.:FaithFlashes:. Free Christian Content

Wonder if this will play here on blogger it won't play on msn spaces




.:FaithFlashes:. Free Christian Content: "

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Update - I can See Clearly Now!

Ok Everyone here’s the good news update!

 

I just got back from the eye doc & he’s excited with my results so far

I’m 20/25 day after surgery which is very pleasing to him as well as me! (0;}

To be 20/25 after my bad vision is GREAT!

I couldn’t see faces across the table before the surgery!

& he says It’s likely to get a bit better as I heal –

wow even better -  what a concept way more than my expectations

 

so far so good no wrinkles in the flaps he made & no debris has gotten in my eyes

but I know that’s because I went home yesterday & immediately put on the goggles

then tried to get myself to sleep & stay in bed the entire night

 

My left eye is still the weaker eye

just that it’s even more noticeable to me than before

He told me how to shop for reading glasses so now I can read the keyboard & puter screen!

 

Being unable to read was freaking me out more than just a little bit

I mean so much of my life is about reading & writing

Ever since I was a kid I’ve always been an avid reader & writer

 

I went to the Dollar Store & found with some help from the girl there who was stocking shelves glasses that were +1.50 & +1.75 so now I’m able to read the papers & the puter screen & be able to see everything else without glasses!

 

I was just a bit embarrassed about having to ask the girl to help me to see the glasses

but when I explained what I was looking for she was a great help &

even asked another girl to find me nicer looking ones

after we decided on the correct strength to get (“girlie glasses”)

the 1^st couple of pairs were butt ugly but for a buck hey I would’ve bought them

until I could’ve gone to another store with a little bit of cash

but now I don’t need to which makes me feel good –

 

now what I will have to do is find a nice neck cord to keep them handy when shopping or

if I’m going to be in places where I’m likely to be reading something –

but right now I’m having a blast not having to wear glasses to see the TV

 

I’ve got one Rx that I’ve got to drop off today & I’ll have Byron pick it up for me

He’s only going to be spending the rest of the money to go drinking anyway

He may as well use it for something proper & worthwhile

 

Well I’m about to head to the drugstore to drop off my Rx

& then since I’ve got no g-son today to babysit

I’m thinking of heading to the store to scope out where I’ll station myself tomorrow

I’m thinking I’ll go 1^st thing in the morning while it’s cooler

Plus hopefully the people will be in a better mood while I fumble thru these questions

 

Love to you all

Your Sister in Christ & Fellow Stander

Theresa

FW: I can see clearly now... sort of

I’m not sure why this didn’t go out before but I’m trying again

 

Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 9:37 AM
To: 'PowerofthePrayingWife-Restorations@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: I can see clearly now... sort of

 

Hi Everyone;

 

I’m recovering from my lasik surgery, please excuse any typos –

my vision was so bad previously that now that it’s  been corrected for distance

 I’m unable to see to read until I get some reading glasses –

it’s so weird to be able to read the TV but unable to read my bible & emails

 

I know that what I’m seeing right now isn’t the final result,

 as the healing isn’t done yet,

I am just kind of having trouble getting use to this new vision –

reversed from what I had in the 1^st place &

 the inability to read is driving me crazy

so I’ll have to get to the store today to get the highest reading glasses they have,

in the meantime I’ll listen to my bible on cd which I do have &

this means that I really do have to find the rest of the old testament to complete my audio bible, I think I have all of the new testament

 

The procedure went very quickly

The set up was the scary part as he puts the stuff on to keep your eyes open

It didn’t hurt but the pressure was a bit unnerving when 1^st applied

Then everything goes dark as he puts some suction thing on & starts the flap cutting

Then there’s a weird noise almost dentist drill like & kind of tickle pressure

Then I had to look & focus on a flashing red light while the laser went to work

 the right eye was done without a hitch & then he covered it & went to the left eye

 

The left eye didn’t go as well for me & if it’s not up to par it’s due to my panicking

