"Through My Eyes" tim tebow's story and some of ours

CHRISTmas Ornament my sis gave me.

"But you shall receive power when the HOLY SPIRIT has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to ME in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8


"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from GOD and not from us." II Cor. 4:7

Dear Praying Friends and Family,
   I have never written the Friday email on my IPhone but I am today. I brought our cat,  Peach," up to the vet in Pulaski, about 45 miles from our house and i can expect to wait for a good while.  Last time I was here all day and I promised myself I'd never do that again and well, here I am.  This animal clinic is crazy busy and it's always interesting to see all the different dogs, cats, horses and  people that come here from all walks of life.  Dr. Galbraith is a very kind, handsome vet.  who is able to multitask very well.  It is nothing to be in the room while he's seeing my pet and he's interrupted several times with others needing his help   I've never been here when the waiting room wasn't full and folks are waiting outside and today is no exception.  It is filled with dogs of all shapes and sizes and a few cats in cages outside. While i was waiting to hear from Peach, a son and Mother brought in a lab that had a stroke and it's eyes were all white.   Last time I was here, there were some extenuating circumstances and i was at the clinic literally all day.   Dr. Galbraith was kind and ended up coming out to the car to treat Dixie who was very sick.  I didn't think Dixie would be able to come back from her flair up of an autoimmune disorder but the Lord restored her and she has done remarkably well the past two months..remarkably.  She is back to going on long walks in the field and i am so thankful.  She is ready to go when i'm not.   I hope Peach will do well but she has a large growth on her side and her hair is falling out.  She doesn't seem to feel bad, but she looks bad...so please pray for Peach.

    The Lord blessed our Christmas celebration and we ended up eating at my brother Ralph's house instead of our restaurant as i mentioned in last week's email. Ralph and Wendy's  warm and loving hospitality was such a dear blessing to our whole family.  My Mother had an accident early Christmas morning, falling backwards into the bathtub and hitting her head.  Thankfully, after a trip to the emergency room, they thought she would be okay and they sent her home. She and Daddy missed our family gathering but afterwards several of our family went down to be with Mom and Dad.  I felt really bad because Mom and Dad had made the Brunswick Stew, Pecan pie, German chocolate cake, bought the crackers, and cheese, along with the paper products so that our family could have a good Christmas and  they weren't able to be with us.

Mom and Dad's CHRISTmas Tree

                                     
        It really touches my heart how my parents and Johnny's mom sacrifice and cook and work so hard so that our Christmas will be special.  Johnny's mom, though she is still grieving over the loss of her husband in Oct and doesn't feel well, managed to make all our family favorite dishes, mine being a salmon loaf and shrimp dish she makes only at Christmas.  Hannah Beth out did herself and used a Paula Dean recipe to make some really pretty and delicious red velvet cake balls to go along with the 5 layer dessert Baba always makes for holidays. I guess the cake balls  were delicious, everyone said they were...i didn't eat any of the cake balls except for a small sampling of the white chocolate on the outside:)

Hannah Beth's Cake Balls

    I made our traditional breakfast casserole for Christmas morning, along with mixed fruit, cinnamon rolls, and our birthday cake for Jesus which was a gluten free chocolate chip cookie that I managed to eat pretty much single handily, though not at one sitting!  I noticed my blue jeans felt a little snug this morning...I'd best lay off those cookies!  Johnny read the CHRISTmas story off his Ipad to us as we ate CHRISTmas breakfast...i made a remark about it, and John Mac said, we're in the technological age Mom, so i followed along using my Iphone to read the Scriptures Johnny was reading to us.
    One of my favorite gifts that we gave the kids this CHRISTmas was Tim Tebow's book, Through His Eyes.

