MaggieBelle

Beloved, “He’s Alive!” —

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,  and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay …

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world …

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.  (from 1 Peter)

I pray for you daily that the WORD is so precious to you that you can never get enough.  I pray that you refresh your heart and soul with the memory of the first time you understood the WORD and the true knowledge that God, your Father loved you so much that, he willingly sacrificed his only beloved son on the cross to pay the price of your sin debt.  That every hour of everyday you praise the God who is … Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Happy Easter !!

Beloved—

My father taught me, “Take my words to heart.  Follow my commands, and you will live.  Get wisdom; develop good judgment.  Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.

For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.  (from Proverbs)

“Do you understand my words, DO NOT walk in the water without your boots!”  That was the umteenth time I had spoken to my son about boots, water and his only pair of shoes.  I also, learned a lesson about my daily Bible reading and the need for my heart and mind to understand his word and to apply it to my life.

I pray for you everyday to understand God’s word and to keep it at the top of your thoughts at all times,  Always worshiping and praising the God who is … Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  (from 1 Peter)

When I heard, “He is out of surgery, it went well, he is OK.”  I didn’t realize that I had been holding my breath.   I thought I had been “casting all my cares on him” and telling him that I was trusting his plan not my own.  It turns out I was entertaining the enemy.

I pray for you daily that you recognize the enemy in the midst of pain or joy.  So stay in the Lord’s word, trusting and praising the God who is … Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.  … And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple … (from 1 Peter)

I received 2 bouquets of flowers.  To avoid showing preference one over the other I decided to put the bouquets together in one vase.  I chose to mix the colors to display each flower to its best advantage; there were 2 red flowers to make a vocal point.  I cut their stems shorter and pulled off all their leaves so that they would fit perfectly in the center of the arrangement.  Both bouquets decorated my heart with much joy.

I pray for you everyday so that when your stems are cut shorter and all your leaves are pulled off, you can rejoice that you are fitting perfectly into the plan, praising the God who is … Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Luv Ya!

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.  (from Proverbs)

“I spoke without thinking,” I said  to myself; trying to excuse my outburst.  Then my prayer: “Oh Father, why do I always do that?”  Then I knew I had lied to myself.  I had already been entertaining my negative opinion on the subject for some time.  It wasn’t until voicing my thoughts out loud that I knew I had never examined any other point of view.

I pray for you daily that you keep your heart (thus your thoughts) centered on the God who is …. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

The Lord is my shepherd;  I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows;  he leads me beside peaceful streams.  He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord  forever.  (from Psalm)

Some days all you can do is praise the God who is … Father. Son and Holy Spirit; trusting his word, knowing you are loved and safe.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

The following was written by Michele Estill, wife to pastor Dennis Estill Jr. and worship leader at their church in El Cajon, California.  She, also happens to be my beloved daughter.  

Ash Wednesday 2017

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of lent; and if you do not have any experience or prior knowledge regarding the Catholic faith, you might not know what it is.

Today, Catholics around the world go to mass to have ashes placed on their forehead in the sign of the cross.  This an atoning for your sins. Lent is a period of 40 days in which we “join” Christ as he was tempted in the garden of Gethsemane.  For the next 40 days people generally give-up something that they cherish: chocolate, TV, coffee, meat, and much more.

However, Catholics do not have the corner on the market of Ash Wednesday.  Christians (those who follow Christ, which Catholics do as well) can partake of this very meaningful experience called lent.

Lent is not really about giving up of something tangible, but of giving up what our heart desires.  Lent is about a circumcision of our heart (Romans 2:29).  Reaching for your coffee, something sweet, or even reaching to turn on the TV should serve as a reminder of the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf. He gave up everything so that we might be able to have everlasting life.  

Let’s be honest, Christ doesn’t care about coffee, chocolate, or watching TV; He cares about our heart, which is the truest picture of who we are (Proverbs 4:23).  He cares that we examine our motives and work towards aligning our hearts towards Him.  God seeks community with us that we might be able to experience His redeeming power in our lives!

This lent season, choose to give up something you love to do like eating chocolate, drinking coffee, watching TV, gossiping, doubting, or even choosing yourself above others.  Man looks at outward appearances, but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Happy Ash Wednesday!  May you see God transform your life this lent season!

Praise the God who is … Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Luv Ya!  

Beloved–

The Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need. (Psalms nlt)  

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalms kjv)

Last night, after seeing my beloved one suffering, I went to bed in total despair. I was just hanging on by the skin of my teeth; saying thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus until I fell asleep.  I awoke this morning with the knowledge that the enemy was attacking my fears.  Joy comes in the morning!  

I pray for you daily to know the true word of the God who is … Father, Son and Holy Spirit so you can have joy even in despair.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.  (from 1 Peter)

I need to remember that since Almighty God, the God who is … Father, Son and Holy Spirit is also my gracious and merciful heavenly father — I can take comfort and even joy as I pass through what appears to be a fiery trail.

I pray for you everyday, that you find joy daily, both in good or bad circumstances.

Luv Ya,

Beloved–

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.  (from 1 Peter)

When I read the WORD as a new believer, I wondered how could I ever do that.  Then I learned that, just as the God the Father chose me and called me out, that God the Holy Spirit would work in my heart to help me change my behavior to his way.

I pray for you each day to recognize that, the God who is … Father, Son and Holy Spirit is working in your heart.  Remember, as my friend often says, God whispers but the enemy screams.

Luv Ya!