Blessing of Faith

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to everyone of you: Do not think of yourself more highly that you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

I've started writing down verses that I want to commit to memory on a large dry erase board. The verse quoted above is the last one on the board, perfectly positioned so that I caught the words "God has given you" as I got up from my computer to feed my son Gideon. God has given you. I was suddenly caught, holding a child that I love so much, a gift from God, surrounded by blessings. I read the rest of the verse and further realized that even my faith in the source of my blessings comes from the Father.

66. Thank you Lord for my faith. For the renewal you offer of my faith in the evidence of your creation and in the inspiration of your word. Thank you for the reminder of your gift this day.

Little blessings

60. My son's new thomas the train shirt. Well not the shirt per se, but the way he reacted to it. His new shirt has a little button that when pressed makes the train whistles and chugga chugga sound. Alden put on that shirt, pressed the button, and ran around for five minutes shouting that he was a train, chugga chuggin everywhere.
61. How when you tickle babies, they kinda scrunch up and their face is a mix of laughter and 'what is this!'.
62. My nineteen month old trying to pronounce her brothers name. Gideon. Gi-da-ohh. She's getting there.
63. How my five month old twins already cant stand for the other one to have the toy when they want it. It's funny to see a five month old steal.
64. The angel that protects my daughter. She is such a climber!
65. Bringing my son a flower, the funny way he tries to sniff it, and his exclamation, "that tastes beautiful, mama!"

Blessings

51. the book of proverbs

52. my knowledge that bad days are a gift from God too. I need to be refined by fire.

53. how Jesus always knew what to say and do. He never has goofs or whoopsies. He always treats people in the best manner possible.

54. Pastors who never charge for their teachings. And not just because that makes alot of stuff available to me for free. I love when you can see the fruit of faith and it's benefit to the body.

55. comfy chairs.

56. news organizations like Compass Direct, Missions News Network, and the Baptist Press.

57. my kids have so many toys.

58. my pantry is full of things I can feed my kids.

59. they have well put together, cute clothes that I love to take pictures of them in

60. I marvel at how blessed my babies are when I think of the poverty so many other children live in. I'm glad God has taught me the proper viewpoint to be able to teach them about their abundant blessings.

Busy Blessings!

It feels like its been ages since I last posted instead of just a week or so. How quickly did this become a part of my life that I missed putting down my thoughts so much? I had a whole ton of life happen lately though, thank God, all of it abundantly good! My mom and grandparents came up to visit, my son had his third birthday, and my husband recieved a job offer that will move us to Pennsylvania. I'm busy today with moving plans but feel inspired to add to my blessings list the wonderful gifts God has showered me and my family with.

41. How much fun we had at Alden's birthday party.
42. Birthday streamers I didnt pull down for days because they were so 'festive'!
43. Moving six hours closer to my family.
44. Corportate moves! That means I can hire packers! I love packers!
45. Mercy Me's song I'll Worship You, my new favorite song (good to dance to w/ babies!)

I've been waking with a big grin

Singing with my eyes closed

Lifting up my hands

I've been lost in the moment

Sending up praises

Now I think I understand

When i open up and let it flow

I fell your touch and then I know

[chorus] I can never live without it And I'm never gonna doubt it Everyday is new, yeah There's nothing any better I'll be singing it forever I worship you

I'm standing on the edge now

Looking for a new place

Going deeper still

The feeling is electric

The power and the glory

Just move me where you will

Cause you take a song and make it fly

Into my soul and that is why

[chorus]

I just want to dive into your grace

I want to feel your presence, seek your face

I just want to be where you are

I can never live without it

And i'm never gonna doubt it

Everyday is new, yeah (repeat) [chorus]

46. Watching my son enjoy his trains.
47. God opening doors
48. My husbands excitement
49. My daughter's love of streaking. I cant keep her clothed! She gets out of every outfit I put on her. Then goes the diaper. This leads to blessing...
50. My Bissell steamcleaner

Blessings

27. A hidden stash of wrapped birthday presents for my soon to be three year old.
28. A nice visit with my mom
29. God's comforting promises.
30. Seeing my grandma hold my children.
31. Her having the patience to explain the camera.
32. Close up pictures of little curious hands and a Grandma with the courage to let a toddler use her camera
33. My twins (I call them the Littles) habit of holding hands.
34. How many different versions of the Bible I have available
36. Air conditioning
37. Hazelnut flavored coffee
38. Knowing that God called me to a life of loving service and He gave me the tools to live that life, even when I dont feel like I can
39. El Roi, thank you for showing me how you are my God who sees me
40. My sons cute little singing voice

