The New Wife

The new wife was being welcomed at the husband's home in a traditional manner. As expected she gave a speech;

'My dear family, I thank you for welcoming me in my new home and family, firstly, my being here does not mean that I would want to change your way of life, your routine .No, I will never do that, never in a million years.

'What do you mean my child?' asked the father-in-law.

 'What I mean dad is (looking at her in-laws);

'Those who used to wash the dishes must carry on washing them.

Those who used to do the laundry must carry on doing it.

 Those who cooked should not stop at my account, AND

Those who used to clean should continue cleaning!!! '

 'And what are you here for?' inquired the mother-in-law.

 ' I'M HERE TO ENTERTAIN YOUR SON!!!!!'

Disclaimer:This note does not in any way reflect my views on marriage ;-)

God Knows Best.

I have mourned many times. Oh, yes I have!  I have cried my heart out... Almost got into depression later from pretending all is fine, I think, or from refusing to accept the reality and move on. Most of us, i believe have gone through these phases.

The death of loved ones, people who, for quite a while you could almost swear that you saw crossing the street weeks after you buried them… That interview that you didn’t pass, whereas you was so confident that the job was going to be yours… getting to the final stage and everybody seems so impressed and you walk out with a smile only to get a regret letter two weeks later, or a call ‘Head Office in Washington said we took so long to recruit and sent someone from there…’ and Alas! Instead of the big shot you thought you were to become, you are still jobless. Broken contracts… Failure in examinations you had always hoped you would swim through… failing health, God when will you ever heal me? Betrayal in friendships you thought you could always count on. Broken relationships from in which you had dedicated your whole being, putting your whole heart in – and that is how it should always be. And then suddenly, you realize it’s all gone, and you feel like the world is caving in on you.  And you mourn, you cry, and find it very difficult to move on. How can you ever trust again?

Then worry… Doubt… Fear… they start to creep in. You begin to get impatient with yourself and with God. You start to wonder if you are really of as much worth like you previously thought. Out of a broken heart, you get into bad friendships… bad habits… Or you withdraw. I mean, nothing makes sense anymore. Or your heath depresses you and you are so afraid of doing anything for fear of getting hurt or because you don’t think you have long to live anyway. Or you stop looking for challenges because you no longer think you are fit for them; you have always lost in such anyway. You almost doubt the existence of God, in whom earlier, everybody around you knew you had so much faith in.

Low moments have a way of bringing us down, just like that. I have always been a strong believer of ‘my attitude towards situations’ but I must confess that sometimes, even the strongest of us can easily come down. Beyond our attitude and positive thoughts, we must truly learn to trust in God and put our worries aside. There is hope beyond your situation. Your situation is not an end!

God says, “For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills…” Psalms 50:10. Remember He owns all.

Jeremiah 29:11-14: 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.Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Just like the Israelites in Captivity, His love is always moved towards you, He will perform His good word, His promises often repeated, to you. For the fulfilment of these you must pray, seek, and search. That he will hearken, and you should find him; provided, you seek him with your whole heart.

God knows best. He has His own right time for everything in our lives. We need to remember this whenever we think we have to have an answer now, and even more so when we think we have to have a certain answer. We need to pay more attention to the lights God flashes in our life. Instead of worrying and getting impatient, we should learn to listen to God. I believe we all want to listen to Him; we just don't give Him enough time to speak. In our microwave society we stand just a text message away from a friend telling us what he or she thinks we should do. If only God would come to our beck and call. If you slow down and listen to God, He will probably reveal to you why, like Esther, he has placed you where he has "for such a time as this" (Esther. 4:14, NIV).

