I WILL TESTIFY TO HIS LOVE

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 30th, 2009
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I WILL TESTIFY TO HIS LOVE

For years I had low self-esteem and I did not like myself.
I hated my personality and I hated the way my voice sounded.
Somewhere along the line, through the abuse I had endured growing up,
I internalized the shame.
I was no longer ashamed of what was happening to me—I became ashamed of me.
I was hurting and, consequently, was hurting other people.

Did you know that if you don't like yourself,
you are never going to like anybody else,
and you won't be able to help your spouse like himself or herself?
You will spend all your time trying to prove your own value.
Healing first comes by accepting yourself,
knowing that where you are today is not where you will end up,
and knowing that God is continually perfecting you, too.
We all need to accept the unconditional love of God
and acknowledge the fact that God doesn't love us because of what we do - but because of who we are.

One morning, as I sat in my pajamas praying, the Lord said to me, "Connie,
I really can't do anything else in your life until you do what I have told you to do concerning your husband."

The Lord had been dealing with me because I was having problems being submissive.
I had such a strong will and was still caught in my defensive attitude
from being abused as a child.
I was missing out on the blessings God was eager for me to enjoy.


Love is the highest form of maturity.
It often requires a sacrificial gift. If love doesn't require some sort of sacrifice on our part,
we probably don't love the other person at all.
If there is no sacrifice in our actions,
we are most likely reacting to something nice they did for us,
or simply pretending to be kind to gain some control over them.
Love is almost always undeserved by the person who receives it.

Our decisions should always have our spouse's interests in mind.
Even a mediocre marriage requires sacrifice. It is important to understand that true love gives of itself.

Sacrifice means you are not going to have your way all the time.
This means both the husband and wife are called to love each other with unconditional love.
There has to be sacrifice of selfish desires if a couple is going to enjoy a triumphant marriage.
As for me, every day when I get up, I choose to have a good marriage.
I'm not leaving that one for chance to decide!


May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgZ1ds0WM2k&feature=related

ARE YOU IN BONDAGE??

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 29th, 2009
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Are You In Bondage?

Colossians 3:2 teaches us to set our minds and keep them set.


The people of Israel wandered around in the desert for forty years,
making what should have only been an eleven-day journey.
Why?
Was it because of their enemies, their circumstances, or the trials along the way?
Or was it something entirely different that prevented them from arriving at their destination?

As I pondered this situation, God gave me a powerful revelation that helped me,
personally, and thousands of others.
The Lord revealed to me that the Israelites spent all that time in the desert because they had "wilderness mentalities."

We really shouldn't look at the Israelites with such astonishment,
because most of us do the exact same thing.
We go around and around the same mountain instead of making progress.
It takes us years to experience victory over something that could, and should, have been dealt with quickly and put behind us.
God showed me that wilderness mentalities are wrong mindsets.

We can have right mindsets that will benefit us or wrong mindsets that will hurt us and hinder our progress.
Colossians 3:2 teaches us to set our minds and keep them set.
We need our minds set in the right direction.
Wrong mindsets not only affect our circumstances, but they also affect our inner life.

Some people see things negatively because they’ve experienced unhappy circumstances all their lives
and can't imagine anything getting any better.
Then there are those who see everything as bad and negative
simply because that’s the way they feel on the inside.
Whatever the cause, a negative outlook leaves a person miserable and unable to make any progress toward the “promised land.”

God called the children of Israel out of Egypt (bondage)
and in to the land He promised to give them as a perpetual inheritance—land
that flowed with milk and honey and every good thing they could imagine.
It was a land where there’d be no shortage of anything they needed—land
of prosperity in every realm of their existence.
Most of the generation that the Lord called out of Egypt never entered the Promised Land;
instead, they died in the desert.
To me, this is one of the saddest things that can happen to someone—
to have so much available but not be able to enjoy it.

I was one of those people for many years of my life.
I was on my way to the Promised Land (heaven), but I wasn’t enjoying the trip
. My mind was in the desert, and I was dying in the wilderness.
My wilderness mentalities, or wrong ways of thinking,
were keeping me from dealing with those areas of life that God wanted to touch and redeem.
I was stuck...going around and around the same mountain; but thank God for His mercy.
He helped me identify and change those wrong mindsets.
Today, my mind is renewed. I have a new way of thinking, and I've been rescued from the desert.

What God did for me, He can certainly do for you.
Ask Him to show you your wilderness mentalities and help you make the necessary changes.
He can deliver your mind from the desert and help you enjoy the journey to the promised land

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s2wCVcmYOU&feature=related

June 24, 2009

Anger Is A Powerful Emotion

(Eph 4:26-27, 30-32)

"Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and
do not give the devil an opportunity.

