“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And his courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, And His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100: 4-5

I have contemplated this month on what I am most grateful and thankful to my God for and have come to the conclusion that it is His Word, which gives truth and life.  The Word of God has no limit to the goodness it brings to my well-being and soul. I meditate on the Word and apply the Word of our Lord and it brings forth His lovingkindness and faithfulness. I keep the Word and His commandments hidden in my heart. God’s Word is the sustenance of my life. I come to the Lord, ask His forgiveness of my sin and my weaknesses of this world, all I need is to depend on God’s Word.

May I share some of the wonderful works of God:

As my helper: I have the Holy Spirit and God’s peace, I don’t have to be troubled or fearful.  John 14: 26-27 “ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

My God is my hiding place: Psalm 27:5 “For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.”

My salvation, my rock, my stronghold, I can take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

My trust is in the Lord: Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.”

My Joy and Delight: Jeremiah 15:16 “Thy words were found and I ate them, And thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by thy name.” 

Glory to God!
Sandra Valdes
WOC graduate, Guest Services Staff

Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord  (Psalm 27:14).

Have you been in prayer for a loved one or a dear friend for a long time?  Have you sought the Lord on how to pray?  Have you searched the Scriptures, declaring and believing the truth of the Word?  Have you fasted in an effort to break the stronghold that seems to have a grip on someone you love?  Have you longed in desperation and cried out for the mercy of God to set someone free?  Have you done all of these things and yet you are still waiting to see the fruit of your prayers?

The Word of the Lord is true.  When you are in the place of “waiting” it does take strength and courage of heart to wait and press on in faith.  It is my personal belief that not one tear, nor one prayer goes into some void.  God hears it all.  He answers our prayers for our loved ones.  Things are happening that may be unseen to our eyes but God is always faithful to hear the prayers of His children.
God Himself knows how painful “waiting” can be.  We cannot even imagine the pain of waiting and watching as His only Son bore the physical pain of the beatings and crucifixion not to mention the horror of taking on our sin on the cross. 

Be encouraged today dear one; the Word of God in Jeremiah says For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.   And I will be found by you, declares the Lord……… (29:11-14a). God has a good plan for your loved one, don’t give up.

The Word says in Matthew Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened (7:7-8).  EVERYONE who asks, EVERYONE who seeks, EVERYONE who knocks……don’t give up.

The Word says in Proverbs Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight (3:5-6).  What you see in the natural may not make any sense at all, but God is worthy of your trust despite what you see in the natural.  Don’t give up.

Dear one, while you are waiting press on toward the goal, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1c-2).  And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time, we shall reap if we do not grow weary (Gal. 6:9). DON’T GIVE UP, WAIT ON THE LORD.

God bless you, keep you, may His face shine upon you and encourage you this day as you wait on Him who is faithful, who is able, who is worthy of your praise and your trust.  God bless you with the grace to stand strong and courageous while you wait for the fullness of His plan, His future, His hope to be released into the life of your loved one. 

To Him be all the glory and honor and praise.
Patricia L. Wenzel
Graduate, Women of Character

Scripture is from the New American Standard Translation 1978

The giving of thanks.  All over the United States today, people are gathering with family and friends, or perhaps spending it alone, in honor of the holiday we call Thanksgiving.  Sadly enough, few of them know to whom they are giving thanks, or even care for that matter. 

Doesn’t the very concept of giving thanks require that there is a recipient of that thanks?  We are thankful for…but we are also thankful to… Doesn’t receiving blessing imply the blessings have been given? 

Let us be bold today, willing to say, “I thank God and my Lord Jesus Christ for the blessings He has bestowed upon me this year, this month, this day, this moment.”

Be encouraged and let your heart smile with these words:

Psalm 100
Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. 

Happy Thanks – giving,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study.  Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.  

Genesis 45:8 So it was God who sent me here not you! And he is the one who made me an advisor to Pharaoh -Tte manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt (NLT).

