Grace Point! August 2015

August 2015 eMagazine of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM

~Featuring~

Denise Davis and her

Writing Ministry

Volume 1 ~Issue 8

Table of Contents 3~Notes from Rebecca 4~About Us 5~Restoration & Renewal 6-7~The Bright Side by Olivia Carpenter 8-9~VerseWorks by Jaime Dills 10-13 Handmade in Israel 14-15~Women of Valor 16-17~StoryWorks 18-19~Showcasing: Keren Peled, Israeli Photographer 20-21~In the Potting Shed 22-23~MissionWorks by Avner Valer 24-27~Greetings from Malawi by Pastor Michael Kanyoli 28-29~An Ordinary Aussie Mom by Melanie Baker-Nash 30-31~Cleaning Out the Closet 32-33~The Personal Column by Angela Carpenter 34-37~Special Guest Article by Mary Caldwell 38-39~Highways & Hedges 40-41~ScrollWorks 42-43~FruitWorks 44-45~Remarkables 46-47~ImageWorks 48-49~Come to the Water 50-51~In the Garden 52-53~Namesakes 54~PrayerWorks 55~Prayer of Jonah 56-57~Women in Scripture: Rachel Back Cover~StillWorks Imagery

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Hello to all readers!

First, I want to thank you for clicking on the link that brought you to this magazine.

New this issue:

Notes from

Rebecca

The magazine is expanding!!! There are a lot of new features this month!! New page titles to look for are: StoryWorks, a short story with a life-lesson, or moral; Greetings from Malawi, a monthly article from Pastor Michael Kanyoli, where he shares with us the goings on in his congregations in Blantyre and the surrounding area. Some name changes to announce: Of Parchment & Passage is now ScrollWorks, and Observations: Worth a Thousand Words is now ImageWorks. You will notice a theme developing with the page titles. This is how God has led me to title present and future pages, that are trademarked by Grace Point! e-Magazine and Philippi Prospect Ministries.

We have a Special Guest article from Mary Caldwell, a powerful woman of God whom we met just a few months ago. We very much appreciate her, and her contribution, to the magazine, and we hope that the Lord leads her to contribute more in the future. The photos used in her article were taken at Deception Island, in the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica.

The purpose of this magazine is for help, hope and encouragement toward our fellow man. It is about promoting Godly endeavors and Godly results. It is not about judgment, or whether our beliefs are the same or not. The Adversary is about division and subtraction; God is about multiplication and addition. We are our brother’s keeper!

Our prayer is that there will be a blessing for each reader among these pages. God bless each and every one! Shalom.

Sincerely, Rebecca Matthews Founder, administrator, and ordained minister at Philippi Prospect Ministries Founder, senior editor, writer, publisher of Grace Point! eMagazine Photographer and curator at StillWorks Imagery

(The opinions expressed in this magazine by contributors does not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of James and Rebecca Matthews, founders of 3 Philippi Prospect Ministries, and Grace Point! eMagazine.)

In December, just a couple of weeks before Christmas, my younger daughter, Jaime, called to tell me she had joined the Army National Guard, and would be shipping out to Fort Leonard Wood, in Missouri, in January. I was over 300 miles away, and wanted to see her off, but it was just not to be. When she left that January, she warned me that she would not have use of her cell phone throughout boot camp, so to expect to hear from her in May. I resigned myself that she was off the grid for the next four months, and tried to talk to Rachel, my older daughter, on Facebook as much as possible during that time.

She lived in Bloomington, IN, which was about 16 hours from us.

Then, on March 22, the phone rang, and it was Jaime, crying so hard I could barely understand what she was saying. Finally, through the sniffles and tears, I gathered that she had sent her dad money to come see her graduate, but that he was refusing to come, and could I get to North Carolina, pick up her car, dog and laptop, drive to Missouri, and be there in less than 48 hours?

I knew I had to go, but how was I going to pull this off?? I began to pray, and made a phone call to the worship leader of the church. He agreed to take me to the bus station in Charleston the next day. With that squared away, I called her dad. I told him to have Jaime’s car at the bus station in Waynesville, NC, the next night at 10:30pm, that I was going to Missouri to see Jaime graduate.

When the bus arrived in North Carolina, I had ridden seven hours, through a torrent of rain, and was tired, but determined to drive all night to get to her graduation by 11am the next morning. So, we got on I-40 west, and headed for Missouri. Now, as if me just getting to North Carolina wasn’t miracle enough, under the circumstances, the getting to Fort “Lost-in-the-Woods’, as it is aptly nicknamed, was altogether a miraculous journey. When I got into the car, I looked down at the gear shift….it was a stick shift, which I had completely forgotten about. I hadn’t driven a stick since 1997, and figured I was probably very rusty. Then, the real test came: morning rush-hour traffic and road construction through St. Louis in 8 lanes of traffic….

As we passed through the security gates, the clock said 10:38am. As we followed the broken directions, it took us only moments to get lost. Fort Leonard Wood is a little town all on its own, complete with a hospital, 2 bowling alleys, and a myriad of brick buildings. None of the buildings were clearly marked.

So, we drove around for several minutes, looking for ‘Baker Theatre’. It was nowhere to be found! As the time soared closer to 11am, I prayed to God, “Surely we are not gonna l get THIS close and miss it!” I suggested we go back to the beginning, and try again. We did, and had gone only one block when we came upon a truck with an out-of-state tag. Excitedly, I said to follow it, that they also may be going to the graduation. Sure enough, they were. As we sat down in the back row, the lights went off, and the time was 10:54am.

That was Thursday, March 24, 2011. We spent the next two days with Jaime, as she didn’t have to be back on base until 6am Sunday morning. After a tearful goodbye, we headed back the way we had come, except at St. Louis, we continued through Illinois, into Indiana, getting to Rachel’s house about 2pm.

Even though our time was limited, I got to spend the next three hours with her and my grandson.

