I saw and angel in the marble...

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Creating the Nautical Installation in our Prayer Loft has been my project this week. 

Psalm 93:3-4

The ocean is roaring, Lord!
    The sea is pounding hard.
⁴ Its mighty waves are majestic,
    but you are more majestic,
    and you rule over all.

John 3:8
Only God’s Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going.

This has been the bulk of what I have worked on this week. I still have a few things left to do but all in all it is good to go for Sunday's service at Spokane First Covenant Church. This all started from a painting idea that I started to work on thinking I would make some small changes to the art in our prayer loft.  During staff meeting on Tuesday my pastor started talking about boat sails coming out of the wall. That launched us in to discussing all the things that could be done with a Nautical theme. I got a working budget and headed to the basement first to see what we already had that I could use. Then I was off to Hobby Lobby and found wonderful things and got most of them at half off.

So you see the lighthouse area that reminds us that the Lord is the light that illuminates our darkness. He guides us on our journey and he warns us of dangers along the way.  In this area there is a treasure chest that has gems with promise verse references and a bible is there so you can look them up to see what God is saying to you through them. 

The next area pictured is the globes where you can pray for the nations of the world that God's love and light would penetrate into the lives of their people. One could also pray for the place in the world where believers are undergoing persecution for their faith in Jesus. 

The scrolls of blessing is my favorite part. I took passages from a book called Daily Spirit Blessings and rolled them into scrolls that people can take with them and read aloud to them selves during the week. There is power in what we speak and we need to speak the truth to our selves. 

Candles can be lit as a reminder of our prayers rising before the Lord.

The Helms Wheel is a place where one can go and pray for God's guidance and direction. 

Not pictured is an area where you can write a prayer or a confession and then toss it into the big boat hull as a act of faith - like casting your nets to the other side of the boat. I you write a confession of sin or are repenting or forgiving someone you might think of the hull as the sea of God's mercy and forgetfulness. He forgets our sins as far as the East is from the West.

I'm excited by how fast this project came together and I am delighted with how it has turned out. When I do these kind of projects they have a frame work of an idea but a lot depends on the things that I find as I gather and shop for supplies.  My pastor asked if I got the idea for how to do the ships from Pinterest and the answer is no - I just set to building it with the things that were available then added to those things.  I am convinced that it is part of my spiritual gifting because I can't tell you how I know what to do. I have a idea in my head and I work to make it visible to others.

“In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shape and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.”~ Michelangelo   “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” ~ Michelangelo

Tuesday afternoon I had the whole area torn apart and was cutting wood and hammering nails to get the hull shaped. It took 12 yards of muslin, some boards in the basement and other odds and ends that I found on my gathering trip on Tuesday. 

Wednesday I got the sail hung on old banner poles I found in the basement. 

I then painted the hull and headed for home where I worked on rolling 200 little scrolls. 

Thursday I did all the arranging and made signs for each area to help people understand how to experience God in each area. 

Friday - I will be putting the verse above on the walls and I have some pinion flags on ropes that still need to be hung. I suppose I better also get the bulletin and power point slides done for Sunday's service.

Saturday - I hope to be home relaxing or maybe finishing the painting that started this whole Nautical direction. I don't think I will be using them in the prayer loft.  Perhaps the Lord has some other plan for them. I think my vison was just a bit too small and God opened my eyes to his bigger plan for transforming the prayer loft. He does that with our lives as well. We invite him in to work on this one little area that is causing us problems and before you know it he's got a whole spiritual house make over going on. I think that I took the step of faith to move in a direction and to choose the colors and God saw my faith and breathed upon it.

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, 

Yes, The ocean is roaring, and the sea is pounding hard.  

It may appear that you are sleeping in the boat and unaware of the storm that has risen around us.
Ah the waves are mighty, majestic and even terrifying but you are more awesome in your power and in your love and you rule over all. Lord help us to know you in the storm and help us to be quiet to hear your voice as you speak peace over our lives.

Perfect Peace

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio
(E- mail readers please click the post title so you don't miss the video.)

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. 

