Friday, January 30, 2009

There's Nothing Like A
Good Laugh Friday ~ :- D

Afraid of the Dark

A little boy was afraid of the dark. One night his mother told him to go out to the back porch and bring her the broom.

The little boy turned to his mother and said, "Mama, I don't want to go out there. It's dark."

The mother smiled reassuringly at her son. "You don't have to be afraid of the dark," she explained. "Jesus is out there. He'll look after you and protect you."

The little boy looked at his mother real hard and asked, "Are you sure he's out there?"

"Yes, I'm sure. He is everywhere, and he is always ready to help you when you need him," she said.

The little boy thought about that for a minute and then went to the back door and cracked it a little. Peering out into the darkness, he called, "Jesus? If you're out there, would you please hand me the broom?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Hikers


One day, Joe, Bob and Dave were hiking in a wilderness area when they came upon a large, raging, violent river. They needed to get to the other side, but had no idea of how to do so.

Joe prayed to God, saying, "Please God, give me the strength to cross this river."

Poof! God gave him big arms and strong legs, and he was able to swim across the river in about two hours, although he almost drowned a couple of times.

Seeing this, Dave prayed to God, saying, "Please God, give me the strength and the tools to cross this river."

Poof! God gave him a rowboat and he was able to row across the river in about an hour, after almost capsizing the boat a couple of times.

Bob had seen how this worked out for the other two, so he also prayed to God saying, "Please God, give me the strength and the tools, and the intelligence, to cross this river."

Poof! God turned him into a woman. She looked at the map, hiked upstream a couple of hundred yards, then walked across the bridge.



These jokes were sponsored by Cleanjoke.com



Remember, there's nothing like a good laugh to keep you going!!
Have a Bless Weekend!!




Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Quench Your Thirst Thursday ~ Holy Spirit, Come Fill This Place
(Cece Winans)

It's time for another "Quench Your Thirst Thursday." To understand the purpose of "Quench Your Thirst," please Click Here! (Please make sure you come back :)


For the #4 edition of "Quench Your Thirst Thursday" is "Holy Spirit Come Fill This Place" by Cece Winans. This is one of my favorite worship songs to usher in the presence of the Lord.

Sometimes when so many things are going on around you, it can be very difficult to hear the voice of God giving you instructions. You can get overwhelm with the cares of the world and so many other things until you reach a point of emptiness. That sense of emptiness is not fun place to dwell. You begin to feel like there's one big ol' hole in your heart. There's no one who is remotely even capable of filling it up. No one, but Jesus.

I've been there before on more than one ocassion. But, it wasn't until I humbled myself in the presence of God and asked Him (His Holy Spirit) to fill this place (this emptiness) in my heart. Fill me up until there's no more brokenness. Seal every crack in the power of your Holy Name. Fill me up so I can be made whole, Lord!!

Someitmes you have to say, "Holy Spirit I need you to fill my heart!!! Send your presence Lord. Let it fall on me!! I can't do this alone. I need you right now!!

There is a great release in God's presence. God can release you of every thing that's holding you back from seeking His face. You just have to be willing to let go. Once you let go, don't take it back. As you decrease yourself, the Lord will increase and fill you up to the point of overflow.

With all that being said, please listen to the song. I pray that the Holy Spirit would fill you reaching every crack and cranny in your heart. In Jesus Name....Amen!!


Please remember to pause my playlist to the bottom before starting the video.








Holy Spirit, Come Fill This Place
(By: Cece Winans)

Holy Spirit come and fill this place
bring us healing with your warm embrace
Show Your power make your presence known
Holy Spirit come fill this place
Holy Spirit come fill this place

My heart is longing just to hear from you
My soul is waiting to know someone who
Can take us higher help us make it through
So will you please come and set us free

Holy Spirit come and fill this place
bring us healing with your warm embrace
Show Your power make your presence known
Holy Spirit come fill this place
Breath of God we need a touch from you
shine down on us with the light of truth
Stir our hearts and, set our spirit free
Holy spirit come fill this place
Holy Spirit come fill this place

Our hearts are hungry for your perfect peace
Our souls are thirsty for the joy you bring
So send your glory makes Your praise complete
Send down the rain, touch us once again

Holy Spirit come and fill this place
bring us healing with your warm embrace
Show Your power make your presence known
Holy Spirit come fill this place

