Masterpiece...part 2...

This video is so amazing and gives us such an awesome description of God again. I love the video on the original post from the Skit Guys, but I have to say that this gives a beautiful look into God.

Allow yourself to look at the question being presented here as well...

Who is the Greatest Artist of All Time?

I have to step back and look at this question as well. Have you ever stopped to soak up the environment around us... Have you ever stopped to see what beauty is in the Mirror... Have you ever stopped to look at the beauty in the world... Have you ever stopped to look at the beauty in your children. Most of the answers to these questions will be yes. Of course we have stopped to look at our children and how beautiful they are... That is God's artwork. That right there, is His paint cues and canvas.

What about the fall season in Tennessee...If you haven't been to Tennessee during the fall, it's like God placed a little piece of heaven right there for us. The beautiful leaves and the many different colors you see just by walking outside every day in Tennessee.

So let's turn back to our original question...Who is the Greatest Artist of All time...

I love his description in this poem and how he shares how even the greatest artists of all time had to have someone behind the strings...Mozart...Age 5 writes his first composition... He brings up Beethoven and how he wrote music and was a master on the keys...I want to take this a step further...Did you know later in life he became deaf? There are so many beautiful artists in the world...for example...using music artists you can look at some of the greatest musicians of all time. The point with all of this is that God has them in His hands molding them into who He wants them to be.

So I ask you to look in the mirror....Go Ahead...Right now...look into the mirror and look at another masterpiece by God. One of His favorites. One that He says He knows the very hairs on your head...(Luke 12:7)...One that is not any less important than the rich or princes of this world...(Job 34:19)...and One who has a Future and a Hope...(Jeremiah 29:11)...and One who is Good and Perfect - (James 1:17)

Here is the biggest point in these small things I write...you are ALL HIS MASTERPIECE and HE LOVES YOU ALL THE SAME! He wants nothing but the best for you and wants you to enjoy His many blessings!

Again I Say....The enemy is a LIAR and you are GOD's CHOSEN MASTERPIECE!!!

So Who Is the Greatest Artist of all Time???

Withholding evidence...

Mark Twain states in his essay, "On the Decay of the Art of Living"

"Among other common lies, we have the silent lie -- the deception which one conveys by simply keeping still and concealing the truth. Many obstinate truth-mongers indulge in this dissipation, imagining that if they speak no lie, they lie not at all."

At the time of this quote he is actually sitting with a few people when a lady at the table and him start to have a discussion about how everyone is in fact a liar...

She goes on to say that he needs to stop because the children are present...so he does...and later they pick up the conversation and she states,  "I have made it the rule of my life to never tell a lie; and I have never departed from it in a single instance," and even again he calls her out....

Lets go back to the original quote that I used for this post. He is talking about how we tend to leave out the truth. How sometimes we deceive people around us by withholding the truth... Maybe it's something not so outrageous like neglecting to tell your wife what you were going to do, or something really serious like not telling her you lost your wedding ring. Feel free to insert your own stories here, but I truly believe we are becoming a society that tends to use the silent lie to our advantage. I am guilty to and I can attest that not only does it bring pain to a loved ones heart, but it also opens the door for distrust. 

We have to stop....we have to learn to be better than the enemy. We have to learn to step up and step out in ALL that we do. Even if you think someone is going to get angry and its not going to hurt anyone...its just one drink...or just one time...It opens the door for the enemy to move in and place a rift between you and whoever you neglected.

Let's take a look at some things in the Bible that can help us better understand where we should stand in this...

Judas Iscariot...the man who betrayed Jesus...withheld the truth from Him...Jesus said that someone would betray him (John 13:21) and Yet He didn't say a word...The silent lie....

Did you know that Jesus stated "I tell you the truth" About 25 times in the Bible...as he was sharing many truths that people didn't want to hear...

Man's wickedness can suppress the truth and result in incurring the wrath of God (Romans 1:18-19)


Truth goes hand in hand with "wisdom, discipline and understanding" (Proverbs 23:23).

You should always tell the truth in a loving way (Ephesians 4:15).

Truth has the power to set you free from the bondage of sin (John 8:31).

