KERRRR-PLOP!!!!!

KERRRRR-PLOP GOES MY HEART!

BRETT AND KATE AND I LOVE TO WALK DOWN TO THE LAKE AND THROW IN ROCKS. BRETT'S GO THE FARTHEST BY A LONG SHOT! MINE JUST GO KER-PLOP. SHORT DISTANCE OR LONG, THEY ALWAYS MAKE A RIPPLE.

THIS REMINDS ME OF MY WORDS AND ACTIONS AND THE EFFECT THEY HAVE ON ALL WHO ARE IN THE REALM OF MY INFLUENCE. I WAS READING THIS MORNING IN A BOOK BY BILL CROWDER, SINGING THE SONGS OF THE BROKENHEARTED. IT IS A TEACHING ON SOME OF THE PSALMS.
THIS WERE SOME THOUGHTS I TOOK AWAY FROM THE WRITING ON PSALM 73.

AS A MENTOR....(WE ARE ALL MENTORS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US AND LEARNING FROM OUR LIVES) WE NEED TO BE AUTHENTIC WITH OTHERS BUT LEAVE SOME OF OUR HEART STRUGGLES WITH ONLY THE LORD. HE CAN HANDLE ALL MY STRUGGLES AND WANTS TO, BUT I DO NOT WANT TO DISCOURAGE, OR DISILLUSION THE YOUNGER GENERATION ABOUT GOD'S HOLINESS, SOVEREIGNTY AND FAITHFULNESS.

LORD, WHEN I SHARE MY HEART STRUGGLES, DO NOT LET ME STUMBLE INTO SOUNDING LIKE I AM NOT TRUSTING IN YOU. I WANT TO BE AUTHENTIC, REAL....BUT I DO NOT WANT TO GRUMBLE AGAINST YOU.

DO YOU EVER GET DISCOURAGED? DO YOU HONESTLY EVER WONDER IF GOD IS REALLY IN CONTROL AND LET YOUR DOUBTS MAKE YOU WANT TO GIVE UP PRAYING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THAT IS HARD? I HAVE BEEN PRAYING ABOUT THIS "HARD" FOR A FRIEND....THE MOST GODLY WOMAN I KNOW AND HONESTLY SOMETIMES I QUESTION GOD ABOUT WHAT SHE IS GOING THROUGH....LIKE I KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR HER AND FOR HIS GLORY.

SHE GETS DOWN, BUT NEVER LOSES HOPE AND FAITH THAT THE LORD IS SOVEREIGN AND WILL HOLD HER AND CARRY HER THROUGH WHATEVER.....WHATEVER....WHATEVER!

HER LIFE IS A RIPPLE TO ME....SHE IS AUTHENTIC AND HAS HUMAN FEELINGS BUT HER HEART IS SET ON THE ROCK! I WANT TO HAVE A HEART LIKE HERS....A HEART TOTALLY TRUSTING IN THE LORD.

JESUS, KEEP HER HEART TRUSTING IN YOU. MAY NOT ONLY HER LIFE BUT THE NEXT GENERATION
BE EFFECTED FOR ETERNITY BECAUSE SHE TRUSTS IN YOU. I PRAY THIS FOR MY OWN LIFE TOO.

WE ARE WOMEN OF INFLUENCE, LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY IN OUR FAMILIES AND WITH THAT COMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HOW OUR WORDS AND ACTIONS WILL IMPACT OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES. BE OUR ROCK, LORD. MAY OUR RIPPLES SPREAD HOPE, JOY, ENCOURAGEMENT, ENDURANCE AND TRUTH.

I LOVE YOU FRIEND, AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
XXOO

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

SIGH! PART OF MY HEART WAS HERE FOR A FEW HOURS TO MEET LITTLE REID AND GIVE US HUGS. ONE OF MY "ADOPTED" DAUGHTERS IS ON THE PLANE ON HER WAY BACK HOME TO OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

KATIE AND BART GARRETT, ALONG WITH KATIE'S BROTHER JONATHAN ST.CLAIR AND HIS WIFE, CATHERINE, HAVE PLANTED A CHURCH IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE TO SEE THE AWESOME WAY THE LORD IS MOVING IN OAKLAND THROUGH THIS CHURCH PLANT.

http://www.christchurcheastbay.org/

KATIE AND AMYBETH (ALONG WITH STACY OKLAND!, ANOTHER ONE OF MY SPECIAL "ADOPTED" DAUGHTERS) WERE BEST FRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND WORK VERY HARD TO REMAIN BEST FRIENDS ALTHOUGH THEY ALL LIVE MILES AND MILES AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER! THEY ARE ALL THREE GODLY YOUNG WOMEN WHO LOVE THE LORD AND ARE WONDERFUL MOTHERS.

KATIE'S MOM WAS MY BEST FRIEND, AND MENTOR, FOR MANY YEARS. SHE IS WITH THE LORD NOW AND WE MISS HER SO MUCH, BUT I SEE HER LIFE IN HER CHILDREN. THEY ALL FOUR LOVE THE LORD AND DESIRE TO SERVE HIM WITH ALL THEIR LIVES. SCOTT AND GINNY TOO.

CAROL WAS THE BEST MOTHER I HAVE EVER KNOWN. SHE WOULD SAY THIS TO MOTHER'S TODAY.
PRAY FOR YOUR CHILDREN. POUR YOUR LIVES INTO THEM. LOVE THEIR FRIENDS AND THE PARENTS OF THEIR FRIENDS. LOVE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY....LIKE THE LADY CHECKING YOU OUT AT THE GROCERY STORE OR THE LADY AT THE CLEANERS. TAKE TIME TO LISTEN.
SIT ON YOUR CHILDREN'S BED AT NIGHT AND SCRATCH THEIR BACKS. TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS.

I SEE THIS IN THE LIVES OF CAROL'S CHILDREN. THEY ARE WONDERFUL PARENTS, (GINNY, PRAYING YOU WILL HAVE A HOUSE FULL TOO BEFORE LONG!) THEY LOVE HARD....THE PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. THEY LOVE THEIR FAMILY AND CONTINUALLY WORK ON "BEING ONE."

I LOVE YOU KATIE!
OUR VISIT WAS SHORT .....BUT OH, SO SWEET.
XXOO

WITHIN....MEDITATIONS ON HIS UNFAILING LOVE

"WITHIN YOUR TEMPLE, O GOD, WE MEDITATE ON YOUR UNFAILING LOVE."
PSALM 48:9

As I read this verse, I think about the Lord's unfailing love in my life....so many things I want to pass on to my wonderful grandchildren.

I think about what it means....within your temple. At first I thought about THE TEMPLE, MY CHURCH, ZION.....then I remember this scripture,

"DON'T YOU KNOW THAT YOU YOURSELVES ARE GOD'S TEMPLE AND THAT GOD'S SPIRIT LIVES IN YOU?
1 CO. 3:16

My body, my heart is the Lord's temple.

I praise you today, Lord, from my little blue striped quiet time chair. In my heart, Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In my heart, Lord, be glorified today.I love hymns and the old praise songs that I learned as a new believer!!!! They play over and over in my heart and mind when I read scripture.

Katie, let this be a reminder to not only tell your grandchildren about God's unfailing love in your life, but also sing to them. They are little sponges that soak up learning and will remember not only your stories about Jesus, but also hymns and old praise songs that they may never hear any other way.

Have a blessed Sabbath day......meditating on His faithfulness and unfailing love.