Another tearful goodbye later, we got on the road heading to North Carolina. By the time I got back to the little church in Moncks Corner, SC, I had been gone five days total, and I was tired from all the driving. But, it was well worth it-God had given me an answered prayer!

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A Journey to

This is the view from the top....

when looking back over our own lives, that is. While it may seem that all we have been doing is going around and around in circles, as long as we’re going up, we are making progress.

The key to this part of the journey....

is to not lose our grip at the top, and spiral downwards, out of control.

The key is keep growing in the Lord…

just like the nautilus shell.. That way, when we are dissected by the world, all they will find, on the inside, is God’s perfect pattern. A pattern that they too can have, if they let the Master redesign them from the inside out.

~~~~~Fibonacci~~~~~ (see link below)

By understanding the very simple way that God created everything we see~and even what we don’t~by using a spiral, we can see how its very development process is one we should pattern our spiritual growth after. We might start out small, insignificant, and at the bottom. But, to grow in God~His knowledge and wisdom~adds another dimension to our way of thinking. It is the process that Paul spoke of~the daily renewing of our minds~in its most simplistic, yet complex, form. Every time God reveals Himself to us ~through prayer, through experience, through worship, through His Word, through dreams, or any way He chooses to communicate with His people~ another layer is added. Another truth is added to our blueprint~our inner man. And, the more we grow, the less likely we are to spiral downwards.

The Fingerprint of God

a publication of Ruth Ministries-The Virtuous Woman,TM a woman's restoration ministry/a segment of Philippi Prospect Ministries

TM

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by Olivia Carpenter

As a teenager, it's hard to be happy with all the mean friends, pressure for grades, competitive sports, etc.

Personally, I have a hard time being happy all the time with everything on my plate!

Especially when everyone around me seems to have an easier time being negative, unhappy & rude.

A few years ago, my mom saw that that negativity had rubbed off on us, and decided that my family needed to be more positive, that we should look on the bright side of every situation.

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Look

on the Bright Side Think about it. If Jesus was negative and gave up every time something was hard, or if he just didn't want to do something, where would we be? Nowhere. If the Son of God had given up, how would God expect us to not give up?

But Jesus didn't give up. He stayed positive the whole time. He knew that in the end, it would all be worth it. He knew all the hard times, all the suffering, all the torment, would be worth it. and because of that, he saved us from our sins. He payed the ultimate price for every one of us, and he wasn't angry or mean about it.

He knew that everything would be okay, and kept on going.

I know this sounds like a lot. You're probably thinking, "How am I supposed to be happy with all these miserable people around me?"

To that, I say try to find more positive, happy friends. That doesn't mean you have to quit hanging out with your old friends, just try to make friends with other people that are really happy! I know I saw a big shift in my mood when I started talking to happier people! I felt more comfortable with myself and others once I started talking to someone positive. Don't get involved in all the drama and heartbreak that is associated with modern-day High School or Middle School! When someone comes up to you trying to talk bad about someone else, change the subject or tell them you don't know what they're talking about! The less negative things you hear, the better!

I say this month, we should all try to look on the bright side of every situation! I say we thank God for the bad times, because the good times will be even better! I say this month, we try to be just a little more like Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

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TM

As you go from day to day I pray you remember these things.

Remember who created you It was not the people who see you as imperfect.

Realize who you are to Him. You are his flawless child.

Rise and claim Him and speak out His name.

Love Him as He has selflessly loved you.

Live for Him, not the world around you.

Do not fear, He is by your side.

Give willingly and love mercifully.

Live how He would want you to live. __

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inspired by Ephesians 2:8

VerseWorks TM is a trademark of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM

by Jaime Dills

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See more from this artist at

Jewela

photos used by permission

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See more from this artist at

Studio Mandarina

photos used by permission

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See more from this artist at

Israel Direct

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photos used by permission

more from this artist at Hedva Elany Jewelry

photos used by permission

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My interviews with women of God. God led me to this beautiful lady a few weeks ago, who is full of inspiration and genuine concern for her fellowman. We are honored that she has shared part of her story with us here at Grace Point!

PPM: How did I Write 4 Him come into being?

Denise: In 2012, I had tried to start an online business selling Christian items. It was during this time that the Lord began to place in my spirit to have a blog connected to the site to share a messages to encourage those in the Christian faith to hold onto God. I felt it was a true need to connect and identify with the pain, discouragement and disappointments that we each face in life, but may not always share with others. I felt a strong urge to let them know that God understands every single thing that they were going through. I did not want to try to paint an image that I understood everything they were facing, but that God did.

As time moved on I began to develop a love more for writing for God than I did for trying to run a successful online store. After about a year, I decided to give the store up, but I knew I wanted to continue to write for God. I started homeschooling my daughter in 2014, and I would go to Google Plus to get information from other moms who were also homeschooling. I started noticing that many of them had blogs and were using wordpress. I didn’t know anything about wordpress, how to use it, nothing at all. I started searching it out and the more I learned, the more the desire began to grow again to start back writing for God. I started praying to God and asking him what should I call the blog. My daughter and I would sit together and discuss different names but none of them would really stick with me. Then, one day I heard in my spirit “I write for him”. I did a search on the name and found out that the name was actually already in use. So I tried “I write 4 him” and sure enough, the name was available.

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I purchased the name, started my wordpress blog, and from there I began to write as the Lord led me. At the time that I purchased the name for my blog, I told the Lord that I had really liked the “I write for him” name, and that if the person who had it ever stopped blogging I would like to have it. This year the person let the blog go, and I was able to purchase the domain name. I felt like God was saying “here ya go, you wanted it, so I saved it for you. Now continue to write for me.”

