May 3, 2026

The More I Seek You

June 2, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The more I seek You
The more I find You
The more I find You, the more I love You

I wanna sit at Your feet
Drink from the cup in Your hand
Lay back against You and breath, feel Your heartbeat
This love is so deep, it’s more than I can stand
I melt in Your peace, it’s overwhelming

Written by Zach Neese / Performed by Kari Jobe, Gateway Worship

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But if from there you seek the Lord your God,
you will find Him if you seek Him
with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29 NIV

 

What a simple, yet moving, praise and worship song!  This is a song that will move you as you sit and meditate on the words and their meanings in your quiet time.  Please enjoy!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Deeds

June 1, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love,
for His wondrous works to the children of man!
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of His deeds in songs of joy!
Psalms 107:21-22

Reading the background of these verses, it amazes me how we are in such rebellion.  No matter how good we are, we cannot become better by our deeds. When we become ill, we pray for our heavenly Father to heal us, to make us better.  We pray when we lose our jobs.  We pray when we are in any kind of trouble.  What I want to do is praise my Father for whatever may come my way.  I want to sing for joy and dance with passion!

I believe it is this heart-change that allows us to see that God is not the image we have of our earthly father.  God is so not that man!  God wants us to love Him because He first loved us.  God has given us the Psalms and the other accounts to remind us of how He wants what is best.  He knew we would make mistakes…He knew we would need His loving arms around us all the time.

As God spoke and His word was done, we also can speak and proclaim His Word throughout all of the world.  We can speak them over our lives and the lives of those we love. We can speak the healing Scriptures over those that are hurting. For example we can pray,

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Yahweh is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He never grows faint or weary;
there is no limit to His understanding.
He gives strength to the weary
and strengthens the powerless.
Youths may faint and grow weary,
and young men stumble and fall,
But those who trust in the Lord
will renew their strength;
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

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Father, give us courage to seek You everyday, with every waking moment and every breath we take.  Help us to not be afraid of what others may think if we begin to pray Your Word and proclaim it over our family, our church, and our nation.  We love You and want to experience life to the fullest!  In Your name we pray, Amen!

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I Still Believe

June 1, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

scattered words and empty thoughts
seem to pour from my heart
I’ve never felt so torn before
seems I don’t know where to start
but it’s now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every fingertip, washing away my pain

I still believe in Your faithfulness
I still believe in Your truth
I still believe in Your holy word
even when I don’t see…I still believe

though the questions still fog up my mind
with promises I still seem to bear
even when answers slowly unwind
it’s my heart I see You prepare
but its now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every finger tip, washing away my pain

the only place I can go is into Your arms
where I throw to You my feeble prayers
in brokenness I can see that this was Your will for me
help me to know You are near

’cause I still believe….

~ Sing this song with me as part of your prayer and worship today ~

Singer / Songwriter: Jeremy Camp

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Jeremy Camp sings, “…‘cause even when I don’t see, I still believe.”  How about you?  It can be a struggle sometimes, agreed?  But our believing is not now, has never been, and not ever will be, based on what we can ‘see.’  Our believing is based on the One Whom we believe—the Great I AM—and on Him alone.

…for we walk by faith, not by sight
2 Corinthians 5:7

There is no doubt that our God wants us to believe Him with all of our heart and trust that everything He has promised will come to pass…amen?  He has given us, through His power and outlined in the Scriptures, ‘all things that pertain to life and godliness’ so that we can know Him and His promises.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:3 and 4

Our knowledge  of the Scriptures is constantly growing as we faithfully read and study them.  Based on all that we learn about our Great God, His Will, and His desires for His people, we can take a firm stand on His promises believing Him and knowing by faith that they will come to pass.

What are some of the things that we are to believe?

  • He hears our prayers
  • He heals our bodies
  • He comforts our hearts
  • He never leaves nor forsakes us
  • He watches over us
  • He guards us
  • He prepares a path for us to walk
  • He lovingly reproves and corrects us
  • And…His faithfulness, His truth, His Holy Word

I still believe in Your faithfulness

For the word of the Lord is right and true;
He is faithful in all He does.
Psalm 33:4

I still believe in Your truth

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him,
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
John 8:31-32

I still believe in Your Holy Word

My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to My sayings.
Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.
For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.
Proverbs 4:20-22

“…Even when I don’t see, I still believe!”

