by leaps and bounds

An Arise Ministries Network

recent posts

about

  • Caught In The Middle

    Caught In The Middle

    So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him,” But the people answered him not a word(I Kings 18:20-21).

    The Bible scene here was actually a showdown between the prophets of Baal- a false god- and God Himself. Elijah confronted God’s people regarding who they were going to believe and who they were going to serve. The people said nothing- basically they were between the altar and the door. In other words, they were caught between repenting and believing in God or walking away in disbelief.

    God wants no one halted between two opinions. There is no fence to straddle. He wants us to choose.

    You see, we can be caught in the middle also.

    We are caught between deep water faith and the shallow end. We want to believe to a point, but we don’t want to go too far. Deep water faith is faith in what we cannot see. Deep water faith is faith in God who can call all things into existence. The following verse speaks of the very essence of faith:

    Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen(Hebrews 11:1).

    We are caught between the God we want and the God who is. The God we want is sometimes the grandfather type- giving us what we want, but not allowing anything bad to happen in our lives. God is indeed a God of love but He is so much more. This is what makes Him so awesome.

    He is a jealous God according to Exodus 34:14- “For thou shalt worship no other god; for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”

    He is the God of battles according to II Chronicles 20:15- “He said, Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

    He is the God who teaches us to war against the enemy of our souls according to Psalm 144:1- “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.”

    He is the God who is with us to the end according to Matthew 28:20- “… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

    We are caught between our desires and His dreams for us. God has a dream and a plan for each of us. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” He wants to finish what He starts in us because he wants our end to be great. Think of the words of Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

    We must get out of the middle when it comes to our faith in God and our Christian walk. Hear the words of Elijah: “If the Lord is God, follow Him.” Let us hear those words and choose to obey them.

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • God’s Word- To Help, Not To Harm

    God’s Word- To Help, Not To Harm

    All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (II Timothy 3:16-17).

    Back in the Dark Ages (LOL), I remember learning to write in cursive. At first, I wrote too large. My teacher corrected me. Then, I wrote too small. So, my teacher corrected me and worked with me until I did much better.

    Did my teacher correct me because she was mean? Did she dislike children? No! She corrected me because she cared about my education and about me as a person.

    God corrects us through His Word. He does this because He cares about us and our eternity. We can see and hear His heart in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

    In our day, sometimes people are offended if ministers preach anything that even sounds negative. However, Scripture is useful for correction and training.

    Paul, in I Corinthians 9:27, wrote: “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” It seems to me that he saw a need for caution and improvement in his life. Surely, there is room for improvement in my life- what about yours?

    The next time you hear a pastor mention things like sin and sanctification out of a heart of concern, remember he or she is trying to help you or someone around you. Speaking for myself as a minister, I am far from mean. Speaking for myself, I truly love God’s people. I also love lost people and if mentioning sin will help them acknowledge sin and accept Jesus, then I will do it. Then, best of all, I will watch God set them free from sin and change them so they can live righteously before Him.

    This is the whole purpose of God’s Word. He intends the Word to help us- not to harm us.

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Love Is…

    Love Is…

    Have you ever felt like you were drowning?

    That anxiety has taken over your body so much that you can not even focus on what is right in front of you? Have you ever thought, is this life going to ever cut me a break? When will I be able to breathe freely? If you answered yes to any of the above, you are not alone. 

    Life can be hard. It takes every ounce of energy sometimes to just get out of bed. The twists and turns of the unknown can weigh you down. I want to remind you that there is someone who knows how you feel, how you worry, and how to love you through it all.

    Who can do this? His name is Jesus. He has proven His love for the world when He chose the cross. He chose death for the hope of having you, “For God so loved the world that He gave” (John 3:16). Let me tell you, Jesus said yes to Father God for you. He didn’t even have to think twice about it.

    All your mess, all your mistakes, all your junk, all your sin, Jesus knew it all. He took the weight of the sin so you no longer have to be bound by it. John 3:17 reads, “For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” He signed His son over for our ransom with no guarantee that we would ever accept His sacrifice. If that isn’t love, then tell me what is? Love is more than just a nice word to hear. It is action! 