... And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for
the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away
from you, along with all malice

And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as
God in Christ also has forgiven you"

Anger is a powerful emotion it can strike suddenly, taking over our thoughts
with violent force.

At times, it seems uncontrollable. And it's devastating effects can leave
your faith, your family or your career in ruins.

But there's a way to break free from anger's grasp and learn how to handle
the daily situations that can lead to anger.

There are as many causes and expressions of anger as there are people.

But a common element is usually lurking beneath anger:

things are not turning out the way we would like.

Perhaps your boss did not deliver on a promised raise ...

or your child refused to listen to your repeated instructions ...

or your spouse just did not take the time to listen.

At first, this anger is usually directed toward others.

But eventually, we begin to point a finger at God.

Like Job's wife, when facing overwhelming anger, we want to "curse God land
die!" (Job 2:9).

Unfortunately, despite all the energy we invest in anger,

it cannot get us a raise, or make our children obey, or restore a broken
marriage.

Most importantly, the Bible says,

"the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God" (James 1:20).

Even worse, anger eventually seeks an outlet in hurtful actions,

breeding more anger and creating a destructive cycle for our lives

. We are wise not to under estimate the power of anger.

If anger is controlling you, there is only one way to find lasting freedom

- by yielding control of your life to Jesus Christ.

Anger is ultimately a matter of control, we get angry,

and our anger drives a wedge between us and God -

keeping us from drawing closer to His love. In our anger we are rejecting
God's love

- accusing God of not caring.

But God is love (1 John 4:8), and the Bible says His plans for us are
always good (Jer. 29:11)

This plan begins with a personal relationship with Jesus.

John 3:16 says,

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

God desires that you will live with him forever!

When you come to God, repenting of your sin,

God miraculously gives you new birth that will enable you to walk in His
love.

Your new life in Christ will not immediately bring an end to your anger.

Each day will bring situations tempting you to anger.

Here are a few steps you can take to keep your anger under God's control.

Recognize the source of your anger.

Is it a person?

Or a situation?

Or perhaps you're angry at God.

Be honest with yourself and the Lord about what is making you angry.

Repent and ask God to cleanse you.

Anger that is based in selfishness and control is sin, and the cure for sin
is repentance.

Ask God to forgive you for your anger and give you peace.

"If we confess our sins," the Bible says,

"< God< is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9)

Forgive, forgive, forgive. Forgiveness is perhaps the greatest remedy for
anger.

As He hung dying on the cross at Calvary,

Jesus had every right to be angry toward those who placed Him there.

Yet He asked His Father to forgive them. We are called to do the same.

Daily, give God control of your life. Job had every reason to be angry.

But despite his circumstances, he refused to shake his fist at God.

When his wife told him to curse God, he responded

"Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" (Job 2:10).

The call of discipleship requires us to surrender control of our lives to
God. He is faithful.

You can trust that He will work out all things for good (Romans 8:28).

Don't let anger fester.

You may think that by suppressing your anger, it will simply go away.

But anger must be dealt with or it will grow like a cancer.

Especially in the relationships that are most precious to you,

follow this simple advice from Apostle Paul: "do not let the sun go down on
your anger" (Eph. 4:26)

June 23, 2009

True Friendship

Proverbs 17:17 “a friend loveth at all times”

True friendship stories are found throughout the Bible.
In Genesis 18:17-33, we read about God sharing His intentions with Abraham.

Abraham responds by telling God his thoughts and feelings about the situation.

God and Abraham are able to do this because they trust and respect each other.
First Samuel 20 focuses on the friendship of David and Jonathan.

These two men truly cared for each other and had great trust and confidence in one another.

David was running for his life from Jonathan's father, Saul.

Jonathan recognized that David was innocent. Because of the true friendship they shared,

David survived Saul's assassination attempts and went on to become one of Israel's greatest kings.
Real and true friendship involves freedom of choice, accountability, truth, and forgiveness.

Peter and Jesus give us this example:

Peter, afraid for his life after Jesus is led away from the Garden of Gethsemane, denies knowing Jesus (John 18).

As He is led away by His accusers, Jesus casts a look toward Peter that says,

"I knew you would deny Me, and I forgive you" (John 21).
Real friendship looks at the heart, not just the "packaging."

Genuine friendship loves for love's sake, not just for what it can get in return.

True friendship is both challenging and exciting. It risks, it overlooks faults,

and it loves unconditionally, but it also involves being truthful, even though it may hurt.

Genuine friendship, also called "agape" love, comes from the Lord.