This was Joseph speaking to his brothers: First, revealing his identity to them and then letting them know that he considered it to be God’s hand as to his being there in Egypt and not theirs. He recognized God’s hand of provision in his situation. Joseph had been away from his family for years. He had spent years as a slave and in prison yet his heart was not hard or cold. He saw God at work and had gratitude and peace with that.

Although Joseph’s brothers’ initial offense is what began all of his hardship, Joseph gave credit to God’s sovereignty for his life situation and acted in love and not bitterness.

It’s almost comical to look at a situation from the back end, clearly seeing all the benefits and growth you have received from the latest storm you have persevered through. You can see God’s sovereignty in it all, how He used different pieces of it to refine you and draw you closer to Him. Terrible, sad situations that God uses to shine His glory through, and in the post phase you get excited when you look back at how things you thought were going to cripple you, strengthened you.

I get so excited when I see God;s hand in my life, which is not always apparent to me until the dust settles. This past year I went through a really sad and unsettling situation.  My heart was grieved for many months. As I moved through it moment by moment I clung to God, and His promises, learning to trust Hhim more and more. There were so many changes in my life it was hard to keep up at times. I did the best I could and just continued to move forward while yielding always to the Lord even when it was most difficult. So here I am on the other side of this situation that I thought just might do me in. And I must proclaim God is good. So many things have changed in me through this. I have recognized how fortunate I am to have my family, my precious husband, our home, a car to drive, food in the fridge, friends and, a beautiful faith family, a heart of gratitude, a deeper love for God’s Word, a desire to know Him more, a strengthened trust and faith that has been tested, a healthier way of thinking, more compassion for the lost and hurting and a more passionate approach to train my children in the truth. No, life is not perfect still a lot of warts here but I am different, my heart is different.

Although I am so grateful and glad for where we are at, had God come to me last year and said, “Kim I would like to do heart surgery by these certain means, would you just give me a verbal OK.” I would have looked at all it entailed and said “No Thank You Lord I am good,” even though I was not good. But had He presented the outcome I may have willingly gone along. That isn’t how God does things though. He didn’t show Joseph when he was sold into slavery and He didn’t show me. But I am thankful just like Joseph was for God’s plan.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (NLT) .

Kim M. Spicer
WOC Graduate

It’s pretty normal in the month of November to start thinking about being thankful.  Many families have a tradition of going around the table at the Thanksgiving meal and each one sharing something for which they are thankful.

In the days after Hurricane Sandy blew through, there were many times I reminded myself to be thankful for all I had, and how little the storm really impacted me, especially in contrast to so many in the area.  After all, my home sustained no damage, I had plenty of gas in my car, and Keswick took care of meals for many of our staff in the days afterward while we waited for electricity to come back on.  I have a mother-in-law who lives locally who never lost electricity, and we spent many evenings there eating dinner, taking showers, and watching TV. 

But as I got ready for work this morning, now that the power is back on, I found myself thankful for so many things that I don’t think about most days.
– a full coffeepot
– a hot shower
– lights to see while I got dressed and put on makeup (ever try to do that by flashlight?)
– milk in a refrigerator that worked
– a warm house

I think you get my drift.  I have those things everyday, but how often am I thankful for them?  For a number of months, I have been slowly reading Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. The days when I go home for lunch I read a few pages.  It’s slow reading – her style is very poetic and descriptive.  It’s also very thought-provoking, so it takes time to read through.  But the basic point is finding things for which to be thankful in our everyday life.  Finding God in those everyday moments.

I think monumental events like Sandy turn our thoughts to all that we have, and remind us to be grateful.   I may even start a gratefulness journal and see if, like Ann, I can’t find one thousand – or more – things for which to be thankful.

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Ruth Schmidt

Ruth Schmidt is on full-time staff at America’s Keswick, and grateful to be a daughter of the King.

First, the rain and then the snow! Storms don’t always come and go and give you time to recover before the next one comes. Sometimes they come fast and furious and hardly let you catch up from the damage left behind the first time around. This is true for us in New Jersey this morning. Looking out at trees already fallen from Hurricane Sandy; they now lay covered in a blanket of wet and heavy whiteness. One can only wonder what might be next; how much can people take?

