Blessed Assurance... Jesus is mine!

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

Hebrews 10:22

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine!

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, Purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, Washed in His blood.

This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.


Perfect submission, Perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above,
Echoes of mercy, Whispers of love.


Perfect submission, All is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blessed,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

* All scripture quotations are from the King James Version Bible.

**Blessed Assurance lyrics by Fanny Crosby; Public Domain.

After the Storm...

"After the winter comes the summer.  

After night comes the dawn.  

After every storm there comes clear, open skies."

~Samuel Rutherford~

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It is only after we have come through temptations, storms, and trials, that our true character is seen.  We have then been proven.  We either have shown strength and faith in the hardest times... or weakness and faithlessness.  

After the storm... flowers bloom.  When we come through a storm, we have bloomed. Grown.  In ways we previously couldn't even have imagined.  We change for the better when we feel that we are at our lowest.

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One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Habakkuk 3:

 ¹⁷Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

   ¹⁸Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

   ¹⁹The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

I find it so encouraging that, although life-threatening things had happened in Habakkuk's life, he was still able to pick up and say "I am still trusting you, God... You are my strength and I will not fail!"  May we all find the strength to trust God in the hard times.  God promises that He will never leave or forsake us... 

and His plan and way are perfect!  Trust Him... the results will be worth it!

My One Word

Around this time last year, we heard about My One Word, an organization begun by Pastor Mike Ashcraft of Port City Community Church in Wilmington, NC.  The idea behind this New Year's Resolution alternative is that though people may quickly forget about their resolutions, when they prayerfully consider ONE and only one word to characterize their year, they are more likely to stick to it and become what they, and God envision for their life.  

To choose your word, envision the person that, ideally, you want to be.  Then, pick your word based on that person and their characteristics, not on past mistakes, failures, or insufficiencies.  

As for me... last year I chose the word Give.  This year... well, I haven't yet decided on a word.  I have several I am considering.  Believe me, it is a LOT harder than you can imagine!  When there are so many things you desire for your life, it is hard to narrow down to just one word.  And yet, that is the whole idea - focusing on one area to grow in, in your relationship with God and others, and in your own personal life and desires and dreams.

I encourage you to log onto My One Word, for more information, help picking your word, and stories of people that have been impacted by this revolutionary idea.

Holly Anne DeVore