I'm home

I am home in Heaven, dear one
Oh, it is so happy and so bright!
There is perfect Joy and Beauty
In this everlasting light!

All the “pain” is over,
Every restless tossing is passed.
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.

Did you wonder why I so calmly
Trod the valley of shade
Oh! but Jesus’ love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.

And He came Himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus’ arm to lean on
Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still.
Try to look beyond earth’s shadows,
Pray to trust in our Father’s will.

There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand,
Do it now, while life remaineth,
And you shall rest in Jesus’ Land.

When your work is completed,
He will gently call you home.
Oh! the joy to see you come to me,
The joy to see you finally come home.
Author unknown

Afflictions

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you: but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding Joy” (1 Peter 4: 12,13, NKJV).
The path toward hope is one of suffering, sorrows and pain. It doesn’t matter how pious, loving or good you are. If Christ is in you, you will become a partaker in his sufferings.
...Rejoice in suffering? This is one of those hard saying of Scriptures, indeed, one of the very hardest. ~~ David Wilkerson

Prayer

Prayer the impossible will be done.

Perfect

You are in a perfect situation in the hands of the Potter. You are only in the wrong when you are kicking. You are all right when you are still and He is forming you afresh. So let Him form you afresh today into a vessel so that you will stand the stress.

World without end

Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwell in that house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light; no noise nor silence, but one equal music; no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity; in the habitations of your glory and dominion, world without end. ~~ John Donne (1572-1631)

Hear God

When you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans. ~~ Old Yiddish proverb

Stronger

What does not kill me makes me stronger. ~~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Your love one's legacy

Dear Leo and family,
My heart goes out to you for the loss of Betty and to your family. Surely, for all of you she was the godly woman with her character like that described in Proverbs 31:10-31.

At times like this I think of how truly, hopeless we would be without Christ. How does one handle a loss like this without His comfort and promises?

I am so grateful He died on the cross to give us life, to provide hope and comfort in the face of indiscernible lost.

It says somewhere in the Psalms, “that precious to the Lord is the death of one of His saints,” so while we can take comfort in that she is with the Lord, we also grieve because she is no longer with us.

Ah, but she has left a legacy- how many souls have come to the Lord who were led there by (her son) John, by you and the rest of the family? In addition, how many have these people brought to the Lord? There are things we’ll never know – until one day we meet them all.

Words are empty now, I know, but I know and pray that in this time of grief for you and your family, at some time, in some way, the Lord will meet you to comfort your hearts and help you through this in some marvelous way.

The Lord has taught us and has shown us that love is eternal and thanks to Jesus, so is abundant life. At these times, we come to know even more the value of His gift of love and life.

There is sorrow at night but great joy cometh in the morning.
Love in Christ,
Tom Mc Inerney

A reliable help

“A helper in times of trouble he is found [to be] greatly.” Ps. 46:1
Lord Jesus Christ, you are for me medicine when I am sick;you are my strength when I need help;you are life itself when I fear death;you are the way when I long for heaven;you are light when all is dark;you are my food when I need nourishment.~~ Ambrose of Milan (340-397)

Betty Day Lenschow

Betty Day Lenschow February 26, 1936 - December 12, 2009

My life partner, my wife Betty, is at this moment in the presence of the King, "...serving Him day and night in His temple." Here worshipers attend to His Majesty in songs and praise. Betty from a young age had a passionate devotion to Jesus the Christ. I know this because I had the privilege to live with her for over fifty years as her husband. She was not perfect but she was made perfect in her Lord and Savior.

Anyone who knew Betty knew her because of her gift of hospitality. This Lady preached the Gospel by her actions. She had never done anything without giving her all right up to her last days with her family and friends. She admonished all with love to be the best and was an example for all to see Jesus in their lives. "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Many daughters have done well but you excel them all" (Proverbs 31:10-31).

November of 1992, her kidneys failed because of polycystic kidneys. Through the following years she had continuous issues, which required being in and out of hospitals, fighting in faith to beat whatever came against her.

It is an honor to call her my wife and friend. Did I tell you I love her and most of all, I know she loves me.

Tears

I know Him in my tears and in His love.

Let us keep to the point

“...my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).
We will all feel very much ashamed if we do not yield to Jesus the areas of our lives He has asked us to yield to Him. It’s as if Paul were saying, “My determined purpose is to be utmost for His highest – my best for His glory.” To reach that level of determination is a matter of the will, not of debate or reasoning. It is absolute and irrevocable surrender of the will at that point. An undue amount of thought and consideration for ourselves is what keeps us from making that decision, although we cover it up with the pretense that it is others we are considering. When we think seriously about what it will cost others if we obey that call of Jesus, we tell God He doesn’t know. Shut out every other thought and keep yourself before God in this one thing only – My utmost for His highest. I am determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and Him alone. ~~ Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

This most certainly true

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of His Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sin, from death that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This most certainly true. ~~ Martin Luther

To know

To know how well you know the Bible is to know how well you obey the Bible.

Waste

...but the principle of waste is that which satisfies the heart of the Lord Jesus. You can get something for yourself out of your consecration, but often real satisfaction can only come to the heart of your Lord when you seem to be “wasting” yourself on the Lord, giving too much and getting noting back for yourself. ~~ Watchman Nee

Truth?

Christianity is not a doctrine; not truth as truth but the knowledge of a Person; it is knowing the Lord Jesus. You cannot be educated into being a Christian. Christianity is the knowledge within of a Person, knowing Him as dwelling within us. ~~ T. Austin-Sparks

When people believe

People today have a caricatured view of Christians, seeing us as followers, often hypocritical and judgmental, of an outdated book of mere illusions. But if we can explain why Christianity is so reasonable, our faith becomes a very winsome proposition, which will at least open the mind, if not the heart, of many a doubter. ~~ Chuck Colson

No fool

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. ~~ Jim Elliott

Brokenness

Brokenness is the seedbed of generosity.

Consider Christ

I have been teaching for years: Faith and reason are not enemies. We are given reason as a gift. And while we can't reason our way to God (only the power of God can transform fallen men—I've seen that in prisons for over 32 years), I have long believed that Christianity is the most rational explanation of reality. And that fact, winsomely explained, can powerfully influence thinking people to consider Christ's claims. ~~ Chuck Colson

Consider Christ

I have been teaching for years: Faith and reason are not enemies. We are given reason as a gift. And while we can't reason our way to God (only the power of God can transform fallen men—I've seen that in prisons for over 32 years), I have long believed that Christianity is the most rational explanation of reality. And that fact, winsomely explained, can powerfully influence thinking people to consider Christ's claims. ~~ Chuck Colson

Holiness

The Holiness of Jesus is in us through the work of the Holy Ghost. The secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting Jesus take over more areas of my life daily. In his wonderful life that was imparted in me by the Holy Ghost (sanctification) by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace makes me simply one with Jesus. The more you allow this process to happen the more real He becomes and the real you become.
Oswald Chambers says, “In Jesus is the perfection of everything, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfections of Jesus are at my disposal, and slowly and surely I begin to live a life of ineffable order and sanity and Holiness: ‘Kept by the power of God.’”
Living a life of Holiness is my protection.