So it is for you and me personally. I don’t know when my husband started saying this but when “whatever” comes he will say, “If it’s not something, it’s something!”  It’s either the exterior storms that rage and cause power outages, downed trees, homelessness and utter devastation, or it’s the interior storms that swirl right into our guts causing sleeplessness, uncontrollable tears, questions that have no answers and a destruction of our peace.

Ann Spangler in her book The Peace God Promises says, “It’s so easy to forget all the ways God has already helped you if you are focusing on the difficulty you face right now. “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9). Do these things and the peace of God will be with you! Too often I forget Paul’s sage advice. Instead, I find myself fixated on whatever is threatening, whatever is difficult, whatever is miserable, whatever is bugging me; if anything is broken or bad I think about such things. Little wonder that at such times the God of peace seems far away. Instead of getting distracted by our difficulties, we need to remember the larger picture of what God has promised to do with our lives.”

I don’t mean to belittle anyone’s suffering. My situation through the hurricane could have been so much worse. I am inconvenienced at the most. I am waiting for what others would call minor repairs. I know many of us face BIG storms! Many of you have walked deeper waters than I. Regardless of what storm is on the horizon, has just run you over, or you are struggling to recover from, know this….you can have peace if your “whatever” is focused on the truth of the God who loves you! It’s in times like these where all that training – church, Bible study, conferences – needs to be put into practical practice. Let’s begin with our focus on whatever. (Fill in the blank of your “whatever”). Now, let’s focus on the Whoever: the One who is in control and remains sovereign. Think on the Lord Jesus Christ and regain some peace.

Blessings,
Kathy

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years.  They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

Job 19; 3-5 (NLT) – You have already insulted me ten times. You should be ashamed of treating me so badly. Even if I have sinned that is my concern not yours. You think you’re better than I am using my humiliation as evidence of my sin.

Job’s friends were quick to point out that Job had sinned and needed to admit it. They were thoroughly convinced based on Job’s circumstances that he was not living right and that all he lost was the consequence of that. Job had told them they were treating him wrong and that they did not know for sure if sin has brought upon him all this devastation.

In life and in 99% of all situations no one knows the exact reasons why someone suffers losses and setbacks. We may think we know why someone’s marriage has struggled or have quickly placed the blame on one person for a falling out but we could never swear to it with exact certainty. The only One with that power is God who is all knowing and all seeing. Yet how many of us have at times acted as if we were God. Freely giving advice and rebukes where needed, assuming we know all we need to, to make a summation and verdict of a situation.

If you have been given the gift of discernment then I am sure your natural inclination is to be critical and judgmental initially. But God does not call us to criticize and judge but to encourage and lift up, to use our words and influence to restore people to the Lord. He calls us to intercede in prayer and build up. To love, love, love and when all else fails love some more.

God please forgive me and any of my sisters when we have judged, assumed and used our words to tear down. Forgive us for our pride in assuming we know things in a rash way. Help us to remember that our goal is to bring You glory and that You are most pleased when we love one another. Let our words be soothing and our prayers to be for Your divine healing in one another’s lives. In Your precious name I pray, Amen.

Kim M. Spicer
WOC Graduate

“…I wrote you about the subtle, yet significant, difference between the admission of wrong and true confession. Admission of wrong has two potential flaws. First, we might admit only because we were caught. And second, we might admit to only our behavior – not the heart motives behind it.

Now please, don’t mistake me. Admitting wrong and confessing behavioral action is good and necessary. Bu we need to go deeper. Our confession needs to be bigger.

Take the example of David in Psalm 51. When he prays for a pure heart and a steadfast spirit (v. 10, 11), he’s acknowledging that his struggle runs deeper than just behavior. He’s not only confessing to the physical acts of adultery and murder, but also to the reality of a heart that’s corrupt.

He’s confessing that his heart loves personal pleasure more than it loves the Lord. When he talks of God’s desire for a truthful and wise heart (v. 6), he’s confessing to a heart that has craved what was impure and that has loved what was foolish.