    Love is patient

    love is kind. 

    It does not envy, 

    it does not boast, and it is not proud.  

    Love does not dishonor others.

    It is not self-seeking, 

    it is not easily angered, 

    it keeps no record of wrongs. 

    Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

    It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

    Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)

    So the next time you feel alone, remember you are loved. The next time you doubt you are worthy, remember you are loved. When you think no one cares, remember you are loved. When someone else fails you, remember you are loved. When life hands you some tough times, remember you are loved. You are loved by the one who is love, and He will love you in the good, in the bad, and in all the ugly. That is what He does. He perseveres to show you He loves you. And Love truly does win, not sometimes, but every time.

    Tina Bassett resides in New Martinsville. She is a single mom of three beautiful daughters: Rachel, Charity, and Destiny. She is the director of the greeters/ushers, serves on the prayer team, and also participates on the praise and worship team at her local church. She loves animals and the beach. More than anything she wants her life to reflect God’s love and have an impact on those around her.

  • It Is About Relationship

    It Is About Relationship

    Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered collonades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie- the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your bed and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked (John 5:2-9 NIV).

    It is interesting to read through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in order to see what Jesus was- and is- about. Instead of always being around the religious people of the day, Jesus went to the places of real human need- much like the pool of Bethesda where he found this particular man who needed Him the most.

    You know, religion can be a cold, unfeeling institution that offers no compassion and no life. A real Christian experience is about relationship- relationship with Jesus, fellow Christians and other people who need the Lord also.

    The invalid at the pool knew nothing about relationship with God. To him, his hope and his healing was in the pool. He was looking for the healing- not the Healer.

    Often we are the same way. We need to understand that God wants us to know Him for who He is, not just for what He can do for us.

    If we want salvation we must know the Savior. If we want healing we must know the Healer. If we want help, we must know the Helper. Remember, it is not about religion- it is about relationship.

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Follow Him

    Follow Him

    As the picture says, “True bravery is following Christ in a world that hates Him.” It’s so sad that there are so many people that do hate him; if they only knew the things that He does in their lives even though they might not even realize it or have walked away from Him. He’s still there. I know it’s free will that you can do what you want and He’s going to let you do that, and I think that is where a lot of people have the misunderstanding of… well why didn’t God help with this or why didn’t God stop that? If you’re doing stuff in your life that might not be good for you or good for someone else, he’s not going to stop you. As I said above, you have free will. This is your decision to go ahead and do something. We have all done it. It’s your flesh if you say well I’m just going to go ahead and do this. And then you have the enemy on your shoulder saying it’s OK.

    But God wants to help you, He wants to be in your life, He wants you to trust Him. He wants you to come to Him when you’re having problems. All you have to do is ask Him, and just say, “God I need your help,” and He’s going to help you. He will get you through those times that you feel there’s no one else, that you’re all alone, or there’s no one to turn to.

    But that’s when you need to have your trust in Him. Believe me, I know.

    There have been times that I had to put all my trust in Him, and I did…I put all my faith in him and all my trust in Him. He was there beside me through everything and I know I’ve said this in other blogs; I’ve repeated this over and over but until you go through something, and you go to Him, and you ask Him to help you and He does, you’re not going to understand fully. It can be something that is so hard to get through your head that he will be there.

    With the way the world is today, we need to trust him in everything we do.  Jesus is coming back, and he’s coming back sooner than we think.

    There are people that will say, “Oh no one knows when he’s coming back,” and no we don’t, we don’t know when He’s coming back but He is, and we need to be ready. Some of us have friends and family that feel they’ve got all kinds of time to get right with God, but we don’t know: it could be today, it could be tomorrow.

    Some people feel that they are OK with God because they are a good person, which I’m sure they are and that because they do good by people and I’m sure they do, that they are fine. But if you don’t have Jesus as your Lord and savior, there is a problem. You should go to church to worship him, as well. Yes, I know you can listen to worship music at home, but that’s not the same. You need to be in God’s house. You need to be with other people who believe in God and trust God so you can see and hear the things that he does in their lives.