The Lord Jesus calls us His friends and He laid down His life for us (John 15).
Relationships in real life involve different levels of friendships, and that's okay.

But humans are designed by God for lasting relationships.

Often our isolationist society offers only vague, empty relationships.

God wants us to have friends here on earth. Most of all, He wants us to be friends with Him!
God's Word tells us that a friend sticks closer than a brother,

and that in order for one to be a friend,

one must show themselves friendly (Proverbs 18:24).

The question is: what type of friend do you desire to be?
Proverbs 18:19 in the New Living Translation says:

"It's harder to make amends with an offended friend than to capture a fortified city.

Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with iron bars.

" When we've offended a true friend - whether by breaking a trust or by speaking the truth with love –

we risk losing that friendship. We must be careful not to break the trust.

But when not speaking the truth will cause greater hurt in our friend's life,

we must be willing to sacrifice our needs for those of our friend. That is true friendship.
If we sometimes offend a friend without meaning to, God's Word offers a solution.

It's called forgiveness. There is no greater example than the love of God for us.

It so great that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, in order that our friendship with God might be restored.

He did that in spite of the fact that we have offended Him deeply.

We have disobeyed His commands, turned our backs on Him, and followed our own path.

So the question remains: What type of friend do you want to be?

True Christian friendship forgives.
Do you need a friend?

God wants to be your true friend.

Are you longing for companionship?

God is always with you (Hebrews 13:5). Who do you know who needs a true friend today?

God wants you to befriend others.

He calls us to be His hands and feet in a world starving for true friendship!

Anger Is A Powerful Emotion

Do You Promise?

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without
wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:25

There is an old Seinfeld episode in which Jerry has made a reservation to pick up a rental car at the airport.
He arrives, tired from his trip, only to discover that his expected car is not available.
“Do you have my reservation?” Jerry inquires. “Yes,” the agent replies.
“And doesn’t that mean you promise to have a car waiting for me when I arrive?”
“Well, yes. I know what a reservation is.” And so where is the car?
The agent stammers a bit, until Jerry finally responds,
“the problem with you is that you know how to make the reservation,
but you just don’t know how to keep the reservation. And it’s the keeping that matters.”

That’s true of promises, isn’t it? The making of promises is rather easy.
They are part of the necessary rhythm of life, essential to all public and personal interaction.
But the keeping of promises is another matter, as most of us are all too aware.
We say vows when we get married, and then sadly discover
we—or they—or us can’t follow through and the marriage is over.
We promise our spouse we going to be better about helping out around the house,
and in short order find ourselves backsliding.
It turns out the job we hired on to isn’t exactly what we thought was promised.
The person who struggles with alcohol promises themselves they don’t need that drink to get through the day,
and find they slip up again. Politicians promise us the moon when running for office,
and we most often are sorely disappointed by the performance.
In our own minds, we imagine that keeping promises is the stuff of great drama.
But in fact, promise making and keeping, is usually anything but heroic;
it is rather everyday and ordinary, and yet promise keeping is the glue that holds families and communities together.

God is a promises keeping God—as our text says,
“The one who has promised is faithful,” and when we keep promises we are mirroring God.
I was deeply impressed as an young women helping my mother take care of my father,
bedridden by lung cancer. All their hopes and dreams for retirement were swallowed up with sleepless nights.
How do you do it? I wondered.
Her answer was simple.
I made promises that I would love him in health and in sickness.
That simple promise enabled her to persevere in difficult circumstances.
It was her way of reaching out into an unpredictable future
and making one thing predictable—that she would be there,
even when being there cost her more than she wanted.
But when a person makes such a promise,
he or she stretches themselves out in circumstances that no one can control
and controls at least one thing: that they will be there no matter what the circumstances turn out to be.
With a simple word of promise, a person creates God like position.
When we come here, to church, we are asked to make promises.
We make promises when a baby gets baptized, as parents, and as a congregation.
We make promises at weddings.
Hebrews reminds us that the purpose of this promise we make not to neglect worship is encouragement.
The core promise is to make Christ the center of who we are,
it is the promise to let Christ inside,

So, this promise keeping God invites us to come to the table, where Christ promises to be present.
Drawing on this promise of God, tangibly expressed,
God then send us out from here, to be his living body, making and keeping promises to God and each other.
Be Faithful in making promises, for this is a measure of being a light unto Him,
That gave us Life!

The Choice is Always Ours

www.mtmchoices.org

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 18th, 2009
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The Choice is Always Ours
By Connie Ciccone
There are many circumstances in life
That are not pleasant, to say the least.
Many things we go through
Seem to drive us to our knees.
In all of life's storms and trials,
Which are sometimes not so few,
We must choose to trust in God.
He will always see us through.

