God MULTIPLIED His Blessing!

God is amazing! 

Each year in October I set time aside to Celebrate God and His blessings. And each year, God sends special gifts and blessings my way as constant reminders of His love and care. This year He sent several blessings. (Read posts dated October 16—29, 2010 for the details.)

God is so creative

in presenting His

blessings and gifts to me.

This year He used a contest. I won a Cowboy Grillin' Pack, which included a large grill and LOTS of goodies.

The picture of the grill is to the left. For the rest of the prize see post: Cowboy Grillin' Pack. 

Over the years, God has been very gracious to send blessing not just for me, but for my friends as well. And the Cowboy Grillin' Pack is an example.

God MULTIPLIED this blessing

so that others could share in His goodness!

God could have chosen ANY brand and ANY size grill. And HE made sure that the prize was a Char Broil RED® FOUR-BURNER INFRARED GRILL WITH AUTO-CLEAN™. 

God had a very specific plan in mind! 

Special and dear friends of mine like the Char Broil brand grills. A while back, they has discussed that in the future, they'd like a new one for their patio. As I looked at the grill and thought of how special these friends are.... I knew exactly what God wanted me to do!

This was a blessing that God

wanted me to PAY FORWARD!

My friends are getting the Char Broil 4 burner infrared Grill and most of the extras, and in turn they are buying me the much smaller CHAR BROIL ELECTRIC GRILL! Yes, an ELECTRIC GRILL, that means no lugging gas tanks or charcoal up the apartment. I just plug it in and grill. And it takes wood chips so I'll have the flavoring of grilling. The smaller size will fit on my balcony.

Why didn't God just give me the smaller grill? Because God wanted me to be able to share this gift with my friends. Not only am I blessed by God's gift, my friends can enjoy God's blessing too.

This blessing MULTIPLIED! 

My friends have a new grill which they will make very good use of... and I'll have a smaller grill perfect for my needs.

God designed this gift SPECIFICALLY

to be MULTIPLIED to those around me.

How cool is that!!??

Creating a positive day

MULTIPLIES joy to those around you!

Descending from the Mountain Top

During the month of October,
I spent time
Celebrating God's

Amazing Blessings.

And as I celebrated His past blessings, God showered me with some wonderful gifts as constant reminders of His goodness and love.

(For details of the gifts read posts from Oct 16 - Oct 29, 2010.)

The month was truly

a "mountain top" experience. 

Often after something wonderful happens, we have a "let down". We go from the high mountain top of rejoicing down to the depths of despair.  Why the extremes? I think it's one way Satan discourages us and tries to make us forget God's goodness and love. Satan doesn't want us to rejoice in God's goodness. Rather, Satan wants us to wallow in defeat and despair. Satan wants to keep us in the lowest valley he can find. 

However, Satan forgets that even.....

Though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You [God] are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

The past two weeks, I've been doing a Bible Study on "In the Presence of Jehovah". (Based on the song sung by Damaris Carbaugh.)
One passage of Scripture used was Psalm 34:17-19.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; 

As part of the study I was to rewrite these verses in my own words, making them personal to me. Little did I realize how studying these verses would be vital to "coming off the mountain top" this past week. However, God knew exactly what I'd need and made sure I'd study these verses at the exact time I'd need them! Here is how I made the verses personal to me: 

When I appeal to God for help, understanding, support, comfort, He gives earnest heed to snatch away all my affliction, anguish, distress. The Eternal One is near (place & time) to pulverize my will and mind to give me victory.  I may have an abundance of discouragement, hurt, harm, but Jehovah, snatches me away and spares me from all, the entirety of  that which concerns me.

Satan has been using my pain to create fear in my heart and mind. (Similar to this blog post: Fear Creates Its Own Reality.) Being off pain medications since this Summer has been the most difficult challenge in my life. A few weeks ago, a new injury has increased my pain. It's even more difficult to function with this new level of pain. Satan likes to use my pain to change my focus from being in God's presence to living a life of fear and hopelessness.

Yet, as I consider that....

God gives EARNEST HEED to SNATCH AWAY all my anguish.... HE IS NEAR (place and time—that means HERE RIGHT NOW!), and God SNATCHES me away and SPARES me from the ENTIRETY of what concerns me....

....I can't help but think—
WOW!

God is present with me. God is VERY AWARE of my pain. He is very aware of Satan and his attacks on me. God isn't JUST AWARE—GOD is TAKING ACTION! He is and will care for me. 

God may not lower my pain level, but what God will do—if I allow Him—is PULVERIZE my WILL and MIND. What does that mean? That means that God will give me a NEW way of thinking. God will take my fear and replace it with His peace and calmness. God will give me strength to continue on the journey He's planned for me. 

So, as I come off the mountain top of Celebrating God's goodness—yes, Satan is waiting—however, my God is right there with me.

You see, God didn't stay on the top of the mountain.

He came down with me too!

For God is NEAR in PLACE AND TIME! WOW!!! 

If you are in a valley right now,

spend some time IN THE PRESENCE OF JEHOVAH.

Spending time with God is the only way

to create a positive day

as you walk through a valley!

God's Sunrise

One blessing about waking up early is enjoying a beautiful sunrise from God! The following pictures were taken from my balcony this morning. 

When the day begins with a beautiful sunrise—

that God painted "just for me",

creating a positive day

is the least I can do to thank Him!

High or Low: What is my level of Praise?

"When your level of complaining
is at an all time high,
it could mean that

your level of praise
is at an all time low."
by Tony Evans

This was posted on Tony Evan's FB page. As it read it, I realized just how true it is. As I continued to think on it, I questioned:

What makes my level of praise

hit an all time low?

It didn't take me long to figure out the answer.  The past two weeks, I've been doing a Bible Study on "In the Presence of Jehovah" based on the song sung by Damaris Carbaugh.

When I spend time in the presence of God, my level of praise rises to new heights. Being in God's presence is comforting, encouraging, worshipful, humbling, and life changing.

When I spend time worshiping and praising God, that transfers to all aspects of my life. God provides new perspectives and insights. In God's presence, He confirms that He knows exactly what is happening and He is in control of it all. He has a plan and is accomplishing that plan. 

There is a thought that:

If you live with someone long enough,

you not only begin to think like them,

you look like them too.

 I want that to be true of my relationship with God. I want to spend time in God's presence, so that His thoughts become my thoughts and I want people to see Christ in me and through me.

If my complaining becomes an "all time high", and my praise hits an "all time low"; than I am over due for some time in God's presence.

When my relationship is right with God,

being in God's presence

is the most secure, peaceful,

and encouraging place I can be.

Creating a positive day is almost automatic

when I've been

In the Presence of Jehovah.