    Psalm 9:10:

    10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

    I hope this blog helps someone if you’re not quite trusting God or have people telling you that there is no God. THERE IS A GOD… Just let him in your life.

    And remember, never let your cup be empty..☕️

    Lou Ann Virden is the author of the blog Farmhouse, Coffee and Jesus. She is very active in her church. She volunteers in the food pantry, usher/greeter team, and cleaning crew. She is on the prayer team, is over the sound room team, and she writes the newsletter for her church. Lou Ann and her husband Donnie will be relaunching The Refuge 180 Evangelism Ministry. They have been married for over 40 years. They live on her husband’s family farm with their dog Hunter. In the summer they are busy canning what they harvest from their garden. Her hobbies include going to the beach, reading, camping, and serving however she can. She hopes that her blogs inspires someone that might be dealing with a similar situation.

  • It’s Time To Get Healed

    It’s Time To Get Healed

    It’s our responsibility to get healing. We need to stop taking what was accomplished on the cross for granted. Jesus died for our FULL healing: inside and out. This means we should not be bleeding on everyone else. Especially if you are in a leadership role or ministry position. When we know the truth, we are held accountable to walk that out.

    John 15:22 says, “They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.”

    Now that we know the Truth, we are guilty if we do not walk out our salvation. When I first surrendered back to the Lord, He immediately told me to go and make disciples. I thought it was odd because the church was already supposed to be doing that… but most aren’t. That could be a blog for another day, but today we are focusing on maturing and growing up.

    After the Lord told me to do that, He led me to get inner healing and deliverance. Now, I had grown up in a spirit-filled church my entire life and was even saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit when I was a child at church camp, yet all these years I didn’t grasp the concept of being set free from my torment. When I found out it was even a thing, I got angry because it was not being taught in the church. It was the key in my life that changed everything and set me forth in my destiny, yet I had never even heard of it before. The church of all places should be teaching this. But of course, the enemy doesn’t want that to take place.

    But the thing about me is, when I learn more truth and freedom, I’m going to share it and shout it from the rooftops. The Bible says deliverance is the children’s bread: this means believers will be going through it, not the unsaved. So, why was this not taught? That is a question I couldn’t spend too much time on, what I needed to do was begin to teach on it and get the truth out there.

    So, after the Lord lead me to go through inner healing, everything changed. The fear, the anxiety, the prison I was living in mentally immediately began to fade away. I began to learn my true identity in Christ and what freedom really was. I began to grow quickly into what the Lord called me to be. This was the only missing piece. I had tried to live for God my whole life, but I was never able to keep my head above water… until HEALING took place. This was seriously the game changer for me. I finally began to overcome my sin and become holy and righteous like the Lord instructs us to.

    So, if you’re reading this and struggling, this is your confirmation that the Lord is speaking to you and telling you to get set free once and for all. In fact, we are supposed to be maturing and growing in the Lord, so it shouldn’t even be an option. If not, we will be bleeding onto others and hurting them. Hurt people hurt people and we are coming into a season where this won’t be acceptable to the Father any longer.

    The church is held to a higher standard and it’s time we start taking some responsibility, stop pointing the finger at everyone else, and grow up and get healed and made WHOLE. When Jesus died for your full freedom and deliverance, do you think He is going to accept the excuse on judgement day for why you didn’t choose to receive it, and instead you hurt others in the process? I think not.

    It’s time to get free and healed once and for all. It won’t take away the warfare, but you will be able to rise above your circumstances and live in a place of victory and be seated in heavenly places. The Lord has already done His part, the responsibility now lies on us. It’s time. GET FREE! Do the work, walk out your salvation and grow in maturity in Christ. Others lives depend on it…

    Hannah Smith, author of the Moving Mountains blog, is a woman who feels she has experienced a lot of life in her 33 years. 

    At 19 years old, Hannah joined the Army. After moving around the country, getting a divorce and losing what seemed like everything, she landed back where God wanted her in Ohio, even though she fought the whole way. She is now a devoted follower of Christ and seeks the Lord with all she’s got.

    Hannah is married and a RN, but works as a stay-at-home mom to her 3 children per instruction from the Lord.