PPM: What is the primary purpose for I Write 4 Him? Denise: It has become my true desire now to encourage others to look to God. My call is to point others to Jesus. If I can just get them to look to him, then He will do the rest. I want them to know that, regardless of the mistakes they have made, or the problems they may be facing, God is able and willing to help them. I don’t want to appear as someone that is holier than thou, but I want them to know I understand because I have been there. I have made so many mistakes, messed up so many times, and even today the devil still tries to remind me of my faults. My only hope is to look to God when the devil tries to bombard my mind with my past failures and faults. I know that sometimes the stress and guilt can be so heavy that we feel too ashamed to come to God. But through it all, I have learned that God is faithful to forgive and that nothing, absolutely nothing, will ever change his love for me.

I want others to know this too; I want them to remember God’s word and to remember his promises. I want to remind them that God is faithful and that he is there when they call. I wish so much that I could be a full time blogger and write for the Lord every day. But with being a wife, mother, trying to keep up with the house, cooking, running errands, and working as a registered nurse, this all most definitely takes time away from blogging. So when I do get free moments to get into my hiding place, I seek God and ask him what would he like for me to write and as he places it into my heart, I write for him.

see more from Denise Davis at iwrite4him.com

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TM

I grew up hearing and reading stories like Jack Tales and Aesop’s Fables. Almost every story had as the ending line: and the moral of this story is….

The story I read sometime in my early twenties has stuck with me, and it fits in particularly well with understanding how the Adversary tries to trick us. And, that if we are not vigilant, we will get beguiled by him. Here is a little story to heed to.

Back in the olden days, an old trapper was traveling through the mountains looking for his next pelt. He came upon a flooded river, and stood at the edge, trying to decide the best place to try to cross. As he stood there, a rattlesnake slithered up to him, and asked him what he was doing.

“I need to cross this river, and I’m trying to decide which way to go.”

The snake said, “I need to cross, too. Why don’t I catch a ride on your shoulders as you wade across?”

The old trapper laughed. “You’ll bite me,” he replied.

“No, I won’t,” the snake insisted.

They stood and argued for a while and, finally, the snake wore the old man down with his promises.

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StoryWorks TM is a trademark of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM

“I promise I won’t bite you. I need you to help me cross.”

So, the old man bent down and picked the snake up and put it onto his shoulder. Then, he stepped carefully into the flood waters and slowly and steadily made it across without getting swept away by the current. As he emerged from the water, he bent and put the snake down. Just as it touched the ground, it turned and bit the old man on the hand.

“I thought you promised not to bite me,” the old man cried, as he felt the stinging venom enter his veins.

The snake answered, “You should have been aware of who you were dealing with. You knew I was a snake when you picked me up.”

How many times do we pick up the enemy, even though we know what it is, just to be bitten afterward? I once heard a minister say that, once we know the nature of a thing, we know what to expect from it.

Yeshua said it best: You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8:44 17

Keren Peled

Photographer from Israel Western Views Sunsets overlooking the Mediterranean Sea from my porch in Haifa.

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Sailing

A single sailboat off the shores of Haifa.

My Favorite Flowers

Beautiful blooms from my collection of orchids.

Storm Brewing Over the city of Haifa.

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In the Potting Shed by

Rebecca Matthews

Talents do not grow in the ground!

Seeds do!

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Just ask the man in the parable that hid his in the ground. (Matt.

25:14–30)

A talent can be two things: a God-given gift that is developed over time by commitment and practice; or, a unit of measurement. It is not a seed.

A seed represents a new life springing up from the shell of an old one.

It represents a hope, a future, and an abundance. It represents sustenance, nourishment, and the multiplication of all things good associated with its growth.

But, talents do not grow like seed. They put out no root, nor leaves, nor develop fruit. When we sow seed, we might pull a few weeds, water it and fertilize it, but it is God who causes it to grow.

When we have a talent -- a special gift or ability -we are what grows. It molds us, having us to try to be continually better at it, and to develop it into an ideal, flawless achievement.

It is something that God gives to us, to make us grow in His garden, that causes us to react to the talent in the same way the seed reacts to water and fertilizer. It helps us grow!

Once we have figured out what is a seed in our lives, and what is a talent, then we know where to put each of them.

So, if you have some talents buried out in the back yard, go get the shovel, dig them up, clean the dirt off, and let those talents begin to grow you into the person God wants you to be.

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TM

Avner Valer Work of Art Ministries Hatzeva, Israel

Ecclesiastes in Simple Hebrew

I wrote this book: "Ecclesiastes in Simple Hebrew" especially for Hebrew speakers.

It is important to understand that the vast majority of Hebrew speakers just can not understand the Old Testament because it is written in ancient Hebrew and not in the modern spoken Hebrew. Please share this book with your loved ones who can speak and read Hebrew.

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Proverbs With Help

This is a very special book, where you can find verbal help (commentary) about every word in the book. This means that you can read the book and understand the ancient language, and with a little effort and creativity - you can understand the intention of the poet's verses. see more at www.avnervaler.com all photos, videos and articles used by express written permission

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by Pastor Michael Kanyoli We as a team of Ministers at Praise Chapel Living Word of God Church ( PCLC ) have developed a basic leadership training program that can take a believer and make a true disciple of him / her.

The biggest challenge in the church of Jesus Christ is the need for leadership. In the Bible we are taught to pray and ask the Lord to send more labourers to work in the field , so obviously the Lord knew we would have this challenge (Matt 9 : 37- 38) .

Discipleship is the process of turning a convert into a mature Christ - follower . There are many Christians but very few Christ - followers in the real sense of the Word . A Christ - follower is someone who has made a quality decision to live and model the life of Christ in and through their lives . We have devised TWO types of leadership training courses in our Church .

1) SCHOOL OF THE BIBLE We have code-named the first one as School of the Bible. One of the most exciting observations in the Bible is that the Lord began to raise up leaders among everyday believers.

(Ephesians 4:11-13) Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do His work and build up the church. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

The purpose of this course is to take a new convert from conversion to a home fellowship leader in a very short period of time.