It was so good i finished reading it last night after starting it CHRISTmas night when i got home from Johnny's Mom's.  It's the kind of book that is hard to put down.  In case you have been under a rock and don't know who Tim Tebow is...he was the quarterback at the University of Florida, where they won two national championships while he played.  He won the Heisman Trophy and was nominated for it, three times.   Now he is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos where they recently had a string of comeback wins while Tim was starting quarterback.  Most importantly Tim loves JESUS with all his heart, and has a passion for sharing CHRIST with others. At the University of Florida, Tim became known for wearing the eye black under his eyes during football games with Scripture references written in it just so he could reach more people for JESUS.  After their national championship game his senior year in which he wrote John 3:16 in his eye black, over 90 million people "Googled," the verse to see what it said...

     "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believeth in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:13

Isn't it  amazing that 90 million people are unfamiliar with John 3:16?  The things we take for granted in our CHRISTian circles...the world doesn't know and CHRIST has left us here to share HIM with them.

    Tim Tebow is taking that mandate seriously, "to go ye into all the world and make disciples, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you," as JESUS told us to do in Matthew 28:19.  The autobiography about his story is just another way for Tim to tell the story of JESUS to as many people as he possible can.  

     Tim was born the last of five kids to his missionary parents in the Philippines.  His Daddy was preaching in a remote village in the Philippines when the JESUS film was played on a large, homemade screen hanging between two coconut trees.  HE became heavily burdened about the millions of babies being aborted in America.  Thru his tears over the gigantic loss of human life, he began to pray, "FATHER, if you want another preacher in this world, you give him to me.  You give me Timmy, and I will raise him to be a preacher."  "Timmy," had not been born yet, nor conceived, but GOD knew all about "Timmy" and the plans that he had for Tim Tebow to preach and share JESUS with all the nations and that he does.  Before "Timmy" was born, however, Satan tried to snuff this one that GOD was raising up to preach through an abortion.  Tim's Mother had a great deal of pain and bleeding and many complications.  They went to the best doctor in their area of the Philippines and she told her that she was going to have to have an abortion or lose her life.  They were in shock, but they said an indescribable peace came over her.  GOD's peace is what sustained her through the pain, bleeding, and uncertainty of the next eight months of pregnancy and miraculously, Timothy, which means, "honoring GOD,"  Tebow was born.  The doctors said he was a miracle baby with only a small part of the placenta attached that was enough to provide nourishment for him all those months.  The first week he was born, he lost weight and had to remain in the hospital. His parents asked their friends and family in America to pray that Timmy would grow "big and strong"...guess their prayers were answered.  He's big and he's strong.

      Monday night as i read the book, it was raining outside, and cold.  But i was so inspired reading about Tim's family, and how committed his Mom and Dad are to the LORD.  They homeschooled their kids and it was a blessing to me to read how some of the same things we did with our kids, like putting Scripture to songs to help them memorize GOD's WORD, and using placemat's at the table with the Presidents on them, or countries or other things were ways the Tebow's learned too.  I had the privilege of seeing and hearing Tim's Mom speak at a Ladies Conference this past spring and she was very attractive and you could tell she really loved the LORD.  She shared about teaching the kids how to memorize Scripture through putting little tunes to the WORDs.  We did that too, and we can still sing some of those Scriptures we learned when the kids were little.   The book inspired me on all fronts to be a better CHRISTian...i wrote on my FB wall after reading Monday Night...

     Inspired to walk closer to JESUS, pray more, be a better parent, love more, encourage others, persevere through the tough times, work harder, and many other things after reading from Tim Tebow's book, "Through My Eyes," this cold, rainy night. I highly recommend the book...

   And I do highly recommend the book.   Tim telling his story and GOD's faithfulness in his family and his life, inspires me that we all have a story to tell of GOD's faithfulness, of HIS salvation, and what HE has done for each one of us.  

    As i am writing, my friend Wanda, just sent me her CHRISTmas letter through email.  Yes, it's after CHRISTmas, but she doesn't have time to sit down and reflect about GOD's goodness in her family's life before CHRISTmas, so one of her yearly traditions that is very meaningful to her, is to take time to sit down after CHRISTmas and write about GOD's faithfulness this past year.  She takes her calendar and it helps her to remember all the events and places and things the LORD enable them to do and be together with her husband, children, and grandchildren...it's GOD's story, Through Her Eyes.  

