In God We Trust

A few months ago, my husband and I were invited to spend the weekend at his employer's home. I was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than our house. The first day and evening went well, and I was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live.
My husband's employer was quite generous as a host and took us to the finest restaurants. I knew I would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so I was enjoying myself. As the three of us were about to enter an exclusive restaurant one evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of us. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. I wondered if I was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped and a few cigarette butts.

Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure.

How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at me. Finally, I could stand it no longer. I causally mentioned that my daughter once had a coin collection and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for us to see. I had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." he said. "Read what it says."

I read the words, "United States of America."

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?"

"No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?"

"Yes!"

"And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin, I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray. I stop to see if my trust is in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God, that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I can not change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And God is patient.

http://varietyreading.carlsguides.com/christian-stories/pennies.php



Who God Used

The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk.
Abraham was too old.
Isaac was a daydreamer.
Jacob was a liar.
Leah was ugly.
Joseph was abused.
Moses had a stuttering problem.
Gideon was afraid.
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young.
David had an affair and was a murderer.
Elijah was suicidal.
Isaiah preached naked.
Jonah ran from God.
Naomi was a widow.
Job went bankrupt.
John the Baptist ate bugs.
Peter denied Christ.
The Disciples fell asleep while praying.
Martha worried about everything.
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once.
Zaccheus was too small.
Paul was too religious.
Timothy had an ulcer.
AND...
Lazarus was dead!
No more excuses now. God can use you to your full potential. Besides, you aren't the message; you are just the messenger.

BennyAnn,
Yeah you were right about the title. Got it mixed up. There's a version where he sings it Live from London with some church members...and they song that song!!
The much earlier Fred Hammond (90s & early 2000s) is what I love.
I love many hymns..but sometimes I need some soul....someone singing from the depths of the heart.

MZLady39:
BennyAnn,
Yeah you were right about the title. Got it mixed up. There's a version where he sings it Live from London with some church members...and they song that song!!
The much earlier Fred Hammond (90s & early 2000s) is what I love.
I love many hymns..but sometimes I need some soul....someone singing from the depths of the heart.

Well, I'm sure you will love this one : I love you by Fred Hammond.
And it's an honour having you on this thread MZlady39.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fES0IbGmzQA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzbKwcC-Xmo

Turning Around for Me
VaShawn Mitchell
Lyrics

Sometimes discouraged, but not defeated
Cast down, but not destroyed
There are times I don't understand,
But I believe it's turning around for me

I've had struggles and disappointments,
There are times I felt so alone
Some of my friends, they let me down
But I still believe it's turning around for me

Around for me around for me
Around for me it's turning around for me
Around for me around for me
Around for me it's turning around for me

I can see the breaking of day,
God is making a way
A change is coming for me
If I stand strong and believe
There's no reason to doubt,
I know He's working it out
It's turning around for me

And it won't always be like this,
He will perfect that concerning me
And sooner or later, it'll turn in my favor
(Sooner or later, turn in my favor)
It's turning around for me

It won't always be like this,
The Lord will perfect that concern in me
Sooner or later, turn in my favor,
Sooner or later, turn in my favor
It's turning around for me
It's turning around for me

[img]https://babylukeblog.files./2015/03/may-not-understand-today-or-tomorrow.jpg?w=240[/img]

bennyann:


Well, I'm sure you will love this one : I love you by Fred Hammond.
And it's an honour having you on this thread MZlady39.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fES0IbGmzQA

Thank you very much for your compliment....still a work in progress. It is also an honour to have met you as well.
You wouldn't believe this...but out of the many songs that I've listened to by Fred, this one is new to me!
It is a very lovely song..will listen to this one again...thank you for thinking about me
Love Vashawn's song also.

I just want to bless God for those that came out through their waiting period victoriously.

I also want to encourage those who are in their waiting moment to please fight the good fight of faith. Don't give up on God, don't give in, don't lose faith, don't lose hope.

Trust God through it all for you won't be there for long.

Then you can join the others singing how God favored you. Even now, through the storm, the favour of God is at work.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeZvzX218qk

There is this Christian movie titled 'facing the giant'. It's about facing your giant and not backing out till you've won.

If you haven't watched it, please do.

For those who would like mobile download, you can try doing that here http://wapspot.mobi/video/download/facing-the-giants-full-movie-free-/7wNyKEOzhNU.html.