We cannot afford to be angry
Or blame God when things go wrong.
Jesus is always with us and,
Even in sorrow, we find a song.


The choice is ours to make.
Which one will it be?
Will we become bitter or better?
What will others see?
The things which we go through
May, at times, leave hurts or scars.
Jesus is the 'Faithful One'
Who turns life's scars into stars.

If we shine for Jesus,
As we walk through this life,
He will see us through
As He forgives sin and strife.
So in all that may blind our hearts
Life's Frustrations seem so far
Remember that The Lord has said
The Choice Is Always Ours
I Choose You
Connie Ciccone © September 2005

So don’t give up!
Don’t stop believing!
Stay full of hope and expectation.
God’s power is limitless,
and He’ll break through for you.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness
this day against you that I have set before
you life and death, the blessings and the curses;
therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJEdo1FlMo

HOPE

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 15th, 2009
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Hope
By Connie Ciccone

To those without hope!!

Hope is inspiration
Turned inside out
Hope is expectation
Of that there is no doubt .

Hope keeps us going
Longing for a better day .
Hope keeps us rowing
Life’s boat at work and play .

Hope helps us rise each morning
Looking for grace along the way;
Hope tucks us in each night
Praying we did His will Today.

Hope is God’s eternal carrot
The goal we all work towards
Salvation removes death’s garrote
As we reap our just rewards.

Hope is you will believe me?
And can see it in my heart eyes
Hope you come and join me
As we bask in God’s blue skies.

Hope your heart will soften
As you let His spirit in
Hope you will pray often
As we all try not to sin .

Hope we can pray together
To help all the world over
United as family, sister and brother
Content under God’s Holy cover.

Connie Ciccone ©Nov 2006

So don’t give up!
Don’t stop believing!
Stay full of hope and expectation.
God’s power is limitless,
and He’ll break through for you.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

He Is Lord Of The Breakthroughs

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 10th, 2009
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Picture done By my friend Cathy Schock
http://www.artofmybeloved.com/

He Is Lord Of The Breakthroughs

Hebrews 11:6 “But without Faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God must Believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
That diligently seek him”.


Have you been praying about a situation in your life and found yourself waiting for a breakthrough?
Are you wondering why the answer hasn’t come yet? Do you feel as though victory is passing you by?

Sometimes when we pray long and hard about a situation in our life
without receiving any answers, we just learn to live with it.
We go on about our business, wondering if or when God will send the answer.
But God does hear those prayers,
and He’s working out the answers even though we may not know all the details.
Our situation can change suddenly—quickly without warning!

But one thing is certain: Before God moves suddenly, we will wait.
Waiting for answers is a fact of life—nobody gets out of it.
So the question is not if we’ll wait, but rather how we’ll wait. And I believe how will determine how long.

There are two ways to wait: One is to wait passively, and the other is to wait expectantly.
A passive person hopes something good will happen and is willing to sit around waiting to see if it does.
After a short time, he gives up, saying, “That’s it!
I’ve waited and waited and nothing’s happened.”
The passive person has a lot of wishbone but not much backbone!

The expectant person, on the other hand, is hopeful, believing the answer is just around the corner,
due to arrive any minute. His belief is not a passive thing.
His heart is full of hope, expecting his problem to be solved at any moment.
He wakes up every morning expecting to find his answer
. He may wait and wait, but suddenly what he’s been waiting for happens.


We know the word wait means “to expect” or “to look for.”
But remember, it also means “to serve”—just like a waiter waits on your table at a restaurant.
Our act of waiting isn’t supposed to be spent sitting around passively hoping that something will happen sometime soon.


Sometimes we find ourselves in such horrible messes that it’s hard to imagine waiting one more second.
But we need to keep waiting on God and trusting Him with a sweet and simple faith.
Then, in a way we never could’ve figured out—God moves suddenly!


When people patiently and expectantly wait on God in the midst of horrible circumstances,
suddenly God breaks through.
So don’t give up!
Don’t stop believing!
Stay full of hope and expectation.
God’s power is limitless,
and He’ll break through for you.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djmV2PaEavU&feature=PlayList&p=EC5BE4439D5A595F&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=46

“When he sees a change in you, You will see a change in Him”

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 9th, 2009
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Proverbs 31:10-12 “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth
Is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days
Of her life”


“When he sees a change in you, You will see a change in Him”



The three-strand cord is a picture of the power that takes place when two people
agree for something in line with God's will for them.
As two people become one in agreement with each other, there is a tremendous amount of power.