Breath of God we need a touch from you
shine down on us with the light of truth
Stir our hearts and, set our spirit free
Holy spirit come fill this place
Holy Spirit come fill this place
Holy Spirit come fill this place
Come fill this place

Holy spirit come fill this place
Holy Spirit come fill this place
Holy Spirit come fill this place
Holy Spirit come fill this place

Send Your Presence, Let It Fall On Me
Come Fill This Place

Send Your Presence, Let It Fall On Me
Come Fill This Place

Send Your Presence, Let It Fall On Me
Come Fill This Place

Send Your Presence, Let It Fall On Me
Come Fill This Place









Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Wordfilled Wednesday ~
Psalm 24:10 & Psalm 98:6




Photobucket


I did two scriptures only because I really love both of them. Knowing that God is the King of Glory, my Heavenly Father, and everything else I need Him to be makes me want to sound a loud trumpet that's full of joy and hope.



Photobucket




Photobucket


Happy Wordfilled Wednesday!!




Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Jesus At The Window

Jesus at the window

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play without in the woods. He practiced in the woods but he could never hit the target. Discouraged, he headed back to dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just on an impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile only to see his sister watching.

Sally had seen it all but she said nothing. After lunch that day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes. Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper." But Sally just smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?"

So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But, because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Thought for the day:
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done that the enemy keeps throwing in your face (lying, debt, fear, hatred, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc.); whatever it is, you need to know that Jesus Christ was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.

He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the enemy make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that He not only forgives you but He forgets. Go ahead and make the difference in someone's life today. Share this with a family member or friend.

Remember that Jesus is at the window.

This devotion (or inspirational story) was sponsored by
God is Groovy.com.




"He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:19)


"I, [even] I, [am] He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins." (Isaiah 43:25)

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, [fn] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities..." (Psalm 103:2-3)





Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Scripture Sunday ~ 1 Chronicles 4:10

zwani.com myspace graphic comments
Myspace Angel Comments




"And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep [me] from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested." (1 Chronicles 4:10)



I encourage you to make this prayer part of daily confessions. God wants to enlarge our territory in 2009. But, we have to make sure that we prepare ourselves properly. As a result, we will be in the right place at the right time to receive our blessings indeed.




Your Sister in Christ,

Toia

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Your Reward

Your Reward

The way may seem hard,
The road may be rough -
To endure to the end
You have to be tough,
But try to stand firm,
Be positive too!
Your faith can be strong,
And you will win through.

You won't be alone -
No, never my friend,
The burden is shared,
Right down to the end.
Our Father in Heaven,
And Jesus, our Lord
Are waiting to give you
Your eternal reward.

This poem is sponsored by: Free christian poems.




"The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." (Ruth 2:12)



"For He repays man [according to] his work, And makes man to find a reward according to [his] way." (Job 34:11)



"Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong [hand], And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward [is] with Him, And His work before Him." (Isaiah 40:10)



"Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great [is] your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:12)



Your Sister in Christ,

Toia

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Quench Your Thirst Thursday ~ Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King!!

It's time for another "Quench Your Thirst Thursday." To understand the purpose of "Quench Your Thirst," please Click Here! (Please make sure you come back :)


For the third edition of "Quench Your Thirst Thursday," the Lord has placed upon my heart "Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King" sung by Gateway Worship. This song is already on my playlist. This song speaks to my spirit everytime. It gives me comfort in a way I cannot explain......a sense of peace, if you will.

As you look and listen to the video, meditate on the lyrics. One of the verses that quench the thirstiness of my spirit is verse 2:
"I was lost in utter darkness 'til You came and rescued me
I was bound by all my sin when Your love came and set me free
Now my soul can sing a new song, now my heart has found a home
Now Your grace is always with me
And I'll never be a- lone"


This verse lets me know that I am no longer a slave to and bounded by sin. I am free!!! My soul is no longer singing an old crappy, defeated song. My soul is singing a new and improve song. A song that's full of life. A song that's full of hope. A song that's full of joy. A song that's full of strength. A song that's full of love. A song that's full of peace. Hallelujah!!!

And to top it off, His grace (God's grace) is always with me. And despite all the turmoil and distress that I go or am going through, I would never be alone. God will be there to hold my hand, to wipe my tears from eyes, to comfort me, to ease the pain, to give my a hug, and to rock me to sleep like newborn baby at night, when I am restless. God is so awesome!!