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

As you (and I) make this our confession, we are trusting (as did Paul, our brother) the One who is Faithful and True.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—
not because of anything we have done
but because of His own purpose and grace.
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior,
Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life
and immortality to light through the gospel.
And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
That is why I am suffering as I am.
Yet this is no cause for shame,
because I know Whom I have believed,
and am convinced that He is able to guard
what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
2 Timothy 1:9-12

Friend, make this your own confession….  May I suggest that you write it down, place it in your Bible…write it on your dresser mirror…write it on your palm…write it on your heart!   ♥ 

I still believe in Your faithfulness
I still believe in Your truth
I still believe in Your Holy Word
Even when I don’t see, I still believe

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Break Through The Chains

May 31, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

For He has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron apart.

Psalms 107:15-16

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Break through the chains in my life
Tear down the strongholds and the walls
Deliver me from all bondage and strife
That I may hear when You call and give You my all
Oh, Lord, my all I give You my all!

O Lord, my soul desire is to serve You
To honor You in everything I do
I surrender and lay down my life to You
Oh, Holy Spirit, come down and break through

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Grilled Caesar Salad

May 30, 2014 by

 

Grilled Caesar Salad resize

Before we go any further:  Yes, you grill the lettuce.  Say what?!  I first encountered this recipe at an Italian restaurant in our neighborhood a few years back.  It was a revelation—you can grill lettuce! And  instead of making it nasty and squishy, just a tiny bit of char adds so much flavor and texture as to change the whole dish!  Then I saw the idea again in a magazine last week and, that was it, I had to try it at home.  (Okay – I made my husband do the actual grilling.  But I supervised, I promise!)

The dressing comes together in a snap in the food processor (or you can do it old-school in a wooden salad bowl with a fork, but I find it is hard on my forearms!)  The only ingredient you may not have is anchovy paste.  It’s pretty cheap and lasts forever in your fridge, and it adds that “umami” flavor you can’t get anywhere else.  It’s also great in spaghetti sauce, if you’re worried you won’t make a lot of Caesar salad.  This dressing also calls for a raw egg yolk.  I would highly recommend buying the highest quality eggs you can find – check your local farmer’s market – or at least getting organic, free-range, or both.  (If you are immunosuppressed you could substitute a spoonful of store-bought mayonnaise, but it’s just not the same.)  Also, you’ll notice there are no croutons on my plate.  We almost never eat bread, but if croutons are your thing, go ahead and pile them on!

This salad was a side dish to a dinner of grilled steaks and grilled veggies.  Feel free to chop up some grilled chicken and make it a whole meal!  For a side dish, plan on one half of a head of lettuce per person.  If you are making it the main dish, serve a whole head of lettuce per person.  Curious?  Let’s go!

Grilled Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1/4 – 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 head romaine lettuce
  • croutons and grated parmesan cheese to serve

Directions:

  1. Prepare the dressing:  In a food processor, blend together the garlic, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg yolk, anchovy paste,  and lemon juice.  Blend in 1/4 cup of oil.  Taste to see if you like the consistency.  If you want it more diluted, add more oil.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. Prepare the lettuce:  Slice it vertically down through the core.  You have two long halves now.  Wipe with a dry paper towel.  The lettuce needs to be completely dry or else it will stick and wilt.  No washing it, no oiling it!  Place the lettuce on the grill, cut side down, for 2 minutes without moving it.  With tongs, take it off the grill and lay it grilled-side up on a plate.  Don’t cover it or it will get soggy.  Drizzle with dressing, and add croutons or grated cheese to serve.  Eat it now!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Get Off Your Mat

May 30, 2014 by

If you have been to Sunday School in your lifetime, you heard the story of the four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to be healed by Jesus. It was so crowded that they carried their friend up to the roof and let him down, through the roof, into the house on his mat. I colored the picture. Four men on the roof of Jesus’ home, cutting a hole in the roof and letting their friend down through the hole in that roof to see Jesus. They couldn’t use the front door because the crowds were so big, inside and outside of the house. So they had to get creative. That’s when they cut the hole themselves and let him down on the mat. He landed right in front of Jesus. I still remember coloring that picture.

Mark 2:1-5

When Jesus returned to Capernum, several days later, the news spread quickly that He was back home. Soon the house where He was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While He was preaching God’s Word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above His head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed  man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.

This was Jesus’ fifth miracle. He had just begun His public ministry and He had been out teaching and preaching and healing for the past few days. I imagine that He was tired when He came home that night, after teaching and He wanted a little rest. He goes to close the door and the people won’t let Him. They are everywhere.They have come from everywhere, from Galilee to Judea.  Outside, these men are carrying their friend. He is sick and paralyzed and people assume it is because of some sin his parents committed sometime in their life. So they find the stairs and take the stretcher up and get creative. They dig a hole in the roof to lower their friend down. Which meant they had to dig through a mud roof, not a wooden one.