    She loves to hike, travel, drink coffee, and talk about Jesus. Hannah also has a heart to create a home and life in which she can be a safe place for the hurting and the broken. Her biggest piece of advice would be to never tell the Lord you will never do something- because He will most likely then ask you to do that very thing, LOL!

    To her readers, Hannah says, “I believe that God set every single one of you reading this apart, for such a time as this. It is my hope and prayer that God would use the words I say to change your life in a way you and I never thought possible!”

  • We Can Stop The Criticism

    We Can Stop The Criticism

    For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God- not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

    You know, we can be our own worst critic. I know this phrase is a little cliche, but it is so true. I know for sure that I qualify as my own worst critic. This is how it is for me:

    I can play music, but I’m not good enough.
    I can write, but not good enough to write a book. I pray, but not enough.
    I read my Bible, but not enough.
    I try to live right, but I’m not holy enough.

    Ephesians 2:8-9 addresses our tendency to think we are never good enough. We are saved through faith because our works will never be good enough. When we depend on our abilities, and see how inadequate they are, we can begin to feel that we are unworthy to even approach God. This is so far from the truth.

    If we could save ourselves, why did Jesus have to die on the cross? If our works can save us, how many and what kind of works do we have to perform? The real truth is- God wants to help us do what we cannot do by ourselves. Therefore, no matter how unworthy we may feel, He invites us to approach Him instead of shrinking away from Him. Notice the following Scriptures:

    All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and THE ONE WHO COMES TO ME I WILL BY NO MEANS CAST OUT (John 6:37).

    Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…(James 4:8).

    Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (I Peter 5:6-7).

    Considering these verses, what should we do? Stop the criticism. God says we can come to Him and He will help us. We can stop the criticism!

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Overcomer

    Overcomer

    Just because someone has said it doesn’t mean you have to come into agreement with it. Many times in life, we sit back and allow people to talk about us and speak word curses over us, and sometimes we even do that to ourselves. God is calling to His people in this hour to rise above the natural circumstances and plow through disappointment because His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians12:9), and nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 8:39). 

    No matter what you are facing in this season of your life, I guarantee it has not caught the Lord by surprise. Nothing gets by Him. He has seen every heartbreak, every mistake, every let down, and He has collected every tear you have ever shed. He is a God that is easily moved by our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). He is our beloved who cares and helps us through it all. 

    Are you going to live defeated, or are you going to stand tall and declare that God is for you and nothing can stand against you (Romans 8:31)? No weapon formed against you will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). That you fight from a seated position in Christ. Set down at the table and eat in the presence of your enemies (Psalm 23:5). Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God delivers us out of them all (Psalm 34:19). God is faithful that promised, and He watches over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). Hold fast to your confession and waver not. 

    Declare today: I am not going to quit. Declare I refuse to surrender. Declare I am more than an overcomer through Christ Jesus. I have read the back of the book, and I am a winner! I have been delivered, set free, and set apart to do His great works. I am an ambassador of the Kingdom (2 Corinthians5:20), and I represent Christ well. 

    Stop trying to fix things yourself and turn it over to the Lord who knows how to work behind the scenes. Start speaking faith over fear. Hope over despair. Victory over defeat. Square your shoulders and straighten your crown. The King is watching, and the King is coming, so be watchful and don’t get caught sleeping.

    Tina Bassett resides in New Martinsville. She is a single mom of three beautiful daughters: Rachel, Charity, and Destiny. She is the director of the greeters/ushers, serves on the prayer team, and also participates on the praise and worship team at her local church. She loves animals and the beach. More than anything she wants her life to reflect God’s love and have an impact on those around her.

  • Always The Same

    Always The Same

    And You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail (Hebrews 1:10-12).

    Autumn is a season that exudes change. The colors of the leaves change. The leaves fall. Summer heat gives way to crisp, cool fall air. Time even changes as we turn our clocks back. As they say- change is inevitable.

    During the years 1962-63, there was a cartoon called “The Jetsons.” It was actually supposed to be set in the year 2062. As a child, I enjoyed the cartoon, but I thought it was funny that the writers believed the world could possibly change that much. Notice some of the things this cartoon show predicted:

    Rosie the Robot helped with household chores. The oven was self-cleaning.
    The house lights were voice activated. Videophones were used.

