You and I share many things in common my dear friend. God is so good. If
more of us would look for the good there is in all things, more of us would
find it. Sometimes that good is like the surprise found in the bottom of
cereal boxes. It may be small, as is a gold coin, but it is there, and can
be found, if as we did as children, dig down in the box to find the grand
and the marvelous surprise which is the good there is in all things. If we
each did what the old song says and began to count our many blessings, and
named them one by one. By the time we were finished we would have forgotten
what it was we wanted to feel sad about in the first place, and it would
surely surprise us to see what God has done for each of us.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Ferguson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 10:26 AM
Subject: Re: How to pray
> Dear Angel,
>
> Wow! I love that, because I do feel the same way!
>
>
> Thanks much.
>
> Many Blessings,
>
> Pat Ferguson
> "I can Do all Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me." Phillippians
> 4:13.
>
> At 03:31 AM 3/11/2014, you wrote:
>>I am glad you can eat more healthily than you could before. I know I am
>>most fortunate to be blind, and would want nothing else for me. Each of
>>us is different, and I don't at all expect others to feel the same way.
>>There are so many advantages to being blind, I can't begin to tell you how
>>fortunate I am God has made me thus: For example, I get the opertunity to
>>use all my senses. Rather than letting four of them atrophy. As do many
>>of the sighted among us. How many of the sighted can tell the differences
>>between trees, ETC., by their scent? I have come to know the value of
>>echo location, or sound shadows, as some call them to travel more
>>efficiently. I use so much less electricity not having to use lights to
>>light my home, I don't watch commercial television. I have video
>>cassettes I watch. I save that way too. Right now, I am using a wireless
>>keyboard, and wireless headphones to write as I do my laundry in my
>>basement. I couldn't do that if I were blind. I would be tethered to a
>>monitor. I save so much money not having to have a car and insurance? I
>>purchased one for my son to drive, and was so happy to offload it you
>>wouldn't believe. Even when I pay a man to drive me shopping each
>>quarter, I pay less than I would if I had a car. I get to walk to the bus
>>and around my place of work, which strengthens me. How many sighted
>>people just get in to their cars, and never walk far at all. Thus leading
>>to health problems. Not to mention the visual temptations I don't have to
>>see all around me. Last but by no means least is the fact, when I enter
>>heaven, I will see the world as God meant it to be prior to Adams fall.
>>In all its beauty and splendor. How many people ever born can say that.
>>You see, God never meant me to see a fallen world as it stands now. With
>>all its depravity and suffering. As they say, "A picture is worth a
>>thousand words.", and I will never see sorrow or woe on this earth. Isn't
>>that worth being born blind alone? Not to mention the opportunity to
>>assist others to climb their own spiritual ladder by helping us as we go
>>through life. How many have such an easy way to do this as those of us
>>with a visible challenge. The glory of God shines through each of us, as
>>it did with the blind man whom Jesus healed. I thank God each day he
>>made me as I am. But I will stop praising him for his wisdom right now.
>>Or else I will be writing all day
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Doris and Chris" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 4:09 AM
>>Subject: Re: How to pray
>>
>>
>>>i also find this attitude of constant gratitude very helpful while going
>>>thru things.
>>>
>>>i am also grateful that scripture says to be thankful in all things
>>>though not necessarily for them.
>>>
>>>for example, i do not think the lord expects me to be thankful for my
>>>diabetes - nor for my blindness- but i can defininitely see how i have
>>>been blessed thru both or in both. already with than before I was
>>>diagnosed and went into the hospital.
>>>
>>>In his loving grip!
>>>
>>>Doris
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>my diabetes, i came out of the hospital being able to eat and tolerate so
>>>many more foods than I ate before. i eat so much healthier, enjoy At
>>>04:09 PM 3/10/2014 -0500, you wrote:
>>>>I agree that Angel gave us a wonderful way of looking at things to be
>>>>thankful at all times for what we do have. I, too try and make it a
>>>>habit to offer thanks, especially at the end of the day, for everything
>>>>good that happened to me that day and for the things I am always
>>>>thankful for. I was just reading a devotional about how scripture tells
>>>>us we should give thanks along with our petitions to the Lord. The
>>>>writer was saying that as we petition for things, we need to make a
>>>>practice of thanking the Lord for His answers to our petitions.