I hope you get motivated to wage war against your giant by holding firm on God and having your eyes fixed on Jesus, by not giving up till God says yes, it's time to move to the next stage of promotion.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGfBKiWTvcY

Wage war by doing all you can to stand firm in Christ and don't let the enemy get one more thing from you. His grace is sufficient to see us through it all.

MZLady39:


Thank you very much for your compliment....still a work in progress. It is also an honour to have met you as well.
You wouldn't believe this...but out of the many songs that I've listened to by Fred, this one is new to me!
It is a very lovely song..will listen to this one again...thank you for thinking about me
Love Vashawn's song also.

I'm glad you love it.

There's this song by vashawn titled chasing after you. I don't know if you've heard it. William Murphy also sang the song but I prefer vashawn's.

BennyAnn,
Have you been in my brain!!? You again picked two gospel singers that have some blessed songs: CeCe Winans and Hezekiah Walker.
I really scaled back on listening to lots of gospel songs cause they got to be a little too much.
I don't really know much about Vashawn Mitchell....but that one song really was nice.
I'm very picky when listening to gospel songs.
But CeCe Winans--"Alabaster Box" CD from the early 2000s.....powerful!
I haven't listened to much of Hezekiah Walker...but he had a song called "Faithful Is our God" (released several years ago)...powerful! Also a song that he had with his former wife singing lead called, "Second Chance"...(deeply powerful).
Love the encouraging quotes today!

MZLady39:
BennyAnn,
Have you been in my brain!!? You again picked two gospel singers that have some blessed songs: CeCe Winans and Hezekiah Walker.
I really scaled back on listening to lots of gospel songs cause they got to be a little too much.
I don't really know much about Vashawn Mitchell....but that one song really was nice.
I'm very picky when listening to gospel songs.
But CeCe Winans--"Alabaster Box" CD from the early 2000s.....powerful!
I haven't listened to much of Hezekiah Walker...but he had a song called "Faithful Is our God" (released several years ago)...powerful! Also a song that he had with his former wife singing lead called, "Second Chance"...(deeply powerful).
Love the encouraging quotes today!

I'm sure you know more about vashawn than you think especially if you've heard the song 'nobody greater'. It goes like this -
I searched all over, couldn't find nobody
I looked high and low, still couldn't find nobody
Nobody greater, nobody greater, nobody greater than you.

And I love 'the alabaster box' so so much

Talking about Hezekiah's wife, Monique Walker, I never knew the lead singer of the song 'second chance' were that related. You just made me know about that and that's also one of my favorite when I feel like going solo...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2taeaNSxOA

I vow to praise You
Through the good and the bad.
I'll praise You,
Whether happy or sad.
I'll praise You
In all that I go through,
Because praise is what I do,
Cause I owe it all to You

Frame for a November Friday
Poet: John McLeod

When you linger in the shadows of despair and deep unrest
When you're torn betwixt so many paths
And know not which is best,
When you think you're all alone
And in your sadness you would cry . . .
Remember friend, God wipes away the tears from every eye!

When your burden seems too heavy
And an aching fills your heart
When you find that there's so much to do
And know not where to start,
When your troubles and your sorrows
Cause that helpless weary sigh . . .
Remember friend, God wipes away the tears from every eye!

When you've won through in your battle
And the race of Life is run,
When the hurdles have been crossed
And painful tasks and hardships done,
When one day you look back smiling
And the time for rest draws nigh,
You will truly know God wipes away the tears from every eye!

God Knows Best
Poet: John McLeod

I wonder, friend, how often you have wept a bitter tear
And asked: "Why is this happening to me?"
"What step was taken wrongly to deserve this dreary fate,
What action brought about this tragedy?"
Only to find in time a vital reason for it all,
And faith you thought so steady put to test,
To look back with such wonder at the workings of his hands;
'Dear Lord, Thy will be done, and God knows best.'

It happens to us all, we are so mortal and so weak
All too human in our strange an earthly ways,
Falling often by the wayside on our journey through this life
Seeking light and fighting ignorance's haze.
Truly friends, the help is there, for as ye seek so ye shall find
And at journey's end how well you shall be blessed
If you truthfully can say without a doubt within your heart
Dear Lord, Thy will be done, and God knows best!