The Bible says that some people were lead astray from God as a result of others distorting the truth (Acts 20:30).

All of these scriptures have a big thing in common...the word Truth...and yet there are many more....

Truth (True) is defined as - Accurate or exact.

Lie is defined as - used with reference to a situation involving deception or founded on a mistaken impression.

I think we can all find that the silent lie is just as bad as the blatant lie. Here is one last thing...

If I went to court and and was trying someone for murder...and I Withheld Evidence...My entire case would lose its validity. I would lose the trial because of my unintended falsehood....what is the difference between this and our everyday lives. Lets step up and step out and be different yet again and look the enemy straight in the face...and LIE NO MORE...NO MORE WITHHOLDING EVIDENCE...put it all on the table and allow the truth to set us free! (John 8:32)

Masterpiece?

So if you have taken the time to watch this video, I am proud of you. This video is such a great example of how each of us might see ourselves. This video allows us to evaluate who we have become, as well.

What do I mean by any of this?

How many times have you just felt like a failure, depressed, lonely, or just plain down and out? How many times have you looked in the mirror and said who am I? Who is this person that is looking back at me...

How many times have you looked to the sky asking God, Why?

Or, Maybe you look to the sky and pray God....why can't I just die....Why can't I stop here...

Or maybe you don't believe in God... Maybe you don't believe in Jesus... Maybe you don't understand why someone would die for you - why someone would WILLINGLY give His life for you? Maybe your questions are a little deeper...SCIENCE says your not real...but HISTORY AND OTHER PARTS OF SCIENCE point to your son as real and you as well... I am confused God... I need answers God. He will give them to you - He will show you and teach you and Love you - NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE....

Ephesians 2:10 says We are God's Masterpiece.

That is such a profound scripture - and very simple...We ARE His Masterpiece....

Masterpiece is defined as - a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.

But why would God ever describe us as His masterpiece? Why would God describe us as an outstanding work of art....

Because He made you from Love... Because He doesn't make Junk.

Matthew 6:26 says - "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

Jesus is saying right here - Look to the sky - the birds do nothing for themselves and yet God takes care of them - and are you not worth more than them...are you not His creation as well... Do you not do work for furthering His kingdom - so wouldn't God place you above the animals and His Love pour out for you!

Psalm 139:17-18 says: "How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you”

Let me explain this scripture. David is writing this and is explaining how much God thinks about each of us. How often God thinks about how much He loves EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. What I think is amazing is the fact that God thinks about us as much as what would outnumber the grains of sand...HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A SANDBOX - OR TO THE BEACH - That is mind boggling...if you were to really think about it - one could honestly sum it up in two words - MIND BLOWN... 

Know this - You are NEVER unworthy of being accepted into the Kingdom of God, but you have to allow Him to be in control and give Him glory in all you do. You have to call on the name of Jesus and recognize that you have made mistakes - and that you are a sinner...but here is the cool part - HE WILL WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN!!! All your past mistakes will no longer be part of who you are...You will be FREE from the old you and start anew! You will be CHISELED back into the Original...Masterpiece....

Walking the Talk, Talking the walk!

So, here we are. Two friends about to go on the trip of a lifetime! You and I have decided to go on a trip together and I am going to tell you all about the friends that I have in my life. All the wonderful people that love me and want nothing but the best for me. I am going to explain to you how I have the most amazing wife in the world and how I would absolutely do anything for her. I want you to know about my awesome kiddos, all three of them and the fourth beautiful child that will grace our presence soon. I am going to tell you all about my amazing pastor and how him coming to our church has been for the greater good and how his messages always speak truths from God's word. I am going to tell you all about the Men's bible study we have and how my best friend, has done nothing but show me love when I needed it most! I am going to give you examples of how my life has been just totally transformed by Jesus and what he has done is nothing short of astounding. I want to lay everything on the line and share the most awesome story of how a savior was born of a virgin, lived a sin-free life, died on a cross for me, and then rose from the dead all so we could be free. I am going to tell you all these things with a smile and making sure that you feel comfortable talking about all these things in my life and then I am going to sincerely ask about your life and I promise to listen intently to what you have to say. I am going to ask you meaningful questions that we help to make our friendship stronger and only then will you understand that I truly do care about you and wish nothing but the best for you!