" I will bless you with the peace of Jesus. Jesus gave his peace to the disciples before he left them. Spirit, I bless you with the peace of Jesus which is beyond what the world gives. I bless you with the peace he had of being at the right place at the right time, living with urgency of his purpose within himself without being overwhelmed by that urgency, because he knew his Father's time was right. I bless you with being peaceful because you know ahead of time that your Father God will partner with you to provide adequacy for each day, whether a day with pain or pleasure. I bless you in the name of Jesus, who wants you to be in step with him." ~ Arthur Burk & Sylvia Gunter

I have a strong sense that this is for someone that the Lord will bring here to read this. Maybe for more than someone, perhaps for for many. I say that to say that I feel very strongly lead to talk about the perfect peace that Jesus wants to give you. It does not necessarily mean that the problem you are facing will just "poof" vanish. I have found that most often I have had to face problems in turning with them to Jesus, he helps me to solve or even turn them into blessings.

Last night I rolled up 200 little blessing scrolls for a new Prayer Loft Nautical Theme that I am working on. I want to share with you a story of God giving me his peace just this week. On Tuesday morning I had awoken having had dreams that troubled me. I was driving my son to work and silently praying. Lord help me I can't get these thoughts out of my head. I don't understand why the past can still in a sense haunt me. I thought well perhaps it's just an attack of the enemy. I knew my brain would just keep trying to figure it out, and to endlessly try to make sense of it. I also knew I sensed the Lord's direction to just let it go. I knew I was struggling and I asked the Lord to come into my day and help me. I had no clue how he might do that.

These are not yet done and still have boats, compass, a light house to add

Having taken my son to work I headed to the church for staff meeting. One staff member was on vacation so it was just the pastor and myself. We talked about the previous service and the stuff I would need to get done for the next one. Then we went on to talking about the Nautical idea that I had been working on as a minor change to the prayer loft. Using the word P.R.A.Y.

The Prayer Loft in process - still messy.

He liked my idea and we talked back and forth about the things that could be communicated through a nautical theme. He tossed out an idea of having big sails coming out of the walls, to give the feeling of a big ship. Suddenly the little project in my mind, expanded. I have to say that all my troubled thoughts in that instant got pushed aside. So I have spent the week and will be working like a busy bee to get it all done in time for Sunday. I will post more photos as it is completed. What I wanted to share in this devotional is how faithful God was to help me. He knew exactly how my mind works and what it would take to move me beyond my troubled thoughts to be captivated by the wonder of the gift he has given me to communicate His truths to his people through the arts.

Little Blessing Scrolls

So this project will take every spare moment to complete by Sunday. So at home last night I was working on rolling little blessing scrolls, and I cut out triangel shaped flags from colored cloth. As I was rolling the 200 scrolls I thought the last one is God's blessing for me. Here's the one I got and it is from a wonderful book that I highly recommend called Daily Spirit Blessings by Arthur Burk and Sylvia Gunter. I often will read various blessing passages out loud to myself.  Anyway so here's the one from the final scroll that I was rolling. "I bless you with the desire to solve problems. Spirit, you were designed by your Father to face problems and solve them, not just escape them. I bless you with rejoicing in each one, instead of complaining and turning back. I bless you with perseverance to dig in his Word to solve problems, as if you are looking for gold, silver and jewels. I bless you with having the mind of Christ, so you can see things from his perspective and solutions others can't see. My you have God's wisdom to embrace his solutions, even if they seem painful and nobody has ever walked that way before. I bless you in the name of the God of the impossible." ~ Arthur Burk and Sylvia Gunter

So I realize that God granted me a diversion from the troubled dreams. I also know that I probably still have some more past that is not dealt with that I will have to work through with the Lord. It will not be me with my mind in a distressed loop but I will seek the mind of Christ. Theres probably another layer that I was not aware of that he is preparing me to be ready to deal with. I've buried and locked away the past and avoided some parts of it for so long that I don't remember whats even there, till the Lord starts allowing it to surface.

All this to say that the Lord will help you if you let him. He has taken me on an incredible journey to greater and greater freedom and peace in him. He would take you if you let him. He knows the way, and he knows how much you can bear, and when you need a diversion from your own troubled thought patterns.
Prayer:
Lord, I pray that you would give your perfect peace even in the middle of the storms that may be raging around some of those who are reading this. I pray Lord that they would acknowledge that you are the God of the impossible. I pray that you would grant grace and courage to face things that must be faced in your perfect timing. Thank you that you would walk with us through our days and into the unknown that lies ahead of each of us. The way may seem dark to us but it is not dark to you.

