"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."~from ISAIAH 61 Bible verse for this Blog

APOLOGY to READERS who followed a SEARCH to HERE & didn't find it

On July 18, 2017, I drafted almost 3000 blog posts that I had published since 2008 when I began blogging, rather than edit each one. So if you clicked here from somewhere else and ended up with the post unavailable or error, I am sorry but this is why. It'd be too much work for me to go back and fix them. There's an explanation on 7/19/17 as I'm still learning.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

"REDEEMED... " Starts Today

April 20th through June 1st, 2017
(videos every Thursday at LifeWay)


Redeemed - Bible Study Book
(from the author of this)  AngelaThomas Pharr


"Hey everybody!!
I’m so excited to begin REDEEMED with you this coming Thursday, April 20th. If you don’t already have your member book, I hope you can get your hands on one soon. Check your local LifeWay store, LifeWay online or my website to get your member book.
On Thursday, you’ll receive the link to Video 1. It’s my version of an introductory video to set up the content and style of the study, then we’ll begin the first day of the workbook on Friday.
I’m gonna try my very best to interact with you everyday. I’m not sure I can respond to all your comments or questions, but I’ll do what I can that day! While we’ll be doing this study together, our daughter is expecting our first grandchild, one child will graduate college and three others will finish their spring semester (Read: Will need their mama to help them move home and then help them pack and get to their summer commitments). Just like you, we’ve got a lot going on! And with children, the month of May just seems to cave in on top of you. All the more reason to take a little time with our Redeemer everyday!
Please don’t worry about getting behind, or not staying right with all of us. I’ll try to post my comments with a clear reference to the day of the study I’m referring to.
LifeWay has tried to make this area easy for you to use, so that you can comment to one another, interact and encourage one another, etc. I’ll post my daily comments here and also on all of my social media outlets.
This is my first-time hosting one of my studies online, so I’m excited to walk these next six weeks with you. Please know I’m praying for you. My husband, Scott, is praying for you. My friends who pray for me are praying for you! This is gonna be fun, but more than anything, I’m praying for God’s power as you spend time in His Word and in His presence.
The Redeemer keeps redeeming our lives until we see Him face to face. May we all keep being redeemed.
I love you so.
Angela
{taken from the comments of the sign-up post and also her blog}



I'm not sure how this all will work yet
even though I hold the book in my hands
but the first place 
I believe I need to begin 
(besides reading the Intro and viewing the first video)
is by defining

REDEEMED


  1. 1
    .
    compensate for the faults or bad aspects of (something).

    "a disappointing debate redeemed only by an outstanding speech"

    synonyms:save, compensate for the defects of, vindicate 

  2. 2.
    gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment.

(but Day 1, gets into this in her book)

And in case, you're not able or convinced yet
 that this is a Bible Study you need and have not signed up

Please look at the rest of the title ...
(or even the book description)

GRACE TO LIVE
EVERY DAY
BETTER
THAN
BEFORE


"The moment you accept Jesus as the Lord over your life, you are redeemed
As the redeemed, we experience a lifelong journey 
of being transformed into His image ..."



Image result for redeemed
[image credit]


looking forward to the practical side of

REDEMPTION

<>

After the beautiful two page introduction, Angela begins her book with "Preparing for 40 Days"  - "I CAN'T" ... first let me go back a bit into her Intro ... the words that leaped off the page to this soul thirsting for change and a beautiful, grace-filled walk with Jesus - inspite of the disastrous day-by-day struggles, I want to live a life that's being "redeemed" and changed (her words) "to connect your very real, everyday life with the very, real presence and power of God". Angela continues: 

"Here's all I know: When those two things intersect, lives are going to change. Healing will happen. Prayers will be answered. You will know God even more intimately as Your Redeemer."

See the words that are meant for me or stood out!
I know you do!