Now, you have read this thinking, where is he going with this? Well, here we go. I am going to write the same exact thing, but with a few differences and I want you to see if you can - A: Catch them and B: See a change in your attitude as you read about what we are going to do on our trip!

So, It's about time. Two friends (Yah, right) about to go on the sucky trip that you scheduled! You and I have decided to go on this trip together because I had nothing better to do, and I am going to tell you all about the people that I have in my life. All the crazy people that SAY they love me and want nothing to do with me. I am going to explain to you how I have the most Crabby wife in the world and how I would absolutely drive off a cliff sometimes with her in the passenger seat. I want you to know about my kids, who on a daily basis, LIE TO ME, all three of them and the fourth child that was a mistake and we just wish it wouldn't have happened. I am going to tell you all about my stupid pastor and how him coming to our church has changed the entire structure of our church and he never even uses a bible. I am going to tell you all about the Men's bible study we have and how it is filled with nothing but liars and men who just nag about the wives. I am going to give you examples of how my life has been changed by Jesus, but he never seems to show up when I need him. I want to lay everything on the line and share a half-hearted story of the gospel to you...maybe leaving out a few important details, but who cares. I am going to tell you all these things with a smiling (only thinking about who I can talk to about you and that stupid mole on the side of your face, or that THICK UNIBROW...HeHe) and making sure that you don't know what is said about you behind your back and then I am going to ask about your life HOPING you won't say anything and I promise to wonder what the score is on the latest Auburn/Alabama games. I am going to ask you Hurtful questions in hope that you would just SHUTUP ALREADY and that our friendship will just die and go away. Who needs friends anyway...

Now, after reading the second way that I wrote the similar stories, I want you to ask yourself which one you would want to read and also which one are you saying. How many times have you DOGGED out the cashier at the grocery store because they couldn't check you out fast enough? How many times have you talked HORRIBLY about the people who are your friends, just because it might make a good story to the person you are talking to. What about this, How many times have you cussed out the guy who just cut you off in traffic. How many times have you left a restaurant talking about how that server sucked and how you wish you would have never come there?

I ask you these questions to ask you just one:

How many times have you gone somewhere or seen someone and left them in a better place than when you first saw them? 

The bible calls us to Love our neighbor, not talk about them crabbily when we leave or to badmouth them because they don't like the same football team as you! (War Eagle BTW)

The Bible says a lot about what we say, and I just want to show you a couple scriptures on this and I will leave you with a video from one of my favorite people - The Skit Guys -

Let's start by analyzing this scripture - Matthew 12:36 says -
"I tell you, on the day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak."

WOW - every careless word - that's going to take a long time, don't you think. I mean I just called the guy at the grocery store -STUPID. I called the Homeless guy on the street - LAZY AND RIDICULOUS...I mean the Mom at the store that couldn't control her kids, CAN YOU BELIEVE HER? And I just had to pick up milk....I have passed a judgment on these people that they don't deserve...BUT remember that question that I asked earlier? Here it is again...

How many times have you gone somewhere or seen someone and left them in a better place than when you first saw them? 

That guy at the grocery store has been teased his whole life for being overweight and his parents called him STUPID when he was a kid....The homeless guy was in the Military fighting for our freedom to go to church, and when he came home he suffered from PTSD and lost his wife and house and everything he called LIFE....and the Mom...who could forget those kids...She was a SINGLE mom who just lost her husband in a fatal car accident...and yet we had to ask ourselves...Can you believe her?

James 3:9 says - "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness."

Now that's and interesting way to put it, don't you think? If we use our tongue to praise our God and then we talk bad about the people around us or cuss someone out or put someone down, are we not truly doing the same to our God?

My point is in all of this is that there is always someone listening, always someone around to see or hear what you have to say and if you claim to live for the kingdom of God, then maybe it's time our talk and walk actually represented what Christ would have us do. Enjoy the video highlighting the same things! Be blessed and Jesus loves you and so do I!

                        

Me and Jesus!