We Pressed On Towards The Goal

SPIRITUAL PHOTO CHALLENGE 3

A Devotional 

by Guest Writer 

Debbie DeRienzo  

 

This past spring, my kiddos and I decided to refinish our kitchen table. I had NEVER done it before but after some research and a trip to Home Depot we were ready. We had no idea of the outcome but we had a goal in sight. That table of 12 years held many memories for us as a family and we were not ready to let that table go that easily! So we sanded (FOR HOURS). We were so tired (we did it all by hand). But we pressed on toward the goal. When we finally finished the table we rejoiced... until....I realized I still had to put the leaf in and do that part as well. Exhausted, frustrated and sick of the dust everywhere we never thought we would finish. But.. we pressed on toward the goal. What a reward was waiting when the table was completed stipped and ready for the new stain. Scripture tells us that the instant we’re saved, we become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). It tells us the old has gone, and the new has come. How simple that sounds!

The truth of the matter is that life is not that easy. True, at the moment of salvation, our sins are forgiven, and we’re right with God for the first time in our lives. The problem (maybe challenge is a better word) is that our walk with God doesn’t become perfect overnight. We’re still tempted by the same sins, we’re still immature in our faith — the bottom line is that we WILL fall again. So what is the Christian life really about?

I think Paul says it best in Philippians 3:10-14 –
10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

We press ON TOWARD THE GOAL!!! Never giving up and always seeing the reward at the end. I look forward to the daily pursuit of this ULTIMATE goal and one day enjoying a banquet feast at God's table in heaven!!! 

 

 PS: I also like the fact that Emily's shirt says.. UNSTOPPABLE!!!

 

Thanks Debbie, for another wonderful 

Photo Challenge Devotional. 

 

Prayer: 

Lord help each of us to press on towards the goal. We often feel its a few steps forward and then a few steps back. We wonder if we are even making progress. Help us to know that you love us every step of this life's journey. Help us to remember to invite you into the journey and to not think we have to do it all on our own. Please send your Holy Sprit to help us navigate through the day before us. 

The Line between Faith and Foolishness

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

From Glory to Glory by Margot Cioccio

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NIV1984) 

 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, 

the veil is taken away.  

Now the Lord is the Spirit,  

and where the Spirit of the Lord is, 

there is freedom. And we, who with 

unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory,  

are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory,  

which comes from the Lord, 

who is the Spirit.

I get a few devotionals that come to my e-mail. I don't always read them all every day. Some days I don't read them at all. Today the title of one caught my attention. It was titled
I AM TAKING YOU TO A NEW PLACE by Gary Wilkerson   It caught my attention because I realize that a big change has happened in my life. Suddenly after 5 years of praying and putting out resumes, my husband finally has full time employment. This has happened right on the heels of my own job ending after 5 years after praying that the Lord would release me from it and allow me to do more ministry and creative things. I have to say that I have not just put aside ministry and creative things all these years and said someday I'll get to them. I have even in my hemmed in state made time for those things. I decided a long time ago that I was not going to wait till someday when I retired to do the things that I love and feel called or created to do. Art, music, writing, ministry have all been steady companions in my life journey. We used to say "If you won the lottery and money was no longer a factor what would you do?" We would ask that question because it is easy to loose sight of the things you love because you are forever chasing after money. I'm not saying money is bad but it can easily be out of balance in our lives weather you have too much or too little it can be the idol god that you serve. So when I ask myself that question - my first answer is that I will be found at the feet of Jesus. That I will take the position of faith over one of fear. That I will be available, that I will seek the Lord for wisdom, and his plans and purposes. That is where I have found myself today.

When my job ended I felt a peace that God would provide. I did not know if he would provide  through giving me more music students, or my art selling, or people wanting art commission work done or if he would provide in some other way. I realized early in this change that I could position myself in one of two ways. Fear - that there would not be enough, that we would need to tighten our belts tighter, spend time fretting over where and how we would now make our bills and provide for our family. This leads to hoarding, and becoming a consumer taker rather than a giver.  The other option is faith, trusting that God did not bring me this far to now abandon me. So I have cast my bread on many waters to see what of the many possibilities God might use. I have not sat idol, wringing my hands. I have looked to see what things needed done and what I could do today and have done those things. I have tried to be led by the Holy Sprit to work on the various projects that have been before me. When opportunities have come along to lend money, or give money or buy or do this or that I've gone ahead and trusted the Lord to provide. My answer has not been - oh I lost my job and we can't spend or lend or give we must save it all for the bills.

