Stay Strong

Belinda Kersey  written on 6-22-08

God’s Word

Joshua 1:9   Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Song
“Stay Strong” by Newsboys

My Thoughts

I’ve heard all my life God’s Word is alive and active.  It took me many years to grasp exactly what that really meant, but the truth of that statement has become more clear to me in the last few years.  I believe God really speaks to us through His Word.  What that means to me is when He is ready to reveal what he wants me to hear, then He will make that Word clear to me through His written word.  I don’t mean we can force scripture to mean what we want it to for any situation, what I mean is I could have read a passage a hundred times but not really grasped its significance in my life until the moment it was relevant for what God had for me at that specific time.

I believe as well God uses Christian songwriters, modern day David’s, to speak to us in the same way.  As months  turn to years, it is easy to lose sight of God’s promise for healing we cling to so desperately in the beginning of a health crisis.  Although I am certain God has ordained my healing, after many years it is easy to succumb to the belief  of maybe He didn’t mean here on this earth.  On a recent day of wavering, I heard these words:

“We've come through wilderness and watched the cloud by day turn the burning sky into dawn.  Have you forgotten who you are?  Did you forget whose trip you're on?  Stay strong.  You are not lost.  Come on and fix your eyes ahead There's a new dawn to light our day”

It would be easy to say, “But Lord, I wasn’t grumbling and complaining.  Surely you aren’t comparing me to those Israelites wandering in the wilderness.  I was just thinking since you have left me with this disease for so long…  Oh yeah, this is my wilderness isn’t it?”   Maybe all those times we’ve read about those grumblers, we felt a little superior because we would never be caught wandering through the wilderness while the Promised Land was just over the next sand dune.  But God reminded me through this song no matter how long MS has me “wheeling” through this life, I must “Get up, (because) there's further to go. Get up, there's more to be done.  Get up, this witness is sure.  Get up, this race can be won.”

It becomes so easy to question God’s timing.  When it was clear I was not going to be walking on my own, I told the Lord I could accept that fact for the moment but I really expected to walk down the aisle at my then fourteen year-old son’s wedding.  Well, the time came in May 2008 to see that same young man, a handsome twenty years old, take the hand of his bride.   You know what, I didn’t walk, he got married and it was ok.  I didn’t even think about walking that day.  I just thought about how quickly my sweet baby boy had become someone else’s sweet, handsome husband.

When you are in God’s grip, nothing else matters.  You live life, you do your best to please Him, you thank Him for the good and you praise Him in the bad.  “We've gotta stay strong.  (We) are not lost.  Come on and fix your eyes ahead Our Father's dawn will light our day...His grip is sure and His patience still endures.  There'll be no letting go today, no way...You and I run for the prize that lies ahead.  We've come too far to lose our way.”

Your Response

Lord, I want to stay strong, I want to know that you have me in your grip and you have not let me go to stumble through this wilderness on my own.  Let your assurance surround me and let your peace consume me.

Father's Day Card

I realized one of my pearls fell off after I uploaded the pics!  Oh well, I'm not perfect, are you?  I created this for my dear 85 yo Dad for Father's Day and used the guidelines found on www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com.  The instructions were to create a Father's Day card and make your own background paper.  I used the "You and Me" and "Lucky" stamp Sets from Close To My Heart to create the "wallpaper" background.  I also used "Universal Backgrounds" stamp set from CTMH for the "wood floor".  The bit of "rug" shown in the corner is from You & Mr stamps as well.  The chair was stamped onto patterned paper and cut out.  I think he'll like it.  Here's a photo from his youth-he had the Elvis stance down before there was an Elvis!

Supplies used are ALL Close To My Heart:
B & T paper-Fanfare
Mocha Gems
Kraft Card stock
Moonstruck and Chocolate inks
Vanilla Cream card stock
You & Me stamps
Universal Background Stamps
Lucky Stamp Set
Chairs to You stamps
Scalloped Punch
Foam Adhesive

Inspired Stamps Design Team

I am so thrilled to announce that I have been chosen to serve on the first Design Team at www.inspiredstamps.blogspot.com.  I am glad to join 8 other super talented girls.  It's also the first time for me to be a Design Team member!

I love the stamps at Inspired Stamps because of the focus on God's Word.  The His Little Ones character stamps are just adorable with their big eyes and sweet faces. Inspired Stamps is a new clear stamp company made right here in the USA with the highest quality photopolymer materials available!  They specialize in Biblical Scripture stamps, adorable colorable character stamps, sentiment stamps, and scenic stamps.  Begun by a military wife, mother, and Bible Study teacher, the purpose of inspired stamps is to bring joy and encouragement to both the crafter and the recipient of the created projects through the use of God's Word and adorable additions, such as the characters and scenic views.