>>>>God.
>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>From: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>Pat Ferguson
>>>>To:
>>>><mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>>>>Sent: Friday, March 07, 2014 11:20 AM
>>>>Subject: Re: How to pray
>>>>
>>>>Hi Everyone,
>>>>
>>>>I like that.
>>>>
>>>>One thing I neglected to mention and should have mentioned, is that I
>>>>really try to Thank God every single day for the many Blessings He has
>>>>given us.
>>>>
>>>>We are truly blessed, and shame on me for not even mentioning that in my
>>>>last email.
>>>>
>>>>I also try to thank God for things, even before He provides them. I
>>>>think He loves that when we do that.
>>>>
>>>>One thing I try to do every single morning when I get up is to say:
>>>>
>>>>Lord, This Is The Day That You Have Made, I shall Rejoyce And Be Glad In
>>>>It.
>>>>
>>>>I'm praying for all of you, and loving each of you, as well.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Thanks much.
>>>>
>>>>Many Blessings,
>>>>
>>>>Pat Ferguson
>>>>"I can Do all Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me." Phillippians
>>>>4:13.
>>>>
>>>>At 07:35 AM 3/7/2014, you wrote:
>>>>>It seems to me you are on the right track regarding prayer. I have
>>>>>found a basic problem with receiving what it is we should have from God
>>>>>is that we don't recognize God's time isn't our time. We often grow
>>>>>impatient when our prayers aren't answered as quickly as we feel they
>>>>>ought to be. Many of us lack patience. Which God understands. As we
>>>>>are children compared to his great knowledge. A lot of help to me
>>>>>regarding this as well is to look at our children for help to pray
>>>>>effectively. Look at how they ask us for things, and what it is they
>>>>>expect from us. We prey in much the same way to God as they ask us for
>>>>>what it is they want. In the same way we never fail our children God
>>>>>never fails us. He has already promised we will have all we need. So
>>>>>what else he gives to us is frosting ion our cake, so to speak. Sort
>>>>>of desert after we have eaten our spinach. Of course, I am different
>>>>>than most, I believe, in that I truly want no more than what I have, or
>>>>>am given. Even when I was a child, I never at all asked for anything
>>>>>my parents didn't give to me. I never even went in to their
>>>>>refrigerator for snacks without their express permission. Of course,
>>>>>there are convenient things I want, such as space to do my laundry with
>>>>>older laundering machines with knobs I might more easily use. As I
>>>>>enjoy independence. When I was faced with the prospect of moving, I
>>>>>told God this was a concern of mine, and was a preference. I was able
>>>>>to afford not to live in those subsidized apartments with the
>>>>>inaccessible laundering machines. So this example is one of how I
>>>>>prey. I tell God of my concerns, and ask him to either give to me what
>>>>>it is I believe to be the most effective thing to promote thriving
>>>>>either physically or mentally. Or to demonstrate to me how to deal with
>>>>>what doesn't seem as convenient for me at a given time. Or to show to
>>>>>me how my thinking is wrong regarding the best way to accomplish
>>>>>things. It has worked for me. My late husband didn't suffer when he
>>>>>was preparing to go to live with God. He left us peacefully. Though
>>>>>he inconvenienced our household when his mind left him, we weren't too
>>>>>terribly disrupted to the point we weren't able to function. I find,
>>>>>if we are faithful to do as best as we can to follow God's prescripts,
>>>>>and understand his promises to us are always kept regarding us, and how
>>>>>especially he wants to give good things to those who please him, as
>>>>>Jesus said. Why should we worry. We shall be satisfied in the end.
>>>>>Because, in the end, we will all be brought to live with him. What
>>>>>else could we even want I ask? I know I want nothing from God except
>>>>>the chance to thank him for all he does for me each day. Which I do
>>>>>constantly. I am among the most fortunate of people to live in this
>>>>>great land of the free, and the home of the brave. Where so many have
>>>>>sacrificed that I might benefit myself of all sorts of technology to
>>>>>make my life easier as a blind person. When I could just as well have
>>>>>not lived at all. If I had been born in a less well developed country.