"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." Psalm 18:32

MY ATTORNEY


After living what I felt was a "decent" life, my time on earth came to the end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court house. The doors opened, and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table. As I looked around, I saw the "prosecutor." He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me; I felt I knew Him.
The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room. I couldn't take my eyes off of Him. As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, "Let us begin."

The prosecutor rose and said, "My name is Satan, and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell."

He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and times when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life, and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about. As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done?

Satan finished with a fury and said, "This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged, and there is not a person who can prove otherwise."

When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan and beckoned Him to come forward. As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendor and majesty. I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior.

He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, "Hi, Dad," and then He turned to address the court. "Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned. I won't deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished."

Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life, and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is Mine."

My Lord continued with, "His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from Me. Satan still does not understand yet. This man is not to be given justice but rather mercy."

As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, "There is nothing else that needs to be done. I've done it all."

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from His lips... "This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case dismissed."

As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, "I won't give up, I will win the next one."

I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, "Have you ever lost a case?"

Christ lovingly smiled and said, "Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, "PAID IN FULL."

http://varietyreading.carlsguides.com/christian-stories/myattorney.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wt4JKGnnKk

It's time to shine again by Sinach



The Tides of Providence
Poet: Patience Strong

It's not what you gather, but what you sow,
That gives the heart a warming glow.
It's not what you get, but what you give,
Decides the kind of life you live.

It's not what you have,
But what you spare.
It's not what you take,
But what you share
That pays the greater dividend
And makes you richer in the end.

It's not what you spend upon yourself
Or hide away upon a shelf,
That brings a blessing for the day.
It's what you scatter by the way.

A wasted effort it may seem.
But what you cast upon the stream
Comes back to you recompense
Upon the tides of providence.

"Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed."
Robert H. Schuller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd2C8Gmm23s

Nothing Can Separate

From her bedroom window, Rebecca eyed the children playing in the snow enviously. How she longed to play with them!
“Now, Rebecca,” she remembered her father telling her that morning. “You can’t play in the snow today.”

“Why not, Father?” Rebecca had asked. Every day, the neighborhood children gathered at a park just behind Rebecca’s house.

“Just trust me, Rebecca. It’s not what’s best for you today,” her father had replied.

At the time, Rebecca had responded by kissing her father on his cheek and assuring him that she would stay inside and read. But now she was having second thoughts.

It is beautiful outside, she thought to herself. It was true: the sun was shining brilliantly. Why wouldn’t her father let her go play?

Why should she have to miss out on all the fun?
When a snowball exploded just outside her window, Rebecca decided she couldn’t stand it any longer. She simply had to go join the others!
Leaving her book on the table, Rebecca slipped outside. She tried to tell herself she was having a good time, but all the while her heart felt uncomfortable. She kept looking this way and that, fearful least her father see her.
After a few hours, Rebecca finally said her goodbyes and headed back towards the house. She wanted to be safely lodged in her room before her father came home.

Intent on getting to her room as quickly as possible, Rebecca didn’t see the mitten someone had left on the stairs until her foot slipped on it. Next thing she knew, she had fallen several stairs. To her horror, she noticed that she had hit her father’s favorite picture when she fell! A huge gash ran along the front of the picture.

Normally, Rebecca would have hurried immediately to her father after such a fall so he could doctor her up and make her feel better. But not this time. How could she face her father right now? She had disobeyed him and ruined his favorite picture! Biting her lips to keep from crying out, Rebecca grabbed the ruined picture and hobbled to her room.

For the remainder of the day, she lay in agony. Her body ached from the bruises she received on her fall. But her heart—ah, that ached worse of all! She felt certain that her father would no longer love her. She had messed up in the past, but surely this time she had gone too far! He would probably never want to speak to her again. How could he still love her?

She sobbed uncontrollably on her pillow. She had always been close to her father. They had played and studied together. They had laughed and cried together. But not now. No, she felt certain that all those wonderful times were over.

Who knows how long she would have lain thus had not her nanny come in to check on her. Rebecca’s nanny had a way about her of finding out exactly what was wrong and offering solid, wise counsel. Tonight was no exception.

“Rebecca, dear,” she said firmly, but gently. “You’ve been very wrong. But you must not continue in your wrongness by sitting here. You must go to your father with the broken picture in your hand and tell him everything.”