During the process of setting that eye up I felt a pinch

That is what got me distracted & started me to panic slightly

When it was suppose to go completely dark on the left side I could see a sliver of light

Which made the panic rise even more… I had to fight to stay on the table

then during the laser part the doc spoke to me apparently my eye moved

I wasn’t able to find the red light to focus on & started to panic even more

 

The doc was great trying to be reassuring

But when I lost the red light which I was suppose to focus on I just about lost it

He tried to hold my head still which distracted me even further

He was excellent thou trying to keep me calm with his voice

But I did find it confusing trying to fight my panic & listen to his instructions

I couldn’t find my voice to ask him for a few seconds to get myself recovered & pulled together since I was fighting the urge to jump up from the table & run

But as he talked I did manage to calm down enough that my left eye was done

 

I definitely recommend that anyone who’s considering getting this done to go to him

He’s got a great bedside manner & the support staff & nurses are so friendly

I was shocked to be able to read some digital numbers on one of the machines when I got up off the table so I knew right there that it had worked

 

It was amazing when my ride Geoff the 3rd flr neighbor got there

We’re walking outside to the car &

WOW! I could read signs on the stores!

I couldn’t even listen to what he was saying because I was too busy reading stuff I knew I’d not have been able to read without my glasses before

 

I mean wow I can see my face in the mirror a few feet away!

Something which I’d not be able to do without glasses!

I can’t read my bible but from across the room I can read the cover on the bookcase!

 

So my mission for today is to find reading glasses so I can read my papers & books

Especially important since God blessed me with a quick 2 hr job

as store interviewer for consumer research thru a temp service –

a quick $20 & if I do well for this job which many don’t want to do

it’ll mean that I’m likely to get called for more like it

 

Right now I’m just having trouble adjusting to the fact

that I’m unable to read that I don’t know what to do with myself –

anyone who knows me personally knows how much I read & write on a daily basis –

 

hopefully I won’t need Rx reading glasses &

that I will be able to find over the counter glasses today &

maybe even as my eyes heal the closer vision will improve a bit as well –

I know that when I put the eye drops in my eyes feel better &

I do think for a hot minute anyway that I can see just a bit better –

but it does feel so good to be able to see my son’s navy picture across the room clearly when I was waking up from this morning

 

God is Good & more blessing I am certain are coming

Love to you all;

Your Sister in Christ & Fellow Stander

Theresa

RE: Weekly Marriage Builder, June 25, 2006: Dealing with Your Past

For Some Reason this didn’t go out when I tried to send it out before – so I’m trying to send it out again

 

-----Original Message-----
From: djembe queen [mailto:djembequeen@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 10:48 AM
Subject: FW: Weekly Marriage Builder, June 25, 2006: Dealing with Your Past

 

I found this to be perfect timing – printing this & I will be putting this up for me to review while I’m reading my bible & saying my prayers to shatter the strongholds…

 

 between a recent email & speaking with a couple of people who are dealing with things done "back in the day" this came in & now Beth Moore is on TV with a similar message about dealing with past issues so I'm passing this on for everyone else to consider what in our past we may need to deal with & resolve so that we can become whole & healed

Love Your Sister in Christ & Fellow Stander

Theresa

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Jimmy Evans - MarriageToday [mailto:jimmy@marriagetoday.org]
Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2006 11:00 PM
Subject: Weekly Marriage Builder, June 25, 2006: Dealing with Your Past

 

*************************************************************

 

 WEEKLY "MARRIAGE BUILDER" EMAIL

 

 Presented by MarriageToday with Jimmy & Karen

 

*************************************************************

 

Dear theresa,

 

One of the ingredients necessary for a happy marriage is to make sure we deal with the issues of our past.

 

The truth is -- the past isn't the past until it has been dealt with properly, because our past effects today in a negative manner. Therefore, it is still the present.

 

Every person has some kind of baggage they bring in with them when they get married.