     Week after week, GOD has led me to sit down and write you...and tell you our family's story, along with the story of some of our friend's, and this week, to share with you someone i don't know, but who GOD has used to inspire me through his life.  This year has been "The Best of Times, and the Worst of Times," with John Mac getting engaged to a girl he's liked a long time, but she didn't like him in the same way, Hannah Beth getting accepted into nursing school, I was accepted into nursing school, and John Mac accepted into med school.  It's also been the worst of times, as my FATHER in law died in Oct, one of my dearest friends I've had the privilege to know, lost/won her battle with cancer and many other loved ones left us.  It's also been a particularly difficult second half of the year with my health, and trying to get back on an even keel with all of that...

    "Hitherto has the LORD helped us." I Samuel 7:12...and HE will help us still.

     GOD has been very gracious to our family, and reading the word's of Tim Tebow reminds me that GOD has a plan for all that He allows into our lives, just like his Mom being so sick during her pregnancy with him, has given her a platform to share their story, and share CHRIST with others.  Tim reminds us over and over in the book that GOD has given all of us a platform to share CHRIST, and mine happens to often be through my weakness of health.   I am thankful to be reminded of that platform to share CHRIST's faithfulness in my life, and the life of my family and at the precipice of this New Year the LORD has laid out before us, i want to encourage you my dear friends and family to share CHRIST from the platform that HE has given you.  Tim Tebow knows that football is the platform GOD is using in his life right now to share CHRIST with others, and he is making the most of that platform.  Reading how GOD wired Tim to work hard all of his life to be the best, and gave him parents that had a passion for JESUS and raised him to love CHRIST, and equipped him with the tools he needed to be who he is, inspires me so much.  It reminds me that GOD is indeed sovereign over ever little detail of our lives, and that brings comfort and peace to me.

    If you don't know the LORD JESUS CHRIST as your LORD and SAVIOR and haven't made peace with HIM, He invites you to believe that HE sent HIS SON to earth as a little baby, to die on a cross to pay the punishment for all the wrong things that you and i have ever done...all of them.  He asks us to believe in HIM, and to turn away from our sins....   GOD wants to open our blind eyes and let the light of HIS salvation flood our hearts and help us to live abundant lives here on earth and for all eternity. "I came that they might have life and might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

The souls of natural men are so blinded that they see no beauty or excellency in Christ. They do not see his sufficiency. They see no beauty in the work of salvation by him; and as long as they remain thus blind, it is impossible that they should close with Christ. The heart will never be drawn to an unknown Saviour. It is impossible that a man should love that, and freely choose that, and rejoice in that, in which he sees no excellency. But if your eyes were opened to see the excellency of Christ, the work would be done. You would immediately believe on him; and you would find your heart going after him. It would be impossible to keep it back. But take heed that you do not entertain a wrong notion of what it is, spiritually to see Christ. If you do, you may seek that which God never bestows. Do not think that spiritually to see Christ, is to have a vision of him as the prophets had, to see him in some bodily shape, to see the features of his countenance. Do not pray or seek for any such thing as this. But what you are to seek is, that you may have a sight of the glorious excellency of Christ, and of the way of salvation through him, in your heart. This is a spiritual sight of Christ. This is that for which you must cry to God day and night. God is the fountain of spiritual light. He opens the eyes of the blind. He commands the light to shine out of darkness. It is easy with God to enlighten the soul, and fill it with these glorious discoveries, though it is beyond the power of men and angels.

~Jonathan Edwards~

 Tim Tebow's family sure is a picture of that abundant life...a life well lived that GOD desires to honor and to bless.  I hope you can get a copy of the book, and be inspired to love JESUS more, to share HIM with others where ever GOD has given you a platform, and live for HIM.  I ask you to pray for Tim and his family...with him being on the front lines, you know that satan loves to attack.  Johnny asked me to pray for him a few weeks ago, and i really appreciate that. Pray for him as he serves CHRIST and seeks to be a witness for him.