So, listen and watch this video. In your meditating on this song, I pray God will quench your thirst like never before. I pray that the dryness and the parchness of your spirit be gone and be filled with the living waters of life. In Jesus' name... Amen!!


Please make sure you pause my playlist at the bottom of this page before proceeding :)








Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King

INTRO

VERSE 1

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy, never ceasing call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount, I'm fixed up- on it
Mount of Thy re- deeming love

VERSE 2

I was lost in utter darkness 'til You came and rescued me
I was bound by all my sin when Your love came and set me free
Now my soul can sing a new song, now my heart has found a home
Now Your grace is always with me
And I'll never be a- lone

CHORUS

Come, Thou Fount, come, Thou King; Come, Thou precious Prince of Peace
Hear Your bride, to You we sing, come, Thou Fount of our bless- ing
Come, Thou Fount, come, Thou King; Come, Thou precious Prince of Peace
Hear Your bride, to You we sing, come, Thou Fount of our bless- ing

VERSE 3

O, to grace, how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts a- bove

CHORUS

Come, Thou Fount, come, Thou King; Come, Thou precious Prince of Peace
Hear Your bride, to You we sing, come, Thou Fount of our bless- ing
Come, Thou Fount, come, Thou King; Come, Thou precious Prince of Peace
Hear Your bride, to You we sing, come, Thou Fount of our bless- ing




Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Monday, January 19, 2009

Monday's Graphic ~ January 19, 2009

zwani.com myspace graphic comments
Myspace Monday Comments & Graphics






Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for everyone's week to be a blessing and fulfill week. I send out angels in the name of Jesus to destory any attacks from satan. He is a defeated foe!! For those who are sick, I pray for healing. For those who are sad for whatever reason, I pray for joy. For those who feel weak, I pray for strength. We give you our week and every week for the rest of our lives to lead us and guide us in the way you want us to go. This is my prayer and my plea. In Jesus' Holy Name I pray....Amen.


Happy Monday to you all!!





Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Scripture Sunday ~ James 1:22-23

zwani.com myspace graphic comments
Christian Graphic Comments




"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;" (James 1:22-23)



"And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance." (James 1:22-23 NLT)



"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror." (James 1:22-23 NIV)




Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Friday, January 16, 2009

There's Nothing Like A Good Laugh Friday ~ :-D

Smart Mom

A mother was walking with her four year old daughter one day when the daughter picked up something off the ground and started to put it into her mouth. The mother stopped her and said she shouldn't do that.

"Why," asked the little girl.

"Because it’s dirty. It's been on the ground. You don't know where it's been. It probably has germs."

The little girl looked up at her mom with admiration and asked, "How do you know so much?"

Thinking quickly, the mother said, "All moms know so much. We have to. It's on the Mommy Test. If you don't know it, you don't get to be a mommy."


The little girl pondered this for a few minutes, then her face brightened. "I get it!" she said. "If you don't pass the test, you get to be a daddy!"

"Yup," said the mom.





I'd Like to See That

"Oh, boy! I'm glad you're here," the little boy said to his grandmother on his mother's side.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because now Daddy will do the trick he's been promising us."

"What trick?"

"Well, he told Mommy that if you came to visit, he would climb the walls."





I hope had a good laugh. I pray that everyone have a bless and fulfilled weekend.





Your Sister In Christ,
Toia

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Quench Your Thirst Thursday #2 ~ The Stand (By: Hillsong United)

It is time for another edition of Quench Your Thirst Thursday. To understand why this is called "Quench Your Thirst Thursday", please refer to the first edition. In the right sidebar, under labels, click on Quench Your Thirst to read the first edition.

For this "Quench Your Thirst Thursday", the Lord has placed upon my heart...."The Stand" by Hillsong United. This is one of my many favorite worship songs. Here are the lyrics:

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours




After reading the lyrics, please view the video below. I wasn't sure if I was going to use this video or not, because (in my opinion)it is so intense. But, it's not about what I want, it's about what God wants and I must be obedient to my Heavenly Father. "Obedience is far better than sacrifice." (1 Samuel 15:22, NLT)

God wants you to feel the intensity of this video and grasp all that He has done for us. Think about how God gave His one and only Son on our behalf, so that we can live and have the life He has predestined us to have. Jesus shed His blood and died on the cross so we can be wash and be free from sin. After you watch this video, ask yourself....."After all He has done, am I willing to stand?" Make sure you pause my playlist to the bottom. Oh, by the way, you might want to grab some tissue.