You can have such fun in your marriage when you begin to agree with each other.
Do you know that God did not put you together to be miserable?
He didn't put you together to fight, pick on each other or try and change each other.
The Bible says that a woman is to enjoy her husband. (See 1 Peter 3:2.)
Think about that. I rarely hear a woman say, "You know what?
I really enjoy my husband."
And God wants us to enjoy each other.
He wants us to have fun together. You need to laugh and have fun together.
I really recommend reading :
The Power Of A praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
After reading the book I asked God to help me change.
He said “When he sees a change in you, You will see a change in Him”
WOW was God So Right!!

So how do two people with very different personalities—who don't think alike,
who don't feel the same about a lot of different things,
who don't even like the same kind of food—become one?
We know that it doesn't just happen when you both say,
"I do."
Becoming one is a process that just takes time.
Remember!
“When he sees a change in you, You will see a change in Him”


The Bible says we are supposed to be in agreement.
My husband, Glenn, and I have personalities that are about as opposite as we could get.
Yet, God has brought us more and more together so that we are starting
to think more alike and want more of the same things every day.
We still have two different personalities, and now we can see that God brought
our differences together on purpose. It was not an accident.
God knew each of our strengths and weaknesses would complete
the other when we became one. The idea of saying, "Why aren't you like me?"
is no longer a question in our hearts.
We realize that we need each other to be exactly who God created us to be.
We no longer pick on each other's weaknesses.
Instead, we partake of our strengths and enjoy one another.


The big question is: How do people who are not of one mind learn to agree?
Agreement comes when the people involved stop being selfish.
A lot of adults still deal with selfishness. All that selfishness amounts to is,
"I want what I want when I want it, and I don't really care what you want because
I want what I want and I want it now."
Selfishness is an immature inward focus.
The key is to care about what the other person needs,
be willing to humble ourselves, and do what we can to meet those needs


May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
Please see the attached song which says it all

Hal+Byrnum+-+A+Lover%27s+Prayer.mp3

Endings always bring new beginnings.

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 8th, 2009
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The apostle Paul stated in Philippians 3:13,
...one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.
The word “straining” in the Amplified translation tells us that whenever we have to "press on" there will be opposition from the enemy.

Endings always bring new beginnings.



I’m told that the number one problem facing people today is grief and loneliness.
People encounter major losses in their lives, and sadly, many never get over them.
When tragedy occurs and the hurt seems unbearable,
Satan sees an opportunity to try to bring a family or an individual into permanent bondage.
The death of a loved one, divorce or the severing of a close relationship can cause grief,
and most people go through a grieving process.
The key to victory is understanding the difference between a normal,
balanced grieving process and a spirit of grief that will try to attach itself to the hurting person.
One helps the grieving person get better with the passing of time;
the other causes him to get worse and sink deeper and deeper into the pit of despair.

Shock and denial are two of the first things a person may encounter when tragedy occurs.
Actually, God uses them to protect us from devastation.
To illustrate, consider an automobile's shock absorbers.
They’re designed to cushion the vehicle from unexpected bumps in the road.
Without them, the car would fall apart from the violent blows encountered during its travels.
People are often the same way.
We’re traveling on the road of life, and most of the time we’re not expecting bumps or potholes.
So when they suddenly show up, we’re not ready for them.
The Holy Spirit—our God-given "shock absorber"—cushions the blow until we can readjust
and adapt our thinking to accommodate the sudden change in the ride.
Shock and denial are normal if they’re temporary; however,
they become a major problem if people permanently refuse to face reality and learn how to deal with them.

The next thing people often feel is anger—at themselves.
They begin to think of things they wish they would or would not have done
that might have made the situation better or even prevented it altogether.
Satan wants us to live with regret. There is no one alive who wouldn’t say,
"I wish I hadn't done that!" or "I wish I had done this."
Satan seeks to place blame, intending to throw us into a lifetime of guilt, condemnation and self-hatred.


When I lost my mother 11 years ago today.

I was angry, bitter, and lost. We had to remove her from
Life support which was an emotional roller coaster ride for 8 children to bear.
All the different opinions about the DNR etc,
Mostly I was angry because I never heard my mother say she loved me.
I remember standing above her bed shouting, you are not going anywhere
Until you tell me you love me.
This did not happen. But I do remember being the only one
Beside her bed as she took her last breathe, laying her crochet blanket over her,
That I made her and singing her favorite song,
Bridge over troubled waters.

Endings always bring new beginnings.

I know my mother loved me, because I met my Jesus afterwards and he told me so!