There is a fine line between faith and foolishness. For years I have been trying to put my finger on what that line is. Where is the line between moving ahead in faith even though you don't know how God will provide and being irresponsible, reckless and foolish. I think the line is determined more by where you walk in relationship with the Lord and where you have chosen to stand in the fear/faith equation. I am convinced that faith is something that must grow in your life. Little steps of faith today allow you to look back later on God's faithfulness and to take bigger steps in the future. The time to drum up and resort to faith is not when you find yourself in a desperate do or die situation. One must choose to live by faith rather than fear on a daily basis. When trouble comes it becomes yet another opportunity to see God move and for faith to grow. I think the line between faith and foolishness has more to do with if the choice to use faith is in your first or your last resorts. If it is your last resort you are probably operating from the fear side of the equation. Its not really faith at all its desperation. Its not that you really believe or trust you just have run out of things to try - might as well turn to God. Perhaps it is a watershed junction and God knows that a miracle in this moment will truly turn you to him. He also knows if you have no intentions of truly turning to him. Its not that he does not care but you have rejected him time and time again and even now its not him that you want its your own way. You can't from that postion try and claim verses like Romans 8:28 ^"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." First off those who love God, obey God and make a point to try to do things His way. Secondly you have no clue about God's purposes because you are still serving your own. This verse is not going to work for you. Conversely if you heart is for the Lord and you have set your heart to do His will you can be confident that the trouble you are facing will work out for good in your life. You can stand on that verse with confidence that God is working on your behalf.

I realize that there is a gift of faith but I'm talking more about ordinary faith. Matthew 17:19-21 (NIV1984) ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
²⁰ He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Do you realize that Jesus is telling them that they don't even possess in that moment a mustard seeds worth of faith. If they had even that much they could have moved mountains and been able to drive out the demons. They needed college level results with kindergarden skills and understanding. Thankfully Jesus does not give up on them, and he does not give up on you.

This is not meant to be a discouragement if your faith is small or non existant because God wants to meet you where you are. It might be a time to repent and turn around from going your own way to begin going God's way. We all have to start somewhere, so start today. Faith comes out of relationship with the Lord as we spend time with him and are learn to be led by the Holy Spirit in His word and as we decide to walk in his ways he meets us and faith grows. Even those same disciples in the near future will be proclaiming the gospel with signs and wonders accompanying them. 

Prayer: 
Lord, 
I pray for your transforming power to begin a good work in each of those readers who have decided to set their hearts on knowing and following you. That as they take small steps of faith and trust today they will be able to take bigger steps and even leaps of faith in the future. In your name I bind condemnation from trying to tell them they don't measure up, help them to see that they are accepted but that your plan is that their lives will change as they yield and cooperate with you , to become more and more like you and to fully become the people you have called and created them to be. 

I am a day ahead in my posts which allows me to not feel like I need to hurry through my quiet time to get on to writing. So this morning I have spent a long time praying in the Spirit and listening to music from http://healingstreammedia.com/ I started out with the Healing Wind station and now that I am writing have moved to the Healing Refuge which has less words and more instrumental music.
So I have reached a new place in my journey. For a long time I have felt stuck by circumstances, or what I realize now that it has been more of being hemmed in by God. I have had to tackle, with the Lord's constant help, some very broken places in my life. It is easy in those times to try and blame everything around you as the problem when the problem or the pain or the lack is inside of you. I realize that I am in a new place, free of the yokes or casts that the Lord had me in so I could heal, the bandages that protected healing wounds are removed. I am beginning to be able to explore and discover and fully be who He made me to be. Its a new place with suddenly new possibilities. I realize that I have barely scratched the surface of understanding or seeing the unfolding of Gods plan.

I invite you to be a part of what God is doing with this devotional. I believe it is encouraging people in their walk with Jesus, and some are getting set free to live more fully alive to God's plans and purposes. You can help by purchasing the products featuring my art that I include along with these posts or by clicking the donate button at the top right of the ADM Devotional home page. If you are an e-mail reader click the post title to get back to the actual site.  I invite you to consider being part of this not because I am desperate to make a living off of you but because you have been encouraged and want to help others to also be encouraged.

