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An inspirational monthly ezine you'll enjoy reading: 

 

CHRISTIAN INSPIRATIONAL SONGS, QUOTES:

ANGELS AMONG US by Alabama =>  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXVvBhO39M

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” Chuck Swindoll

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Taking God to School
by Abigail Davidson,

ENUMCLAW, Wash. Prayer, The Ten Commandments, learning about creation, readings from the Bible -- all of these things were once found in public schools. Seeing such Godly influences disappear, along with the freedom to openly talk about Christianity, has led many to believe that God is no longer at work in our public education system. But can these limits really hold Him back? Besides the fact that God is not bound by policies and politically correctness, there is still an abundance of Christian teachers and administrators making a difference through their prayers, influence, and Christ-like dedication to our children.

Vanessa Frazier, author of "Dear God, Welcome Back to School," believes that God is indeed active in our public schools, through faithful followers of Christ. She wrote her book to encourage all school workers, from teachers to superintendants to bus drivers, to live out their faith as they work in our ever-changing school system, allowing themselves to be living testimonies of God's presence in our classrooms, playgrounds, and hallways.

Her goal is to have readers walk away with "the truth that we can live and work for God in public schools -- all within the law." Each chapter in her book focuses on a message intended to help the individual reader understand his or her part as disciples of Jesus Christ. According to Frazier, a walk of faith can change the lives of our youth and parents. "While there is strength in numbers, it only takes two to invite Christ on the scene."

Frazier worked in public schools for over fifteen years, serving in a variety of capacities, including teachers' aid and substitute teacher. As President of PS 24, an online ministry to public school workers, Vanessa follows in the spirit of Joshua and Caleb -- convinced that the Lord has made the call for the body of Christ to "possess the land" in and around public schools.

Meet Vanessa at the 2010 South Carolina's Teachers Rally held in Columbia, SC on August 16th at Spring Valley Baptist Church. Find out more at www.ps24online.com/rally.asp

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Paid In Full

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, a sudden feeling of sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because we can't see past our own desires?

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Editor's Welcome!
 

August is here in all of its heated glory. My lawn is now an usual shade of tan, due to local water rationing efforts. My children are tanned and are looking forward to a day at the lake and I am taking every opportunity to enjoy this beautiful weather. With two teen girls in the house, life is never dull. Drama's in their lives seem to happen daily, if not hourly. Fortunately, I know that this too shall pass and in only a few short years they will be away to college and building lives of their own.(The "drama" is what has caused this current issue of ithirstnw to be a few days late in arriving.

Fortunately, once again we have terrific articles from our staff, Tammy Melton and Marty Norman; as well as fun facts, Christian News (which is updated weekly or if you check ithirstnw on Twitter, daily.)

Blessings to all and enjoy!

 
Sandra
Publisher, Editor
ithirstnw

"Sense" sational Musings 


Not Allowing Anyone to
Touch Us Is a Big Mistake!
Taken from Tammy’s book, Loving God With All Five Senses

www.legacyministries.info
www.tammymelton.blogspot.com
August 2010 Edition

    Some people want to be “untouchable”—and that is the biggest hindrance they have to loving God and others. Why does this happen?  One reason is because they have been hurt, and they do not want to be hurt again.  They do not want anyone to be able to touch them. They need a healing touch from the Master before they can get close to anyone.

     Another reason people do not want to get close to others is that they are concerned about their reputation.  Why are we so concerned about what people think of us?  We need to be more concerned about how we represent Christ than we are about our reputations. I like what Paul wrote in Galatians 1:10 (NIV): “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please man?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” 

     People who are hurt and continue to worry about their reputation instead of their representation of Christ will react one of two ways.  They will either have a victim mentality or they will become hardened and angry.  Either way, they are not allowing anyone, including God, to touch them.  The person with a victim mentality will wallow in self-pity and pull away from others, while the person who has developed a hardness of heart gives out a message that no one will control him again.

