You are the Divine Creations of the Creator!

Good morning to all on this Tuesday morning from snow covered Atlanta! Second snow day but today I am going to get dressed and at least walk to the end of the drive way. I got cabin fever yesterday just being in the house. Waine is well in beautiful Jamaica with 80 degree weather but missing me ALOT which I think is a GREAT trade off. Please continue to keep ET and his family in your prayers and also JKS in your prayers. Thank you for your diligence of prayer on behalf of your brothers and sister in Christ Jesus. Amen!

Well I have been led to start a journey in Philippians, the letters from Paul and Timothy to the early church in Philippi. Chapter 1 verses 1- 12 reads as follows "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." Amen.

What a wonderful greeting. It is so uplifting! When was the last time you greeted a fellow Christian like that? When is that last time you greeted anyone like that? When was the last time you were greeted like that? Paul is overflowing with love and affirmation for his brothers and sisters in Christ. I'll tell you a story. This past weekend I went for my re-certification in Advanced Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. From the minute we got into class, the instructor who was an EMT, began to build us up. The first thing he asked is "How many are you are uptight about this re-certification process?" We all raised our hands and he immediately said, "relax you are all brilliant and know this stuff and will pass" and then began 8 hours of instruction and praising. Yes I knew the information. Yes I had been certified and recertified many times over 20 years and yet when faced with a test you always have your doubts. I could feel my self get more confident of my knowledge base as each hour went on. He was our cheerleader and at the end of the day I scored 100 on one test and 92 on the other. He changed my negative thinking into possibility thinking!  This is what Paul is doing with this salutation! When was the last time you were someone's cheerleader?

When you think about it the world has no problem tearing us down--shouldn't we at least build each other up? And we should do it because we are filled with the fruits of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ. We have been set on a path of Good Work that will come to completion on the day the Christ takes us home so yes we should be positive each and every day and let that spill over to all we encounter. For a whole year I sent emails to our children telling them that they were the jewels in our crown and they are. I stopped not because they aren't; I stopped because I didn't think they appreciated it. You see I was focused on the wrong thing. They are the jewels in the crowns my husband and I wear regardless of how I feel. They are the blessings and affirmation of Christ in our lives and should be told so every day. I send love songs to my husband daily because I love him and appreciate him and want him to know. He doesn't have to guess. Sending out good words helps the receiver and the sender. If you want an immediate blessing, build someone up today. You all are wonderful people whom God loves and adores. Each of you are a blessing to me and others. You are accomplished and will reap the blessing that God has for you this day just open your hearts to Him and others. God loves you and so do I. Be happy and secure in that no matter where you find yourselves.

Stephanie