   As i was thinking about what song to use, the HOLY SPIRIT brought  "Lifesong,"  by Casting Crowns to my mind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaia32TsPq0&feature=related  What a great song to go with the message of Tim Tebow's book..."Let my Lifesong sing to YOU." Tim Tebow's "Lifesong," is singing to the LORD...is your life and my life?   Is HE pleased with what HE sees in your life and mine? Are we living to the best of our ability to bring glory and honor to our LORD JESUS? Convicting questions to me.  I know that I am challenged by Tim's book to trust in the GOD WHO has a plan and story for all of our lives to bring glory to HIM, to  love JESUS more, love others more, share JESUS more, and be a more godly person in every since of the WORD...and to work out harder with my weights:).    I know i fall far short but i do want HIM to use my life to inspire others, the way HE uses your life and others life to inspire me through this journey called life to live for JESUS and be all that HE wants to be through me.

My brother Joe, and brother Ralph at our restaurant

    We sure have enjoyed getting together with our families this week and I am so thankful for the godly inspiration they have all been in my life.  My brother Tracy and his family drove from LSU and from Texas to be with us, and we look forward to all getting together tonight at our restaurant.  My sis and her husband are on their way over from Mississippi and will be staying with us a couple of days.  

My brother Ralph, nephew Lee, brother Tracy, nephew Nicholas, Hannah Beth

My nephew Drew, my sis, Jill

Please pray for my Mother who is really struggling with her health, mainly depression.  She has struggled with it for years, and really struggled with it for the past several months.  My Mom and Dad celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary tomorrow and how I praise GOD for HIS faithfulness to our family.   What an example my Daddy has been caring for my Mom.... he is a picture of CHRIST laying down HIS life for HIS Bride, the Church. 

My Mom and Dad

                                               




    Pray for my brother and his family as they head back to Texas today (Friday), and please remember my cat, Peaches. The vet was very gracious and took Peach right on back, and she has cancer.  I am really sorry, though i am not surprised.  He gave me some medicine to help keep her comfortable for the time being...although she doesn't seem uncomfortable yet, i know that it will only be a matter of time before she is, and i can't bear the thought of her suffering.  Also, their is a family in our community who tragically lost their son earlier this week, after he was burning leaves with his family and caught on fire on CHRISTmas eve.  The young man was 19, and my heart has been hurting for them so much.  His mother and I played a lot of ball against each other when i was in high school, and i just keep thinking, that's just like our family. Thank you for remembering that family in your prayers...the young man's funeral was today.  We never know how long we have to "Let My LifeSong sing..." to HIM.  LORD JESUS teach us to number our days, and "Let My LifeSong Sing to YOU," today, and everyday.

                                                            With all HIS love and

                                                               Happy New Year,

                                                                             mitzi

   Some truths about CHRISTian love i read earlier in the week that really spoke to me.  This love characterizes Tim Tebow's life, and my Dad's love for HIS bride.  Thank you for sharing the love of CHRIST with me and our family over and over and over....Be sure and click on "CHRISTian Love," to get the full sermon. It is powerful and convicting.

  

The Definition of Christian Love

Christian love will show itself in the general spirit and demeanor of a believer. It will make him kind, unselfish, good-natured, good-tempered, and considerate for others. It will make him gentle, affable, and courteous, in all the daily relations of private life. It will make him thoughtful for others' comfort, tender for others' feelings, and more anxious to give pleasure than to receive. True love never envies others when they prosper, nor rejoices in the calamities of others when they are in trouble. At all times, it will believe, and hope, and try to put a good construction on others' actions. And even at the worst, it will be full of pity, mercy, and compassion.

~ J.C. Ryle

  Tract: Christian Love

     "Be imitators of GOD, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as CHRIST loved us and gave HIMself for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to GOD." Ephesians 5:1-2

   " We will be known forever by the tracks we leave." 

     

Sent from my iPhone

"Is There Room in Your Heart for HIM?"