Thursdays will be our Design Team artwork days so be sure to stop by next Thursday for my first "official" Design Team post. Here is a card I made when I got the word that I was chosen.

The stamp I used is #A2013 John 14:6 and is only $3.99.

Other Supplies:
CTMH Wings paper, black card stock, Vineyard Berry 
Card stock and ink, black button brads
Memory Works Simple Stories Journaling Tag

This is the talented team I will be serving with:

Sylvia Solorio

Amy Edwards

Deneen Treble

Lynn Miller 

Melissa Elsner

Jan Hunnicutt

Shana Tedrick

Jenn Smith 

Inspired Stamps Giveaway on Facebook

FACEBOOK FRIENDS GIVEAWAY!! Go 'like' our page...when we get to 100 'likes' FIVE LUCKY names will be drawn from those 100 people and they will each get to choose ANY SCRIPTURE stamp or CHARACTER stamp of their choice from the online store as their winnings!

No Smell of Smoke

Belinda Kersey

God’s Word
Daniel 3:25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Daniel 3:27 “... They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.”

The Song
"Through the Fire" words and music by Gerald Crabb

My Thoughts

If I ever felt a song was mine, this is it!  Some of these lines  really hit home. "Many times in trials, weakness blurs my vision, that's when my frustration gets so out of hand.  Oh, but it's then I am reminded, that I've never been forsaken, and I've never had to stand one test alone.  Then I look at all my victories and the spirit rises up in me and it's through the fire my weakness is made
strong!"  You see, before I knew I had MS, my vision was affected first.  It was as though there was a veil of lace over my eyes-very blurry.  It was incredibly frustrating.  I couldn't read, drive or watch TV.  I feared losing my vision but God was faithful and walked with me through that time.  I've had victory over vision problems since 2003.  However, as you know, I am still not fully healed, I still can not walk and have several "invisible" problems. But I know  God will continue to be with me in this fire.

Through this experience God has taught me healing is not the ultimate testimony.  Please don't turn me off now that I have stepped on a "sacred cow", just settle down and listen.  I truly believe healing should be sought  and I truly believe we should have faith God will heal.  However, I believe the best testimony you can have is when you stay faithful to God "through the fire".  My pastor even made that statement after I sang this song one Sunday.  It was just another confirmation to me of what the Lord has been teaching me.  The 2nd verse of the song says "I know within myself that I would surely perish, but if I trust the hand of God I know he'll shield the flames again." I have seen the effect my (and Jeff's) perseverance has had on non-believers and I know they know it is not on our own power.  I also know many non-believers would be skeptical of a healing and a testimony of healing might not have as great an impact on them because of their unbelief.  

We have seen some who were away from church or never been part of a church, come to the Lord.  I can not tell you it was definitely our influence but I believe that was a huge part of it.  We have had others ask us, "how do you make it"  and we have been able to share of God's faithfulness and of the Christian community's support.  The song goes on "He never promised that the cross would not get heavy and the hill would not be hard to climb.  He never offered our victories without fighting but He said help would always come in time.  Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision and the adversary says gives in, just hold on, my God will show up and He will take you through the fire again."

We need to remember in this age of "prosperity preaching", "name it and claim it" theology, etc.  God never promised our lives on earth would be easy or without trial.  In fact, he tells us we WILL be persecuted and we WILL have trials and tribulation but to rejoice for HE has overcome this world.  That is where our brightest testimony shows to the world-through it all we remain faithful and remain fervent in our belief this life is not "it"-the next life in heaven is what we should put our hope in.

 Are we willing to allow our heavenly Father to accomplish His purpose through us?  God is working all your trials for good.  Maybe He has a plan to bring more of His children into right relationship with Him through your example of faith in trial.  Maybe He has a little perfecting to do in your spirit while He walks with you through your fire.  Or maybe, just maybe, He’s ready to have you join Him in the throne room of heaven.  

I don’t pretend to know why God allows some to struggle more than others.  I don’t have a clue why some are miraculously healed while others suffer in their afflictions. I believe Beth Moore says it best in her “Daniel” Bible study.  She believes there are three possible God ordained outcomes to the fires in our lives:

1.  God will deliver you FROM the fire to BUILD your faith.

2.  God will deliver you THROUGH the fire to REFINE your faith.

3.  God will deliver you BY the fire into your heavenly home to PERFECT (complete) your faith. 

I hope you hear me-I believe in healing, I believe God is healing me and will soon complete that healing.  I believe God will be glorified in my healing and I continue to pray for that day.  However,  I  know He wants to be glorified and use me in my trials as well.  