Being angry with God is quite common.
People frequently ask, "If God is good, all-powerful, and full of love for us,
why didn't He stop the thing that caused the pain?"
This is where Satan seeks to build a wall between God and the hurting person.
He seizes the opportunity to say, "God isn’t good, and He can’t be trusted."
However, we know according to the Word of God,

the truth is not in Satan—he is a liar and the father of lies.


In closing, let me say, "Do not lose your hope!"
If you are hurting right now due to a loss in your life,
I want to tell you that a new beginning is in front of you.
You may go through some things that you’ll never understand,
but trust God to work them out for your good.
What Satan intends for your harm, God can turn around for your good

A Mother's Love and Faith
written by Connie Ciccone
There are times when only a Mother's love
Can understand our tears,
Can soothe our disappoints
And calm all of our fears.
There are times when only a Mother's love
Can share the joy we feel
When something we've dreamed about
Quite suddenly is real.
There are times when only a Mother's faith
Can help us on life's way
And inspire in us the confidence
We need from day to day.
For a Mother's heart and a Mother's faith
And a Mother's steadfast love
Were fashioned by the creator's hands
And sent from God above.
Copyright © by Connie Ciccone

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX5X9SxRdT8&feature=related

God Wants You To Smile More Can You?

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 5th, 2009
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God Wants You To Smile More Can You?

Habakkuk 3:18 “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation”

There are people all over the world dealing with depression—or at least trying to deal with it.
There are many underlying causes for depression and a variety of available treatments.
Some are effective, but many aren't. Some help temporarily,
but they can never permanently remove the torment of depression. No one is immune from depression or its crippling effects.
People from all walks of life—doctors, lawyers, teachers, housewives,
teenagers, small children, the elderly, singles, widows and widowers, and even ministers—suffer from depression.
I believe the reason so many people suffer from depression
is because they haven’t learned to deal with the disappointments that are a natural part of everyday life. Once, as I was preparing to speak on depression,
I saw very clearly that God has given us His joy to fight depression. As a child,
I believe I was robbed of joy. For as long as I can remember,
I lived as if I was an adult because everything in my life was so serious.
I was brought up in a bad situation, surrounded by negative circumstances.
I thought if I stayed serious, maybe I could stay alive.
Obviously, with this type of attitude, I didn't develop a bubbly, giggly kind of personality.
I developed a serious attitude, and because of it, people sometimes misunderstood me. Once I told one of my assistants that I needed to talk to her before she left work.
My plan was to ask for her help in making preparations for an upcoming meeting,
but because I had approached her so seriously,
she thought I was going to reprimand her for something.
She thought she was in big trouble! That incident helped me realize that I had a problem.
I knew my serious demeanor was alienating me from people
instead of making me more approachable,
so I began asking the Lord how He wanted me to deal with this "seriousness" issue.
I really felt that the answer from God was simply to allow the joy
that He had put in my heart to show more on my face.
God wanted me to smile more!

Everyone knows how to smile.
It's one of the greatest gifts God has given us.
A smile makes people feel good, and people look so beautiful when they smile.
When the joy in your life is obvious, it rubs off on others.
But when you keep God's joy locked inside you and don't allow it to show on your face,
you're depriving those around you of a pleasant and refreshing experience.
God Wants You To Smile More Can You?
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
Have a great weekend!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBACOLWEq98&feature=related

Are You Falling?

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 3rd, 2009
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Are You Falling?
How will you respond?
Will you be full of faith?



Hebrews 13:5, "...I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support...
[I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down....


