Hi Friends~
I have so much to share today. First off, I would like to congratulate my son, Airmen 1st Class Josh Simring, for graduating his training class on Friday! I wish we could have been there, but no outsiders allowed. He had a few of his friends take photos. Joshua is trained to work on all of the electronics of an aircraft. Ever look into a cockpit? Ever see all of those dials? Electronic gadgets! He will be home some time before November to work at the enlistment center for two weeks...we can see him at night and week-ends! And, then he will be taking a week of leave to spend with all of the family before he heads off to his base for the next 2 YEARS...in England...not Florida. We could not be more proud of who he has become...is becoming...we just wish it was in our neighborhood! Congratulations, Josh, we love you! "I am trusting God for everything." "I am trusting God for everything." "I am..."
And now, I will share some of what Mark Buchanan wrote about the above Beatitude in the Nov./Dec. 2003, issue of Discipleship Journal.
"In the Beatitudes, Jesus pronounces the most unlikely people blessed; the meek, the mournful, the poor and hungry; those persecuted, assaulted, insulted. Blessed are the paupers, the vagabonds, the bruised, the losers. It's in this list that Jesus places the peacemaker, a close cousin to the famished and the bankrupt. We despise peacemakers at the very moment we need them most.
Recently my wife and I had lunch with a missionary couple, Gordon and Regine King. They are extraordinary in many ways, but this stands out: They have become peacemakers in a blood-soaked land, Rwanda. Regine is from Rwanda, and she lived barely--through that country's genocide in 1994. She lost many members of her family. For several months, she lived a scavenging, scrabbling existence, hiding in the shadows, running. Always running. During the genocide, when all she had was her sister's Bible, Regine met Jesus in a way she had never met Him before. That Bible became her bread, water, air. She met the Prince of Peace, the one who became her peace and ours, who made peace through His blood, who broke down dividing walls and brought those far away near. (Eph. 2:13-18*) Jesus gave her His peace. Then He gave her (and her husband, Gordon) a commission: Freely give what you've freely received.
Be peacemakers.
In a recent letter, her brother, Innocent, summed up just how costly that work is. Innocent is now a schoolteacher in Rwanda. Ten years ago, the parents of the children he teaches were wielding clubs and machetes, slaughtering without mercy. "It's hard," Innocent writes, "to love the children of those who tried to kill you." Yet, he does. And, Regine does. They have discovered a peace in Christ that is not from this world and that overcomes this world.
Peacemakers do what God Himself has done, making sons and daughters out of bitter enemies, feeding and clothing them, blazing a trail to Heaven straight through their houses.
No wonder they will be called sons of God."
I have so much to share today. First off, I would like to congratulate my son, Airmen 1st Class Josh Simring, for graduating his training class on Friday! I wish we could have been there, but no outsiders allowed. He had a few of his friends take photos. Joshua is trained to work on all of the electronics of an aircraft. Ever look into a cockpit? Ever see all of those dials? Electronic gadgets! He will be home some time before November to work at the enlistment center for two weeks...we can see him at night and week-ends! And, then he will be taking a week of leave to spend with all of the family before he heads off to his base for the next 2 YEARS...in England...not Florida. We could not be more proud of who he has become...is becoming...we just wish it was in our neighborhood! Congratulations, Josh, we love you! "I am trusting God for everything." "I am trusting God for everything." "I am..."
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Secondly, I would like to announce the two people whose names were eligible for the He IS Able Blog's Card Set Give-Away! These people left comments during the past two weeks, when I didn't pull names for this give-away. They left comments in the comment section about anything that was on their mind. It may have been about the writing of that day, a prayer need, praying for some one else, or sharing their favorite Bible person, Scripture or story. It could have been about anything! Please send me your snail mail address, if you live in the US...since that is the only place I can afford to mail things to. My email is on the side bar...please send it by NEXT Wednesday at Midnight, to receive your beautiful cards. It is our hope that you will share the cards in concert with our Mission Statement:
"Sharing His Love, His Word, His Gift of Salvation through Cards!"
1. "Hi Traci and may He be your peace and strength, comforter. Yes, He is able! And thank you for sharing your lovely work!" on For They Will See God...lugarandcompany
2. We also received a comment from Karen Conner, a member of our Prayer Team here at the He IS Able blog. She asked to pass on this message to each of you: (given with permission) Paula Pike, a friend dealing with cancer, is having a birthday the end of this week. We'd love to shower her with birthday cards! Please contact Traci through her email (on the side bar) for her mailing address! Karen, the He IS Able blog will be happy to send Paula a card full of prayer for her.
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"Blessed are the Peacemakers, for They will be Called Sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)
And now, I will share some of what Mark Buchanan wrote about the above Beatitude in the Nov./Dec. 2003, issue of Discipleship Journal.