"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)




Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Reminiscing Over The Holidays (2008)






These are pictures of my fellow choir members. They were taken in between our Christmas Eve (candlelight) services. We had a blast. And the fellowship was awesome and a blessing to my spirit. Please enjoy!!





Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Mind

MIND

A negative thought came to my mind.
He wore a charming smile
And I was sorely tempted
to invite him in awhile.
And as I hesitated,
He tapped softly on the door
And whispered through the keyhole
As he'd often done before.

He said, "I'll help you hold your grudge,
I'll help you sing the blues,
It seems like all your folks and friends
have turned their backs on you."
He said, "You've been misunderstood,
Mistreated and maligned.
I'll help you cry your heart out
If you'll let me come inside"

But, I kept my windows fastened
And my doors securely closed,
For I knew I'd be the loser
If I let him take control
For negative thoughts can multiply
And crowd the positives out
And make the mind a cesspool
Of anxiety and doubt.

And so I told the negative thought
I could not let him in.
He went his way, but I am sure
That he'll return again.

But no more will I greet him
With a welcome or a smile
And never will I entertain him
Even for awhile.
I'll fill my mind with positive thoughts
And on the door install
a sign which reads, "DO NOT DISTURB"
when negative comes to call
For tho' he knocks a thousand times
And yet, a thousand more
He cannot dominate my mind if I don't open the door.
~Author Unknown

(This poem is from God is Groovy.)





Our mind is a battlefield. There's always a constant fight against negative thoughts or any other thoughts that are not pleasing to God. We have all authority in Jesus' Name to decide what thoughts can dwell in our minds. It can be thoughts of peace, thoughts of joy, thoughts of love, and all positive thoughts.

It's time to fasten or close our minds to thoughts of negativity, thoughts of disappointments, thoughts of hate, thoughts of holding a grudge, etc.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

"fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." (Philippians 2:2)

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 2:5)

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:2)

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lord, thank you for giving me the mind my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus. Right Now, I delete all thoughts that does not reflect your virtue, your loveliness, and purity. Please forgive me for entertaining thoughts that were contradictory to your word. I will no longer let my thoughts be dominated by satan. I have the power in your Son's name to fasten my mind against such thoughts. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus Name...Amen.




Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Monday, January 12, 2009

Monday's Graphic

zwani.com myspace graphic comments
Graphics for Monday Comments





Happy Monday!! Have a bless week!!




Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

And this Award Goes to....

It is an honor to receive this award from my dear friend, Rebekah at Rebekah's Beautiful Day. Please stop by and visit her when you get a chance. You will be bless by her honesty, sincerity, and compassion.

Now, I am to list 5 things that I am addicted to and then pass this award along to 5 other fabulous female bloggers.

I am addicted (really love) to.....

1) Getting along with people without any friction

2) Laughing and have fun with a few of my girlfriends

3) Ice Cream (mostly the candy flavored ones, butterfingers, snickers, reese's peanut butter cups and with caramel) yummilicious!!

4) my favorite TV shows (Eli Stone, Heroes, My Worst Enemy, Grey's Anatomy just to name a few)

5) Romantic Movies (Lake House, Something New, A Walk to Remember, Serendipity, etc)








Now I would like to pass this award to five ladies who keep their blog chic and beautiful with words, encouragement, laughter, inspiration and many other fabulous characteristics:

1.
I Am Heading Towards My Destiny - Beth

2.
Seeds In My Heart - Randi Jo

3.
Sharing Life With Lisa - Lisa

4.
Bold & Free - Jan

5.
160 Acre Woods - Amydeanne


It's been a blessing to receive two awards within a week. It's only through and by the power of the Holy Spirit that I am able to author this blog. I truly believe God uses these awards to give Him the glory and to encourage each other on a job well done. So, please never think these blog awards are taking away from what God wants you to do with your blog. Instead, look at them as evidence of God's glory being manifested.




"Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do...," (Ephesians 6:8)



Congratulations to you all!!



Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Scripture Sunday ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

zwani.com myspace graphic comments
Myspace Christian Comments & Graphics





"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;" (Proverbs 3:5)


"I will say of the LORD, "[He is] my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."(Psalm 91:2)


"Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD." (Psalm 4:5)


"Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness." (Psalm 37:3)


"It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)





Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Friday, January 9, 2009

There's Nothing Like A
Good Laugh Friday ~ :-D

Good Sermon!
After a very long and boring sermon the parishoners filed out of the church saying nothing to the preacher. Towards the end of the line was a thoughtful person who always commented on the sermons."Pastor, today your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God!" The pastor was thrilled. "No-one has ever said anything like that about my preaching before. Tell me why." "Well - it reminded me of the Peace of God because it passed all understanding and the Love of God because it endured forever!"



