It is a funny thing to say, and I never thought I'd ever say it-but I am
glad I have went through hard times! It was during those hard times in the
past, and even now-when I  am awake way past midnight my mind full of all
the "what if this happens, and then what will I do" fears threaten to take
away my peace of mind that I come to know just who God really is.  All the
hurt I hae known, since I was a child, all the angry words spoken, words
such as "We don't have to keep you here with us, we could send you away"
these have made me who I am today.  If I had all I needed, would I have ever
sought to know God, would I have ever wondered what it means to call God
Father, 
I don't really think so.  Though I would have never chosen them, the hard
times, the times I am awake at three in the morning, these are the times I
come to know God in a deeper way! Yall know what I mean?

Rhonda

-----Original Message-----
From: The Electronic Church [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Carol Pearson
Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 10:25 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Ponderment

Yeah, amen Kathy.

Problem is, Rhonda, that we all think of harm as being those things that 
hurt us now, whether they're accidents or words from others, or whatever. 
In fact, as we know, man has power to kill the flesh but the one thing that 
nobody can harm is God's Spirit in us, that new life that He has planted 
within us and will keep safe (preserve) no matter what the calamities here 
on earth.

I sometimes wish as a Christian that perhaps I could have a special passport

that keeps me from such harm, but God didn't say we could have that but He 
did promise us grace and peace and help from above!

It's not the way the world will see these things, but the way we can and 
should see them in the light of his grace and His truth shown to us each 
day!

Well, do we feel secure?  That's what God wants us to feel!  Do we feel 
afraid!  Yes, if we're honest, we probably do when we stop to think of some 
of the awful things that are happening all around us, but He wants us (me, 
me, me!) to learn to trust Him in these areas.

Having said all the above:  God is indeed gracious to us and loves us so 
very much that there are times when He does intervene and rescue us from 
physical death itself.  Some of us have known this and have known His angels

taking care of us too!  Sometimes we don't even know He's reached out a hand

to rescue us because we're totally unaware of the danger that He sees. 
That's how much He takes care of us!  He never sleeps or slumbers - just 
looks on us and out for us and, oh, loves us so very much!

Sorry, didn't mean to get quite so carried away in this post . . . and God 
spoke as much, if not more, to me as I wrote than He may want to speak to 
others.  I'm encouraged anyway and trust you are!

In Him:


--
Carol
[log in to unmask]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 1:20 PM
Subject: Re: Ponderment


> Rhonda,
> When you are in God's hand, no matter what calamity befalls you, you are 
> in the safest place you can be.
> Kathy
>
>
> At 10:00 PM 5/2/2006, you wrote:
>>What do you think "live in safety" means?  Is it  "safe from harm" or 
>>"safe,
>>from thinking you know all the answers and don't need God or any of his
>>wisdom, safe,  if it means safe from harm, that would bring up a lot of
>>questions...what exactly must our relationship be to ensure  we are "safe"
>>for many go through things that can be seen as harm, cancer, accidents, 
>>many
>>who love God and who fololow im and seek to do His will...interesting
>>thoughts!
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: The Electronic Church [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
>>Behalf Of BD
>>Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 9:25 PM
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Ponderment
>>
>>Rhonda,
>>
>>Hmm. Maybe not, perfectly faithful no, but not faithful at all? I don't
>>think that is it either. I think Proverbs  seen below shows were we ought
>>to be. I wonder if we can faithfully believe in the promise given at the
>>end of the text constantly. It does however say that we will have no need
>>to "fear" and doesn't say we are absolved of trials, yet he does say
>>earlier that he'll keep us safe. See below... interesting... I never
>>really seen it that strongly before.
>>Proverbs 1:20-33
>>20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street,she raises her voice in the public
>>squares; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,in the gateways
>>of the city she makes her speech:
>>22 "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?How long will
>>mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you had
>>responded to my rebuke,I would have poured out my heart to you and made my
>>thoughts known to you. 24 But since you rejected me when I called and no
>>one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25 since you ignored all my
>>advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh at your
>>disaster;I will mock when calamity overtakes you-- 27 when calamity
>>overtakes you like a storm,when disaster sweeps over you like a
>>whirlwind,when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
>>28 "Then they will call to me but I will not answer;they will look for me
>>but will not find me. 29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to
>>fear the LORD, 30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my
>>rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the
>>fruit of their schemes. 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill
>>them,and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever
>>listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
>
>
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