God Bless the Children

School has started once again.  I am sure some of the parents, students and teachers began this year with apprehension like none other.  This past year we have seen some horrific incidents on our school grounds; the shooting at Sandy Hook and then the children in Moore, OK tornado.  In both of those, there were 20 innocent children killed, not counting the adults.  Hearts across the nation still mourn for those victims. 
 I am sure, as they all returned to school, they were full of mixed emotions.  That of excitement to get back to some kind of normalcy and that of fear.
 People asked, "Where was God?"  Yes, we have heard 'we took Him out of the schools'.  However, I know without a doubt, God was in the schools.  We may not be 'allowed' to pray aloud 'within the walls or on the grounds', but we can pray where we are silently.  God heard many prayers those days.  
 He loves our children.  Matt 19:14 'Let the little children come unto me' tells us Jesus loved children.  He does not want harm to come to them or anyone else.  But we do live in a world full of evil and pain and disease.  A sinful world because Satan is alive and wants to hurt and destroy that which is good.  
 Therefore, we must stand firm in our faith, praying everyday for the protection from the evil one.  Read His word, share it with our children....teach them to pray. 
God Bless the Children 
   from the Garden of Praise

God bless the children, Keep them from harm. Give your protection Within your strong arm. Send your defenders In their behalf Let little ones always Be able to laugh. May those who care for them Do so with joy. The happiest childhood For each girl and boy. Our most precious treasure Deserves all our love. God bless the children And watch from above.  Please post your comments below, say a prayer, encourage each other! Bless you!  gs

God Answers Prayers, even after we are gone?

That profound statement hit me 'God answers prayers, even after we are gone'.  Then, as I think back, I remember my Mother (people called her Ducky!) praying for hours, the week before she died, for everyone she had ever met.  Her prayers were especially for her children and grandchildren (she passed away before any of my children were born).  But, God knew and saw the lives to come...and He has not forgotten her prayers.  
All of her children, and grandchildren have accepted Christ and continue to serve Christ.  Now, as her great grandchildren are growing up, they have accepted Christ and are baptized. 

You see it is never too late (or early) to pray for someone.  Time passes quickly and we may not see the results, but God hears and answers prayers.  He knows our hearts and hears us when we cry out to Him.  Don't give up on a loved one.  

Some have asked for prayer this week on specific things, wisdom and direction in their lives, finances, sick family members, addictions...those prayers have gone up...and I believe with all my heart and soul, He heard and will answer those prayers.  I may not ever know the answers or see the answers while I am here on this earth, but that does not mean our Father in Heaven is not working on them.  

You see it is not the prayer warrior who is in the miracle works or the business of answering prayers, but the Holy Father....and it is in Him we trust and have faith.  

Won't it be glorious in heaven when we have eternity to hear all the 'rest of the stories' from those we prayed for?  I think my sweet Mother will rejoice when she gets to meet, face to face, her grandchildren and great grandchildren that she prayed for over 45 years ago on earth (some of which she never met!).  

Keep praying, never give up.  God is the One True God, He is in control and let's continue to Praise Him and give Him honor....even when we don't immediately see the answers.  For you see, He already knows the 'rest of the story'!  
God Bless you all!! 
GS

Ginger Sanders, BGEA RRT Chaplain: Who is Your Master and Provider?

Ginger Sanders, BGEA RRT Chaplain: Who is Your Master and Provider?: Sitting here in the South Carolina country side, watching my grandchildren play in nature.  My grandson loves bugs and has used all ...

Who is Your Master and Provider?

Sitting here in the South Carolina country side, watching my grandchildren play in nature.  My grandson loves bugs and has used all of his mothers plastic dishes to use as 'bug houses' on the porch.  He feeds them left over breakfast muffins (not sure how much they like the chocolate chips and blueberries!)   But, he is their master and he provides for them.  

So much more is our Father in heaven.  The scripture says...in Mathew 6:
25"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?…

He will take care of us, our needs.  We just need to look to Him in obedience, service and give Him Praise.  To do this, we must have our hearts in tune with Him and have a relationship with Jesus.  It is a simple process, but oh, how hard it is to trust and have faith!! 

Try it, let go and let God.  His plan for you is much better than anything you can come up with on your own.  

Remember....Your future is His memory...He knows what lies ahead and He loves you and wants the best for you.  Enough to give His life for your eternal future....

Give Him honor and glory and look for His blessings today as you go....then when night falls, look back and see when He was there with you and praise His Name.

