Sweet and Simple Multiplication

What does a much looked-forward-to visit from a dear sister and her family multiplied by praying to a Faithful Heavenly Father equal?

A GIGANTIC package of toilet paper,bags of canned goods, arm-loads of garden fresh vegetables, and much love poured out on our family.

Praising the Lord for His faithfulness to us! Rejoicing in the amazing privilege of being a child of God!

Are we grateful?
Sometimes it helps to walk away from our "comfort zone" of living the American Dream...

Sometimes it helps to follow by faith where God leads...

It may be a need in our lives to lift up our hearts and hands in full surrender to Christ and letting Him fill us with His best!

I Thessalonians 5:16-18
A little song I learned as a young person goes like this:

His Name shall be praised,

His Name shall be praised,

His Name shall be praised, Hallelujah!

From the rising of the sun, until the day is done,

His Name, His Name shall be praised!

A look at forgiveness and bitterness.

FORGIV'ENESS, n. forgiv'ness. 1828 Dictionary


1. The act of forgiving; the pardon of an offender, by which he is considered and treated as not guilty. The forgiveness of enemies is a christian duty.

2. The pardon or remission of an offense or crime; as the forgiveness of sin or of injuries.

3. Disposition to pardon; willingness to forgive.

And mild forgiveness intercede to stop the coming blow.

4. Remission of a debt, fine or penalty.


BIT'TERNESS, n. [from bitter.] A bitter taste; or rather a quality in things which excites a biting disagreeable sensation in the tongue.


1. In a figurative sense, extreme enmity, grudge, hatred; or rather an excessive degree or implacableness of passions and emotions; as the bitterness of anger. Eph.4.

2. Sharpness; severity of temper.

3. Keenness of reproach; piquancy; biting sarcasm.

4. Keen sorrow; painful affliction; vexation; deep distress of mind.

Hannah was in bitterness of soul. 1 Sam.1. Job.7.
In the gall of bitterness, in a state of extreme impiety or enmity to God. Acts.8.

Root of bitterness, a dangerous error, or schism, tending to draw persons to apostasy. Heb.12.


"Bitterness is like drinking a cup of poison and waiting for the other person to die."

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you."—Unknown

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Calvary Love

Calvary Love
by Amy Carmichael

If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting "Who made thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou hast not received?" then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I find myself taking lapses for granted, "Oh, that's what they always do," "Oh, of course she talks like that, he acts like that," then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not feel far more for the grieved Savior than for my worried self when troublesome things occur, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can rebuke without a pang, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If my attitude be one of fear, not faith, about one who has disappointed me; if I say, "Just what I expected" if a fall occurs, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand," or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am content to heal a hurt slightly, saying "Peace, peace," where there is no peace; if I forget the poignant word "Let love be without dissimulation" and blunt the edge of truth, speaking not right things but smooth things, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I hold on to choices of any kind, just because they are my choice, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am soft to myself and slide comfortably into self-pity and self-sympathy; If I do not by the grace of God practice fortitude, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve round myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have "a heart at leisure from itself," then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If, the moment I am conscious of the shadow of self crossing my threshold, I do not shut the door, and keep that door shut, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I take offense easily, if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel injured when another lays to my charge things that I know not, forgetting that my sinless Savior trod this path to the end, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel bitter toward those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If the praise of others elates me and their blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I crave hungrily to be used to show the way of liberty to a soul in bondage, instead of caring only that it be delivered; if I nurse my disappointment when I fail, instead of asking that to another the word of release may be given, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not forget about such a trifle as personal success, so that it never crosses my mind, or if it does, is never given room there; if the cup of flattery tastes sweet to me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous (to myself, for myself), then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I refuse to allow one who is dear to me to suffer for the sake of Christ, if I do not see such suffering as the greatest honor that can be offered to any follower of the Crucified, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity to a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If my interest in the work of others is cool; if I think in terms of my own special work; if the burdens of others are not my burdens too, and their joys mine, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I wonder why something trying is allowed, and press for prayer that it may be removed; if I cannot be trusted with any disappointment, and cannot go on in peace under any mystery, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me; if my fellows hesitate to ask it and turn to someone else, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I covet any place on earth but the dust at the foot of the Cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.

Thank you for taking time to read this post. Not my own words, nor did I find this. My sweet niece had this posted, and it is a needed message.