Through this system we aim to train all new home fellowship members to become effective fellowship leaders so that they are ready to take their own fellowship when multiplication is ready. This training system repeats itself quarterly , and through it, we are now capable of raising up many new leaders in the church. After completing the course, we encourage the new trainee to also plant their own fellowship group in their home or the home someone else, or even in the work place.

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photo courtesy of Frank Douwes via Flickr | License

2) REQUIREMENTS OF A BIBLICAL LEADER Dealing with areas as: Spiritual mentoring; establishing a powerful prayer life; loving and caring leadership; the gift of hospitality; qualifications of a biblical leader; character and commitment qualifications; how to lead effectively; the functions of a leader; the Pastor in leadership, the Pastor as a shepherd, etc. These, and many more lessons, are given to those who have been ordained as Pastors, Evangelists, Deacons or those we are preparing to ordain as such.

3) INVITATIONS We also invite Pastors, Evangelists, and Elders from our daughter village churches to come to Blantyre Main Church, where they receive IN SERVICE LEADERSHIP TRAINING for a month. Afterward, we let them go and help their churches. It costs about $500 (US dollars) to train a student for a year. Just imagine these village Pastors, never having received any formal Bible training course: the only training they need is this one. The main church needs to prepare the materials in both English and Chichewa (our vernacular language) for some have have not had enough secular education. This is a challenge to us again. As the main church, we have to foot all these bills and responsibilities.

Among several activities highlighted during our 2015 Camp Meeting in April, there was an official ordination of Mrs. Rhoda Phiri to the position of Pastor of PCLC. We believe women are equally called to be in the office of Pastor, Evangelist, Prophetess, Apostle, Teacher (the Five Fold Ministry). We also invited Pastor Micha Klopper, a woman Pastor from South Africa, to help in the ordination process.

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Below is my short story backing my argument why women must be in the Five Fold Ministry.

THE WOMAN IS A SYMBOL OF LIFE: John 20:17 According to Mark 16:9-10, Mary was the first to whom the Risen Saviour appeared. The reason why He sent a woman to be an Apostle to the Apostles and to witness the Resurrection to them, is to be seen in relationship with Adam and Eve, the first man and the first woman.

Eve, the first woman, had been the first to take of the fruit of death and to give it to the man. So, in the same way, a woman was the first to take of the fruit of life, the Risen Saviour, and told this Good news to the man. That means, if the woman has been the first to bring the news of death to man, likewise, she has been the first to bring the news of life to man!

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top photo courtesy of Waiting For The Word via Flickr | License / bottom photo courtesy of Waiting For The Word via Flickr | License

The woman --more than the man-- is the symbol of life. She knows better the origin of life. More than the man, she experiences how life is growing in her womb. She knows better how the unborn child is becoming a human being. So, more than the man, the woman is associated with the mystery of life, which is the essence of God, who alone knows what life is in its absolute and complete form.

What the Risen Lord did in sending Mary Magdalene as Apostle of the new life is really in accordance with our conception of life. And, in Africa, and even in the church, the African woman should keep this precious vocation to be the first Apostle of Life; a life in Christ.

On the other hand, if it is true according to the Apostle Paul, that in Christ there is no man and woman since the risen Lord sent a woman to the man to proclaim the news of the new life, all men have been transformed through Christ to bear the new life. Up to now, everyone who has been born again, man or woman, has to witness the resurrection of Christ in themselves, and to bear a new life in the risen Lord.

To do so we have to recognize the voice of the risen Lord, as Mary did. We have to recognize the presence of the risen Lord in our daily lives. He is the one who is going before us, leading us to the new life, where there will be no more crying, weeping, suffering or death.

photo courtesy of Waiting For The Word via Flickr | License

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Walt Disney. How does this name make you feel?

For some people it is wonderful. They think fondly of their childhood with memories of watching Disney classics. I personally can relate to this. I have a memory of meeting my mother’s dad as a young girl and of him taking me to see my first movie at the cinema…I think it was Cinderella. There are many Christian parents who see no harm in their child/ren watching Walt Disney films or even some adult television shows as they do not want to raise their child, ‘in a Christian bubble.’ I understand this.

For others there is a real grievance over the occult themes and the more recent transition towards obvious sexual themes and references and non-biblical morals. I personally can relate to this also. I have experienced a real personal change within me from prior to being born again when I had no sensitivity toward Disney’s children movies/shows, to later seeing them from a whole new perspective.

I was asked to write an article as a Christian parent on my thoughts relating to Walt Disney and this is it. I hope it is not an article of judgement or one which tells you what to do, as I do not believe my parenting is, or has ever been perfect, as I strive to raise my 3 children in the way of The Lord as the bible admonishes. I hope it is an article that does not condemn, rather simply prompts you to think and spend time prayerfully with The Lord in humility; for our role as parents carries a large responsibility. Please remember The Lord is gracious and good. Each new day is a chance for us to grow as parents and do things His way rather than our own, or like the rest of the world.

When thinking about this article and writing about Walt Disney I felt it wasn’t so much an issue of whether or not we allow our children to watch Disney movies – Rather our thoughts need to be much wider including ALL EXTERNAL INFLUENCES and we need to look at our own heart in relation to where it is with The Lord. For without a right heart, we will only be rule keepers or rule breakers and The Lord wants more than rule keepers; He desires a relationship with both us and our family!

Who am I to assert myself to you as superior; that my opinion is above your relationship with The Lord? Are you and The Lord not able to work out your own parenting together?

With this in mind I simply want to write some questions which I believe are ones we all (myself included) need to ask ourselves as parents: 28

1. Do I use any media (TV; movies; internet; game systems) as my first call to keep the children settled and in one place? When we come home, are technological devices the first thing we put on? Are movies a regular babysitter?

2.Do I screen what my children are watching? For example, have I watched the movie first? Am I active in supervising their internet use by having them in the same room as me? Do I discuss with them why some music is inappropriate?

3.Do I take seriously the supplied rating system on movies or games? Why would I let my 8 year old watch M+ rated movies or play M+ games (even if they have super-hero characters)?

4.How actively involved am I in regulating who my child/ren associate with? Do I know the worldviews of the people I let my child/ren stay with? Do I compromise my personal morals/biblical beliefs to not have an argument with my child/ren, or possibly offend my friend/s?

