July 25, 2011 Journal Entry. Who am I that You should count me worthy to serve You?

Father God, as I sit here today, Your Word resting in my hands, I begin to wonder, “Who am I that You should count me worthy to serve You?” Your holiness is beyond comprehension.  When I compare myself to the character of Your Son Jesus, I feel unfit for service. I know that Your Word says that Your Spirit dwells within me. And, therefore, I can do all things. But, sometimes, insecurity plagues my heart. I am reminded of my life before You and suddenly, my heart fills with sadness. Sovereign LORD, You are my strength, my joy, and my heart. Please, Father; give me the courage to face my doubts and fears today. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. 

God's Word to A Soldier!

Dear Soldier,

Merry Christmas! I am writing to you today in response to a burden God has laid on my heart. One recent morning, while opening my bible, the pages landed on Isaiah, Chapter 52 . Although I had read this chapter many times before, this time the verses carried with them a new weight on my shoulders.

As I put my bible aside, God called to mind a documentary I had watched not so long ago. It aired on the Public Broadcast System (PBS). http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/badvoodoo/

In the documentary, United States Soldiers openly spoke of what it felt like to fight in a war zone. As their words echoed in my head, I felt my heart begin to ache. One Soldier spoke of his constant feeling of fear. He said,"You can't see the enemy firing at you. We're like sitting ducks out here!"

Another soldier spoke about feeling lonely. He said, "Since I have been out here, my girlfriend has broke up with me. I guess this was all too much for her to handle."  Still, one soldier expressed the reason he no longer believed in God. He sadly announced, "I used to believe in God. I prayed everyday. But after praying for safety one day, one of my best friends was killed. How can I still believe in God?"

While I remembered what these Soldiers had said, I allowed my thoughts to drift back to those painful memories from my own past. Then, while feelings of fear, loneliness and disbelief resurfaced, I began to pray, "Lord, if you want me to reach the hearts of these brave men and woman, Give me the words to speak."

Immediately, I had the desire to run to the computer and write the following letter to you. I pray that God will reach your heart this Christmas with His words of Comfort and Love. May He keep you safe and bring you back home soon!



My Child,


Let not your heart be troubled. John 14:1
I am your helper, so you need not fear. Besides, what can mere people do to you? Hebrews 13:5-6If you trust in Me, you will find new strength. You will soar high on wings like eagles. And you will run and not grow weary. You will walk and not grow faint. Isaiah 40:31.


Humble yourself under My mighty power, then at the right time, I will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to Me, for I care about you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to Me, for I have paid the price to set you free. Isaiah 44:22


I will turn your mourning into joy. I will comfort you and exchange your sorrow for rejoicing. Jeremiah 31:13.So work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for me rather than for people. Remember that I will give you inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. Colossians 3:23-24


Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell Me what you need. My peace will guard your heart and mind as you live in my Son, Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:6-7. I am your refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1. I am your shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. Psalm 7:10


So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. Deuteronomy 31:6

To obtain a free copy of a bible please visit: http://www.soldiersbibleministry.org 

  

Navy Retirement

Donna L. Young is the wife of a Retired Navy Seabee.

She has a Master's Degree in Theology from Liberty Baptist University 

and is the Author of the book Apologies From a Repentant Christian.

Thank You God for Answering my Prayers this Christmas!

          Exodus 20:12 (NKJV) “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you."

            For over one year my mother's name remained on my prayer board while I prayed, "Please Lord, won't you provide my mother with an opportunity to boldly profess her faith in You?" 

I started praying this particular prayer one morning after my mother had called. During that conversation, my mother shared a concern over losing her license to practice as a therapist. She said, "I want to talk about Jesus Christ with my clients but I am restricted by my license." I knew first hand the worry my mother felt. I too had felt God’s tug on my heart to share His message of hope with those who were hurting and in deep emotional pain. And like my mother, in the past, I faced worldly consequences for proselytizing. As a result, I knew just how to pray for her!

In each subsequent conversation, I graciously reminded my mother that God would protect her and watch over her as she spread the Word of Christ. Surprisingly one day, at the end of a phone call, my mother hesitantly asked me to add one of her client’s initials to my prayer board. She was careful to protect the hurting woman’s identity. Still, I assured my mother that God would know who the woman was, even if I only prayed using her initials.

Immediately, after saying our goodbyes, I went to my prayer board and wrote the client's first initial in the center of the board. Then, I instantly began to pray. "Please Lord, comfort this hurting and depressed woman."

            Next, I prayed for the remaining names on my prayer board. When I came to my mother's name, I prayed, "Please Lord, give her courage. Help her lead this hopeless woman to You even at the risk of losing her license. Father in Heaven, please help my mother boldly proclaim, 'I am a Christian therapist' so that others will know to come to her in order to find peace. In Your mighty name, Amen.”

            A few weeks later, I called my mother to catch up on the ins and outs of our daily lives. She listened patiently as I spoke about all the ways God had used me to reach out to others. Then, she said, "I was thinking about you yesterday. I don't know if I can tell you this story without crying." She continued, "This past week, when I met with my client, the client I had told you about, we prayed together." Speechless, I remained quiet.  Then my mother added, "This time, when my client started to weep over her sadness, I said to her, 'I want to share the hope I found in Jesus Christ.'” Amazing!

