precious brothers and sisters: Malcolm, Jon Chong, James, Eric, Seto, Shawn, Lilis, Kailing, Jessie, Mimi, Nini, Annie, Abigail, Jill, Sonia, Terence and Cheryl. thank you so much y'all for being such great humongous blessings to me in so many ways..;)

thank God for our Koinonia camp booklet..it is so very beautiful..it is jam-packed with solid devotions and precious songs of praises to our God! it was specially served fresh to us by Lilis, Grace, Chiawen and Cheryl..what a wonderful and lovely work for our Lord..thanks so much for your labour of great love to God for us at Koinonia Camp, dear sisters! may God honour your hearts which are so sold out for Him in tremendous ways!

thank God for graciously reviving hearts and changing lives during camp: praise God for doing a deep work in the hearts of Jason and Darren. dear brothers, our unfailing God has very incredible plans for your lives..continue to walk on tall and strong for His glory!

thank God for our dear sister Annie..for her outstanding faithfulness in so many areas of service for Koinonia Camp especially for transportation and the camp administration..thank God for Leb, Joanene, Melody for being wonderful servants of the Lord in walking alongside Annie in managing all of the camp administration issues. all of you are the best admin team ever..so very powderful for the Lord! praise God :D!

thank God for our wonderful older teens leaders..amazing servant leaders of the Lord they are: Shekinah, Maja, Josh, Yufei, Jiahao, Bev, Teresa, Hornsau and Iris! all of u are so special in God's sight and ours..continue to shine on so beautifully for Jesus..just want all of you to know that you are doing so great for Him..press on!!

thank God for opening doors for many teenagers to make it for camp..and our tribal BBQ: Bernice, Denise, Lincoln, Bryan, Wheekok and Hongwei, Brian, Ethel, Emilia, Shekinah, Nerissa, Aika, Hanniel, Henrietta, Samantha, Cassandra, Cheryl and Chia Wen! woo hoo..our GOD is WaY GoooooD!

thank God for such a sweet spirit at camp..thank God for our lower secondary teens who just shine so beautifully in their testimonies and ways during the times we could enjoy each other's company at camp. thanks so much for singing the banana milk lalala song with me dear Cass..you utterly brighten my day..so fun monkeying around with you..hehee! hey Samm, thanks heaps for helping out with the drinks during lunchtime everyday..such a sweet blessing you are to me..thanks so much for helping me out with my track shoes too when my feet wouldn't fit into them! dear bro Daniel, your absolute faithfulness in reading God's word during the wee hours of the morning even when others have KO liao is an inspiration to me..stay so in love with Him and His Word always k? may He bless your humble heart always..;)

thankful for the moving of the Holy Spirit as we learnt so much from the 'Game of Life'. thank God for all the lessons that we could learn together and for a strong renewing of our hearts being moved by a fresh resolve to be set apart for God alone..thank God that though we are in the world, we are no longer to be part of this sinful world. in Christ, we are on victory ground..forever!

thank God so much for our Nosnuma+Noname & Fireagles+[Surf]2 tribal camps! thank God for meeting with us..and knitting our hearts together with the precious times of worship, personal sharing of testimonies and prayer. thank God for Josh, Ethel, Bev for using them to lead and plan our tribal camp games so excellently..thank God for all of you..the 3 of you have truly given your 100% to God in faithful service and for this we give our highest praise to God! *so blessed by the labours of the terrific trio*! :D

thank God for Jeremy..our camp encourager..one who goes around to be a blessing in very special ways to many others. thank God for the solid ways you reach out to others, Bro! may He continue to empower you mightily to use the spiritual gifts He has blessed you with wherever He has placed you. :)

thank God for Abigail..she has been serving so wonderfully behind the scenes throughout the whole camp..never expecting anything from anyone, just being there to provide us with hot milo for supper, delicious pancakes for breakfast, preparing so much glorious food for our tribal BBQ and washing up after every mealtime. thank God for her sacrificial heart in giving her best to all of us and to God. thank God for her caring heart in massaging campers who were suffering from sprained ankles or hurting joints. thank God so much for you, Abi..you are one whose life is truly touched by the Hand of God that you may be such an outstanding blessing to the many He sends your way.

*THANK YOU LORD FOR THE GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE*!

will share even more koinonia camp thanksgivings sooon..because we simply cannot stop thanking our awesome, all-powerful God! take good care everyone :D!

Trusting Jesus

Simply trusting every day,
Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Refrain
Trusting as the moments fly,
Trusting as the days go by;
Trusting Him whate’er befall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Brightly does His Spirit shine
Into this poor heart of mine;
While He leads I cannot fall;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Singing if my way is clear,
Praying if the path be drear;
If in danger for Him call;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting Him while life shall last,
Trusting Him till earth be past;
Till within the jasper wall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all..

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

~ Proverbs 3:3-6

A yielded life

No one can sum up all God is able to accomplish through one solitary life, wholly yielded, adjusted, and obedient to Him.

~ D. L. Moody

What we have

Light for every darkness, life in death, the promise of our Lord's return, and the assurance of everlasting glory.

~ D. L. Moody

What i want

I want the whole Christ for my Saviour, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field.

~ John Wesley

k.o.i.n.o.n.i.a

koinonia (noun):

Christian fellowship or communion with God or with fellow Christians; said in particular of the early Christian community.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ..

~ Philippians 1:3-6