FOCUS!!

...on what's lovely, and true, and faithful!

JESUS!! (the reason for the season)
and reason for advent all year long!!

Advent:
LOVE!!! (in Jesus...because of Jesus! True love!! Pure love! Holy love!)
JOY!! (songs, new songs, old hyms, Christmas songs...in our hearts!)
peace....
and HOPE!

Saturday was spent preparing for a family gathering, but while grocery shopping in Hampstead, MD., I ran into plenty of people to whom I could share some Truth.

Rich's mom who recently joined a church after 5 years of attending. Her and her husband joined because her husband said, it's time. So, they will take the "diamond" introductory classes to find their purpose and place in the church (even though they've been serving and attending for many more years than that!)

At the P.O. We (friends, believers, non-attenders) discussed faith and God's Word about healing.
We're praying for Gabriel Michael who had cancer since he was a baby. (He's about 4 or 5 years old.) The newspapers call him "sick." I said he is not--not according to the Word of God! His grandmom's question is about generational curses--
My response, according to the Word of God:

Christ became a curse (Gal 3:13).
The work was finished at Calvary--and is finished (John 17:4, 19:30).
We were healed by His stripes; therefore, we are healed (1 Peter 2:24).
Lord, help our unbelief (Mark 9:24).

I ran into another former-church-family-member who does not attend church anymore. She'll be a teacher soon.
Hmm?

I ran into her again-- and felt led to say,
"We don't know the day or the hour when the trumpet will sound, so we must be ready!" (Matt 25:13)
That's what the Lord laid on my heart.
And she didn't like it-said she's not ready.
Her response:
"I don't go to church anymore. Don't preach to me!"
(If she's angry and hurt-it makes me sad...and I pray.)

Is there a witness in the house?!!
Last night, I saw a shirt that said "WITNESS." It was a black shirt with silver shadowing the word, "witness." Silly me-in too much of a hurry to stop and talk, just smiled and let my Christ-mas joy shine (b/c I had to get to work, to pay the bills--some of them, anyway.)

So, today, I witnessed: About the young man who was deaf since birth and after receiving Christ as Savior and Lord, received hearing! I witnessed about the guy who had cancer and was diagnosed with one weak to live, but was totally healed by the grace of God, faith, and the prayers of the saints!
And the Buddist, to whom I was sharing these true stories walked away quickly--silently--to his wife, who hated me because I'm a "won't -be- silent- about- Jesus -Christian."

At the family gathering, all I could talk about was cows--how I love cows and what personality they have! And how the kingdom of God is like a milking parlor...