Blessings to you all!! 

The "Weathered" Life

Wow! Where has summer gone?  This is August already?  Really?  This is sort of the way life is....fleeting through....sometimes sunshine, sometimes rain and occasionally a cloud or just a spotty shower.  

Have you ever thought about that is the way life and our walk with Christ is? Sometime, we feel really close to Him and we have peace and joy and sunshine in our souls.  But, then, sometime...we feel He is so far away and the rain (tears come) and we wonder where He is....Then, on occasion, we know we should not do something and oops, we mess up and we know it....and we have a cloud or spotty shower. 

Why are we like the seasons?  I don't want to 'fleet' through my life like the weather map and have storms and hurricanes.  I had rather have the lazy, hazy days of life.  
Really, we cannot control the weather, but we can have a little control of life.  
If we set our site on Christ, live the abundant life He wants us to have, it will be like having an umbrella over our head for those spotty showers.  He is always there for us, even when we mess up, He is quick to forgive if we ask.  

How can we be prepared for life itself?  
Easy....listen to the weather forecast He has written for your life.  Everyday life is as different as it is with weather.  
Watch out for the clouds, look for the sunshine in everything.  Is there someone placed in your life for you to share His love with today?  Let them borrow your umbrella?  

Tomorrow, when you get up, think of your weather map for the day.  What does God have in store for you and see how you need to be prepared.  Get ready, it may just be the most Sonshine that you have had in awhile!!   
I would love to hear from you and you to share with me about your days ahead.  You can contact me at gingersanders.com or you may comment here on my blog.

Jeremiah 14:22 "Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things."

Mark 4:39, 41 (cp. Matthew 8:26-27; Luke 8:23-25)"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm....and [they] said ...even the wind and the sea obey him."

A new Royal Baby is born...

The news is covering the mass of people standing in the streets and celebrating the birth of the new son of Kate and William!  What a glorious thing, not just to have a new son, but knowing he is a real Prince, a future King!  I know the kingdom is excited, much less the proud parents. 

But, wait...this is not the first royal baby to be born.  Let us compare a few things here....
Future King of England.........no name yet, born in a private wing of a hospital with guards surrounding them, not only the country celebrates, but the whole world sending best regards. Future earthly royal life.
Son of God.........named Jesus before birth, born in a manger inside a barn, guarded by only the animals, the shepherds and heavenly hosts celebrated...earthly future is death on a cross.  (Luke 2:1-7)

But, let us compare a bit more...Jesus is the son of God, who still reigns from on high and will reign for all eternity.  The King of England is for a short time, if ever, that he is King.  Jesus, came to set me free from eternal condemnation.  The King of England does nothing for me or the people living in England.

I guess I am disappointed that people don't see the relevance of who the important person is here.  We should not put anyone or anything before our God.  The true King of Kings is still alive and well and is to be praised and honored.

True, babies are cute and yes, I am happy for the young couple having a son.  I remember holding a newborn son, there is nothing more precious.  But to see the hoopla on the news, just made me mindful of the birth of Christ.  There was no hoopla for Him then, but one day the skies will open up and what a news story that will be!!
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16 NASB)
Are you ready to see Him? Is your relationship with the true King as close as it could be?  Celebrate your birth and life in Him, show Him you care enough to serve Him.  Love Him, Praise Him, allow Him to be Lord of your life......you will be blessed by the King! 

Seeing Beauty, but where is God?

"Seek my face"....wow! Do we see God when really are looking around us?  I have had the good fortune this week to see His beauty in the Hawaiian Islands (where my daughter lives with her family) by only looking out the car window as we drove from the airport!  Look at the massive ocean beauty with the sun setting on it, or look to the lava filled mountain tops..  He is here in the waterfalls and every flower that is in bloom. 
But, wait, doesn't He say He is with us all the time?  We just need to seek Him.  We must also remember God does not hide from us, like a child playing hide and seek.  He loves us to much to hide, He wants us to know where He is,  so we can have fellowship. 
I personally believe that He is crying for our nation and our people to come back to Him.  He made us a promise and I am afraid we have forgotten it.  

 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

" if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

God promises us, He is with us, why do we continually pass the beauty and not see Him?  Let us be the beginning of change and a daily walk with Him, so we can turn our nation back to Christ.  Let us be the ones to pray daily for our nation when we see beauty in our land.  Seek Him, pray to Him, see Him in the beauty only He can create.  Yearn for a deeper relationship with Him.