~~ "Happy New Year" !!! ~~

May the joy and peace of Christmas be with you all through the year !!

How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches you.
Thank you for your kind ways.

Be still - and let the joy of Christmas (JESUS) come into your heart.

~ * KEEP MARCHing !!!! * ~

I praise You, Lord, for the faithfulness that is part of Your perfect nature. It never changes or leaves me helpless. May it seep into my heart and soul as I FOLLOW You. In Jesus precious name. Amen.

~ WRITING a PERSONAL prayer ! ~

You protect my back, Lord, so my energy and actions are available for Your work (even though at times I unwittingly make mistakes - yet, You knowing all things, even before they happen, can work through those too). "Thank you" for Your love and care!

May my life reveal Your holiness and reflect Your power, so others may come to worship You.
In Jesus name. Amen. Kim.

~ JANUARY ~

LORD God, my faith in You is not based in my senses or my intellect but in Your never-failing love, which saved my soul and promises me unspeakable joy. In Jesus name. Amen.

~ JANUARY 12 ~

Painful changes have entered my life, but You are my refuge. Open Your fortress, Father, and keep me safe in Your love. In Jesus name. Amen.

~ His Strength ~

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11: 28-30)".

"These familiar verses from Matthew's Gospel have often been used to point weary, sin-sick sinners to the Savior - and rightly so. They also hold a world of meaning for the child of God, for in these verses can be found rest and refreshing, encouragement and instruction and abundance of resource for life and service.

God's children often expend a great amount of time and effort to complete a task for the Lord only to find physical, mental and, yes, even spiritual weariness resulting. When the burden of it all weighs heavily, when problems seemingly have no answers, is it not sweet to hear those comforting words: "Come to me . . . I will give you rest. . . . my yoke is easy and my burden is light"?

Struggling Christian, determined to be all that God wants you to be, are you striving in your own strength? Stop the self-effort and get into the yoke with Jesus, your Savior. His yoke is easy, His burden is light. If what you are carrying is hard and heavy, then it must not be of His making.

Everything the child of God needs to live the Christian life is in Jesus. He is the reservoir of life and power. Without Him we can do nothing!

Come . . . learn from Him . . . find rest in Him every day. Do His work in His strength." ESTHER KING

*** ~ The STAR In The WINDOW !! ~ ***

DURING World War II, it was the custom in the United States for a family who had a son serving in the military to place a star in the front window of their home. But a gold star indicated that the son had died in support of his country's cause.

Years ago, Sir Harry Lauder told a touching story about this custom. He said that one night a man was walking down a New York City street accompanied by his 5-year-old son. The little fellow was interested in the brightly lighted windows of the houses and wanted to know why some houses had a star in the window. The father explained that those families had a son fighting in the war. The child would clap his hands as he saw another star in the window and would cry out, "Look Daddy, there's another family who gave a son for his country."

AT last they came to an empty lot, and a break in the row of houses. Through the gap a star could be seen shining brightly in the sky. The little lad caught his breath, "Oh, Daddy," he cried, "Look at the star in the window of heaven! God must have given His Son too."

Yes indeed! There is a star in God's window. Do you realize what He did for you? Because of God's love for us, He gave His Son. Have you thanked Him? - M.R. De Haan

For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son
To die on Calvary's tree, from sin to set me free;
Someday He's coming back, what glory that will be!
Wonderful His love to me. - Smith.

Many give their lives for their country, but Jesus gave His life for the world.

"For God loved the
world so much that
He gave His one and
only Son, so that
everyone who believes
in Him will not perish
but have eternal life."
- John 3: 16 (READ: John 3: 16-18; "PAUSE and think on this.")

* See associated post dated 27/11/2010 - ETERNITY !