“Oh, but I can’t! I’m not worthy of His love!” Rebecca sobbed.

Her nanny sighed patiently. “You were no more worthy of it yesterday than today, child. Your father loves you because you’re his daughter, not because of anything you do or don’t do. Hasn’t he told you everyday since you were a little girl, ‘I love you’? Do you doubt his word? Do you really think his love is dependent on you?”

Doubt his word—that was an angle Rebecca had never thought of before. Maybe she should go see her father…yes, she must go see him, for if she didn’t, she’d never be able to rest.

So, still shaking and trembling with fear, Rebecca limped down the hall to the living room. She paused at the doorway. Her father was sitting in his favorite chair, just like he did every night. He looked up when she entered, and a smile radiating with love illuminated his face.

“Ah, you’ve come at last! I’ve been waiting. Come, sit here on my lap.” As he spoke, he opened his arms widely.
Rebecca couldn’t stand it. “Oh, you don’t understand, Father! You can’t love me anymore. I’ve been terribly wicked and-” Rebecca held up the picture frame for her father to see.

“I know, Rebecca—more than you think. I watched you go outside. I watched you fall and hit the picture frame. I saw it all.”

“You did?” Rebecca was flabbergasted. “But-but weren’t you at work?”

Her father shook his head. “I took the day off to spend some special time with you. That’s why I told you not to go outside to play. Ever since I saw you fall, I’ve been longing for you to come to me so I could bandage your wounds and help you. Won’t you come now?”

Rebecca could hardly believe her ears. Her father had planned to spend the afternoon with her…and she had missed it. Oh, what foolishness! Yet her father knew it all…and loved her anyway. Could it be? “But, Father, how can you love me now?”

Rebecca’s father smiled a smile she would never forget. “Rebecca, dear, I loved you before you were born. You’re my daughter. And I will always love you. Although sometimes your actions will result in consequences you could have avoided, nothing can ever separate you from my love. Now won’t you come and let me help you with those bruises?”

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unclothedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:35-37
http://www.christianperspective.net/articles/stories

I have chosen to take the story below as one of my favorites.

This shows that no matter how rough and disgusting our journey may be, it doesn't mean God isn't putting our dreams into consideration. It only shows He is not just taking us through a journey that leads to our dreams but that leads to the excellency of the dream...

I do not know how to really express my words

Pidgin2, Muafrika2, analice107 please I will like you all to go through the story below and tell your thoughts on it.

The Three Trees

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. 

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" 

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!" 

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world." 

Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" The first tree said. 

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his ax, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!" 

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me," he muttered. With a swoop of his ax, the third tree fell. 

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. 

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river. Instead she was taken to a little lake. 

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

Many, many days and night passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." her husband whispered. 

The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful." she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world. 

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain. 

The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew she was carrying the king of heaven and earth. 

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font] with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. 

It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world. 

The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you want, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

gatewaytojesus.com

Cool story.

All were useful vessels that served the same God in unique capacities. Its true that God always answers prayers. But you may fail to notice if you are out of tune with God.

Its like praying to have God increase patience, love, etc honestly I stopped making such prayers They will come at you in form of what you are trying to escaspe

Muafrika2:

Cool story.

All were useful vessels that served the same God in unique capacities. Its true that God always answers prayers. But you may fail to notice if you are out of tune with God.

Its like praying to have God increase patience, love, etc honestly I stopped making such prayers They will come at you in form of what you are trying to escaspe

I understand you. It's like our prayers mean something different to God. And the amazing thing is that God's way turns out to give a more beautiful answer than the one we're expecting that looks so direct.

God knows best. He's really mysterious and amazing. His ways and thoughts are really beyond ours. What should comfort us is that He does all things for our own good.

OtemAtum:
why are you so happy whenever you see criminal Samuel Chinedum Ekwueme's moniker? I guess you'd like to marry him over and over again if he isn't married yet
Joke joking anyway

Why are you so obsessed with him? It's like your world revolves around him. Only you know his offline name and everything. N'a wa o

Should I conclude your god is too boring for you that you Need someone else to fill the gap?

I beg leave the guy matter alone and concentrate on what your god call you to do. But if you want to continue fine. But there's a difference between seeking one's downfall and his entire family and seeking for evidence or whatever you're looking for.