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call HIS name JESUS, for HE will save HIS people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped HIM in swaddling cloths,  and laid HIM in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7

     Dear Praying Friends and Family,

                  You were so very kind to be so happy for my son and his new bride to be, and for our family.  What a journey it has been and such a joy to see GOD open the heart of his beloved.   Thank you so much for all your encouragement and for being a part of this journey by praying for our family and loving us.    If you missed the email last week about it, you can read about it and see the pictures i posted at http://mitzi-hisgraceissufficient.blogspot.com/2011/12/whose-heart-lord-opened-acts-1614-our.html .Thank you for sharing your lives with me and giving me the privilege of praying for you. It is an honor for me to pray for you and your family.




    We were blessed to celebrate Hannah Beth's 20th birthday last night as a family and again i am reminded of GOD's graciousness in HIM sharing her with us, and delivering her from an early death.  Hannah Beth almost died twice as a little baby with a growth across her windpipe.  We thank GOD for delivering her from death and blessing us with the exuberance of her life these past 20 years.  We met our son, and a friend of HB's at Outback to celebrate her birthday, and surprised her with a cake.  I was proud of myself for remembering she didn't like chocolate and made sure I got the right icing...it never dawned on me the cake was chocolate inside!  I either had a senior moment, and i'm not technically a senior yet...or blonde moment, and i'm not even truly blonde...mine comes out of a bottle. Oh well, my family is used to these shenanigans from me...they happen on a regular basis.  Hannah Beth was very gracious...  she said it just kept her from eating too much cake!

                                              Chocolate on the inside...

       This CHRISTmas, we will be celebrating CHRISTmas on my side of the family at our restaurant which will be a first for our family.  My Mom has not been feeling well enough to have us all, nor have i.  My dear sis in law had us for Thanksgiving and her sweet son offered to have it at his house, but  it was easier on my Mom and us to go somewhere closer. I really appreciate my husband offering the restaurant to us and I appreciate my nephew offering to have CHRISTmas for our big family at his house this year.  Mom  and Dad  have worked really hard making the Brunswick stew and they will be bringing it to the restaurant, which will be closed for CHRISTmas.   I'm planning on making a birthday cookie for JESUS which is one of our family traditions, and others will bring desserts and side dishes to go with the stew...along with all their family and the presents.  The CHRISTmas trees are set up so we will have CHRISTmas at Greenbrier this year.  I am so thankful for the LORD JESUS and all HIS blessings in our lives this year and that Mom and Dad are still with us as well as our whole family. When you lose so many loved ones in a year, including my dear Daddy in law, and one of the dearest friends i've ever known, Darlene Anderson who died in Sept. it reminds how blessed we are to all still be together.  We were so blessed to have a surprise visit from Darlene's family this morning and we all got to visit with each other.  They are hurting as you can imagine, but GOD is holding them, and sustaining them.  The location where we meet to celebrate the birth of our SAVIOR doesn't matter. Meeting at the restaurant reminds me of that "imperfect," CHRISTmas that JESUS came into the world to be born into...our circumstances change from year to year, but JESUS is the same, yesterday, today and forever, and HIS love for us is steadfast and unchanging.  CHRIST  coming to  dwell in the dirty manger of our sinful hearts, transforming them into a treasure for HIM to shine through and drawing others to HIM that is the message and the hope of CHRISTmas.  

      

                 This past Sunday, our pastor preached on the different characters in the CHRISTmas story.  Of course, one of them was the Inn Keeper who told Mary and Joseph that there was no room for them to stay in the Inn, but they could stay in the stable.  Our pastor said, it could actually  have been more like a cave that JESUS was born in and he wondered if the Inn Keeper had known WHO was being born that night if he wouldn't have made room for the KING of KINGS to be born inside the inn.     It is an amazing thing to think about JESUS, the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE, our CREATOR, coming to earth, not with pomp and circumstance, but  HE chose to be born to two young Jewish teenagers, in a dirty manger, where they wrapped HIM, GOD HIMSELF, in some rags they found lying around a place where the animals were kept.  It just amazes me and comforts me to think that JESUS, my SAVIOR chose to be born in the most humble of conditions.       Our old manger scene on the front porch, pictured above, with                                       the cow's ear missing,  doesn't light up anymore.  The paint is scratched on the characters and it reminds me of my life that is tattered and torn and the humble circumstances that JESUS was born into  save us from ours sins.