It’s only when you confess that your heart is corrupt that bigger things begin to happen. You turn…really turn. You don’t just turn from that specific sin pattern, but your heart turns to God in new and deeper ways.

Rather than being driven by the craving for the delivery of your little kingdom desires, your heart begins to be motivated by big Kingdom purposes. Instead of being obsessed with temporary and impure pleasures, your heart becomes excited with and engaged in the pleasures of God.

A truly broken and contrite heart will always live for something bigger. Is your confession leading you there?

1.  This week, what pleasures did your heart love more than the Lord?
2.  What are you currently craving that is impure and foolish?
3.  What are some of God’s pleasures that you can desire and be engaged in this week?”
Paul David Tripp(1)

Dear sisters, I took the time to share the two parts of Paul Tripp’s weekly devotional because in my heart I know, that I know, that we all must go deeper; below the surface in all things that lead to life and godliness. I know too, that apart from truly confessing our hearts we simply will not go deeper, which means we simply will not grow.

So the challenge for all of us is simple: draw near to God beginning with confession!

Stephanie

Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An “instrument of change” in the Redeemer’s Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Woman of Character Program Director.

1 http://paultrippministries.org/wednesdays-word 
 

Not to long ago I came across this definition of wisdom that a friend sent to me:

“Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgments and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one’s emotional reactions (the “passions”) so that universal principles, reason and knowledge prevail to determine one’s actions. Wisdom is also the comprehension of what is true coupled with optimum judgment as to action. Synonyms include: sagacity, discernment, or insight.”1

The book of Proverbs, in the Word of God says it like this:
Proverbs 1:2-7; 4:5-7; 16:16

“To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion-A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”

Dear ones, I could go on and on but I don’t want to be a hammer. I think the Lord requires of us that we seek wisdom, knowledge and understanding in ALL things.

As women, we are more oft than not easily led by our emotions, and our feelings are just as often lead astray by stinking thinking.

Do you want to be blessed with more peace than your body can comprehend? Do you want your anxious thoughts to cease their ramped wanderings? Do you want to rest in the assurance and knowledge that He who was and IS and is to come is able to lead you into all truth?

GET WISDOM! GET UNDERSTANDING! You will be blessed!!

 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”James 1:5-6

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17

Stephanie

Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An “instrument of change” in the Redeemer’s Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Woman of Character Program Director.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom

Declaring the end from the beginning… saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do my pleasure (Isaiah 46:10)
Our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased (Psalm 115:3).

I am writing this as we wait for power in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  Because of that, I may not be able to verify all my sources from my file notes.  I will just quote “source unknown” so you know it was not from me. 

There is a famous military motto: “No plan of war survives first contact with the enemy” (source unknown).  This holds true in every human conflict because it is impossible to know for certain how one’s enemy will react or what circumstances may intervene to change any planned course of action. 

This is not true of God.  God is not sitting around waiting to see what will happen. He knows what the future holds and exactly how everything will react and respond.  God does not wonder if His plans will come to pass. God’s desires are never frustrated, foiled, or even hindered.  This storm has brought many of our plans to a halt;, it has caused much frustration in many lives to say the least, but God is not surprised or frustrated.

Did God cause this?  I will not even attempt to answer that, but I will say… this did not surprise Him.  To say that God is Sovereign is just another way of saying “God is God” (source unknown).  Recognizing the truth of God’s sovereignty gives us the right view of the character of God. 
* He has power over all (Psalm 99:1)
* He is holy and just (Isaiah 6:1-7)
* All things are for His glory (Rev. 4:11)
* God is not frustrated or disappointed, but is working all things out after His will (Eph 1:11)

This truth provides a great sense of security and hope for His people.  “They see that no vicious enemy, no catastrophic event, no unexpected trial can affect God’s sovereign reign. As Psalm 46 declares, even if the earth was removed or the mountains carried into the sea, God is a refuge for His people.  And they are further assured that what may be a long night of affliction can be turned into brightness as the heavenly Father teaches His children in their time of trouble” (source unknown).

“He is our Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He” (Deut. 32:4).

May you rest during this time in God and God alone!

Lynne Jahns
Christian Counselor