We’ve all fallen down at one time or another—not just physically but emotionally.
And picking yourself back up again is, unfortunately, easier said than done.
It doesn't take any special talent to give up or lie down on the roadside of life and say,
"I quit!"
In fact, the road to chronic discouragement, hopelessness and despair often begins
with an ordinary day that ends up piled high with simple disappointments.
According to Webster, disappoint means "to fail to satisfy the hope, desire, or expectation of.
" In other words, when we set ourselves up to hope for something and that hope isn’t met,
we get disappointed. We feel let down or betrayed. Let's face it: None of us are ever going to get to the place in life where we have no more disappointments.
We can't expect to be sheltered from every little thing. Disappointment is a fact of
life—one that must be dealt with. If not, discouragement and devastation are never far away.
Too often people end up devastated and don't understand why.
They seemed to be going along just fine, and now they've fallen by the roadside without knowing how or why.
Many people don't realize that the problem could have started a long time ago
with a simple disappointment that they failed to work through. Deep hurt doesn't just come from huge disappointments,
like when we fail to get the job or promotion we really wanted.
Deep emotional hurt can come from a series of minor annoyances and frustrations.
That's why we must know how to handle the small, daily disappointments and keep them in perspective.
Otherwise, they can get out of hand and be blown out of proportion.
For example, imagine starting your day behind schedule…you’re already frustrated.
On your way to the office, unexpected traffic delays cause you to be even later.
Then, when you finally get to work, you find out that someone on the job has been gossiping about you.
You get some coffee to help you calm down but spill it all over yourself,
making matters worse since you have an important meeting with the boss and no time to change clothes! Facing each of those little things separately is just annoying,
but when they pile up it becomes almost unbearable. Then, just about that time,
you get a report from the doctor that wasn’t what you were hoping and praying for.
And to top it all off, your fiancé calls and threatens
to break off your engagement even though the wedding invitations have already been mailed!
How will you respond?
Will you be full of faith?
or will you find yourself full of fear and on that road to disappointment and discouragement?
All of those minor frustrations and disappointments with the traffic,
the office gossip and the spilled coffee have set you up for a major calamity.
And when you have to face some really serious problems like sickness or a failed relationship,
you find that you aren’t prepared to deal with them. So you fall, plunging headfirst into hopelessness and despair. What do you do when disappointment comes?
When it weighs on you like a rock, you can either let it press you down until you become discouraged,
even devastated, or you can use it as a stepping-stone to better things.
Learn to adapt and adjust.
You can do it!
Face disappointment at its onset and be quick
to make any adjustments required to remedy the situation.
God has better things for you, and He will help you.
He says in Hebrews 13:5, "...I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support...
[I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down.... Instead of concentrating on your problems and getting discouraged,
focus on God and meditate on His promises for you.
You may have fallen down, but you don't have to stay down. God is ready, willing and able to pick you up.
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE1navQNP1Y&feature=related

WHEN WE SHARE

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 2nd, 2009
Please share our website with your friends and family
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www.faithitout.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhOJW4Uwy3c&feature=related


Please See the Poem From My Sister Bonnie
I am completely Tapped Out to Help Her.
If You Feel It In Your Heart To Help Her
Or to send a note of encouragement.
My Sincere Thanks will Be More Than I can Say!
Please send anything You Can
To: Bonnie Bushelman
P O Box 32156 Cincinnati, Ohio 45232
May He Bless You
Connie Ciccone

I hate this time of year
When families get together,
To celebrate love and thanks
To their loving caring mother.

I brought them in the world
I cared I loved I nurtured,
Then when day they grew up
They deprived me of their future.

Our home was filled with noise
Of yelling running and playing,
I fed, clothed and bathed them
I knelt with them when praying.

I taught them all their manners
Proper etiquette at the table,
To respect women and all elders
To open doors for those unable.

I never had to whip them
I never would or could,
They tested me so many times
The antics them boys pulled.

I fixed their cuts when they fell
I wiped their tears away,
The first time they drove my car
I'd pray they return okay.

I wonder if they remember
All the good times we all had,
I never would have dreamed
They'd leave me for their dad.

Why did they leave the one
Who gave all she could give,
When in-laws had demanded
Not to let them babies live.

The strength them babies gave
When growing inside of me,
How could these proclaimed Catholics
Want me to kill my unborn baby!

I did refuse to marry
Because I was with child,
We loved each other dearly
I decided to wait awhile.

We did things out of order
Baby - house - then married,
We lived we loved we laughed
And three more boys I carried.

People use to tell me
When your boys are grown,
If anyone hurts their mom
They'll break their every bone.

Now all I have is memories
Of how they loved their mom,
I cry all day and pray all night
They return before I'm gone.

So many days turned to months
Then months turn into years,
I'm weak I’m sick and worried
My strength gone with tears.

I gave them all that I had
God sees this from above,
They know I have no money
But I still have lots of love.

I now will face the shame
I'll soon be all alone,
My baby now will leave
The bank will take my home.

I could not get a job
Three surgeries I do need,
Unable to stand, or close my hand
And now I cannot see.

I just saw on the news
This wonderful man did give,
Millions to a public school
And all I want is to live.?

I have a guardian angel
Who helps me all she can,
My wonderful loving sister
I'm ashamed to ask again.

I thank God every day
She's well, happy, and godly,
I pray for her and all my kids
They all stay safe and healthy.

But I can’t go on begging
I've gotten too far behind,
Shame and guilt is all I am
I just need some peace of mind.

Considering going away
To leave my life behind me,
I love my baby I have tried
I hope that he forgives me.

I thought he'd live with his dad
Just like all of his brothers,
I knew he loved me when he said
"No way, I love my mother!"

So will you all please pray
Would you give whatever you can?
To enable us to keep our home
So I can watch one grow a man.