       My Daddy has always had a barn, and still does.  His barn is not a large one like my Granddaddy's was and we jumped out of the hay loft when we were kids, but it's still a barn. When we were growing up, he always kept a milk cow, and some calves for us to raise for meat, and for my older brothers and sis to show in 4H, and we had a few chickens from time to time, a horse for a short time, a Shetland pony, kittens, beagles, etc, that all shared the barn at one time or another.  Our barn, no matter how much the manure was shoveled out of it,  was still a barn, and usually smelled like a barn.  It wasn't a place that i would choose for my son or daughter to be born, but it was the place that GOD chose for HIS SON to be born.  I am so glad HE did, because i know that JESUS, though HE was the perfect SON of GOD, sent to be the propitiation for your sins and mine, dwelt in circumstances  about as imperfect as you can get:

 

     "He became the SON of Man that we might become sons of GOD.  Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, child of a peasant woman.   He had neither wealth nor influence, neither training nor education; yet in infancy he startled a king; in boyhood HE puzzled the doctors.  In manhood He walked upon the billows and hushed the sea to sleep.  He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for HIS services.  He never wrote a book, yet all the libraries of the world could not hold the books that could be written about HIM.  He never wrote a song, yet HE has furnished the them of more songs than all song-writers combined.  He never founded a college, yet all the colleges together cannot boast of a many students as HE.  

      He was rich, yet for your sakes HE became poor."  How poor?  Ask Mary!  Ask the Wise Men!  He slept in another's manger.  He cruised the lake in another's boat.  He rode on another man's ass.  He was buried in another man's tomb. He was buried in another man's tomb."  

    While still a young man the tide of popular opinion turned against HIM.  HIS friends ran away from HIM.  One of them denied HIM; another betrayed HIM and turned HIM over to HIS enemies.  HE went through the mockery of a trial.  He was nailed upon the Cross between two thieves.  His executioners gambled for HIS coat. Yet, all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man as powerfully as has this one solitary life!  

    Great men have come and gone, yet HE lives on!  Death could not destroy HIM!  The grave could not hold HIM!

    "If thou seek HIM, HE will be found of thee."  I Chronicles 28:9  

                                FIND HIM!                    

                                                      Springs in the Valley, Dec. 20  

  

     I can really relate to things being imperfect in my circumstances, and i am sure that you can too. It's been a rough year for our family...the loss of my Father in law, another close family member who worked at our restaurant, the loss of one of my dearest friends, my health taking not only an unexpected turn, but a very uncomfortable turn, and many other circumstances and situations that have challenged my peace.   Yet, JESUS came that we might have peace with HIM, and peace in the midst of our difficult circumstances.  He promised us HIS peace that only comes from our hearts being fully open to HIM and surrendering our lives and our circumstances to HIM. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

   