 

Common examples of baggage are hurts that have never been dealt with,

Unforgiveness, generational sins from the wrong behaviors we were raised around, and quirks in our personalities that have never been fixed.

 

In order to deal with your past,  

You first of all have to be willing to be blatantly honest with yourself.

We have a tendency to see the flaws in our spouse and associate them with how messed up their family is or past was -- but sometimes we are blind to our own issues. 

We need to honestly look at some of our less than stellar qualities and ask this question: "Could I be this way because of something in my past that I haven't dealt with?"

 

The answer is always --- yes!

 

All of us are the sum total of our pasts.

The good things in our past produce the good qualities in our lives today.

The bad things in our pasts that we haven't dealt with create personality problems, emotional issues, relational difficulties and last but not least -- marriage trouble.

 

When you begin dealing with your past…,

 

The first thing to do is to surrender to Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything or anyone in your past you need to deal with.

 

The second critical issue is always forgiveness.

 All of us have deep hurts from our past.  Without forgiveness, our hurts become festering wounds that never heal and cause our personalities to malform around them. The simple act of forgiveness can set you free from your past and free for your future faster than almost anything else you can do.

 

Finally, we must take responsibility for our own problems.

An example is the issue of generational sins. As we realize that our parents may have modeled a wrong behavior to us -- we must forgive them and then repent to God for our own sins. If we live blaming our parents or others in our past for our problems, we will never be set free.

 

We must also learn to repent to our spouses and others around us for our negative behavior. As we see the association between our past issues and present behavior, we also need to see how that negative behavior effects others.

 

When we do this and take responsibility for it -- our baggage drops off of us and

our past truly becomes the past with no negative influence on our lives today.

 

Ask the Lord to help you as you surrender to the process. 

Don't focus on your spouse. You'll be surprised how quickly their baggage drops off once you begin to change.

 

Blessings,

 

Jimmy Evans

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FW: Our military chaplains can't pray freely in Jesus' name!

Pass this along & call, email or write your senate & house of rep members to allow our military pastors to pray in the name of Jesus for our boys

(Including your nephew André remember him & his shipmates on the uss harpers ferry)

 

Also say a prayer that nothing happens from the North Korea planning to test one of their missiles ‘cause André’s over there in the Japanese oceans! He’s not emailed or IMed since they announced it on the news about the test – so I’m pretty sure that André’s ship is one of those who have left to be on call in case things go wrong

 

Keep us in your prayers

Love ya

Theresa

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel [mailto:jsekulow@aclj.org]
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 10:32 AM
Subject: Our military chaplains can't pray freely in Jesus' name!

 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2006

Dear Theresa, Your prayer life is personal.  If a bill was passed into law telling you how to pray, how would you feel? Angry, frustrated, even confused? Think about it ... a law which mandates the way you pray - making your choice to worship in Jesus' name illegal! And yet, this is exactly the scenario that Americans United and other left-wing organizations are hoping for - with our chaplains in uniform! Today, I am asking for your secure online donation to PROTECT the rights of our military chaplains to pray in Jesus' name.  Help us fight and win this battle once and for all! Just one year ago, we won the case to keep the Air Force from banning prayers in Jesus' name by military chaplains. Now we face this issue once again.  Tragically, the chaplains in other branches of the U.S. military are at risk of losing the right to pray according to the dictates of conscience. The ACLJ worked diligently in the halls of Congress to support H.R. 5122, in which Rep. Todd Akin's amended language would guarantee the freedoms of all United States military chaplains to pray in Jesus' name. Already, the House of Representatives has passed this legislation - but now it goes before the Senate, where it faces much stiffer opposition. The opposition is working feverishly to influence and convince Senators to vote against this bill.  We are meeting them in the Senate on your behalf, and on behalf of many members of the military who have called our radio broadcast expressing their concern and frustration. Americans United for Separation of Church and State was deeply disappointed in the outcome of the Air Force case, and again by the pro-prayer vote in the House of Representatives. They are calling the bill "divisive."  They are marshaling their supporters to the cause.  They recognize that the Senate will have to be their "last stand." WE WILL NOT STOP until we see this bill passed by the Senate includes similar language.  I am working on this personally, and our Government Affairs office is fully involved as well. Our position here in Washington enables us to work closely with members of Congress - your online gift of support aids our effort and ensures we are doing the best to protect our military chaplains' right to pray in Jesus' name. But we cannot do it without your support.  You have been essential to the significant strides made on this issue in the past.  Stand with us again, and help us put an end to this intense debate. This is a battle we cannot afford to lose!  Again, I boldly ask for your gift of financial support.  Your generosity in giving is especially important to help us defend the rights of our military chaplains to pray freely for our troops. At the same time, we must continue all of our legal and legislative efforts across the nation to protect life and liberty. Thank you for standing with me as a member of the ACLJ.