5.How well read in Scripture am I? Do I know what the Lord says about magic and seeking guidance from other sources? Have I been slack in my own instruction in the way of the Lord? How prepared am I to discuss the occult themes in movies/shows with my child/ren? Am I instilling in my child/ren a love for God’s Word?

6.How well am I teaching my children WHY we do things different to nonChristians, rather than just giving stern rules and fear based consequences?

7.Do I think about the toys I let my child/ren play with? Are they sexualised, or a stimulus for violent or ungodly play? Or when older, the extra-curricular activities they engage in, for example; how sexualised are their dance classes/costumes, or occult-related are their dance themes; have I considered the spiritual element in eastern martial arts?

8.Am I just getting through each day, or am I inspired to joyfully raise disciples for God’s Kingdom and Gospel to be proclaimed by the next generation?

9.How active am I in the education of my child/ren? If I choose to send them to a school, am I an active voice speaking out against ungodly practices and also a voice of encouragement?

10. Am I living an exemplary life of God being first and all else second…sport, recreational activities and holidays included? Do I myself dress modestly and display true beauty by caring for others?

11. Am I feeding my children healthy, nutritious food or is it predominantly high sugar, processed, packaged food?

12. Why is it important to me that my family ‘fits in’ or is like everybody else when Scripture says to be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God? Where do I draw the line for me and my family…do I even know? Do my children dress provocatively or offensively? see more from Melanie Baker-Nash at Life of an Ordinary Aussie Woman

by Melanie Baker-Nash 29

Cleaning Out the Closet by

Rebecca Matthews

What baggage do you always carry with you, no matter where you go?

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Have you ever met those people who tell you their whole life’s history in the first few minutes after meeting them? Have you ever felt like some people advertise every malady that has ever befallen them, like souvenir stickers on a suitcase?

There is a difference between sharing our experiences with others (to keep them from making the same mistake we may have made) and reliving the negative experiences from our past to keep us in an attitude of victim mentality.

We are not supposed to be boastful in all the evil that has happened to us throughout our lives; but rather, be boastful of the One who has brought us through that negative experience. How can we be overcomers if we are still hanging onto the baggage that we acquired years ago?

Where is the victory? Where is God in a situation like that?

We are told very plainly to put away the “old man” and become a new creature, and to renew our minds day by day. (Eph. 4:24 & Col. 3:10) Yeshua Himself said that old wine could not be put into new bottles. (Mark 2:22 & Luke 5:37) Our lives should be a reflection of who Yeshua HaMashiach is within us in the present, and where He is taking us in the future. Our earthly baggage should not be an advertisement of where we have been, and all the “bad” things that has happened to us.

May we all, from this moment forth, stop operating in the flesh, toss our old, worn out baggage on the garbage heap, and begin operating in victory, under the influence of the Ruach HaKodesh. When we do that, then we will have a story worth sharing.

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The Personal Column by

Angela Carpenter

My New Position I'm new to retail management. I've went straight from an associate to management and, for a few months, found it hard to find my own way of managing. At first, I felt like I was replacing the previous manager, so I tried to be like the her. It did not take long before I found myself saying, “I’m not Andrea!"

I am not happy , my numbers are down , and I am not helping the associates, or the store. The old manager was more of a friend to the associates than a manager, and I have a daughter close to their age, so I can’t be a friend. So, I went to work and tried another method. I was a mom, not a manager. I was patient, encouraging and understanding. This was a big mistake.

First, I am not their mom. So, the associates saw me as a push over.

My numbers are still down and I’m not helping the store, or the associates at all. I am about four months in, and I work for a very amazing company that invests in developing and training management staff into the leaders they saw we could be in the hiring process.

I went to a training seminar the other day. I sat in the room with about 30 other new managers, in the same boat as myself. As I sat there and listened to our DM patiently and thoroughly coach us all, I remembered the company’s motto. Customers First!

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This does not mean the customers are always right; it means people come first.

The company truly leads by example. They put us first by training and coaching us to put people first.

Customers First! I know this was first God’s motto. John 3:16 For God so loved the world He gave His only Son. God loved us so much He put us before anything else.

Up till a few years ago, I was just an associate for God. I worked for Him. It wasn’t until as an adult, when I was born again, that I was promoted to management for God. He raised and trained me all over again to become the leader for His people He saw I could be.

I know God placed me in this position at work for a reason, and I can see a little bit ahead of how I, ANGIE, can manage for this company. But, why am I struggling to find my own personal management style?

Psalms 139 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

I dont know what is to come of me in this company, but for now I will be thankful for my manager-who is a great mentor, and my company for the training. I am thankful to God because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; for any position I hold here on this earth is because He loves me so much.

read more from Angela at notbusinesitspersonal.blogspot.com

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Special Guest Article: Deception by Mary Caldwell Having secured and then focused upon our relationship with Yeshua, we are sometimes surprised at the fiery trials that come upon us. Even though Peter admonishes us to “think it not strange.” (I Peter 4:12), we are caught off guard by the enemy’s tactics. We are bombarded by a great deal of “pie-in-the-sky” preaching and self-absorbed promises of an easy life once salvation is secured. But the word of God is very sober in its warnings against being deceived. The early congregation leaders: John, Paul, Peter, and Jude zero in on deception with a vengeance.

As women, we are especially prone to being deceived. Paul declares it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman. (I Timothy 2:14). What is it about our natures that makes us prone to deception? We possess good attributes that can easily slide into deception. We are peace makers. That can slide into being people pleasers. It can make us hesitant to speak the truth. We are nurturers and encouragers.

Both these traits empower us to look for the good in all people and situations. We are slow to cut off and have nothing to do with promoters of evil and their deeds. We slide easily from truth to political correctness.

I want to present definitions, characteristics and examples of deceivers and deception. We will conclude with what tools we have already been given and need to use in contending for the faith.

First of all, deception is deceptive. That means it looks good on the surface, but the inner part is rotten.

Jesus addressed this with the P’rushim: “Woe to you hypocritical Torah teachers and Parushim. You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence… Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You are like white-washed tombs, which look fine on the outside, but inside are full of dead people’s bones and all kinds of rottenness. Likewise you appear to people from the outside to be good and honest, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and far from Torah.” (Matthew 23:25, 27-28)

