Unconditional Love

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Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13:6-7

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Unconditional Love

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Love opens up the heart

as sunshine does a flower

In the security of its arms

it enables and empowers

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Love brings out the beauty

as the sun awakens day

It rejoices in what is lovely

revealing faith that has prayed

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Love nourishes and builds up

as raindrops reaching roots

It’s steadfast through all seasons

believing the best and the truth

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Love is not a fleeting feeling

but an action quite devout

It’s commitment and sacrifice

even when the fun’s run out.

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Wendy/2013

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In August, Ian and I will have been married for thirty years. I am full of thanksgiving to the Lord for being our strength and joy through the fun times and the difficult times. Life is not easy; however, the journey of life has truly been twice as nice shared with my best friend.

 God has used marriage and parenthood to teach me what unconditional love is: staying the course even when it hurts. We’ve been blessed to have more ups than downs. Being totally committed is like having a rose garden arbor secured with cement rather than simply placing the posts, as is, into the earth. Our relationship is made Rock solid by both our faith and our focus – Jesus Christ is the Cornerstone of our marriage.

Cornerstone Blessings ~ Wendy

*** I am taking a break from this blog and greenlightlady for a few weeks,  as of July.***

 Happy summer! xo

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And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

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Her Healing Faith

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She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

Matthew 9:21

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Her Healing Faith

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For twelve long years – shunned

for a wound that would not heal

When the Word in flesh walked her way

what else, but hope, to feel?

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She did the unthinkable

 Untouchable she’d so long been

Her humble and trembling hand

 tentatively touched his hem – unseen

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He knew not only her hearts cry

plus years of tears in plea

but also each line and crease of her palm

 acquainted with her intimately

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While others denied it was them

who dared to touch his cloak

She fell trembling at his feet

 emboldened by healing she spoke

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Jesus needed no answer

for he knew before she’d tell

His desire was to give her blessing

upon her faith that made her well.

~

Wendy/2013

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Have you ever experienced the healing hand of the Lord in a way that let you know it was definitely from him and definitely in response to your faith? Here is a link to a post where I shared about an answer to a personal prayer of my own twelve years in waiting…

Healing Blessings ~ Wendy

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Dear Healer of hearts and broken bones,

Help us to believe that You are able to do anything. May we come to You humbly and with faith that whatever the answer You give to our prayers is – it is enough. You are all that we need.

Amen

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Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment.

Matthew 9:22

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A Temple of Truth

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Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

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A Temple of Truth

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Her prayer’s passion is not to be

a whitewashed tomb that others see

nor a temporal temple that’s fading fast

or a clapboard chapel not made to last

The sinner’s song that she doth sing

is Amazing Grace before her King

Her heart’s altar is washed with red –

the color that her dear Savior bled

Her deepest desire is that she’d grow

so like her Lord that it would show

within her eyes and upon her lips

to draw others nigh his precious gift

Not a closed down church with empty pews

But a heart overflowing with Good News

To any and all that are brought her way

that she’d be a temple of his Spirit each day.

Wendy/2013

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I’m not very good at attending church in a stoic fashion.

My eyes tend to well up with tears during praise and worship time,

and my cheeks burn with guilt when a sermon touches my heart.

 It is so hard not to shout out with joy when I remember that I am saved

and that He has no plans of abandoning the project he’s begun in me.

  My life before walking with Christ was, to put it bluntly–stupid.

Faith is real and personal to me.

 I didn’t inherit it from my non-church parents.

It’s not a game.

  I’m in it for keeps and have lost some old friends

and have been abandoned by some family members.

Jesus is my all in all.

 I love much, because I’ve been forgiven much.

Temple of Truth Blessings ~ Wendy

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Dear Living Lord,

I have no regrets to have lost my old life and, now, to be found in You.

 My heart beats because of your healing hand upon me.

Shine through the cracks of my old shattered life

and be glorified in this temple of your making.

Love from one alive in You.

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I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,

but Christ lives in me.

The life I live in the body,

I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

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No parking in the past ~ because you’ll be towed away by discouragement.

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Redemption Red

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We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him… After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:14, 17-18   

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Redemption Red

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Over the door of my heart

painted redemption red

is the Lord’s own signature

His promise for which He bled

One day I’ll leave this abode

to enter eternity’s gate

for all those who’ve said, “Yes!”

to the invitation that He gave

The cross proclaims forgiveness

as He paid our debts in full

He’s now risen to make a home

for all He’s chosen to go

No cost, no catch, no chivalry

just a confession of our sin

A turning from it to Christ instead

as his Spirit enters in

And as we yield to his control

our actions show that we’re true

empowered to win the fight by faith

in all we think, say, or do.

Wendy/2013

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Salvation is a gift. Good works only demonstrate the results of the saving work and grace of God. The righteous deeds glorify (reveal/show) God’s attributes – but are not a payment for his mercy. They are the result of it and the evidence that a person is born-again.

When we’re invited into his round table we are clothed with his armor of righteousness. He made it and gave it. Under his coaching we show chivalry. But we did not earn our place as a King’s knight – we were invited.  The glory is ALL his.

Redemption Blessings ~ Wendy

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Dear King of Kings,

Help me to remember that there is no lesser than or greater than midst your knights. Each has been saved by grace. May I remain properly humble and grateful for this gift of salvation. You have an armor for me to wear into battle – not shame or condemnation.

Gratefully yours,

a knight for the King’s service

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But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to receive wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:8-9

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