To ensure that you continue to receive e-mails from the ACLJ, please add jsekulow@aclj.org to your address book. American Center for Law and Justice P.O. Box 90555, Washington, D.C. 20090-0555 Phone: (800) 296-4529 Copyright©2006, ACLJ | Privacy & Security Policy | Unsubscribe   American Center for Law and Justice is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, religious corporation as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, specifically dedicated to the ideal that religious freedom and freedom of speech are inalienable, God-given rights. The Center's purpose is to educate, promulgate, conciliate, and where necessary, litigate, to ensure that those rights are protected under the law. The organization has participated in numerous cases before the Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeals, Federal District Courts, and various state courts regarding freedom of religion and freedom of speech. As always, let us know of threats to freedom in your area by calling (757) 226-2489.  And tune in to our daily radio program, "Jay Sekulow Live!" For technical problems of any type, contact the tech support staff by visiting www.aclj.org/help . Please provide all the information requested. Please do not use this for general correspondence as it goes to a technical support area. HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE? Make a secure online credit card donation.

 

Things which make No Sense!

ChurchWatch: Craig von Buseck

Join Craig von Buseck weekdays as he shares his perspective on the major trends and news affecting the Body of Christ today.

 

june 19, 2006

Film Receives PG Rating for Being 'Too Religious' -- Congressman Responds

The Associate Press has reported that a church-produced film about a school whose losing football team is turned around after the coach turns to God has been slapped with a "PG" rating -- for being too religious.

The Rev. Alex Kendrick, who directed and stars in "Facing the Giants," said it was produced for only $100,000 by using members of his Georgia church for both cast and crew.

Kendrick said when he sought permission to use a song by the Christian band "Third Day," their record label's parent company, Sony Pictures, asked to see the film and agreed to release it in 400 theaters in late September.

But after the Motion Picture Association of America rated the film, Kendrick said he was told that it got the 'Parental Guidance' rating for being so openly religious. Kendrick said he's never heard of that criteria before and suggests it shows how much times have changed.

In response, House Majority Whip Roy Blunt today sent a letter to the Motion Picture Association of America last week requesting an explanation of the recent slip in the movie ratings system and expressing his concern that MPAA appears more concerned about religious content than sex and violence when it rates movies.  (Read Rep. Blunt's letter)

Citing a Harvard School of Public Health study, Blunt said: "The MPAA's standards on sex and violence in the movies have been getting weaker-to the point where yesterday's R movie is today's PG-13, and yesterday's PG-13 is today's PG."

Blunt pointed to the AP story revealing that the movie Facing the Giants was given a PG rating due to its Christian theme:  "This incident raises the disquieting possibility that MPAA considers exposure to Christian themes more dangerous for children than exposure to gratuitous sex and mindless violence."

What do you think?: Should the Hollywood ratings system designate a movie as 'PG' because they think it is 'too religious?'