So you haven't heard from me in a while. Jesus, I believe in you and I want to pursue you with everything I have but I just can't seem to get it together. I can't seem to find who I am before I talk to you in the way I feel you would want me to. I know that I asked for you to live in my heart. I asked for you to be my saviour. But I never fully gave my life to you. I wanted to have my music, my life. I wanted it to be about what I need. I wanted this and that and so many other things that I felt could get me closer to what I needed. I wanted to do drugs and sink my life into a whole. I wanted so much to crawl out of this darkness but I felt helpless to it. I wanted to increase my wealth and buy and brand new car with everything in it that I could want. I wanted what I wanted - BUT THEN I REALIZED....it's not about what I want - it's about what YOU want for me to have. What you want for my life. What you want, is someone completely ready to be a follower of you. To be a true disciple. What YOU wanted is a person that would lay down there material possessions just for a moment with you. (Luke 18:22) What YOU wanted was someone who wasn't afraid to share the Gospel of you and share all you had done in their life. (Matthew 28:19) What YOU wanted was someone to LOVE...not for selfish reasons, But to LOVE for your reasons. (Matthew 5:44)To care a deep care for all the people of this world because YOU did. What YOU wanted was My eyes to see everyone in this world not as a color but as a family - Created in your father's image. (Genesis 1:27) What YOU want from me is someone who wants you to be the leader in their life. (John 14:6) Someone who is ready to walk the path that YOU have laid out before them. What YOU want is me. (Luke 15:10) You want me, which is why you took everything that I WANTED to the cross with you to say I LOVE YOU. You WANT me to be the guy in your story who chose to share. You WANT me to tell everyone the story of how you loved us more than we could ever imagine.

The above talk with Jesus was supposed to demonstrate how we sometimes sit and talk to God. How we sometimes try to justify what we want...how we sometimes feel like we should have what it is that we want. But it's all about what Jesus wants for us. I know when He came to be man, he fought for us.

John 3:16 Says: 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.

I know that Your conversation with God went something like this:

Jesus says: So Dad, I know your having a hard time with the people down there...but I know they love you. They just have a hard time showing it. Send me, I'll go and bring them redemption and salvation and show them a Grace they could never imagine.

God: Are you sure Son? They won't receive you, as you will be one of their own - they will reject you, they will have you murdered and put to death and there will be no way to escape this. I know you love them as do I, but are you sure. (While hiding tears)

Jesus: I LOVE THEM, that's all I need. I know that my love will show them a new way to be. I know that I can help them. Allow me to teach them and get them from their wicked ways. Father, this is my choice. Will you honor it.

(Now Emotionally Crying turned with back to Jesus) -
God: Of course, but really, I need you to understand they will crucify you! I don't think I WANT THAT....

Jesus placing his hand on God's back says - Dad, it's ok...This is the only way to show them how much WE love them!!!

Romans 5:8 Tells us "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus knew before he came to us that he was going to be rejected and persecuted and Hung on a cross to die...YET he still came to show us How much he loved us! He still came to love us, to be who we needed on an everyday basis, to seek and live for, to call upon in our times of need.  Jesus was not sent to condemn us but to bring us to light in our darkness. How about this story:

Some men: Why are you here teacher? You say you are sent by God, but you sit in the presence of these people.

Jesus: Well I would much rather be here than with a bunch of hypocrites. You say you live for God yet you turn away the very people seeking to find him. Let me put it this way - The doctor doesn't come to heal the well, He comes for the sick. (Matthew 9: 11-13)

Man I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during this conversation. The people calling him out must have just swallowed their tongues...that would have been AWESOME. I mean Jesus flat out calls them out and tells them what they need to do. This is what He has done for us. We need to stop criticizing people because they are different or have something about them that we don't agree with. Jesus loves them as should we. If we just strived to be more like Jesus, what a world we would have. WE CANNOT BE PERFECT but in his Grace we will always be forgiven. When you think to yourself that my sins cannot be forgiven or that you have done to many things to be forgiven, or that maybe you just aren't good enough. Read the story of Peter and how he denied Christ. He was called out three times for knowing Jesus and all three times he said NO...I do not know that man! (Matthew 26:69-75) The angel called Peter by name. Jesus knew Peter was scared and denied knowing Him and in this JESUS STILL FORGAVE HIM. (Mark 16:7)

NO SIN IS UNFORGIVABLE No matter what you read or see on TV...no matter what a CHURCH that's not a CHURCH claims GOD HATES...

