Are You Special? Read about it! Winner Announced!

Hi Everyone~

Did everyone get a chance to read Monday's post about Forgiveness? Wow! Did that touch home for me! There are so many levels of forgiveness. Take a look! Is there anyone that you have not truly forgiven? Something that you are holding on to? Are you still angry about something that occurred a while ago? Then definitely take a look at the post! I learned a lot preparing for that piece!

Today please find:

• Are You Special?
• From The Life Application Bible: (NIV) Psalm 18:19-21, John 3:16, Psalm 139:14
• The Winner of the "Card of the Week."

The Verses from Psalm 18 were sung in gratitude by David after God saved Him from a fierce battle, that he wouldn't have won without God's help.

"He brought me forth also into a large place;  He was delivering me because He was pleased with me and delighted in me. The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord."  Psalm 18:19-21

For today's sharing, I am quoting from the book, Quiet Moments in the Presence of God. This book was published by Bethany House. Do you feel special? Do you feel like you are loved? Or do you sit in a chair in the dark feeling like a "nothing?" I have, in fact, that was my self-given nic name in High School. "Nothing."  When I later became a Christian, and began to know and love the Lord, things started changing in my perception. Even if this topic doesn't apply to you at all...take a look...it may be helpful when talking with your children, your friends, or your spouse!

"Take a moment and consider how much God thinks of you. Other people may put you down on occasion, but that will never happen with God. The people whom you work with, and perhaps even live with, may not always understand what you are trying to say or do, but God knows and understands." (And, He still loves us! Traci sharing. (not from the book.)

"You can give yourself a hard time on occasion, but you can count on God to affirm and applaud you. When God made you, he took particular care to create you as a unique individual and an outstanding person. Nothing God creates is ordinary. You are extra-ordinary. You make the world special simply by being in it.  God gave a lot of thought to you. God knows that you are worth it."

Now, does that put a little smile on your face? Is it getting through? I think of that bumper sticker, "God Doesn't Make Junk." (Don't worry, I have time to read bumper stickers, I can not drive!)  Do you trust the Lord?  Would He lie to you?  NO!

HE LOVES YOU!  He wants to hear from you often.   He wants to live in your home, in your heart, where you don't feel the need to hide anything from Him.   Are you doing your best to walk with the Lord?  Do you share with Him when in prayer? Do you thank Him constantly?  Do you celebrate with Him?  Prayers don't need to only happen at a special time.  They could be said while you are washing dishes, driving by an accident...how many of you say a prayer for the people involved in the wreck?  A lot!  I am sure! You care for others. I am sure he loves that about you, too!  He knows!

There are two mores Scriptures...and they could both go on for volumes and volumes...but I won't.  Please, read them.  Say them out loud.  Feel the love and power in the words.  There is power in prayer...there is power in His Word.  Put them together...and WOW!  Hang them up on your mirror and think about them often! I have the Psalm 139:14, right here on my computer...on a sticky note. I read it every time I need to look at the keys!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 NIV

And, Psalm 139:14 states "I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

I have 2 prayer requests. My extra-wonderful Pastor, Dr. Joel Hunter & His Wife Becky's grand-daughter, Ava, went to be with the Lord this week. She was only a child. Please pray for the entire Hunter family. They are all so strong in their faith...I thank the Lord for that! (I hope you listen to his amazing sermons. They are on the side bar for my church.) I pray that our Lord, Jesus the Christ will comfort each member of this amazing family in whatever way they need. I pray for the parents that need to deal with the loss of a very young child. If anyone wants to send cards...they are giving the church address. Just on the envie put: Attn: Hunter Family.  Thank you for considering to pray with me on this.