Speak out: Send your comments to the Motion Picture Association of America

Read the Harvard Study: "Ratings Creep": Movie Ratings Categories Contain More Violence, Sex, Profanity than Decade Ago

Read Rep. Blunt's letter to the Motion Picture Association of America

Send a note to Rep. Blunt's office

More Church and Ministry on Spiritual Life

More from the Clergy Corner on Spiritual Life

ChurchWatch Front Page

More from Craig von Buseck on CBN.com

 

FW: To meet such a Man...

A very touching story & prayer for you

 

-----Original Message-----
 
Subject: To meet such a Man...

 

 

TO MEET SUCH A MAN

I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were both especially good that day.

As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There, walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, "I will work for  food." My heart sank.

I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness and disbelief.

We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind.  We finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and quickly set out to accomplish them.  I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, knowing that seeing him again would call some response. I drove through town and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at  a store and got back in my car.

Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: "Don't go back to the office until you've at least driven once more around the square."

Then with some hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the square's third corner, I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the store front church, going through his sack.

I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a sign from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the town's newest visitor.

"Looking for the pastor?" I asked.

"Not really," he replied, "just resting."

"Have you eaten today?"

"Oh, I ate something early this morning."

"Would you like to have lunch with me?"

"Do you have some work I could do for you?"

"No work," I replied. "I commute here to work from the city, but I would like to take you to lunch."

"Sure," he replied with a smile.

As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions.  Where you headed?"

"St. Louis."

"Where you from?"

"Oh, all over; mostly Florida."

"How long you been walking?"

"Fourteen years," came the reply.

I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond his 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence and articulation that was startling.  He removed his jacket to reveal a bright red T-shirt that said, "Jesus is The Never Ending Story."

Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in life.  He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences. Fourteen years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped on the beach in Daytona.  He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and some equipment.  A concert, he thought.

He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life over to God

"Nothing's been the same since," he said, "I felt the Lord telling me to  keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now."

"Ever think of stopping?" I asked.

"Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me   But God has given me this calling. I give out Bibles . That's what's in my sack. I work to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads."

I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless.   He was on a mission and lived this way by choice.  The question burned inside for a moment and  then I asked: "What's it like?"

"What?"

"To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show your sign?"

"Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make comments. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture that certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's concepts of other folks like me."

My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said, "Come Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a stranger and you took me in."

I felt as if we were on holy ground. "Could you use another Bible?" I asked.

He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite.  "I've read through it 14 times," he said.

"I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and see"  I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he seemed very grateful.

"Where are you headed from here?" I asked.

"Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park coupon."

"Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile?"

"No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star right  there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next."

He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his  mission. I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours earlier, and as  we drove, it started raining.  We parked and unloaded his things.

"Would you sign my autograph book?" he asked. "I like to keep messages from folks I meet."

I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had touched my life. I encouraged him to stay strong..  And I left him with a verse of scripture from Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you; Plans to give you a future and a hope."

"Thanks, man," he said. "I know we just met and we're really just strangers, but I love you."

"I know," I said, "I love you, too." "The Lord is good!"

"Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?" I asked.

"A long time," he replied

And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put his things on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, "See you in the New Jerusalem."

"I'll be there!" was my reply.

He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign dangling from his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, "When you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for  me?"

"You bet," I shouted back, "God bless."

"God bless." And that was the last I saw of him.

Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car.. As I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them... a pair of well-worn brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle. I picked them up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm that night without them.

Then I remembered his words:  "If you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"

 

Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two hours with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry.   "See you in the New Jerusalem," he said.  Yes, Daniel, I know I will...

If this story touched you, forward it to a friend!

"I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again."

My instructions were to send this to four people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. Please pass this to four people you want to be blessed.

This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached. Please do not break this pattern. Prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another. God bless and have a nice day!

"Father, I ask you to bless my friends, relatives and e-mail buddies reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy.   Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace, In Jesus' precious Name Amen."

I sent this to more than four, but this story is so touching I felt each of you would enjoy it greatly.

 

GOD BLESS YOU-MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!