    I thought these changes would never come! However, look where we are: Robots don’t only help with household chores, they are used in performing surgeries.

    Self-cleaning ovens have been with us for a long time.
    House lights can be activated by voice, but also by clapping of the hands. Those videophones are now Zoom, Skype and Facetime.

    Technology has changed. So have other things changed:
    Credit and debit cards have all but replaced currency.

    Self checkout has replaced cashiers.
    Cursive writing has almost disappeared because a straight line drawn at a checkout counts as a signature.
    Government has become exceedingly divided thus dividing the citizenry.

    As we look at these changes, we can see some change has been good. Some change has been bad. The jury is still out on some changes we have seen.

    Yes, change is inevitable. Tomorrow, society will be different than it is today. We have no idea how much our world will change. Certainly, we can be thankful that God is always the same no matter how chaotic things may seem. Using lyrics from old and new songs- we can be thankful that these truths do not change:

    The old rugged cross still makes the difference. There is still power in the blood to wash away all sin. God is still our good, good Father.
    God is faithful.

    Dwelling on the uncertainty of this world will get us nowhere- nothing to hold on to. Dwelling on the stability of God will get us to Heaven- He is our firm foundation. We can hold fast to the words of Hebrews 6:17-19:

    Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…”

    So, we can let change occur without fearing what will result. After all, God is always the same.

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Grace And Mercy

    Grace And Mercy

    The Difference

    So, grace is getting what you don’t deserve, while mercy is not getting what you deserve. Grace is most needed during sin, suffering, and brokenness. In a world of earning and merit, judgment dictates what you deserve. That is why everyone wants and needs both mercy and grace.

    God’s grace is usually defined as undeserved favor. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given.

    We count on God’s grace and the bridge he built in our relationship with him.

    From the Old Testament, we know that grace is a part of God’s character.

    Grace is freely offered and is Christ’s gift to give, but over and over again in the Bible He teaches the conditions that he expects His followers to abide by in order to receive grace. You must forgive others, turn away from sin and live with faith.

    Mercy

    Mercy is the kindness and compassion shown to one who offends, while grace is an abiding presence of God in our souls which lifts us up. Grace will eventually be complete when you are in heaven, whereas mercy ends in the moment of death, when you face God’s judgment and justice. Mercy is only extending to you in this life to bring you into His sanctifying grace.

    Lamentations 3:22-23 – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

    His mercy is there just like His love for us… but we must be faithful to Him.

    We should cry out to him for mercy…but what does it mean to cry for mercy?

    It means not keeping quiet but raising your voice to the one who alone can show mercy – GOD. MERCY – compassion, leniency, forgiveness, sympathy, kindness. To have mercy is to show kindness to someone or have compassion to a point of doing good to the person.

    So, if you want to know how God showed me Grace & Mercy, go to my blog dated January 2022… it was at one of the lowest points in my life.

    BUT GOD…

    In Hebrews 4:16 it reads:

    “Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

    My God has shown me grace and mercy when I didn’t deserve it. But he had a plan for me. He didn’t make my situation happen, but He guided me through it, to show me that He is there NO MATTER WHAT we are going through. It was only by His grace that it worked out the way it did.

    It was during that time that I realized that I had taken things for granted. Well, let me tell you, I don’t anymore.

    He can get you through anything with His grace & mercy…so don’t ever give up.

    I hope this helps someone today. My God bless you … and always remember, never let your cup go empty. ☕️

    Lou Ann Virden is the author of the blog Farmhouse, Coffee and Jesus. She is very active in her church. She volunteers in the food pantry, usher/greeter team, and cleaning crew. She is on the prayer team, is over the sound room team, and she writes the newsletter for her church. Lou Ann and her husband Donnie will be relaunching The Refuge 180 Evangelism Ministry. They have been married for over 40 years. They live on her husband’s family farm with their dog Hunter. In the summer they are busy canning what they harvest from their garden. Her hobbies include going to the beach, reading, camping, and serving however she can. She hopes that her blogs inspires someone that might be dealing with a similar situation.