    I was at our local CHRISTian bookstore earlier this week to look for a few more last minute CHRISTmas presents.  The book, JESUS Calling,  by Sarah Young has really ministered to me through these latest health trials i've had, and reminded me over and over how much JESUS loves me, and HE is in the midst of my circumstances.  I was drawn to that book in May right before all these things started happening with my health and it's really sweet to me, how the LORD knew the path i was about to go down.  HE led me to that book to encourage me in this rough and steep path i've been on with my SHEPHERD.  My daughter told me there is another book Sarah Young wrote called, JESUS LIVES, Seeing HIS LOVE IN YOUR LIFE.   When i was in the bookstore this week, i was drawn to it too, realizing so much of this painful journey i've been on the past several months, has been about me seeing HIS love in my life in the midst of painful circumstances.  In fact, i know that GOD has enlarged my heart for HIM to make more room for HIM in the midst of these circumstances, as i have clung to my SHEPHERD to help me.  I was really ministered to in the introduction of the book, when i read that Sarah Young herself had health issues, and her health really deteriorated during the time she was writing JESUS LIVES.   She said she had to really rely on GOD to write that book.   It encouraged my heart, as i know in my life and yours, GOD does HIS greatest work in us and through us when we are at our weakest.  Oswald Chambers says, "The weaker the better," and JESUS says, "MY grace is sufficient for you for MY power is made perfect in weakness,"  II Corinthians  12:9.  I really recommend the devotion books, JESUS Calling, JESUS LIVES,  and I noticed they had a JESUS Calling Study Bible and a Kid's Version of JESUS Calling.  Talk about GOD being strong in our weaknesses...GOD has really used Sarah Young's struggles to bless so many others including me with her relationship with CHRIST. I wondered what kind of trials Sarah Young had been through to enlarge her heart to hear the LORD as she does and record the thoughts from our MASTER that she does in her devotion books that are written as if JESUS is speaking directly to your heart and to mine.  It gave courage to my own quivering heart that GOD could somehow use my weaknesses as HE has hers...He promises to do that, and I praise HIM for the trials HE allows in our lives to make room in our hearts for HIM.  

     Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers preached about making room in our hearts for JESUS, this ONE WHO loves us so much that HE came as a tiny baby, born in a feed trough, and died on a wooden Cross for your sins and mine.    

Charles Spurgeon: Room for JESUS

As the palace, and the forum, and the inn, have no room for Christ, and as the places of public resort have none, have you room for Christ?

“Well,” says one, “I have room for him, but I am not worthy that he should come to me.” Ah! I did not ask about worthiness; have you room for him? “Oh! but I feel it is a place not at all fit for Christ!” Nor was the manger a place fit for him, and yet there was he laid. “Oh! but I have been such a sinner; I feel as if my heart had been a den of beasts and devils!” Well, the manger had been a place where beasts had fed. Have you room for him? Never mind what the past has been; he can forget and forgive. It mattereth not what even the present state may be if thou mournest it. If thou hast but room for Christ he will come and be thy guest.

Do not say, I pray you, “I hope I shall have room for him”; the time is come that he shall be born; Mary cannot wait months and years. Oh! sinner, if thou hast room for him let him be born in thy soul today. “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation . . .” (Heb. 3:7–8). “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Room for Jesus! Room for Jesus now!….

My Master wants room! Room for him! Room for him! I, his herald, cry aloud, Room for the Savior! Room! Here is my royal Master—have you room for him? Here is the Son of God made flesh—have you room for him? Here is he who can forgive all sin—have you room for him? Here is he who can take you up out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay—have you room for him? Here is he who when he cometh in will never go out again, but abide with you forever to make your heart a heaven of joy and bliss for you—have you room for him?

’Tis all I ask. Your emptiness, your nothingness, your want of feeling, your want of goodness, your want of grace—all these will be but room for him. Have you room for him? Oh! Spirit of God, lead many to say, “Yes, my heart is ready.” Ah! then he will come and dwell with you.

~Charles Spurgeon~

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (Wheaton, IL; Crossway Books; 2008) p. 63-64. Excerpted from a sermon titled: “No Room for Christ in the Inn” given on December 21, 1862.

    Beloved, JESUS' hearts desire for you and me this CHRISTmas, and everyday is for HIM to dwell in our hearts in HIS fulness.  Only HE can woo us with HIS HOLY SPIRIT to make room in these hard, stony hearts...and often times that comes through pain.  "No man can come to ME, except the FATHER which hath sent Me draw HIM." John 6:44. HE chooses us, like my Son, chose his bride last week, and asked her to marry HIM. He is ever wooing us, and inviting us to be HIS BRIDE, and HE even makes the room in our hearts for HIM...as he opened my son's fiance's heart to him. 