 

Sailing from glory to glory note card by MargotsDesigns
Shop for a card with zazzle.com

 

Sailing from glory to glory notebook by MargotsDesigns
Browse more Sailing Notebooks

Congratulations

 Devotional by Margot Cioccio

August 2012 Giveaway Mosaic Snowflake

I want to thank all of you who did things to participate in this blog during the month of August. I put your name in the drawing if you are a follower of this page, if you are an e-mail follower, if you commented on a post here or on the face book page or even on my personal facebook page about a blog post. Also for those who took the time to go and like our new Devotional Mosaic Facebook page. I decided to be extra generous and throw in the names of those who even liked something to related to one of the Devotional blog posts.

I want to thank Terri Lister and Debbie DeRienzo for being guest writers during the month of August. Its nice to have a day off once in a while and I appreciate you both for sharing your thoughts in posts here at A Devotional Mosaic. 


So I did this drawing pretty low tech. I systematically went through all the above mentioned places and wrote your names on slips of papers each time I saw them. Then I put them in a box and drew a name.

So........ Drum roll please.......
The winner for the August Giveaway is...........................
Savanna Louise Shafer
who took the time simply to like our new facebook page. Congratulations to Savanna!
This month the winner might be you.

ADM September Giveaway

September 2012 Giveaway Mosaic Hair Pins

The rules are simple your name goes in the hat for being a follower, or e-follower of this blog. (Please see the right side of the ADM blog home page to add yourself to those lists.)
Your name goes in for any comment on any post during September, by having liked our facebook page or leaving a comment there. Also for something as simple as commenting or "liking" the links to these posts that I post on the Devotional Mosaic Facebook page or even on my personal facebook page. Plus anyone who I use as a guest writer automatically gets their name in the drawing. Potentially your name could get in the hat a lot of times for very simple things. The more you participate the more chances you have of winning. I would love it if you do things like pin blogs to Penterest, or put links on your own facebook page for those kind of things you will need to let me know in a comment that you have promoted this blog in some way and I will add your name to the drawing for such things. I really appreciate your help spreading the word about ADM Blog.

So here's a small nugget for today - it is a holiday so I'm going to keep it short.

Philippians 3:14 (NIV1984) 
¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which 

God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Generally to win one must decide to do something. One must actually enter a race and participate in some way. Often one must train and work to develop a skill to be able to even have a shot at winning.

The Dictionary of Bible Themes says a prize is "Something of value given to those competing in a race, which the Christian life is likened to. Though believers must accept discipline and training, a prize is reserved for everyone who is committed to Jesus Christ."

The Christian life is like a race. You have to decide to get off the couch or the sidelines fence of indecision and participate. You have to do a bit more than just acknowledge that Jesus exists - it says in the word that even the demons do that (James 2:19). You must decide to believe who he says he is.  He accepts you in your imperfect state with all your flaws and failures. The more of our life we yield to him the more he comes in and transforms us into his image. It is a journey that is filled with day by day choices to die to your old broken ways and to live to please him as your God and savior.

 If an athlete wants to be strong they must eat healthy foods. The same is true for believers. We need to feed on his word. We can spend hours of time consuming what comes out of our televisions or radios, or other media sources. We can find time to consume those foods but we need to make a point to feed upon the Lords word. Some of you get one meal a week at church and that is a good thing. To really grow we need to begin to learn to feed ourselves and not rely solely on Sunday's message to carry you through the week. My pastor often says that people want college level answers to their problems but only have a kindergarden understanding of God's word and ways. Seriously its time to pick up the spoon - even if you get your cereal all over your face. Babies have to practice learning to eat big people food with big people utensils. Its kind of messy for a bit till they get the hang of it.

Take this verse today and dig a little deeper. Read it in context. As some questions. Who said it and to who was it said? Can you figure out what the goal is and what the prize is for attaining the goal? You might have to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you. You might want to talk to a friend or your pastor or read a commentary about the passage. Bible Gateway offers some wonderful commentaries about this verse just click the show resources link on the right side of the Bible Gateway page. 
If the Christian life is like a race think about what runners do to win. What changes might you make to get of the couch and into the race? 

Well like I said it is a holiday today so I leave you to your own further study on this one. 

Prayer:
Dear Lord, 
Help us to not just float along the lazy river but become actively envolved in kingdom living. Help us to run and not give up when we get tired or things get hard. Help us to see the goal and press on towards reaching it. Help us to know you more as we include you in our day to day journey. Help us become more and more like you.  