Dangerous Dog
One day a mailman was greeted by a boy and a huge dog. The mailman said to the boy, "does your dog bite?" "No," replied the boy. Just then the huge dog bit the mailman. The man yelled, "I thought your dog doesn't bite!" "He doesn't," replied the boy, "that's not my dog!"



Important Man
The Pope had just finished a tour of the East Coast and was taking a limousine to the airport. Having never driven a limo, he asked the chauffeur if he could drive for awhile. Well, the chauffeur didn't have much of a choice, so he climbs in the back of the limo and the Pope takes the wheel. The Pope proceeds onto HWY 95, and starts accelerating to see what the limo could do. He gets to about 90 mph, and suddenly he sees the blue lights of the State Police in his mirror. He pulls over and the trooper comes to his window. The trooper, seeing who it was, says, "Just a moment please, I need to call in." The trooper calls in and asks for the chief. He tells the chief that he's got a REALLY important person pulled over, and asks how he should handle it. "It's not Ted Kennedy again is it?" replies the chief. "No Sir!" replied the trooper, "This guy's more important." "Is it the Governor?" replied the chief. "No! Even more important!" replies the trooper. "Is it the PRESIDENT??? replied the chief. "No! Even more important!" replies the trooper. "Well WHO is it?" screams the chief. "I don't know Sir." replies the trooper, "but he's got the Pope as his chauffeur."



I pray that you have a fun and bless weekend. If possible, try putting a smile on someone else's face or make them laugh. Remember, "Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength," (Nehemiah 8:10)




PS - Jokes were sponsored by Spotlight Ministries .


Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Quench Your Thirst Thursday ~ Here I Am

Have it ever been a time when you were so thirsty that you needed a glass of cold water to quench it? Then after you drink it down the first thing you say is, "Ahhhh!" But what if your thirst runs deeper than that? What if, what you thirst for is not physical and a glass of water just won't do the trick? Hmmmmm...

Many of us thirst for love, righteousness, integrity, a closer relationship with God, oneness, and so forth. Whatever you thirst for God is the only one who can quench it. Your husband can't do it. Your children can't do it. Your job or money can't do it. Only God.


"For I will give you abundant water to quench your thirst and to moisten your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit and my blessings on your children. "(Isaiah 44:3, NLT) Your parched fields can symbolize parched areas of your heart (your spiritual being) that need to be moisten or tended to. But you have to be honest with yourself to see what areas of your heart needs to be moisten. Then you will begin to see God pouring out His Spirit on
you, your household, your children, your children's children.

God can quench your thirst through prayer, reading the bible, fellowshipping with other Christians (and/or at church), and through songs of praise and worship.

This is where "Quench Your Thirst Thursday" plays a part. God willing, each Thursday I will post a video of praise and worship. When viewing these videos, allow God to quench the thirstiness of your soul. And most importantly, listen and focus on the words of the song.

For my first edition of "Quench Your Thirst Thursday," is "Here I Am." Tell God "Here I Am." I have no money in the bank, but "Here I Am, Lord." My marriage seems to be a bit shaky, but "Here I Am." I am so stress about so many things going on around me, but "Here I Am." I am weak and broken, but "Here I Am."

Once you said, "Here I am," God will say, "I've been waiting for you my child."

So, please take time to view this video in its entirety. I pray that it will be a blessing to your spirit.


PS - Make sure you pause my playlist at the bottom. So that, it won't seem like there's 2 songs playing at the same time. :)







Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The Premio Dardos Award

I am so blessed to have receive an award from Beth at Beth at I Am Heading Towards My Destiny . It's called the Premio Dardos Award. This award acknowledges the values that EVERY Blogger displays in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values with each message they write.






The rules associated with this reward are as follows:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his/her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen as recipients.