     "Watch for all you are worth until you hear the BRIDEGROOM's voice in the life of another.  Never mind what havoc it brings, what upsets, what crumblings of health, rejoice with divine hilarity when once HIS voice is heard. You may often see JESUS CHRIST wreck a life before HE saves it." 

                                                                                   Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for HIS Highest, March 24

   A friend of mine shared this devotion this morning from Dr. Adrian Rogers about our Bridegroom choosing us to be HIS Bride:  

A Bride Is Chosen; A Son Is Given

BIBLE MEDITATION: 
“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Ephesians 1:4
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The church, as the bride of Christ, was in the heart and mind of God before the foundation of the world. In the same way, Abraham sent one of his servants to find a bride for his son Isaac and she didn’t even know anything about it (see Genesis 24).

There she was, not dreaming that two very important persons were holding a conversation about her. They were making plans for her. And in Genesis 24:14, we learn that she was divinely appointed. She had already been chosen in the heart and mind of God. I like to call this the predetermination of the bride.

In the secret counsel halls of the Almighty, a conference was held. A bride was chosen. He set His affection upon us. Isn’t it wonderful that we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world? And the plan to send the Savior was already in place.

ACTION POINT:
On this Christmas Eve, thank God that He chose you to be a part of His bride—and on Christmas Day, that He sent to Earth the Bridegroom!

    Beloved, if you haven't surrendered your heart to JESUS, this CHRISTmas, HE invites you do just that...it doesn't matter how much you've sinned, HE died to forgive you and me all the sin we have ever done and to bring peace in our relationship with HIM, and with others, and in our hearts.  HE loves us with an everlasting love, Jer. 31:3 and HE kisses us with the kisses of HIS mouth...Song of Sol. 1:2  For those who reject HIS great love, they are condemned to burn in hell forever and ever and there is no peace for them. The SAVIOR is waiting to enter your heart, why don't you let HIM come in?"

     For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON, that whosoever believeth in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life."

    I read a fascinating article http://www.bloggingtheologically.com/2011/12/18/around-the-interweb-47/   this week about the aethist, Christopher Hitchens.  Christopher Hitchens fought vehemently against the Gospel as he debated CHRISTian after CHRISTian about their belief in CHRIST.  This article, written by a seminary professor at Southern Seminary in Louisville, gives us another great glimpse into "How Deep Our FATHER's Love" is for us...that even this man, Christopher Hitchens, might have accepted CHRIST before he died.  He knew all the facts of the Gospel- be sure and watch how this man who rejected CHRIST, schools the "Christian" in Christianity in the video included...but he didn't have room in his heart for JESUS.   Christopher Hitchens, just like the repentant thief on the Cross that ask JESUS to remember him when HE had come into HIS kingdom and  JESUS said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with ME in Paradise,"in  Luke 23:42-44, may be awaiting us in heaven if he indeed repented from his sins in the waning moments of his life.  
       I hadn't planned on using "How Deep the FATHER's Love Is," but as i write i feel overwhelmed with HIS love as i think of the depth of HIS love for us to come to earth as our Bridegroom and give HIS life for us.  Listen to this beautiful song sung by Sarah Sadler...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Voawjjqg8zw.

    I did plan to use the song, "Away in a Manger," sung by Casting Crowns and thought it was very appropriate for what GOD led me to write about this week. This is a beautiful version that reminds us of the humble conditions that our SAVIOR came into the world because HE loves us so very much.  I pray it will be a blessing to you as you listen to it....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnVorT14i4I  I hope and pray you and your loved ones have a wonderful CHRISTmas...wherever you are in your circumstances as you celebrate HIS birth.  You are so very dear  to HIM and I thank GOD for the great blessing you are to me and my family.  

                                                                                                  With all HIS love and Merry CHRISTmas,

                                                                                                        mitzi

                                                              

"But GOD demonstrates HIS love for  us in this: while we were still sinners,
CHRIST died for us." Romans 5:8

                                  "Is There Room In Your Heart for HIM?"