 

Suddenly, Unexpectedly, In an Instant

A Devotional by Terri Lister & Margot Cioccio

Isaiah 48:3
I foretold the former things long ago, 

my mouth announced them 

and I made them known; 

then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

Terri in the Palace of Knossos, Crete, Greece

I love it when I am sitting in my chair in the morning and wondering what to write and I feel led to go check my facebook and then find there the inspiration for the days post. Today has been one of those kind of mornings. My friend Terri wrote the following in response to yesterdays post. She even posted a few photos of some of the places she has gotten to see with her own eyes. So her comments have become the bulk of todays post. I know you will be blessed by what she has to share. So you are not confused I will be the bold type and she will be the regular type. All the photos in this post are from Terri's personal collection of things she has seen with her own eyes.

Dear Margot,
I have been thinking about this today, I have so many its hard to know where to start. "Suddenly" or as the dictionary says, "unexpectedly". I do have one I will share with you. Like many people I always watched the documentaries

This one is the Corinth Canal

about the ancient lands of Greece and Egypt , about the travels of the Apostle Paul, Abraham and Moses. It was always fascinating to me. A few years ago I had a sudden and unexpected opportunity to travel to Greece. In the blink of an eye I was suddenly standing in Corinth, Greece. Things I had never truly believed would ever happen in my life were in front of me. I visited the island of Crete and went to the Chapel of Titus. Things that were so far out of the possibility that I could not even dream them really.

Then two years ago God brought two Egyptian boys and two Pakistani boys into my life. I thought so much about my wish to one day see Egypt with my own eyes. The Nile river, the Red Sea. All those things I had heard and read about in the Bible. With the passing of that year I came to love these four boys as my own sons. They have a very special place in my heart.

The last day before they were to leave America I went for a walk in the park with one of my Egyptian boys. I thought I would most likely never see any of them again. We talked about the possibility of me coming to Egypt but even as we spoke the words it seemed an impossibility. My heart broke that day putting them on the plane. I was afraid the goodbye was forever. I prayed that somehow I would go and see my boys one day.

Two months later my college announced that although they could not give raises that year they would give a one time bonus. The day the bonus came I looked at the price of airline tickets to go see my boys. The cost of the ticket for Pakistan and Egypt was within fifty dollars of the amount of my bonus after taxes.

Church of St. Titus in Greece

Suddenly, unexpectedly, I was in Pakistan and a short time later I was in Egypt. I put my feet in the Red Sea, I walked in the sand of the Sinai Desert, I rode a boat across the Nile River, but more important than any of that, I walked again with the four boys who I have come to love as my own.

 

When I left Pakistan and Egypt I promised the boys I would return again as long as God provided a way. This year the college once again was unable to give raises, but choose again to give a one time bonus..... today is the day the bonus came. The amount... almost to the exact penny of what is needed to go once again and see my four boys.

A view of the Sinai Desert, Egypt

Amazing places God has taken me. I would have never begun to believe I would see these things with my own eyes.

 

On most days Terri works at a community college. Please keep her in your prayers as the Lord gives her many opportunities to shine His love to student from around the world. She posted this on the first day of school. "Today is a new beginning for many of our students at the college. Some of them come eagerly, some are pushed in by their parents, some slip in hoping no one will notice. I try to remember that when I answer the same question 300 times or get the person on the phone who can't find their way around the block. A new day, a new beginning, a new opportunity to make a difference. I tell my students all the time, "make your corner of the world better, wherever it is God put you". As students around the world start back to class please remember them and those who teach them in your prayers. They are the future of what our world will become." Thanks, Terri for sharing today, I've been blessed.

 

Prayer: Lord in an instant you transported Philip from baptizing the Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-49  "When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away,  and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.  Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea." Lord thank you for how you can in an instant provide for us exactly what we need to go where you want us to go. 

Help us to be ready and available for when you suddenly decide to act. I pray even now you would prepare the hearts of these readers for some wonderful thing that you have for them when in an instant you will make the impossible - possible.  

 

 

Don't Give Up

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

My Cleaned Up Garage

Yesterday while the kids and I were cleaning the garage we got some very good news. My husband came out all excited because he had gotten a call from his supervisor for work.

We moved to the Spokane area 5 years ago believing that God had called us to move to this area. My husband had been able to transfer with in the company he was working for at the time. We found a large house not far from where he would be working. We prayed together before signing the lease on the house and felt that even though it would be a stretch that God would provide for it and was giving it to us as a gift. In looking back - even when I did not know where the finances were coming from - God always provided. So we made the move and beat the snows - just barely.  With in 2 weeks of moving Spokane got hit with 6 feet of snow and our new home seemed like more of a snow lodge. The kids were thrilled because they had never really had snow to play in.