Instead of worrying, impatience and getting self destructive, listen to the will of God. Last weekend, I was telling a friend of mine, that God probably deals with us in the same way we deal with our small children, who think that they know best. When you take away that sweet from your child because of allergies, she will feel like her rights are being violated. She will only discover that you were doing best when she is grown up enough to discover that you actually were doing that for their good. When you get your heart broken and you are busy wondering where God was in all this, probably that was not his will for your life. And maybe, if you stayed on and got into marriage, you would have ended up in a violent set-up, frustrated or maybe you just wouldn’t cope and by then, it will be too late to turn back… You just never know… Mourn about it (because it is good for your health), seek God’s will and move on. And later, you will discover that God had these wonderful plans for you concerning relationships and marriage! When He sends this Godly, responsible, hardworking, loving person your way, you look back and wonder where you had been going to earlier.

When you no longer feel relevant at your workplace, or like you are not growing, it’s probably a sure sign that you need to move. Either venture in new employment or it’s about time you became an employer. You never know! Seek God’s will about it… He knows Best!

Reasons why you should never worry

Matthew 6:27-29: Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

• Worrying is a waste of very precious time. Worrying won't help you solve a problem or bring about a solution, so why waste your time and energy on it?
• The energy that we spend worrying can be put to much better use in prayer. Replace it with prayer and it turns to trust.

• It is also destructive to us in many ways. It becomes a mental burden that can even cause us to grow physically sick. It tears you down!

So instead of worrying, trust in God, seek His will: He always knows best!

Have a worry-free week! Won’t you?

A Museum about You?

I, self confessed collector-cum-impulse buyer of scarfs and shawls, and who owns approximately ten times more khangas than my mother... Some scarfs plain and others quite colourful. Some for use and some just to see, well, most just to see (sigh!), I have no idea why i like them, but my wardrobe might just start to scare me if I put much thought into it...

So last night I was thinking, if I was the 'Karen' of my time, you know the Karen Blixen Museum? Very interesting house, with some ancient mill behind... Now, in XY years to come, they would display my house to your descendants, nothing much to see but they would still look extremely awed. At least thats what museums ought to do to them. [There would be a guide, born many years after my existence but talking as if he had been my personal 'mboch' for the longest time.] "Oh, this was her kitchen sink, and this was her blender. This was her toilet, this was her bathroom. This was her favourite couch, this was the window she liked looking through most(big lie). It was suspected that she liked watching her hubby getting home(oh, please!). She also liked to look at the hills and the clouds(really?). This broken vase, with the pieces inside was too precious for her to throw away(some truth finally.)... And this is where she kept her collection of scarfs(then they all go touching the pieces of cloth and saying how nice they are, 'ooing & cooing' at the fabrics, such rare material, they must have cost her a fortune! either without realizing its the very 'kawaida' fabric in bulk, or choosing to act so). And this is where she kept her books."

Then he would continue, "This skipping rope was bought but never used..."

Some vain & silly thought, huh? I often wonder, many years after I have left this world, hopefully at a very ripe age, what will I be remembered for? Is it what I had, owned, achieved for me? Or is it my impact on the people around me? Will they speak of how much my faith had impacted them? I pray to leave a positive yet permanent mark on those around me and those to come. Tafakari hayo(Of course in regards to yourself).

Happy midweek people!

‘Oga’ of Love and Hubbies?

Earlier in the week, most Kenyan Newspapers and Bloggers had something to say about the Nigerian ‘hubby pap!’ pastor.

One blogger says : “Thousands of apparently single women fought, shoved and screamed at the gates of the KICC over the weekend as they scrambled for space to hear the "apostle of marriage," Nigerian Pastor Chris Ojigbani.

As the heavens opened up, the enthusiastic women paid little attention to damage done to their hair and makeup in their attempt to outrun police who were trying to turn away the crowds from the already packed KICC plenary hall.

For several hours, business came to a standstill as police and security guards from the KICC and the Covenant Singles and Married Ministries struggled to keep the thousands of women at bay.”