So, I would like to pass this award to these beautiful ladies in the Lord:
1. Seeds In My Heart - Randi Jo
2. Bold & Free - Jan
3. Rebekah's Beautiful Day - Rebekah
4. Beadfluff - Mary Timme
5. Me Melanie - Melanie
6. Thy Word Is A Lamp Unto My Feet - Myriam
7. 160 Acre Woods - Amydeanne
8. A Free Spirit Butterfly -
9. Joyfull Living -
10. Encouragement From My Heart - Joyfulsister
11. The Perch - Sheryl
12. The Point - Leah
13. Simple Life Moments - Katrina
14. A Damsel No Longer In Distress - Sunny
15. I Am Heading Towards My Destiny _ Beth

I would like to re-award Beth with this award. Thanks again Beth for thinking of me when passing out this award.



Congratulations to all of you!! You deserve it!! Stay Bless and Stay Strong!!





Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Psalm 23 (for the office or at work)

PSALM 23 (FOR THE OFFICE)


The Lord is my boss, and I shall not want.
God gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
God reminds me to pray, before I speak in anger.
God restores my sanity.
God guides my decisions that I might honor the Lord in . . .all that I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mail, system failures, copier jams, backordered supplies, unrealistic deadlines, staff shortages, budget cutbacks, red tape, downsizing, gossiping coworkers,
whining customers, I won't give up, for You are with me.

Your presence, peace and power will see me through.
You raise me up, even when the boss fails to promote me.
You claim me as your own, even when the company threatens to let me go.

Your loyalty and love are better than a bonus check

Your retirement plan beats any 401K, and when it's all said and done, I'll be working for you a whole lot longer!

Thanks be to God.

(Poem from God is Groovy)





You can always revise this poem to accomodate any situation at home, school, family, etc. The point is that know matter what you are going through and where you are going through (office, home), the Lord is and always will be The Shepherd you shall not want. He will be there for you through thick and thin, the ups and downs, and the highs and lows. Besides, I prefer to have someone whom I know without a shadow of doubt that will have my back and not break it or stab me in it.





Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Monday, January 5, 2009

Monday's Graphic


Happy Monday
MySpace Graphics & Free Myspace Layouts





It was kind of hard getting back into the swing of things today. It's only because I was on a nice two weeks holiday vacation and all teachers (at least in my district) had to return to work today. However, my children were able to indulge one more day. Be that as it may, they go back to school tomorrow. It's going to be kind of tough because that means I have to get up, oh around, 5:45 in the a.m. Boy, I am going to miss the days where I was able to sleep in at least until 8:30 - 9:00 am. Oh well, it was great while it lasted.



So, for those of you who have to get back into your regularly scheduled routine (getting up early in the morning, fixing hubby's and children's breakfast, getting children up and ready for school, finding socks for hubby and the kids, fixing lunches, and so on and so on) I pray strength upon strength and a recommended dosage of at least two cups of strong caffeinated coffee.




Happy Monday!!! Stay Bless and Stay Strong!!





Your Sister in Christ,

Toia

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Scripture Sunday ~ Psalm 90:17



"And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!" (New Living Translation)




"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands." (New King James Version)




"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands." (New International Version)




"And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands--yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it." (Amplified Version)


No matter which version I read, Psalm 90:17 is music to my ears. I would like to consider this my declaration for 2009. I pray that the favor and beauty of God rest upon all of us and show us His approval, establish and confirm the work of our hands, and make every bit of our efforts successful. Most importantly, that we would always give God all the praise and all the glory He so richly deserves.



Your Sister in Christ,
Toia

Saturday, January 3, 2009

2009 Is Your Year!!

It's hard to believe that it's a brand new year.....2009 to be exact. It's amazing how time flies. When I reflect on different events that transpired in my life it only seems like it was yesterday. Different events such as graduating from high school, getting married, having children, loved ones going home to be with the Lord, and etc. It's a blessing to be living to see a brand new year. My prayer is that I won't waste such an opportunity. This year can be one the best years in your life. You just have to expect the unexpected and believe in God to start opening doors for you.

This could be the year to receive your heart's desires from the Lord. "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart," (Psalm 37:4). If it is God's will, you can start your own business, be a stay at home mom, budget out your finances, go back to school, or whatever your dream is go for it. The question is.....What are you waiting for?

In the bible, the number nine means new birth. With that in mind, this is our year to birth out new ideas, new endeavors, new walks in life, new relationships, and so forth. Just ask God to show you His paths for your life. "Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths," (Psalm 25:4). "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths," (Proverbs 3:5-6)

May 2009 be the year for us to let our light shine and receive every blessing that God has for us.


Your Sister in Christ,
Toia