Your Response

Close your eyes and envision yourself in the very fire of your trial, now look in your minds eye to your right and envision your precious Savior sitting beside of you.  Take His hand in yours.  Thank God He is beside you in every situation.  Thank Him because you will come out of this fire without a single hair singed or even the smell of smoke on you!

Wedding Layout

This layout was a long time coming!  The bride (my niece) just had her 3rd baby girl, the flower girl (also my niece) is learning to drive and the ring bearer (my son) is 17!  But, I finally got it done and that's all that matters in the world of scrapbooking!

I used the beautiful Bliss papers from Close To My Heart.  The design is actually a variation on one in our Idea Book/catalog.  Guess what?  We are about to release our new Idea Book in a couple of months with fabulous new papers and stamps!


I made the rosettes using our scalloped round punch-this is such a versatile tool.  The butterfly and flat flower were just cut out of a piece of the Bliss paper.  Brads and ribbon are CTMH.  The brass charms are from my broken jewelry stash.

This lo is being entered in www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com new wedding challenge.

My Mansion

by Belinda Kersey

Dedicated to the memory of Maria E. Giardi

God’s Word

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

The Song

Mansion Over a Hilltop by Ira F. Stanphill

My Thoughts

I’m satisfied with just a cottage below.  Well, as long as it looks like one of the cottages in Thomas Kinkade’s paintings!  We don’t seem to feel the need to sing such humble songs anymore.  We’d rather sing about our riches in the Lord and listen to the preachers discuss the cattle on a thousand hills.  We are more attuned to listening to how God will supply our every need and desire.

As a child, this song was always one I requested on Sunday song request nights.  I knew it was on page 45 in the “Melodies of Praise” hymnal.  Apparently I still do!  It stirred my vivid childhood imagination.    I mean this place has “streets of pure gold”.   I was told as a young child it meant they were clear like glass. Who wouldn’t want a mansion with a gold exterior and silver interior?  It sounded like the most ritzy-glitzy place my mind could imagine.  Now, I wasn’t sure about the harp in the song, but I definitely desired the mansion and crown we sang about.

Recently, I was reminded of the words to this song  as my family drove to church.  We passed by the gates outside some of the largest and most stunning mansions you can imagine.  Each new home outsized and out-glitzed the last one.  As my youngest son sighed and said “those houses are so beautiful.,”  I said,  “yes Kameron, but they just can’t compare to what our Lord has prepared for us.” 

Randy Ruiz, an evangelist friend of ours describes the space we will each have in heaven as at least 12 miles wide by 12 miles long by 12 miles high. I think I could be quite comfy in a spread that size!  Our heavenly Father has considered the needs and desires we each have.  Our personalities will still be part of us in heaven (at least the pleasant parts). He has considered that in his preparation for us.  God, who in seven days imagined into existence our  beautifully creative world, would never be able to create a cookie cutter heaven.  No, he has had time abundant to create beauty and diversity beyond even the most imaginative mind’s comprehension.

One look around your local park will enable you to see what depth of imagination and artistry is in our Creator’s very being.  Heaven will be his crowning glory, his creation to end all creation.  Why do we become so easily dissatisfied with what we have on this dusty little globe?  Why can’t we be content to wait a little while for that amazing place?

In this era of “get all you can and can all you get”, we can’t sing with much enthusiasm the line from the song that says, “I’m satisfied with...a little silver and a little gold.”  We raise our children to believe all needs should be immediately met, and it is our right to have what we want when we want it.  We urge them to choose their career paths based on pay.  Whatever happened to doing what we love and loving what we do regardless of the monetary pay-off?

Why can’t the hope of heaven be enough?  "In that city where the ransomed will shine, I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop, in that bright land where we’ll never more roam and someday yonder, we’ll never more wander but walk on streets that are purest gold."  A counterpart I learned to the chorus begins “I may not be a millionaire but can’t you see I just don’t care…”  When will we choose not to care about what we have accumulated on this earth?  I’m not saying you should sit at the gates of the city and wait for your mansion in heaven, but neither should you pursue silver and gold at the cost of losing your very soul.  

Choose to do God’s bidding here on the earth and put your hope in heaven not in your bank account.  We are not “poor, deserted or lonely”, we are “just pilgrims in search of that city”.
  

Your Response

Thank God for your heavenly home He is preparing.  Thank Him for providing for you on this earth, not just your dwelling place but for the nature He has created.

postscript-My dear friend, Maria, entered her heavenly home last Tuesday.  These devotionals are scheduled several weeks in advance.  I thought it was appropriate that this devotional happened to fall on this day.  I know Maria is dancing on those streets of gold, singing God's praises and enjoying her God designed mansion!