Jesus saw their faith. Not only did the man on the mat have faith, but his friends believed as well. All of them came together in this time of need and brought their problem  to Jesus. Jesus healed him and told him to take up his mat and walk.. Have you ever thought about those words? Now up to this point, the man’s friends have done the work to get the friend here. After Jesus heals him, Jesus tells him to take up his mat. Jesus is asking him to take action. The man’s mat represented his paralysis. But a mat could be anything that has you paralyzed.  Sin is only fun for a time and then it turns on you. You ask Jesus for His help and you ask for forgiveness. Jesus is always ready and willing to forgive and take you back under His arms and love you.

What is your mat? After reading this, did anything come to mind that Jesus may be asking you to take up and sin no more? He is waiting with open arms. He loves you and wants you to live a joyful abundant life that He has planned for you. I pray today that you are willing to help a friend as these men did, instead of turning their back on the man. Jesus loves you. He forgives you. Let us come before Him and ask Him to reveal to us anything that would keep us from Him.

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Dear Lord,  thank You for Your Word…so full of stories of miracles just like this one. Thank You for being so willing to forgive us when we sin against you. Lord, we may not be lowered through a roof on a mat, but  we all have a mat that we need to pick up. We pray today that You would reveal to us anything that is hindering us from living the abundant life You have planned for us. We love you and praise You. In  Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Protector

May 30, 2014 by

So thank God for His marvelous love,
for His miracle mercy to the children He loves;
He shattered the heavy jailhouse doors,
He snapped the prison bars like matchsticks!
Psalms107:15-16 (The Message)

God is our Protector.  When you review the Bible and history there are many times He rescued His people from certain extinction.  I have heard many people say they do not like history, but we need to know what was, to know how to prevent it from happening again or to know the signs to watch for.

When we search for miracles in God’s Word we read about Joseph. I recall that God used Joseph’s life as a foreshadowing of His Son Jesus coming to Earth, living among mankind, performing miracles and, while fulfilling God’s purposes, forgiving those who had wronged him.  How many of us can say that we have done that?  As Joseph forgave his brothers, God forgives us.

As we move forward in the Scriptures, we read where God used Moses to bring out the Hebrew people from Egypt into the Promised Land after the Egyptians endured the ten plagues. After the people were let go then they were led through the desert and came up to the Red Sea, where God performed yet another miracle in parting the Red Sea.  Let us not stop there, because the entire exodus from Egypt was a miracle in that no one starved, no one died (unless they angered God), no one grew thirsty, and their clothes never wore out.  God protected them in miraculous ways they would never have considered.

Moving forward a few hundred years, let’s go into the New Testament and meet the disciples in the Book of Acts as written by Luke. In Acts we see where the Holy Spirit empowers each person to carry out God’s purposes. Not by using tricks, but by the Spirit of the Living God.

In today’s times, we have seen men like Billy Graham share the Word of God in a miraculous way.  Through the recordings of his early messages Mr. Graham is reaching more people than ever before imagined.  Television, when used correctly, is a powerful tool for the spreading of the Gospel of Christ to the nations and the world.  With Mr. Graham’s outreach, it has allowed other ministries to reach out further than ever anticipated to peoples who would not have had the opportunity to hear the Gospel.

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Father, give us the tools we need to spread Your Word to the nations.  Empower us to train the next generation of missionaries to take the Gospel to those still living in dark places.  We look forward to serving You and we thank You for Your protection from the beginning of time…from then to the end of time.  Please bless our kids and empower them to carry Your Word to the nations.  In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

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Breaking Free

May 29, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love
and His wonderful deeds for men, for He breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
Psalms 107:15-16

Have you ever been by an iron mill when they are melting iron? If you have ever seen the movie “Rudy” then you at least have an idea about what goes on in the mill.  They are melting the iron down so that it can be used in the production of goods.  Have you ever been to one of those old- timey craft fairs where the blacksmith is working with some type of iron (or other metal)?  He beats the metal into something like a horseshoe or sword—just something that can be used for the good of mankind.