Deceptive is distinguished from hidden. Although the attributes of God are clearly seen in the things that are made, he also bids us seek him to find him, the Truth (Matthew 7:7). He asks that we keep his commandments and he promises that he and the father will come to live with us and reveal themselves to us (John 14:21, 23 ). Both instances imply hiddenness. In contrast, Truth will never be found in deception, no matter how long we pursue it. I John 2:21 states that no lie has its origin in the truth.

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photo courtesy of Christopher Michel via Flickr | License | (cropped)

I wanted to give two other examples of the deceptiveness of deception. Numbers 22-24 relates the story of Balak hiring Bil’am to curse Israel. Bil’am tells Balak several times that he cannot say anything unless Adonai gives him permission. This is true. He blesses Israel three separate times, much to Balak’s unhappiness. The words of blessing are true. He declares twice that , “This is the speech of Bil’am, son of B’or;/ the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened;/ the speech of him who hears God’s words; /who knows what ‘Elyon knows,/who sees what Shaddai sees,/who has fallen, yet has open eyes.

(Numbers 24:15-16) This sounds like a confession of repentance, but we can’t go by his words. The word of God says he loved the wages of doing harm (II Peter 2:15). Bal’im is also credited with teaching Balak to set a trap for Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual sins (Revelation 2:14).

The second example of the deceptiveness of deception is in Acts 16:16. A young girl follows Paul and his workers declaring, “These men are servants of God Ha’Elyon!

They’re telling you how to be saved!” (Acts 16:17) We can’t fault what she said, but Sha’ ul was vexed and called the snake spirit out of her that had enabled her to predict the future. God looks on the heart.

I am on Planned Parenthood’s mailing list. I don’t know how, but I am grateful because it gives me an opportunity to be aware of their tactics. The latest letter had a picture of three leaders in the legislature. The text stated that these three wanted to take away a woman’s right to choose her own method of birth control. Abortion is not birth control; it is the murder of innocents.

In addition to being deceptive, deceivers are brazen. Numbers 25:6 relates the story of Zimri and Kozbi who in front of Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel, went into Zimri’s tent to commit fornication.

Pinchas speared them both through and was commended for his zeal. The leaders had gathered to discuss what was to be done for those Israelites who had bound themselves to Baal P’or, a foreign god.

The decision was made that all those who had thus bowed down to the foreign god would be hung. The people were crying over this tragedy when Zimri and Kozbi ran by them.

During my youngest daughter’s graduation celebration from the theology department of her graduate school, two young male graduates walked to the center of the outdoor grounds and began passionately kissing one another. It was a blatant display of gay “rights”. We all have been surprised and shocked at the stridency with which the proponents for gay rights, who are a minority, have achieved acceptance and silenced opposition. We have been shocked and horrified at how these proponents have bullied state governments into rescinding laws created to protect religious freedoms. We have been overwhelmed and dismayed at the recent Supreme Court decision that blatantly removed another foundation of our society. In declaring that same sex couples have the right under the constitution to have their union recognized as marriage, our county has sanctified what God considers abomination.

Isaiah 3:8 says it well, “For Yerushalayim is ruined, and Y’hudah has fallen because their words and deeds defy Adonai, in open provocation of his glory. Their very look witnesses against them! They parade their sin like S’dom; they don’t even try to hide it—all the worse for them!—they bring evil on themselves.” photo courtesy of Liam Quinn via Flickr | License

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Thirdly, those affected by deception want company. Eve gave the fruit to Adam to eat. Numbers 16:1 states that Korach took men and rebelled against Moshe. 250 others were involved in the rebellion.

Fourthly, deception is always opposed to some aspect of God: his character, his attribute, his word, his promises. Satan questioned Eve, “Did God really say, ‘You are not to eat from any tree in the garden’?”

After Eve’s response, he contradicts God and states, “It is not true that you shall surely die.” (Genesis 3: 4) Fifthly, deception puts us in bondage. Joshua 9:3 relates the story of one of Israel’s close neighbors who went to elaborate means to perpetuate the lie that they were from a far country. They put old sacks on their animals; wore old, repaired sandals on their feet; carried old, dry bread crumbs; and came to ask Israel to make a covenant with them. Israel did and realized later that this people were near neighbors and should have been destroyed. Israel said they were cursed and would carry wood and water for all Israel. They became Israel’s servants. Israel as well was in bondage. They later had to come to the rescue of these people when they were being attacked. They were what God had said they would be, a thorn in Israel’s side.

There is a key in this story that will move us into discussing defenses against deception. Joshua 9:14 states “the men sampled some of the food but did not seek the advice of Adonai.” They made their decision without him and were deceived.

In Ephesians 5:11, Paul tells us to have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them. We have to speak up. I John 5:20 states, “And we know that the son of God has come and has given us discernment, so that we may know who is genuine; moreover, we are united with the One who is genuine, united with his Son Yeshua the Messiah. He is the genuine God and eternal life.” This is good news! The Spirit of truth lives within us. We are united with Messiah. We possess the discernment we need to keep from being deceived. Why then are we deceived? Paul tells us that since we have learned that what is in Messiah is truth, “then so far as your former way of life is concerned, you must strip off your old natures, because your old nature is thoroughly rotted by its deceptive desires; and you must let your spirits and minds keep being renewed, and clothe yourselves with the new nature created to be godly, which expresses itself in the righteousness and holiness that flow from the truth (Ephesians 4: 22-24).

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photo courtesy of Liam Quinn via Flickr | License (cropped)

John advises us that he has written us “these things about the people who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the Messianic anointing you received from the Father remains in you, so that you have no need for anyone to teach you. On the contrary, as his Messianic anointing continues to teach you about all things, and is true, not a counterfeit, so, just as he taught you, remain united with him.” (I John 2:26-27).