Secondly, I would have wanted to write today's post about tolerance, and acceptance of others on this post before September 11th, but I honestly have lost track of today's date! We are almost in mid-September! I am shocked!  I am sure some of you have heard of a church here in Florida, who plans to burn 200 copies of the Koran...to draw a line in the sand with those "radical Muslims" in the Pastor's words. (He applies this to ALL Muslims...instead of a relatively small number of them that are Terrorists and happen to be Muslim.)  Please pray that this Pastor will not do this. CNN has been told by Generals in Afghanistan that if this happens our troops there will be under greater danger because of this specifically. Secretary of State, and Former First Lady Hillary Clinton addressed the topic this morning.  (This is a BIG deal!)  This is not how God wants us to operate. He wants us to love each other. Get along with each other. This church is giving Christians a bad name! There are SOME Muslims who are dangerous. Not ALL Muslims. There are some Christians who are dangerous. Not ALL Christians. Get it? So, please join me in prayer that he will not follow through with any of these grandstanding ideas. I will be praying at 2:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm today...and at those times now through the morning of the 11th. PLEASE, set a reminder bell on your calendar, and join me in prayer. It is oh, so important!

And now, "The Winner of the Card of the Week" is:

Natalie!!!! Congratulations, Dear Natalie!

Natalie had a very informative comment. Here it is:Natalie said...
"Wonderful words to share about forgiveness,Traci. It is such an important aspect of our walk with Christ and there is so much in the Bible about it. Another aspect of it, I believe, is what unforgiveness creates and that is bitterness. It gets deep down as a root and defiles all around it. That is why the necessity for us to forgive immediately before bitterness takes root (I think it's more for us than the other person!) Bitterness is like poison WE drink and expect the other person to be effected by it!Here is a verse that I believe can be helpful:

"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; Hebrews" 12:14-15

Thanks again for encouraging us to meditate on God's Word! They are truth and life! Have a great Labor Day!! Hugs!  September 6, 2010 10:45 AM

Thank you for sharing more about forgiveness, Natalie. I agree it is more for us than for the other person. And, that holding on to resentment can cause deep bitterness inside of us...and it will just leaks out here and there! Thanks for sharing that Scripture, too! You are incredible, my friend. Congratulations on being randomly selected to win that card! I would say that one of Natalie's favorite blogs is Christian Paper Crafts. (It is such a special place, paper crafting everywhere, beautiful cards, Devotions, Questions of the Day...and Bible studies, too! They also have some wonderful challenges.)If you would like to win the new "Card of the Week," please add a comment about anything related to the blog, or what you'd like to see on it...and have it entered before 8pm on Tuesday night, and you will be entered into the random drawing!  You are more than welcome to leave a comment, even if you do not want to win the "Card of the Week."  If your name is randomly chosen, just don't email me your address. No questions asked.  No hurt feelings.  If you do accept the card, and we hope that you will, please consider using it to fulfill our Mission Statement.  "He IS Able:  Sharing His Love, His Word, His Gift of Salvation through Card Give-Aways!" 

It would be so exciting if each of you left a comment!  I want to know how many people are here, without a counter.  Otherwise, I will be obsessed with the number...rather than concentrating on Him, and what I should share in this blog. This way, I can see how many are here on an average Wednesday...and put it aside. THIS IS YOUR BLOG!  I hope you are all writing up your Testimony or your thoughts to share!  That would be wonderful!

This week we have an amazingly beautiful card. It was made by ravengirl aka Toni over at SCS. She is so talented! She is the person that you say, "Oh, Hurray! :)" When you see her name on a post in the thread or see one of her beautiful cards in her gallery!  When you visit her blog please let her know that you came from the He IS Able blog, and you could mention her card...of course, anything you like!  This card used a stamp called "Almighty God," and it was made from Unity Stamp Company.  They have a wonderful blog. She wanted to mention the company because she has been fortunate to receive many stamps from this company and VERVE stamps also! Just look at the beautiful colors in her card, and that beautiful bow. And, best of all, look at all of those names we use for God...and there are many more! Thank you so much for sharing these, Toni!

I hope you will be here to see some of my favorite cards I have made, which will be shared here on Friday. Please remember, I have only been making cards and using stamps since January of this year! I am doing this at the request of several readers, and by the poll that is posted on the side bar.  This is a real challenge for me to do.  I'll get into it on Monday!  Have a blessed week!

L'Shana Tova!  Happy New Year to My Family and Jewish Friends!  Remember, Jesus was a Jew, also! 

Remember,
He IS Able,Traci S.

Coming soon:  An invitation to the He IS Able blog that you can email to friends and family!