>>>>>I am healthy, without having to take medication. I have a secure home
>>>>>in which to live. Food to eat for more than one day. When God only
>>>>>promised food for each day as it comes. So having more than a single
>>>>>days worth of food is a plus right there isn't it? I truly would be
>>>>>benefited if I lost a few pounds in any case; and clothes enough to
>>>>>ware that I don't freeze in the winter. Plus, I have a computer to
>>>>>write to all my fine friends as are you. As God knows it would be
>>>>>difficult to get to the library to use the computers there. With good
>>>>>friends who love us, and Gods love to reassure us through his word what
>>>>>else is there for any of us to want. At least there isn't for me.
>>>>>So perhaps I am an exception to the rule. But, that is how I look at
>>>>>things.
>>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>>From: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>Bev
>>>>>To:
>>>>><mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2014 10:10 PM
>>>>>Subject: How to pray
>>>>>
>>>>>Hi All!
>>>>>
>>>>>Something I've always struggled with is how to pray. What I mean is
>>>>>I've always struggled with should I keep on praying about something
>>>>>until I get an answer, or should I pray about something and then try
>>>>>and leave it with God? I've been taught both schools of thought, which
>>>>>has confused me over the years.
>>>>>
>>>>>One concept I learned recently that has helped me tremendously is the
>>>>>idea of asking God to show us what He wants for us and then ask Him to
>>>>>help us to want what He wants for us. I had the opportunity to listen
>>>>>to a really neat seminar while at my Mom's house over the holidays that
>>>>>her pastor did. It is called, "Discovering the Real You." It is all
>>>>>about how salvation through what Christ did on the cross isn't just for
>>>>>our eternal well being, but it is for our peace and well being here on
>>>>>earth. One of the main concepts my Mom's pastor taught in this seminar
>>>>>is that the basis of our sin nature is selfishness. we are all selfish
>>>>>to some degree and because of our selfishness this is why we've gotten
>>>>>ourselves into some of the messes we've gotten into. Satan wants us to
>>>>>be selfish, because that's how he gains the upper hand with us.
>>>>>According to Pastor Ron, the key to working through our selfish nature
>>>>>is to ask the Lord to help us not be selfish by showing us what He
>>>>>wants for our lives and then asking Him to cause us to want what He
>>>>>wants for us. If we know there is something God wants us to be doing,
>>>>>but we don't necessarily feel like doing it or want to do it, then the
>>>>>key to joy and well being is to ask God to change our attitude about
>>>>>what it is we know He wants us to be doing. Along with this we should
>>>>>continuously ask the Lord to show us our short comings and when He does
>>>>>show them to us we then ask Him to help us with those issues. I started
>>>>>putting this into practice as soon as I heard the seminar and I can
>>>>>tell you when you let
>>>>>God have that kind of control in your life things do start to happen.
>>>>>God immediately began to show me things about myself that needed
>>>>>changing, and that wasn't easy to take. He also, because of my prayers,
>>>>>began working in the lives of people around me, showing them what they
>>>>>needed to change in their lives. It's difficult for me to explain the
>>>>>gist of the entire seminar, but I hope to eventually hold a phone
>>>>>conference where people can all participate and listen to and do a
>>>>>study on it together as soon as I get the work book scanned. The
>>>>>concepts he shares in that seminar have worked wonders in my life in
>>>>>just a short time.
>>>>>
>>>>>Bev
>>>>>
>>>>>John 5:24 Jesus said, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the
>>>>>person whose ears are open to My words, who listens to My message and
>>>>>believes on Him Who sent Me has now eternal life." "And he does not
>>>>>come into judgment and will not come under condemnation, but he has
>>>>>already passed over out of death into life." )Amplified Bible)
>>>>
>>>>No virus found in this message.
>>>>Checked by AVG - <http://www.avg.com>www.avg.com
>>>>Version: 2013.0.3462 / Virus Database: 3722/7159 - Release Date:
>>>>03/06/14
>>>
>>>Thanks much.
>>>
>>>Many Blessings,
>>>
>>>Pat Ferguson
>>>"I can Do all Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me." Phillippians
>>>4:13.
|
