In God we Trust

Friends of Faith:
This is what was posted today on the Hobby Lobby site... worthwhile reading and prayerfully it is the way we should and do "work" everyday...trusting God. He has certainly been our reliance, our strength and our joy.

Especially over the past two weeks we have thanked him for every blessing we have received... your prayers, the firemen's hands who fought and saved paperwork, the many willing hands we have called upon and those we have yet to call upon, answers to prayers for tools and a more current answer to office space for our sales and parts departments. And we ask for mercy for all the prayers of thanksgiving we didn't offer up because we didn't see the gifts before the fire.

Why is it that something has to be taken away from us to be able see the blessings of the gifts being given to us before they are lost? Not only is it evident by a fire (or any storm) which only destroyed/s replaceable "stuff," but also in terms of our marriages (in divorce and death); in our families (through the separation of unforgiveness and illness); and in our children who grow up too quickly.

We are still unable to access the building, but the blessing here is that this week we were able to focus on getting our service and sales departments up and running as well as settle into my new office space uptown. We are taking this long holiday weekend to regroup mentally by rest, prayer, and family time.

On Monday, with the help of your prayers we will be open for full service, sales and parts at the ZLine 9 Building just to the south of our former location. I have been operational all week at my new location 108 E High St. (formerly Doyles Family Pharmacy). Many thank you's continue for the Zimmerman's and Doyle's who have been so accommodating to our needs.

We would ask your continued prayers for the patience of our team, and our customers--especially those in any way impacted by some loss of equipment in the fire; for our insurance company to remain fair in their settlement with them and us; for the Fire Marshall to release the building for inventory and demolition; and for your willing hands when we call with a specific need.

Again, many, many thanks for your continued prayers.
May we not only be a nation, but a people who places our trust in God.
Have a Safe and Enjoyable 4th of July with family and friends,
In God we Trust!
Charlotte

One Nation, Under God with Liberty and Justice for All

Friends of Faith:

“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and all my will—all that I have and possess. You, Lord, have given all that to me. I now give it back to you, O Lord. All of it is yours. Dispose of it according to your will. Give me love of yourself, along with your grace, for that is enough for me.” –St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

I search for truth: for liberty and justice for all. And I find I need to say nothing, except to quote this week’s scripture and the prayers of the Saints scattered amongst prayer book after prayer book to remind me that if I put God FIRST, and never second then I too will have the freedom I am seeking.

“Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you go on biting and devouring one another,
beware that you are not consumed by one another. I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Gal 5: 1,13-18

Serve God, not the law: don’t abuse the freedoms and the free will that God has given us (God may have given me a choice, but if it isn’t God’s will, then it might not be a good choice).

Give him my memory—my memory? (put into my head, my memory, only what is truly God’s understanding, and forgive and forget any injustices I may have received so that I may love my “enemies” as unconditionally as God loves me.)

And a reminder that the world is made of things to serve our flesh (good things to consume, look at, buy, and use) but that the Spirit which guides us would only give us these things to sustain us and to use for the good of others. Food is to sustain, sex is to procreate and unify a marriage, and time, talent AND treasures are to give away: so that others may also be filled with Christ (physically, emotionally and spiritually.)

Only God’s law IS law: and man’s laws which override the commandments take away our freedoms instead of protecting them.

“O God our Creator, from your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ. Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel to every corner of society. We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty.

Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.
Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters gathered in your Church in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome— for the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us—this great land will always be “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Prayer of St. Thomas More, patron for religious freedom)

Happy Independence Day! May you seek and be blessed with the truth of God, the Spirit of Undivided Liberty and Justice, Joyful Freedom from worldly desires, and be justified thru the Grace of God.

In Faith,

Charlotte

The Freedom of God's Amazing Grace

Friends in Faith,

Happy 4th of July! America was founded under God to give us the freedom to create and the opportunities to achieve a bucket list. Are the bucket lists we have created with the freedom of our independence something that God would be proud of?

“Consequently, brothers and sisters, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Rom 8:9, 11-13

Is the bucket list you have created heavy with goals of the world rather than the Spirit? Is your bucket filled with self doubts or self pity that you don’t have enough worldly gifts to reach the bottom so that you can empty the bucket? Is the bucket filled with worries about family, friends and things that cloud the goals with fear?

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Mt 11:25-30

So who lightens your bucket? Who is in your life to help you see clearly to the bottom, unload the burdens, and empty the bucket?

“Know that I am with you; I will protect you wherever you go, and bring you back to this land. I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you.” Gn 8:10-22a

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now, I see. T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come. T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far and Grace will lead us home. The Lord has promised good to me His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.” Lyrics Amazing Grace

God’s amazing Grace. The Grace that He gives us in the Spirit is always with us, always near us, and always promised to us no matter how heavy, how murky, or how covered up the goals become. His Grace, His Amazing Grace, will help lighten our load, will help carry and empty the bucket, will help free us to get us to our own ultimate goal and to help others get to what should be their ultimate bucket goal—heaven.

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4: 6-7

God’s grace calls us not to worry, to always ask and to always give thanks to God for all that we have. If we can remember to ask, if we can remember who has given us every blessing, if we can remember who is ultimately responsible, not only for helping us attain our bucket list, but also for who is in charge of what should be in our bucket list, than His Amazing Grace will also lighten our burdens and flow into us when we need Him the most.

As servants of God we are called to be the spouse, the spiritual advisor, or the friend who can help lighten someone’s bucket by making someone smile through their tears; by saying a comforting word to give someone a glimmer of hope; or by using our gifts with the purpose for which God intended.

God is giving us Grace to be shared, the Spirit that needs to be spread, and the hand to lighten our spouses, neighbors, or friends load by sharing their sufferings and sacrificing our own worldly goals for that which is spiritual.

Is our service to God today, not to complete our own bucket list but to help someone carry their bucket, or to lighten their load? Are our words and deeds helping someone accomplish their bucket list by clearing the junk out of their bucket?

Heavenly Father, In you my God, I place my trust. Thank you for giving me a bucket to fill. Help me to fill that bucket with YOUR desires for me. Help me to share my gifts so that they will help lighten the buckets of those around me. Please fill the buckets of my family with Your Amazing Grace. Thank you for the people who sacrificed their lives so that we can live in a land so abundantly rich and so free. May I always be reminded that the richness, the freedoms, that have been given to me are from You and are for Your purpose. Amen.

May your bucket be filled with the Spirit of His Amazing Grace,
Blessings,
Charlotte