In I John 3:10, the apostle states clearly how we are to know truth from deception: “Here is how one can distinguish clearly between God’s children and those of the Adversary: everyone who does not continue doing what is right is not from God. Likewise, anyone who fails to keep loving his brother is not from God.” He exhorts us to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. Those who acknowledge that Yeshua the Messiah came as a human being is from God, and every spirit which does not acknowledge Yeshua is not from God…(I John 4:2-3). He encourages us in I John 4:4 by saying, “You, children are from God and have overcome the false prophets, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Jude was going to write about our great salvation, but instead felt compelled to urge us to contend earnestly for the faith (v 3). He encourages us to build ourselves up in our most holy faith, and pray in union with the Ruach HaKodesh to keep ourselves in God’s love (v20-21). We have the tools and very clear directives to contend for the faith. Let us be faithful warriors. “Now, to the one who can keep you from falling and set you without defect and full of joy in the presence of his Sh’Khinah—to God alone, our Deliverer, through Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord—be glory, majesty, power and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.” (Jude v 24-25)

photo courtesy of 23am.com via Flickr | License

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Highways & Hedges

by Rebecca

Matthews

Has

God

sent you

into the desert?

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If He is, then He will provide you with an oasis.

The key to the whole journey is not to complain, as the children of Israel did, but to find the purpose of the journey, and what one can learn while it is going on. Otherwise, a person’s eleven-day trip might take forty years, just as theirs did.

In Scripture, the wilderness is almost always a desert environment.

It is a place of trial and temptation, of sacrifice and perseverance, and prevailing over the enemy while surrendering to the will of the Father. This is the place where the flesh will be tested and tried to the utmost, so that we learn how to put our bodies under subjection, which is necessary for the Spirit to flourish within us. (Romans 8:13) After Yeshua was tempted in the wilderness for forty days, He was fed by the angels, so He could regain the strength that had diminished. This was a type of oasis.

The definition of oasis is rendered as “a fertile spot in the desert where water is found.” Yeshua is our oasis when we find ourselves in the desert, whether we have been sent there to learn Godly lessons, or whether we have wandered there of our own accord. In either case, He is the refuge that sustains us until we have come out of the dry, dusty places in our lives. top photo courtesy of Dennis Jarvis via Flickr | License

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It is time for you to awaken out of sleep: 40

for now is salvation nearer to us, than when we first believed.

Romans 13:11 41

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a closer look at the fruits of the Spirit In Galatians 5:22-23, we are given a list of the fruits of the Spirit. They are the guidelines to which we conduct ourselves in our daily walk. These are nine different aspects of Godliness that we must adhere to, to live to our fullest spiritual potential. They vary slightly, depending on the translation, but the foundational fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

While at first glance, these all look the same, a closer look reveals small differences in their meanings, which translates to differences in their application and implementation. This article is meant to shed light on each of these nine characteristics of holiness, to explore their nuances and minute differences. Hospitality falls under the category of love.

Friendship What is it? What does it look like? The modern definition for this word is most often linked to getting a “thumbs-up on facebook. But, what does this word really mean? How do we apply it? And, is there a Scriptural model?

The dictionary describes friendship in the following way: 1. the state of being a friend A friend is defined as 1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

2. a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter 3. a person who is on good terms with another

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dictionary credit

We are given several examples of friendship in Scripture, and it looks completely different than our worldly, social-media driven view of it.

Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. -John 15:13 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn't know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. -John 15:15 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. -Proverbs 17:17 A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. -Proverbs 18:24

The message given in these verses makes it clear that friends can be more reliable than family, and that Yeshua shows the true meaning of friendship in his relationship with us.

A friend is more than a social media profile; it is the genuine care and concern for another human being. It is a knowledge that, without that person, our lives would have a void in it, which makes that person valuable to us in ways that cannot be measured with money or possessions.

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Friends are the family we choose for ourselves. ___

Remark a b l e s

by Amanda Marler

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What does this picture say to you?

What are we teaching our kids?

Have they lost their innocence too soon?

Has the soft, lovable toy replaced with cold, electronics?

been hard

Does our children know more about cartoon characters from TV than they know about real, Scripture based characters?

Who is your child’s hero or heroine?

Are we contributing now to our children’s rebellion later in life?

Are we teaching our children to take care of what they are given?

Are we showing our children how to be responsible adults?

Are we showing our children the importance of caring for others?

Do our children know how to play well with others?

Do our children have to be the center of attention or constantly entertained?

We only get one chance to raise our children “right.” We should strive to raise them by the Scriptural standard, because with it comes a promise: raise them up the way they should go, and when they are older they will not move away from it.

How many of us adults are living out our rebellion and disobedience from our own childhood through our children, instead of dealing with the issues that God is requiring us to let go?

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Come to the Water

by Rebecca Matthews

The Well : The Well of the Field

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Genesis 29:1-12

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east. He looked, and behold, a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well's mouth was large. There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well's mouth in its place. Jacob said to them, "My relatives, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran." He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him." He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep." He said, "Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them." They said, "We can't, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well's mouth. Then we water the sheep." While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she kept them. It happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.

Have you ever been sent away from one place, only to find yourself in the next place -in the middle of the public- with all eyes on you? That was Jacob’s case. And, upon seeing the beautiful Rachel, he felt the need to impress her with his “manly� ability to move the stone from the well all by himself. He was not interested in protocol; he acted upon the human instincts of love at first sight. And, sometimes, being in the public eye will cause us to overreact to things in which we would normally hold our composure.