He said to me the other day
I knew he spoke the truth,
"Don’t worry mom, three more years
I'll then take care of you"

I could not even swallow
I would not let tears flow,
This loving unplanned blessing
Is a Gift from God I know!

He does not ask for much
He has just this one goal,
To finish school to help his mom
He wrote in school I'm told.

I don’t think he will want
To live without his mom,
I know this gift from God
Will last a life time long.

He was just a little boy
A very young age of ten,
When his safe, happy home
Came abruptly to an end.

He since had some bad days
He'd seem so very sad,
Jealous that his brothers.
Had both a mom and dad.

I let him see his dad
Anytime he felt the need,
"Its not the same" he'd say
My heart would ache and bleed.

Dad taught them about tools
you both would tuck us in,
We all ate supper together
I'm mad he made it end.

And now that he is older
I recall his every word,
If I'm now the one who leaves
He won’t recover from the hurt.

He won’t have anyone
To tell his troubles to,
He'll never trust another
Without me he'll die soon.

He yet has no idea
That I'm so very stressed,
Cuts grass for extra money
In school he does his best.

He takes care of our home
Both the inside and the out,
I let him know every single day
He makes me very proud.

I really have no friends
He too is all alone,
That’s ok, we have each other
In our quaint brick Tudor home.

Would u please help us stay
And if you cannot give
Pray for us would u please
So together we can live.

What I can give back
Has no monetary value,
Something much much better
I will ALWAYS pray for you.


Thank you, and may God Bless You. Amen.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhOJW4Uwy3c&feature=related

Do You Need A whack with a Hammer?

Faith Filled Thoughts
June 1st, 2009
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Proverbs 3:6 states: In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him,
and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

Do You Need A whack with a Hammer?

I’ve learned something in my own pursuit of a stress-free life:
If I want peace rather than the pressure of stress in my life,
I must choose to seek direction from God in every situation. Our God is a God of peace.
He’ll always lead us toward peace and joy, not anxiety and frustration.
Therefore, we have to be listening for His voice.
By following His voice, we can find peace and overcome the stress that so many are dealing with today. To find peace in our lives, we simply need to obey the promptings God gives us each day.
A prompting is a “knowing” deep down on the inside, telling us what to do.
First Kings 19:11,12 refers to this knowing as a still, small voice.
A prompting isn’t a whack on the head with a hammer!
In 1 Kings, the Lord didn’t use the great and strong wind, the earthquake or fire to prompt Elijah.
His voice came to Elijah as a sound of gentle stillness and a still, small voice.
A prompting doesn’t even have to be a voice at all.
In fact, God often gives direction by speaking to your heart rather than to your ears. Since a prompting is very gentle, some might question whether or not it’s from God.
When you’re unsure about a prompting, it’s often easy to ignore it.
One time after I had been shopping at the mall for three or four hours, I sensed that God was saying,
“You need to go home now.” I had only purchased half of the eight items on my shopping list,
so I ignored the prompting and kept on shopping.
The remaining items on my list weren’t immediate needs.
But, like many determined, goal-oriented people,
I wasn’t about to leave that mall until I purchased every item on my list.
I had come for eight items, and I was going to leave with eight items!
I didn’t care if I had to be dragged out of that mall;
I wasn’t leaving until every item was crossed off my list!
And I wasn’t going to listen to any voice that said otherwise. I remember reaching the point of being so tired and upset that I wasn’t able to think clearly.
All I wanted to do was finish shopping and get out of there.
It was almost more than I could do to remain civil to the other shoppers and clerks in the store.
I was stressed out!
When I got home I found my dog caught up in the fence with his collar.
Thank goodness I was home in time to save Him, the Lord protected Him.Looking back, I can’t remember how many times
I’ve done that—stress out because I’ve pushed beyond the prompting of the Lord.
I can always tell I’ve gone too far when I’m not able to practice
even the most basic manners—politeness, kindness and self-control.
If I simply had obeyed the prompting of the Lord when I heard that still,
small voice telling me to go home, I would’ve easily relieved the stress from the situation.
Instead, I pushed my way through in my own determination to achieve my goal,
and I ended up bringing stress on myself and everyone around me. If we’ll simply learn to listen to God and do what He says, we’ll discover that things will go well for us.
No matter what the situation, we need to listen to God and obey His voice.
Proverbs 3:6 states: In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him,
and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.
You may not understand the reasons that God is asking you to do certain things,
but as you listen to His voice and obey His direction, you can experience
a peaceful calmness as your stress level begins to decrease. So listen up…and de-stress!
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_4g8_e16dc&feature=related