There have been stories of how women fought to push their way into an already crowded KICC… Facebook updates of ‘wildebeest-like stampedes’ at KICC, Queries on whether women have become so desperate…I watched Pst. Ojigbani on NTV and wondered what doctrine he has been teaching and sometimes even laughed as many women gave testimonies of how they have started receiving numerous proposals even from strangers immediately they left the venue. In Oga land, the seminars drew even single men. It’s funny though, that these men proposed to women who had attended the same seminar. I couldn’t help but wonder whether there were some men waiting nearby to capitalize on these vulnerable women, act as the miracles.

Don’t get me wrong here; I am not saying God cannot provide for you miraculously. I would however prefer if this preacher man instead preached Isaiah 34:16 “Seek from the book of the LORD, and read: Not one of these will be missing; None will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, And His Spirit has gathered them.” and instead gave them hope that, even if the ‘you don’t have a hubby today, God says will won’t lack, and at His anointed time, the right man will come along. Or like Brother Paul, convince them ‘how easier it is to serve the Lord when you are single…’

I have decided to give the whole drama a totally different point of view for the sake of my Kenyan sisters. Being a woman, I want to try and identify with the women who hadflooded KICC, without sounding like a feminist.

Maybe, the men some of these women have been meeting with are not husband material. Well, that again depends on each woman’s upbringing. Maybe, the men some women have been meeting have been looking for something else, rather than a relationship that would lead to marriage. Or probably, the standards society had put on our men have gone so down, so badly for some men that some women are convinced the only way to get a man is to ‘source one from the Lord miraculously.’

Probably these are the type of guys these women are meeting and they wonder whether they can ever come across some good man:

Guy 1: Some years ago: I meet some guy through a common man friend. He calls to say hi, I won’t ask how he got my number, I am sure our friend gave it to him. I decide not to be rude, I mean, greetings do no harm. Some day, he decides since he is in the building where I work, he can pass by and say hi. I remember our friend mentioning where I work, how he however gets to know what flour to find me, I won’t ask. I talk with him for two minutes, act very busy and he has to leave. Of course, he says he’ll keep in touch. The number of ‘I was around and decided to say hi’ are getting into my nerves. He probably thinks I am loving all the attention. A few weeks later, a guy calls me, starts all manner of praises, asks if we can do coffee, then has the odesity to ask me for a ‘soft loan of 50k’, his car is stuck at the port because he is short of 50k for the 600k duty,  but is sure to repay in the next week… Alarm in my head? USER!

Guy 2: I have been interacting with this guy in different forums. One Sunday, I have some errands to run early in the morning, and I end up going to a different church and I bump on him there. “Ooo, you also fellowship here too?” Later, in the month, he gets to learn I am a single mother. Am very sure in his mind he  reads, “Easy prey.” because Mr. ‘Guy 2’ becomes super friendly. He is always there, asking what he can do to help, even when totally unnecessary. Oh, Karambu you need a man by your side. I ask him what makes him think I don’t have one. “You work so hard, you don’t talk about him.” Shortly, he starts making sexual advances. So I wonder, seriously, if I was looking for a ‘man to be by my side’ as he put it, would I consider him????

Guy 3: Lazy, lazybone… You wonder why his employer still keeps him. He even lives under his mother’s roof at a very ‘mature’ age coz if he doesn’t have his mum, then he must have to have a wife to do his stuff. And he actually thinks he can talk about it with women… African women have been brought up to know that their men should be hard working, and should be able to take care of himself, if he is going to take care of you.

Guy 4: Brags of how he has a child with his Ex, but he left coz he didn’t love her and she has to take care of the baby herself coz she must have trapped him. So I wonder he had been with her for 5 years; it must have taken the baby to discover he didn’t love her, right???