The well in the field represents where everyone gathers to get their thirst quenched, animals and people alike. It represents a place of unity, accord, patience, cooperation, allotment, and protocol. It also represents the fact that everyone who is gathered there is on the same level. Paddan-Aram was located on a highland plateau, an extended part of the country known as the table-land of Aram. So, when we find ourselves at a well in an open field, we must remember that we are in the public eye, and act accordingly, that we must share the resources with others, and that there are sometimes regulations set in place so that everyone gets their portion of it.

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In the Garden

by Rebecca Matthews

Fruits in Scripture

The Grape 50

Throughout Scripture, the grape, its juice, and the wine made from it, has an enormous amount of symbolism associated with it.

In Leviticus 26, the grape is used to signify having plenty to eat and living securely in the land. This is exemplified when the spies bring back to Moses a bunch of grapes that had to be carried on a pole between two men, In contrast, Isaiah 18 and 32 uses the lack of grapes to show God’s discontent with His children.

Wine made from grapes is mostly associated with the shed blood of Yeshua, as is the cup from which He drank. In some verses, the word cup is used, instead of the wine it held, because the cup was used only for wine, so cup is sometimes synonymous with wine.

The dregs of the wine are associated with God’s anger and fierce wrath.

For those who take a Nazarite vow, they are forbidden to consume any part of the grape, until their vow is finished.

Yeshua’s first miracle was turning the water into wine at a marriage feast, signifying the the part He will play in bring all who accept Him to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

enab: a grape Original Word: ‫ֲענָבִים‬ Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Phonetic Spelling: (ay-nawb') from an unused root word: to bear fruit

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Jacob Supplanter

Our names are more than just what we are called.

God gave names, or changed names, in Scripture, in the lives of those whose names were changed. Do up to the character of that name? Or, do you feel

Hebrew Transliteration: Yaaqob Hebrew Spelling: ‫יַעֲק ֹב‬ from aqab meaning heel-catcher; that is, a supplanter, which means taking the place of another through scheming, force, or strategy; to trip up or overthrow Genesis 25:29-33 Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am famished."

Therefore his name was called Edom. Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright." Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?" Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.

Genesis 27:35-37 He said, "Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing." He said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing." He said, "Haven't you reserved a blessing for me?" Isaac answered Esau, "Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers have I given to him for servants. With grain and new wine have I sustained him.

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They can reveal a lot about our character. When it signified that a change was about to take place you have a Scripture-based name? Are you living a name-change is in order?

Rachel/Leah Ewe/Weary Hebrew Transliteration: Rahel/Leah Hebrew: ‫ ָרחֵל‬/ ‫לֵאָה‬ Rahel: from an unused root meaning to make, or go on, a journey; as female sheep are predominant in the flock, and are good travelers Leah: from la’ah meaning weary from a primitive root word meaning to tire, to grieve, to loathe, to faint, to be or make disgusted Genesis 29:9-12,17 And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.

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Š StillWorks Imagery by Rebecca Matthews

Father, I pray for people to recognize where the enemy hides within themselves, how they are being used like puppets, dangling on a string, moving to the strongman’s bidding. Give them eyes to see and ears to hear, so they may know what authority they are actually operating under.

In the name of Yeshua.

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PrayerWorks TM a publication of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM

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Women in Scripture and What We Can Learn From Them

by Rebecca Matthews

Rachel: The Beloved

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How hard would it be to share your husband with someone else? Namely, your sister, whom your father betrothed to him in your place? How would it make you feel if she continually bore him sons, while you had no children to give him, in a culture where children were regarded as your wealth?

Genesis 29:6-9 When Jacob met Rachel she was bringing the sheep to the well to be watered. She was their keeper, taking care of the sheep for her father.

How many of us, as Christians, are responsible for the well-being, safety and growth of other Christians?

Do we do what is called of us willingly and responsibly?

Genesis 29:25 Rachel became Jacob's wife, but only after he had been tricked by her father into marrying her older sister first.

How many times have traditions and ceremony stood in the way of a Godly union?

Genesis 29:31 Even though Jacob loved Rachel, he still fulfilled his husbandly obligation to Leah. Out of this union came four sons, but Rachel was still childless. Because Leah was hated in Jacob's eyes, the Lord gave her children, but not Rachel.

Can we justify our love for someone by hating another? The answer is 'NO'-hate is wrong in the eyes of God, even if it seems right to us.

Genesis 30:22-24 When Rachel finally conceived, many years had passed since she and Jacob were married. God had taken away her reproach-or in today's terminology-her shame.

Has God moved you into a place where you're fully qualified, yet someone else who does not have the training hold the position? When God moves us into another position in life, and we're fully trained and ready, He might postpone our responsibility to give someone else the chance who will not have any other glory in their life.

Genesis 31:14-16 All scriptural accounts show Rachel and Leah envious and jealous toward one another, in competition.

But when Jacob decides to leave his father-in-law, to go back to his home country, they are in full agreement and supportive of his decision.

Even though we might disagree with one another over what seems important issues, such as doctrine and procedure, can we put those aside to do what needs to be done for the greater good?

Genesis 31:19 Rachel stole the images that belonged to her father. {The word images here translates to the word 'teraphim' in Hebrew, which were graven images set up in houses to represent the gods they worshiped. In stealing these, Rachel repaid her father for stealing her husband and giving him to Leah, as well as their inheritance that he withheld from both of them. (v.1416)} How many of us, for spite, would do something against someone who had wronged us, instead of forgiving them and moving on with our life? When our life is changing for the better, we should not drag into it any baggage from the past, because it will do nothing but weigh us down.

Genesis 31:30-32 When Laban accuses Jacob of stealing his gods, he denies it because he has no knowledge of what Rachel has done. He speaks out a prophecy of death to perpetrator, and later it is fulfilled when Rachel dies in childbirth. (35:18) How many of us think that we have to have some worldly influence in our marriage to prove a spouse's love, instead of relying on the evidence of the past? (In Rachel's case, it had been 20 years since she and Jacob had met, and he had resided with her the whole of their married life. Surely that was enough to prove his love.) Is there anything in our life that is there 'just for show", to prove to others our love to one another? Or does the evidence come from the heart and actions of the past?

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Beauty For Ashes

Lift Up Your Face

Delicate Forest

Peony Sunset StillWorks Imagery Fine Art for purchase