"In the Beatitudes, Jesus pronounces the most unlikely people blessed; the meek, the mournful, the poor and hungry; those persecuted, assaulted, insulted. Blessed are the paupers, the vagabonds, the bruised, the losers. It's in this list that Jesus places the peacemaker, a close cousin to the famished and the bankrupt. We despise peacemakers at the very moment we need them most.
Recently my wife and I had lunch with a missionary couple, Gordon and Regine King. They are extraordinary in many ways, but this stands out: They have become peacemakers in a blood-soaked land, Rwanda. Regine is from Rwanda, and she lived barely--through that country's genocide in 1994. She lost many members of her family. For several months, she lived a scavenging, scrabbling existence, hiding in the shadows, running. Always running. During the genocide, when all she had was her sister's Bible, Regine met Jesus in a way she had never met Him before. That Bible became her bread, water, air. She met the Prince of Peace, the one who became her peace and ours, who made peace through His blood, who broke down dividing walls and brought those far away near. (Eph. 2:13-18*) Jesus gave her His peace. Then He gave her (and her husband, Gordon) a commission: Freely give what you've freely received.
Be peacemakers.
In a recent letter, her brother, Innocent, summed up just how costly that work is. Innocent is now a schoolteacher in Rwanda. Ten years ago, the parents of the children he teaches were wielding clubs and machetes, slaughtering without mercy. "It's hard," Innocent writes, "to love the children of those who tried to kill you." Yet, he does. And, Regine does. They have discovered a peace in Christ that is not from this world and that overcomes this world.
Peacemakers do what God Himself has done, making sons and daughters out of bitter enemies, feeding and clothing them, blazing a trail to Heaven straight through their houses.
No wonder they will be called sons of God."
*"At one time you were far away from God. But now you belong to Christ Jesus. He spilled his blood for you. That has brought you near to God.
Christ Himself is our peace. He has made Jews and non-Jews into one group of people. He has destroyed the hatred that was like a wall between us. Through His body on the cross, Christ put an end to the law with all its commands and rules. He wanted to create one new group of people out of the two. He wanted to make peace between them.
He planned to bring both of them as one body back to God because of the cross. Christ put their hatred to death on that cross. He came and preached peace to you who were far away. He also preached peace to those who were near. Through Christ we both come to the Father by the power of one Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 2:13-18)
I was just doing some cleaning up behind the scenes of the blog...and I see that a post that I had "automatically" scheduled never showed up. It was part of the Beatitude that reads: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." The first part of this Scripture was posted on Tuesday, July 24th. If you would like to arrow down to that post and re-acquaint yourself with it, I will re-post it on Tuesday. The week after that we will finish up our series on the Beatitudes and actually share some cards I have made.
Thank you so much for being here! Please check out the comments there may be prayer requests listed that you could help lift up. God bless!
He IS Able!
Traci Starkweather
p.s. (Let's show Paula some real He IS Able blog love, by each sending her a card! If you email me, please put He IS Able in the subject section. I read and answer those emails sometimes hours, sometimes days before the others.)
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What a "jaw-dropping" story. To be able to put all of that hatred away, and serve the children of the people who killed her family and friends! How faithful! I pray that I would be so forgiving, so faithful. I know we are supposed to be. But, I pray, if it ever came down to it, that He would work through me...and let me be a good example of a Christian. Do you know what I mean? Do you ever feel like that?
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I was just doing some cleaning up behind the scenes of the blog...and I see that a post that I had "automatically" scheduled never showed up. It was part of the Beatitude that reads: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." The first part of this Scripture was posted on Tuesday, July 24th. If you would like to arrow down to that post and re-acquaint yourself with it, I will re-post it on Tuesday. The week after that we will finish up our series on the Beatitudes and actually share some cards I have made.
Thank you so much for being here! Please check out the comments there may be prayer requests listed that you could help lift up. God bless!
He IS Able!
Traci Starkweather
p.s. (Let's show Paula some real He IS Able blog love, by each sending her a card! If you email me, please put He IS Able in the subject section. I read and answer those emails sometimes hours, sometimes days before the others.)
Dearest Traci, how very proud you must be of your wonderful son, Josh! God bless him and keep him, and keep His face to shine upon him.
ReplyDeleteSending much love and hugs.
Caterina
Congratulations to Josh! My heart swells with pride for you Traci. It's so rewarding when our children grow up into responsible adults!
ReplyDeleteHope your having a great week.
Thanks for sharing about peacemakers. our world needs more of them. What a testimony that family has!
Traci- please pass on my congratulations to Josh. Of course, you should be very proud of him.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Josh!! I know your are so proud of him!! Go Airforce!!! Thanks for the devotion on peacemakers. Sometimes being a peacemaker is one of the hardest thing to do, but it is what we are called to do.
ReplyDelete