Guy 5: Wants to cheat on his wife with you. Now, guy 5 might make you think that all men are cheats, and unless one falls from heaven while you watch, any other man will cheat on you when you get married. Because guy 5, looks like a very decent man. People talk of him with owe. In fact, his wife’s friends are envious of her…

The above are not representative of how Kenyan men are. I want to believe they were just the black sheep among our otherwise very good men. Its a good thing I wasn’t looking when I met these fellows. Probably, if I was at that time I would have gotten desperate and considered meeting the ‘Oga’ of love and hubbies, if he came around. I would have asked him to to ask God make a man for me, and open the skies while I watch, descend gloriously, get on his knees and propose to me.

I am a strong believer in that the Lord gives at His appointed time. God has been gracious to me, at the right time, he brought the right man in my life. Human, but who knows God and treats me right...  I am therefore a happy woman, and will not look forOga :)

Have a great weekend oo,

Karambu.

WHEN YOU HURT

In one way or another, we are all hurting. Every person on earth carries his own burden of pain.

When you are deeply hurt, no person on earth can shut down the inner fears and deepest agonies. Not the best of friends can understand the battle you are going through or the wounds inflicted on you.

Is there a balm for a broken heart? Is there healing for those deep, inner hurts? Can the pieces be put back together and the heart be made even stronger?

Yes! Absolutely yes! And if not, then God's Word would be a hoax and God himself would be a liar. That cannot be!

God didn't promise you a painless way of life. He promised you "a way of escape." He promised to help you bear your pain. Strength to put you back on your feet when weakness makes you stagger.

Our loving Father said, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it"(Corinthians 10:13).

Your heavenly Father watches over you with an unwavering eye. Every move is monitored. Every tear is bottled. He identifies with your every pain. He feels every hurt. He will never allow you to drown in your tears. He will not permit your hurt to deteriorate your mind. He promises to come, right on time, to wipe away your tears and give you joy for mourning.

You have the ability to make your heart rejoice and be glad in the Lord. God's eye is on you—and he commands us to rise up and shake off all those fears causing doubt.

Love

The success of love is in the loving

- it is not in the result of loving.

Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person,

but whether it turns out that way or not

does not determine the value

of what we have done

-Mother Teresa

A love Story

One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah! ... the beauty of God's creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord's presence with me. He asked me, "Do you love me?"

I answered, "Of course, God! You are my Lord and Savior!"

Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?"

I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do and thought about the things that I take for granted.

I answered, "It would be tough Lord, but I would still love You."

Then the Lord said, "If you were blind, would you still love my creation?"

How could I love something without being able to see it?

Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation.

So I answered, "It's hard to think of it, but I would still love you."

The Lord then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?"

How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts.

I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word."

The Lord then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?"

How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me, God wants us to sing from our very hearts and souls. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks.

So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name."

And the Lord asked, "Do you really love Me?"

With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, "Yes Lord! I love You because You are the one and true God!"

I thought I had answered well, but God asked, "Then why do you sin?"

I answered, "Because I am only human. I am not perfect."

"Then why in times of peace do you stray the furthest? Why only in times of trouble do you pray in earnest?"

I had no answers ... only tears.

The Lord continued. "Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?"

The tears continued to roll down my cheeks.

"Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?"

"You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all. Do you truly love me?

I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? When my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, "Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child."

The Lord answered, "That is My Grace, My child."

I asked, "Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?"

The Lord answered, "Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you until the end of days, and I will love you forever."

Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? How could I have hurt God as I had done?

I asked God, "How much do You love me?"

The Lord stretched out His arms, and I saw His nail-pierced hands. I bowed down at the feet of Christ, my Savior. And for the first time, I truly prayed.

-Author Unknown

A lovely poem - Will You Be My Friend?