A story from my mom ~

Years ago as a young girl I loved to play and pretend many things. One day I was playing that I was a princess. My mother heard me playing and sat me down to tell me this story. I don't know where she got this story from, but it certainly made an impact on me.

There once was a Daddy and little girl that loved each other very much. He told her that he would never lie to her and would always love her. Daddy had to be gone doing business often, but the reunions between them were sweet. They had a special tradition that Katie looked forward to greatly. When her daddy came home from trips he would call her to him and tell her to close her eyes and reach her hand down into his big suit pocket for a small gift.
One time Katie pulled out a sparkly, white bead bracelet, that became her greatest treasure. She wore it every day and told everyone she met how it was a gift from her daddy.
Her mother had to remind her to take it off when bedtime came.

There came a day when her daddy came home from being gone for several days and he called her to him. She came running excitedly to his side. He took her face in his hands and lovingly asked her if she knew that he loved her. She replied that she KNEW he did. He reminded her that he would never lie to her. Katie shook her head, "yes", she knew that as well.
Then he said, "Katie, before you put your hand in my pocket for your gift, I have a special request to make of you."
"What Daddy?" Katie asked. Her father replied, "Katie I want you to give me your very special bracelet. I want you to give me the thing you love most."
"Oh, Daddy, give you my bracelet? But, Daddy, why do you need it?" Katie began crying.
Her wise, loving daddy said to her, "Honey, I have a gift for you, but first you must give me your bracelet. First, you must trust me."
Katie turned away from her father, tears running down her cheeks. Her daddy stood waiting, quietly, lovingly, waiting- for his daughter to return.

Finally, after many long minutes, his little girl turned and came back to her daddy.
She slowly pulled the treasured bracelet off her wrist, and placed it in his waiting, open hand.
He said nothing, but opened his pocket for her to reach her small hand into.

Katie put her hand down in his pocket and felt a small box. Pulling it out, she looked questioningly at her father. Katie opened the box and began to weep.
For there in the box was a real pearl bracelet. Her daddy opened his arms and as they embraced, he looked deep into her eyes and said, " If Jesus ever asks you to give up the thing you love most, it is because He has something of infinite worth to replace it with. You can always trust Him."

Last night as my little girls were playing princess, they had been given plastic bead necklaces. I thought of this story and shared it with them. Then we looked at Psalm 45:9-13 . God showing us what He wants of His princesses. How He wants them to be "all glorious within". The value of those plastic beads was suddenly lost.
Jesus will ask each of us to give up what we treasure, not to hurt us- Only to give us what is most valuable.
The question is, are we able to trust Him? Trust Him when it seems like we must protect ourselves. Trust Him when everything is falling to pieces in our lives.

Jesus knows us, far better than we know ourselves. He is worthy to be trusted.

Hidden things.
There are so many things that seem unanswered in our life right now. Many questions that we have put before the Lord. Moments of doubt come- and then the quiet, reassuring voice of the Master follows. "Trust Me, my child, I have everything under control."

Do I always listen? Ah,...no. Does He always forgive and refocus me? A resounding YES!
This morning, waking to a thousand demands and time limits, I went to quickly read a devotional that comes to my inbox each morning. This is verse that greeted my needy heart.

Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:2 & 3

I looked up some of the words in my Strong's and the definitions "blew me away".
As a young person I was told that if the Lord says something once it is important, if He says it twice- take heed, but if He says it three times it is of utmost importance. He really wants our attention.
The word maker and formed both have very similar meanings, and the word establish so confirms the other words. He truly designs all that comes into our lives, not only designs and fashions all, but then establishes it. The word most precious to me was mighty.
This word means "hidden things".
What an encouragement to my heart to think about. He will make conspicuous (shew) great and hidden things which I know not!

Is there a heart o'er bound by sorrow?
Is there a life weighed down by care?
Come to the cross each burden bearing.
All our anxiety leave it there.


All your anxiety, all your care,
Bring to the mercy seat leave it there;
Never a burden He cannot bear,
Never a friend like Jesus.


No other friend so keen to help you,
No other friend so quick to hear.
No other place to leave your burden;
No other one to hear our prayer.


All your anxiety, all your care,
Bring to the mercy seat leave it there;
Never a burden He cannot bear,
Never a friend like Jesus.


Come then at once; delay no longer!
Heed His entreaty kind and sweet.
You need not fear a disappointment;
You shall find peace at the mercy seat.


All your anxiety, all your care,
Bring to the mercy seat leave it there;
Never a burden He cannot bear,
Never a friend like Jesus.