NEWSFLASH -

HE DOESN'T HATE...

HE ONLY LOVES...

WOULD SOMEONE WHO HATES BEEN ABLE TO SEND HIS SON TO EARTH WHEN HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE! 

NO, THAT'S AN UNDENIABLE, UNFATHOMABLE LOVE...NEVER ENDING...NEVER HATING...LOVE!

JESUS LOVES YOU AND SO DO I 

Dark Skinned Israeli Jew.

Believers - and non-believers - I am going to tell you a story. There was a baby that was brought into this world having nothing at all. His parents had to search frantically for shelter, he did not have a crib, he did not have any toys to play with - he had absolutely nothing at all. They were traveling. Which meant for the birth of the child, they had to find a place to rest, yet because of what was going on they were turned away. Left in the cold or extreme heat by many people who said they believed in God but oh well I don't have a place for you in my life. Until... There was one hotel that had no room inside but they had one outside, OUTSIDE, that they allowed them to sleep in even when it was against the rules. There were bugs and animals outside that were annoying to the parents - but they made it through the night and had a beautiful baby boy.

Now, this part is where it gets even trickier, this family was middle eastern family, so maybe their skin was a little darker or lighter - depending on what color YOU are! :) We just couldn't open our doors for this dark skinned family, who had no shelter, and she was about to give birth, right? We just couldn't allow them to come in and get a shower, or pay for their room for the night, because they didn't look like us, right? Don't dirty my sheets, because you know they carry disease right! Oh, and did I forget to mention that they were Jewish?

Ok, my story is over - how many of you know who I speak of? I am talking about someone most of you know dear to your heart. Someone who loves you more than you could ever possibly fathom. That's right people, Jesus Christ was born in a manger - which is a feeding trough for horses; with absolutely NOTHING! He was a Dark Skinned Israeli Jew and so were his parents - Yet, we refuse to see men who are on the street as people created in his image as well. Yet, we refuse to see the many colors HE created as beautiful as well. Yet, we refuse to step in and be the HANDS and FEET of Jesus to a broken world. The other morning I heard a story of a homeless ministry that a lady was running. She said that it was true to her heart because her uncle was homeless. His reason? Not because he didn't have any money. It was because when his twins were younger - one of them died - and he couldn't bring himself to get over that. His WOUNDS were to great on his heart and he couldn't recover. Why are we so selfish with our Jesus? Why do we want to put him in a box and only allow him to come out when it's convenient for us? or for who WE think HE should help? Our Jesus deserves to be introduced to everyone - made known to EVERYONE no matter their pain. If someone had just given that uncle their Box of Jesus Skittles - then maybe he would have found that emptiness to be filled with God's Love!

This video below is a perfect example of God sharing his love with us. This music artist went to make a music video and had his life impacted by a soldier of Jesus that is on the streets! Remember that Jesus started his life much like the man in this video!

              

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have the faith to say to a mountain JUMP and it jumps, but I don't have love, I am nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I have gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, no matter what I believe, no matter what I do - I am bankrupt WITHOUT LOVE! (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, this version taking from for KING & COUNTRY's song - "The Proof of Your Love") (The song is the first on the playlist, but only the radio version has the scripture!)

Here is what is crazy to me - we judge so many people who walk through the doors of our church, or up to us in the park, or up to us a the store - before we even know their story. For one - It's not our job to judge - Matthew 7 says -  Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Secondly, Jesus was born to a dark skinned family - so that really eliminates the theory that Jesus was white - so, I apologize for bursting your bubble, you know when white people think other skin colors are misprints! You know, somehow their DNA strand forgot to put color in their body! OH WAIT - it did put color in their body because if I remember correctly, you can't color with  white crayons! So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 Remember, Jesus died on the cross for EVERYONE, not just you or your color. The next time someone "different" walks into your church - get up and shake their hand, issue a hug, and tell them you love them - instead of giving them judgmental glances because REMEMBER "YOUR" Jesus was "Different"! Maybe if you remember him as the Dark Skinned Israeli Jew born to a family that had to seek shelter in a barn with animals and his first night on earth he slept in a feeding trough. Maybe this will help you remember what Jesus is all about? Maybe it will help you see people not based on the color of their skin or there outward appearance...but instead you see them as Jesus does. Perfect! Lastly, remember to "Love your neighbor," (Matthew 22:7) no matter who that neighbor is, because without love we have NOTHING! I love you all no matter who you are! Be Blessed!