Blessings on sick days

18. My Husband staying home in the morning from work to to let me sleep in when I'm sick.
19. My mom and grandparents coming to visit! I havent seen my mom since last december and its been nearly a year since I've seen my grandparents.
20. Not having to cook dinner. Thank you Lord for take-out!
21. The beautiful way my little girls hair curls.
22. Putting down one sleeping baby to pick up the one just woken.
23. My eldest childs good nature.
24. Family cuddles
25. Waking up from a nap feeling better than when I layed down
26. How the Lord always provides

A daily blessing to the Persecuted Church

A daily blessing to my Christian walk and to many persecuted brothers and sisters is:

17. Voice of the Martyrs.

I'm constantly in awe of the good this innovative ministry performs for the persecuted. They have a wonderful, multi-faceted ministry that branches out of their Bartlesville, OK office and their website, http://www.persecution.com/ They have a free newsletter, an action pack program to give goods to Sudanese and Pakistani Christians, and they seek to help the persecuted in many ways. For example, they send thousands of balloons into North Korea with the Gospel imprinted on it. People from their ministry enter into very hostile territory to evangelize.
They do a service called Prisoner Alert, http://www.prisoneralert.com/, that features persecuted Christians suffering in other countries. Through this website you can compose letters to the prisoner's in their own language or write a letter to their government asking for their release. Through this a believer is enabled to aswer the call of Hebrews 13:3 for Christians across the sea in hostile lands.
Hebrews 13:3 "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering" . NIV

As VOM says in one of their description snippets, those who are persecuted aren't just heroes or statistics, they're family. Whats more, there has been a visible impact of the support for jailed Christians. Just last month a man who was featured on Prisoner Alert was set free from prison and his charges dismissed!
Another ministry they do that I'm in love with is Bibles Unbound. Your donation of $30 dollars a month gains you the ability to help get bibles into countries hostile to the word. They send you five copies of the New Testament to mail to people within either China, Egypt, and Columbia, along with the addresses they are to be mailed to. You can find out more at http://www.biblesunbound.com/.
They have many other programs like a way to find a meeting with VOM workers , a kids ministry, and a Basic fellowship site. The link to all their various websites is http://www.persecution.com/ministryLink/index.cfm.

I think that being given the chance to help the persecuted church along with my brothers and sisters in Christ is a daily blessing with an eternal reward. Thank you Voice of the Martyrs for all the work you do for the body of Christ.

Late Nite Blessings

12. Holding a sleeping, well-fed baby.

13. When the sleeping baby snores.

14. Having all of my children asleep.

15. Being given a moment to reflect on my blessings in a quiet dark room.

16. Having a conversation with God.

Good Night Father.

Endless Gifts

Ann Voskamp at her Holy Experience blog has started something I think truly amazing and life-changing, a gratitude community of Christians who keep a list of the daily blessings God gives. She’s called it Endless Gifts, the idea is to make a list up to 1000 of the blessings in your life. I think this is such a fantastic idea and have decided to make my own list.

1. My life is daily blessed by the reconciliation work of the Lord Jesus Christ. I daily approach the mercy seat of God solely because Christ is my mediator.

2. The guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit. My counselor and ever-present help.

3. The eternal and daily-felt loving kindness of God the Father

4. Eph 1:4-5 Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us; he decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault-we who stand before him covered with his love. 5 His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And he did this because he wanted to!

TLB
Thank you, Father for the sending of your son.

5. The spirtual leadership and love of my amazing husband

6. My wonderful children graciously given me by God. I’m blessed by their sweetness every day.
7. The inspired word of God. Without the Bible, I’d be living in darkness. Ps 119:106 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. NIV

8. My extended families love and goodwill. I miss you.

9. The body of Christ. Eph 2:22-3:1 In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit. AMP

10. The Lord Jesus Christ setting the standard for my everyday living.

I had to write those as my first ten, they are my most precious, most pondered blessings, and I am grateful to God for them. I’m grateful for my being gifted with just the knowledge of some of them. (Hmmm… I think that should be an item listed. Maybe later.) There are other ‘big’ blessings but I think I’ll space it out throughout the rest of the list. I think a lot of my blessings list will be subpoints of these first ten.

Check out the Holy Experience blog, it’s truly amazing. Ann Voskamp has a tremendous gift that can only come from God. In fact…

11. Ann Voskamp’s daily musings and writings. Very Inspirational.

Her site is linked to in my sidebar.