"HEALING WILL HAPPEN"

yes
and
that's what I pray
for me, for you
then I read
the page
with
I
CAN'T
{in red, nonetheless}
and the words on that page
resonated over and over
and the last words
on that page

"...Too many years have been wasted
spinning in circles, going nowhere."
(p.7)

"How would you fill in this blank?"
(top of p.8)

"I've given up trying____________________"


Romans 7:15, 18b-19

Romans 7: 24

and on and on

each word sinking deeper

striking nerves

thoughts

right down to the marrow of my bones

in my head, in my heart

page 8 - page 9

"Who will deliver me from my pain?"

"my regret, my habits, my choices, my secrets, my sin?"

"Who will deliver us from ourselves?"

of course, most of us, know the answer

but do we really?

all the other questions and words from Angela are just as

POWERFUL

Romans 7:25

followed by

... We have a Redeemer! And we shall be 

Redeemed!

 page 10

is just as powerful, reading Romans 7:15 to the end and Romans 8:1

page 11

GOD CAN

this I believe and really need to see

especially because I already knew

"I Can't"

but

"HE CAN"

or

this is not all

there is still so much more

like page 14

"When MY GREAT NEED accepts GOD'S GREAT LOVE,
REDEMPTION BEGINS

I CAN'T, HE CAN"
Angela Thomas-Pharr
 
(need an image for this one)

WEEK 1: WHEN LOVE MAKES A PROMISE

{yep, this one is a study meant for me}

video link

sample of book

and also

You Version has a 5 day reading plan of

"Redeemed"


{not to be confused with LGG's "Broken and Redeemed", which just finished}


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

No WOW ~ just a reminder


It's Not Too Late to Join the Redeemed Online Bible Study

'US' (above) is LIFEWAY WOMEN

but I've signed up so why don't you?

starts tomorrow


but

in case you did not know


[image credit: CrossCards]


I'd love to be off for a bike ride

instead

of

my normal

Walk On Weds.

listening for

His Whisper


... but for many reasons, I'm not ... no bike (since I've moved home-not a priority and what I had is either gone, rusted or junked; my knees don't work like they used to and the weather is not cooperating right now, kinda dreary and weary) ... occasionally I do use that indoor kind, called an exercise bike, just to keep my knees functioning somewhat better than they do


and

my balance

has been off since last year

which was the reason

I found out inadvertently that I have

hearing loss

so

I'm still adjusting to this.

For this reason

I am leaning in even more

to hear

HIS WHISPERS

much more needed than the loud sounds that invade

my space and place

I choose to fill my head

with

Gods' Words


... my 'ice pick' headaches on my left side of my head have subsided since I went on an audio break and restarted adjusting to my hearing aides and had an MRI ... the headaches are not officially an ice pick headache because of their location but that is the best description for the ones I had, I still have some dizzy stuff when I roll to my left, and due to some problem with my right ear, which is my worst one, of my Eustachian tube not functioning (known as dysfunctional Eustachian tube) - opening and feels like you do on an airplane but it does not pop and stay open, just momentarily, with all the 'tricks' - from gum chewing to nasal spray to holding breath ... this is when more than ever, one relies on the inner person hearing and God's whispers, His Spirit alive in me, is all the more important, as I isolate more and more (of course, which isn't good or recommended) - it is what it is BUT GOD - yes, He is here and hears, I rely on this and His Whispers (wherever they come from) ... 


HAPPY BIKE DAY!

or

HAPPY WEDS! 
WOW

guess I'll try some

Worship On Weds.

with

Kari Jobe's "The Garden"

and



Such a joy to see the birds and buds coming out
{just not the insects, like wood or deer ticks}


This was late today, but then you know that it's just been written and is new


To my faithful visitors;
all of you who spend your valuable time here with me
I do appreciate you so much!

Thank you for taking your time to visit!

Love, Sweet blessings & Hugs!

DIOS TE BENDIGA
GOD BLESS YOU

always

Peggy