Joy and God's Humor

I believe that our God has an amazing sense of humor. I believe that sometimes He sits on his throne only to fall out of it laughing so hard at us. For those out there that think that our God is a stiff, let me tell you something that I learned recently and I want you to ponder this as well. Isaac is the name that the Lord our God told Abraham and Sarah to name their child. The meaning of this name is Laughter itself. Oh and by the way, God told a couple that was in their early to mid NINETIES - that's right...90's - that they were going to be having the baby that they have been praying about having. Not only were they told this but Sarah even laughed about it. Ok, now that we have a SMALL understanding of God's sense of humor let's look at my children and some of the things that they have done to bring light to the world.

My daughter, such an amazing little girl, has been asked what she wants to be when she grows up. Her response for a while was not that she wanted to be a doctor or a wife or someone successful. Nope, she wanted to be a Christian! How funny is this to hear when she just fires it off like she has been thinking about it for years. And the innocence in how she prays. Some of her prayers have never made me laugh so hard - not being disrespectful but just what she says. Like tonight she was praying so seriously about how Keegan needs us and he needs us to come get him and I mean she is SERIOUSLY praying and then out of nowhere she says - God, Delilah is so pretty and is the best bunny! Ok, some might not think this is funny, but if you had seen her face...So serious about Keegan and then also about the bunny. My God thinks it's hilarious. He was laughing and enjoying the beautiful innocence that HE created in my little girl.

Let's go to my son - wow - have you ever gotten behind a car and had someone drive it and try to catch it. Now imagine its a NASCAR that you are chasing trying to catch - that's my son. He is all over the place - like take for instance, today he picked something up and tried to put it in his nose and he cut his nose - then he starts crying and everyone is freaking out - including myself - and then he gets back down after 2 seconds of crying and tries to go right back to what just cut his nose. He will run around the house just yelling at the top of his lungs. You know, as I think about it I think he is full of JOY. He sometimes will be listening to music with me and just start singing. Nope, you can't understand a word he is saying, but it doesn't matter to me or anyone around him because he NEVER stops smiling. I mean it - NEVER! He always is lit up with a smile...he could bring Joy to someone even when Joy seems unreachable. He is exactly what Joy is all about. Joy is defined as a feeling of great pleasure or happiness. John 15:11 says "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full." So that your happiness may be made full. Hmm, this is why I love watching my son grow. 

Now - Let me ask you all a question. If James 1:27 says - "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Then shouldn't we bring joy to these children. These orphans. Keegan is one of them. He has never experienced Joy but still has a smile his face in his pictures. How can this be. This is how. God has a sense of humor and wants His children to experience his joy - to experience His Great Pleasure and HAPPINESS!! It says this in the book of Galatians "But the fruit of the spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfullness." Fruits of the Holy Spirit. The things that God wants us to have in our life and experience. I am so happy that my God is so amazing and sometimes he can sit back on his throne and watch me, all while smiling at the mistakes that he knows are coming. The times that I may let him down, yet he knew I would and still forgives me. This is PURE JOY to me. 

Something that also shows his humor to me is the fact that I felt his calling to go on the mission trip to Africa, which I had to decline this year because my God had different plans. He wanted me to see some things that will help me in our fundraising process, but I know our hearts have been broken to go after Keegan and that is our "mission field" now. I want him to challenge me with people in Eastern Europe where my son is. I want to show them the true PURE JOY that they are missing. Pray for my family and if you feel a tug at your heart and want to know more or donate, visit our family blog at www.heygardners.blogspot.com. You can donate at this blog to help us bring our son home! Please follow me on this blog and our other blog as I will be sharing more of our stories and How you helped to bring our little one home! I pray that all of you will experience HIS JOY this week!