Will You Be My Friend?
- James Kavanaugh

There are so many reasons why you never should:
I'm sometimes sullen, often shy, acutely sensitive,
My fear erupts as anger, I find it hard to give,
I talk about myself when I'm afraid
And often spend the day without anything to say

But I will make you laugh
And love you quite a bit
And hold you when you're sad.
I cry a little almost every day
Because I'm more caring than the strangers ever know,
And, if at times, I show my tender side
(The soft and warmer part I hide)
I wonder

Will you be my friend?
A friend
Who far beyond the feebleness of any vow or tie
Will touch the secret place where I am really I,
To know the pain of lips that plead and eyes that weep,
Who will not run away when you find me in the street
Alone and lying mangled by my quota of defeats
But will stop and stay - to tell me of another day
When I was beautiful.

Will you be my friend?
There are so many reasons why you never should;
Often I'm too serious, seldom predictable the same,
Sometimes cold and distant, probably I'll always change.
I bluster and brag, seek attention like a child.
I broud and pout, my anger can be wild,
But I will make you laugh
And love you quite a bit
And be near when you're afraid.
I shake a little almost every day
Because I'm more frightened than the strangers ever know

And if at times I show my trembling side
(The anxious, fearful part I hide)
I wonder,
Will you be my friend?
A friend
Who, when I fear your closeness, feels me push away
And stubbornly will stay to share what's left on such a day
Who, when no one knows my name or calls me on the phone,
When there's no concern for me - what I have or haven't done -
And those I've helped and counted on have,
oh so deftly, run.
Who, when there's nothing left but me,
Stripped of charm and subtlety,
Will nonetheless remain.

Will you be my friend?
For no reason that I know
Except I want you so.

Kindness.

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."


-Author Unknown

Answered Prayer

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.

After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"

"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."

"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."

"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"

"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."

The Lesson: For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us.

The Law of the Garbage Truck

One day, I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage -- frustration, anger, disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.

Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.


-Author Unknown.

Knowing You

All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this

Knowing you, Jesus
Knowing you, there is no greater thing
You're my all, you're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love you, Lord

Now my heart's desire is to know you more
To be found in you and known as yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All-surpassing gift of righteousness

Oh, to know the power of your risen life
And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like you in your death, my Lord
So with you to live and never die

Graham Kendrick

Interesting Truth for All of Us

Two donkeys were in the field nearby Jerusalem.

One said; "I don't understand it, just a day before yesterday everyone was throwing their clothes and palms on the road when I was carrying Jesus on my back but since yesterday I'm back to being nothing. Those people don't even see it's me who was carrying Jesus."

The other donkey said: "It works like that, without Jesus you are nothing in this world!"

The same is true for all of us.

God Is...

He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End!
He is the Creator of all creation and the Keeper of all he created!
He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be...
Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!

He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!

The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him, and
The leaders can't ignore Him.

Herod couldn't kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and
The People couldn't hold Him!

Nero couldn't crush Him,
Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and
Oprah can't explain Him away!

He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.

He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
His ways are right, His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me.

He is my Redeemer, He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and He is my peace!
He is my Joy, He is my comfort,
He is my Lord, and He rules my life!

I serve Him because...
His bond is love,
His burden is light, and
His goal for me is abundant life.

I follow Him because He is...
the wisdom of the wise,
the power of the powerful,
the ancient of days,
the ruler of rulers,
the leader of leaders,
the overseer of the overcomers and the sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.

And if that seems impressive to you, try this on for size...
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
Never forsake me,
Never mislead me,
Never forget me,
Never overlook me, and
Never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!

When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!

He is everything for everybody, everywhere, every time, and every way.

He is God,
He is faithful.
I am His, and He is mine!

My Father in heaven can defeat the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...
He said it and that settles it.
God is in control,
I am on His side, and that means all is well with my soul.

Every day is a blessing - for GOD Is!

"That's My King!"

"That's My King!"

The late Dr. S. M. Lockridge, a pastor from San Diego, California said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976:

My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King.

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.

He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent. He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King.

He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.

Do you know Him? Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you... but He's indescribable. That's my King. He's incomprehensible, He's invincible, and He is irresistible.

I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!

Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honor and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? Forever and ever and ever and ever... And when you get through with all of the ever's, then... Amen!