Now imagine an old junk yard.  This junk yard is full of old cars and trucks and just about anything else made of metal that you can think of.  Everything is starting to rust and break down.  There are people out there who go to these junkyards and get parts to keep cars and machinery running.  They use old parts from this rusting junk pile to make something, not exactly new, but to keep it running.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:
The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17

God does the same with us when we accept Jesus as our Savior.  He breaks us out of the iron restraints of sin and washes us clean.  He breaks us out of the iron hold of the world and Satan, and He purifies us.  God breaks down our old spirit and molds us into a new spirit that is worthy of His glory.  The old is thrown away, and God begins to mold us into how He wants us to be—pretty much like an ironworker working to make iron usable.

We are a new creation.  We are no longer rusting or going bad.  God has broken us out from an iron-clad prison that was holding us back from glorifying Him.  We are no longer prisoners of sin.  Because God loves us unfailingly, He does not leave us to rot in our sin.  He stays with us—pushing and pulling us out through the broken prison bars.  He never leaves us, and He works with us to accomplish the goals He sets before us.

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Dear Heavenly Father:  Thank You for Your wonderful and unfailing love.  Thank You for breaking us out from the chains of sin.  You have made us new and set goals in front of us that will make us more like You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Move

May 29, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’m not about to give up, because I heard you say
There’s gonna be brighter days, there’s gonna be brighter days
I won’t stop, I’ll keep my head up, no, I’m not here to stay
There’s gonna be brighter days, there’s gonna be brighter days
I just might bend but I won’t break, as long as I can see Your face

When life won’t play along, and right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way, I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down, oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway
I’m gonna move, move
I’m gonna move, move
I’m gonna move
I’m gonna move

I’ve got to hold ‘er steady, keep my head in the game
Everything is about to change, everything is about to change
This hurt is getting heavy, but I’m not about to cave
Everything is about to change, there’s gonna be brighter days
I just might bend but won’t break, as long as I can see Your face

When life won’t play along, and right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way, I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down, oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway
No matter what may come,
Gotta move to a different drum
No matter what life brings
Gotta move
Gotta move
To a different beat
No matter what may come
Gotta move to a different drum
No matter what life brings
Gotta move
Gotta move
To a different beat
I just might bend but I won’t break as long as I can see Your face

When life won’t play along and right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down, oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway
When life won’t play along and right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way, I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down
Oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway

~ Sing this song with me as part of your prayer and worship today ~

Written by Dan Muckala and MercyMe / Sung by MercyMe

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I love this song…because in this life we will have trouble.  But we need to keep movin’ and believing that better days are on the way!  Let’s see what promises God gives us for when we encounter days of trouble….

Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope!
I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.
Zechariah 9:12 NLT

What an AWESOME promise to hold on to! I have personally experienced this countless times in my life.

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.
In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world.
John 16:33 NLT

Hold on to your hope in Him, no matter the circumstances!
He is Faithful !!!!

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Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word and these promises to hold onto.  I thank You for Your faithfulness in each circumstance.  I pray that when trouble comes, we will choose to keep dancing and moving and not let them drag us down.  In Jesus name, AMEN!!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Three Mistakes to Avoid to Have a Consistent Exercise and Healthy Eating Program…#3

May 28, 2014 by

Avoid

Over the past two weeks, I have shared two mistakes to avoid in having a consistent exercise and healthy eating program. The third mistake, in my opinion, is the most important and can be a game changer.

Not Identifying the Right Motivation

So often, I hear women say, “I just can’t seem to stay motivated.” Have you ever said that? If so, you may be trying to stay motivated by something that does not even motivate you. Stop for a moment and think about that statement.

Let me give you an example. Maybe you lost weight and exercised regularly 15 years ago because you were trying to get fit for a class reunion, beach trip, or wear a certain size pants. However, today, those things are not that important to you if you really think about it. If you struggle to stay motivated, take a few minutes to write down all of the benefits you could receive from exercising and eating healthy.

For instance,
• Having more energy for your children and husband
• Managing your stress
• Having confidence in yourself
• Honoring God with your body and food
• Living a longer life to enjoy your family

Remember this: What motivated you at one time in your life may not be motivation for you today. Dig deep in your soul and think about why you really want to change and allow that to become your new focus and motivation.

Imagine what it would be like if you had the following:

  • A weight loss plan for your unique lifestyle
  • An exercise program that fits your busy schedule
  • Guidelines to organize your time for healthy eating, exercise and personal faith
  • A plan to maintain a healthy weight and balance with all of life’s professional and personal responsibilities

By setting realistic goals, following a plan that works for you (and not someone else), and identifying the right motivation you will have a consistent exercise and healthy eating plan.

In Good Health,
Crystal

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