With in three months of moving here the company that my husband worked for closed its doors and he was out of a job. Thankfully he had un-employment and some how we managed to get buy while he looked for jobs and finished up the on-line classes for his associates degree. We had hoped that finishing his degree would help him to get a better job. After two years of putting out applications and un-employment running out we moved out of the large house to a much smaller house. Only we did not find the new place in time and spent a few months at my moms while we continued to look for a home. (Even that was a miracle story - because my mom and my aunt both had medical issues that required hospitalization and extra care. God made a way for us to be there to help them.) During that time my husband finally got a part time job and has been with that company for the past three years. The hours have been very sporadic from week to week - making budgeting nearly impossible - but God has always supplied and we have learned to consume less. 

On the 15th of this month my job that I have had for 6 years ended. Since I was an independent contractor there are no un-employment benefits to draw upon. I wrote about this in an earlier post.
I got the call from my boss during the first week of August. A few nights prior to that call my husband rolled over in the middle of the night and told me that God was lifting something off of me.
A few days later my boss called to give me notice. I had been praying about no longer doing that job and being able to spend more time on art, writing and teaching music lessons. I had been trying to little by little replace that income with creative income but still had a way to go to accomplish that goal and be able to quit. Some times little birds get pushed out of the nest so they have to learn to fly.

So while I was cleaning the garage yesterday. My husband received a call from his work saying that out of 2000 employees that three had been chosen to move to full time status. He is one of the three. Anyway after nearly 5 years of putting out thousands of applications and lots of people praying - he suddenly has a full time job. -  I don't know why it took so long to get this particular prayer answered. Perhaps the Lord will give me greater insight at some point. What I can say at this point is don't give up because God will often suddenly change things often after a long time of trusting him.

Joseph - suddenly was remembered by the cup bearer for having accurately explained the dreams he an the baker had. After long years in slavery and then more long years in prison he was suddenly raised to a position of 2nd in charge of the super power of that time in history.

David  - after years of living in the wilderness with his band of followers suddenly becomes king of Israel.  Many years before the Prophet Samuel had anointed him as a young man and proclaimed that he would be the next king. 

The Woman who touched the hem of Jesus's garment - suddenly after years of sickness reached out by faith and was healed.

Acts 16:26
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose

I could probably think of more examples. I say all this to say that sometimes the things we are praying and believing God to supply or even things we believe He has promised to do come after a long time of trusting and hoping and believing. 

That healing you are praying and believing God for  - or that financial miracle, or that job, or that restoration of a relationship  - my appear impossible as if nothing is ever going to change. I would say to you don't give up - you don't know when your suddenly may happen.

I did remember one thing that I did do this month. About a week ago I felt led to support a particular ministry - which at the time with no regular income, seemed a crazy thing to do. I felt the Lord encouraging me to take that step of faith. Was I going to hord every last penny or was I going to trust him to provide. I decided I would take that step of faith and trust him.  Sometimes we do need to take steps of faith along the way. If the Holy Spirit is tugging on your heart to respond in faith, trust and obedience in some way - do it. You may find his response to your obedience and faith to be the suddenly that you have been praying for.  Lets not forget the story of Naman  - who had to dip himself in the dirty river 7 times in obedience to the prophets instruction to receive his healing. He was pretty angry but was persuaded by his servant to go ahead and at least give it a try. The worst that could happen is he'd get wet and need to go take a bath to clean himself.  Six dips and still no change - this seems crazy and stupid but one more dip and suddenly he was healed.  So perhaps it was just coincidence. I'm going to believe it was part of God's leading and that there is a blessing for responding in faith and in obedience to the things the Holy Spirit puts on our hearts to do.

Prayer: 
Lord, I know that some reading have been praying and trusting you for something and it has been a long, long time of waiting. I pray that you continue to strengthen them and pour out your grace in this time of waiting for their prayer to be answered. Help them to praise you in the midst of the difficulty they are facing. Lord if there is some step of faith and obedience that they need to take please help them to know what that is and give them the courage to take that step. I pray that suddenly you will come and give them that long desired answer to their prayers. Thank you for building trust, patience, faithfulness, hope, wisdom and many other things in them during this time of waiting. Thank you for those suddenly's that you have in store for each of us.