   In either case, the person who does not want anyone to “touch” him is focused on himself.  That is pride.  Notice that the letter “I” is the center of pride, and pride is the center of every sin. Every sin you can think of is self-centered.   What we need to remember is that it is not about us!

2 Corinthians 4:7-11
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are
hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed,
but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down,
but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying
of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested
in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for
Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our
mortal flesh.” (Emphasis added)

     When we remember this truth—that it is not about us—we will not wallow in misery, but instead we will allow God to take care of the situation as only He can.  The enemy’s way of getting us to dwell on ourselves is to have us dwell on the parts of the scripture passage above that say, “we are hard pressed on every side; we are perplexed;
persecuted; struck down.”  The Lord’s antidote for self-pity is for us to dwell on the parts that say, “yet not crushed; but not in despair; but not forsaken; but not destroyed.”  This will help us to get our focus off our problems and on to the Problem Solver!

     Another one of the enemy’s tactics to get us down is to isolate us.  When you are going through trials, you may be tempted to stay home and not go to church.  You can be a Christian and not go to church, but it is hard!  If you follow through with the temptation to stay away from church, you are forgetting that as believers in Christ, we encourage one another in the faith.  Solomon lets us know in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 hat two are better than one, because if one falls, the other one will help him up. In verse 10, he says, “…but woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.”   When you stop going to church, it is like taking a coal from the fire and seeing the flame die. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

     Usually the next step after not attending church is to isolate yourself from God as well.  That is when we lose our peace, because He is our peace! “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).

     The truth is that Jesus was isolated so that we do not have to be.  Some people who have isolated themselves from others, and even from God, are just broken and need a healing touch from God.  They may have been betrayed by a friend.  They may have just experienced the loss of a loved one through death.  We need to look for these people.  Is there someone you know at your church whom you have not seen for a while?  They may need an encouraging phone call or a visit to let them know that someone cares.  Or maybe you are that broken person.  Know that Jesus went through major rejection and sorrow, and He understands what you are going through.  Though He is the healer, He oftentimes uses other people to pour His love and blessings on you.  Let Him.  One day you will have that same opportunity to reach out to someone else who is hurting.
 

--Tammy Melton is the author of Loving God With All Five Senses. She is also the founding president of Legacy Ministries for Christ, Inc in Fayetteville, GA.  www.legacyministries.info; www.tammymelton.blogspot.com. Check out www.thechristianpulse.com and listen to Tammy's pulsecast, "Take 10! 10 Minute Messages for People on the Go."
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CHRISTIAN MUSIC


Album:
Better Than A Hallelujah
Check out the title song: Better Than a Hallelujah
Recording Artist: Amy Grant

Latest Music CDs Available At FamilyChristian.com

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Sample ithirstnw Newsletter

katwithlion.jpg

Kat's Kernals
Little Known Biblical Facts

Did you know the people of Bible times practiced Green living?

Think about the pottery. The potter formed a vessel and if misshapen or flawed, he dropped it to the floor. The broken pieces, known a potsherds, were ‘recycled’ to carry burning coals (Isa 30:14), to scoop water from a cistern, and for note taking or receipts (Jer 32:14). The pieces too small to use elsewhere were ground into grog and used as a tempering agent in a new pot.

If you feel like a broken vessel or the ‘grog,’ look around you, God can use the worst of your life to temper and strengthen another of His vessels. Kat Crawford©2008


-- Kat Crawford is a freelance author and speaker from Omaha, NE. She is known as Lionhearted Kat and has wirtten a very informative book, entitled, "Capsules of Hope for Caregivers." Check out her website: www.capsulesofhope.com!

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-- CSN INTERNATIONAL, River Christian Fellowship

 

Inspirational Quotes:
 
  • God is more interested in your future and your relationships than you are.
    -- Billy Graham
  • Alleged "impossibilities" are opportunities for our capacities to be stretched.
    -- Charles Swindoll
  • A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.
    -- Max Lucado
  • Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.
    -- Peter Marshall

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