            My mother told me how her client simply listened as she spoke about the power my mother found through repentance.  Together, the two women prayed the sinner's prayer. I could hear my mother's joy resonate through the phone as she tearfully spoke about leading her client to Christ. Quietly, I praised God.

            After my mother finished her story, I told her I was proud of her. In response, my mother said those beautiful and sweet words I had been praying to hear her say. She said, "Well after all, I am a Christian Therapist!"

         Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!

And to read the first written and published Christian personal testimony 

please go to: http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/p/store.html

Christmas Everyday!

John 15:8-11 (NKJV)

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

        Before December 2008, I experienced many Christmas' when I felt disheartened. All year long, I had waited in anticipation for that magical day. I had joyfully awaited the company of family and a smell of delicious turkey filling the air. I put all of my hopes in the events of that one calendar day. Yet, I never truly understood its meaning. Perhaps that is why December 25 often felt like just any other day. Then, on October 20, 2008 I accepted God's holy gift of His only Son, Jesus Christ. And, from that moment on, my life changed.
        Now, everyday feels as though it it's filled with Christmas joy.  For example, one day, while picking up my young son from kindergarten, I noticed two men who were struggling to retrieve their keys from their locked car. I could tell they had been laboring for quiet awhile because of the sweat on their brows and the weary look on their faces. Just as my son clicked his seat belt, I heard God's voice say, "Go tell them you are praying for them." So, I told my son, "I'll be right back. I need to tell these men something."

I left my car door ajar as I ran over to the two men. I repeated God's exact words. “I am praying for you.” Then, I returned to my car, clicked my seat belt and slowly began to drive away. Unexpectedly, the parking lot stoplight turned red and we came to a dead halt. Suddenly, the two men began to jump up and down. They began waving their arms up over their head and yelling at the top of their lungs. "Hey! It worked, It worked!"  Joy unspeakable! Then, one of the men sprinted to my car. I rolled down my window as fast as I could and extended my hand out to him. The man slapped the palm of my hand so hard that I could feel the sting all the way home. My eyes welled with tears, not from the pain in my hand, but the joy in my heart.

Minutes later, we returned home. I thanked God for using me in that precious moment to grow the faith of these two men. Then, I thanked Him for growing my own faith and my young son’s too!

Joy Unspeakable
Text: Barney E. Warren, 1900
Music: Barney E. Warren, 1900

I have found His grace is all complete,
He supplieth ev’ry need;
While I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet,
I am free, yes, free indeed.
I have found the pleasure I once craved,
It is joy and peace within;
What a wondrous blessing! I am saved
From the awful gulf of sin.
I have found that hope so bright and clear,
Living in the realm of grace;
Oh, the Savior’s presence is so near,
I can see His smiling face.
I have found the joy no tongue can tell,
How its waves of glory roll!
It is like a great o’er flowing well,
Springing up within my soul.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below! 

To read the first written and published personal testimony,

please go to: http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/p/store.html

How God led me to first listen to Christian Music

I remember when God first communicated with me through
music. I had just moved into the new apartment to provide
a safe place for my younger son. The apartment was
small compared to our family home. Reception for a
cellular phone and radio stations were limited in the
area. I felt the effects of the poor radio reception right
away and found myself listening to static when I tried
to tune into my usual Country radio station. After a
week, I became frustrated and began to tune through
radio stations to find another with clearer reception.
One day, while moving the station dial back and
forth, I came across a song which grabbed my attention
immediately. I cried as God tugged on my heart.
The artist sang, “I’m coming back to a heart of worship,
and it’s all about you, all about you Jesus.” I
sobbed as I knelt on my knees. I began to pray and
apologize to God. I admitted that my life to that point
had been about me. I had worshiped myself. My
life was about how I wanted my house to be, how I
wanted others to behave, how I expected to be treated
and how I defined love. I was focused on myself, my
needs and what pleased me. It was the first moment
I realized God should have priority-even over my
family. I decided to turn my life over to God and
began to worship Him.

With the hopes of hearing the song again, I continued
to listen to the station for the next few weeks.
For the first time, I was listening to spiritual songs
outside of a church choir. I was surprised at how
much I enjoyed the songs that played. For years, I
was under the impression that I was “too cool” to
listen to Christian radio and that the songs were
corny. Now, I was finding comfort in every song and
beginning to feel uncomfortable with the songs I listened
to in the past.

Around the same time, God led me to an internet
site that streamed Christian music. I began downloading
songs and playing them repeatedly. Each
time, I cried as I heard artists sing about their lives
and the words of scripture. I couldn’t explain the
sense of comfort and change I was going through,
but God was reaching out to me through spiritual
songs and my heart was softening.

Over the past three years, I have only listened to one type of music, Christian. 

Amazingly through this medium, many times, God has lifted my spirit, taught me scripture and reminded me that He is always with me.