December has sneaked up on me one more time! What ever happened to my plans to have all my Christmas shopping done by October? Oh, yes, no money. It's times like this when it would be nice to put time on hold for a week. That way I could get everything all caught up without new things bombarding me! I'll just go get my pillow because the only way it will happen is in my dreams!

Jeremy is home and already has started in the job God gave him.

Jeremy went out to look for employment last Friday. He was going to drive toward the industrial areas that are springing up within ten miles of our house. After he left I began to pray. I know God has plans for Jeremy because He told me that. I prayed for the job God had for Jeremy that would fit in with those plans. I knew God had to have a job lined up because of the plans He has for Jeremy's life.

I prayed that Jeremy go right to the place before discouragement had a chance to set in. I prayed that if Jeremy didn't hear God's voice telling him where to apply for a job that God force Jeremy to drive to the location. Well. . . .Jeremy later told me he drove past the first driveway of this place and for some unknown reason pulled into the second driveway. They liked him so much there they told him he didn't have to finish filling out the application!

The place where he is working is an Alzheimer's clinic with cottages for patients. He will be working full time and it has medical benefits. They have evening shifts so Jeremy will be able to work around his school schedule. Praise the Lord! He is sooooo wonderful!

So many times we throw our hands in the air and allow everything to fall to chance. God loves us more than we know. He has great things for us. We need to find out what they are and then have the faith to believe He will follow through with those things. It's not easy to have that much faith. We have to continually pray for more faith.

I have written a few articles about different subjects that have been published on another site. I decided to put them together here as well. There is a description of them farther down on this page.

If you haven't visited "My Prayer Closet," I invite you to do so. It is about some of the spiritual things I've been experiencing this past year. I've had some real eye-opening things happening lately. God has been taking me on an adventure. You can get to it through the door right after the Bible Study.

Link to the 12/7/98 Bible study.

Well, I have my Christmas decorations up. The long-distance presents are not mailed yet, the rest of the presents are not purchased yet, the cookies are not baked yet, the cards are not mailed yet, the newsletter isn't even written yet, etc., etc., etc. Oh dear, I am not my usual organized self this year! Wait - - if I am not me, who am I? I'm getting really really confused!

I am going through some more painful changes in my life. I'm changing churches. The church I'm leaving has been my home for over ten years. I have made some very close friends there. Saying goodbye was one of the harder things I've had to do this year. The only thing that made it easier was knowing I still would be able to see them on occasion.

I've been trying to learn how to walk in the Spirit. I've been trying to learn how to see people through God's eyes and with His heart. I've been trying to learn how to use my spiritual gifts. I've been trying to learn all I can about prayer, praise, and everything else that brings me closer to the Lord.

As a result, it was necessary for me to leave my church home at this time. I am on a search for the new one that God has for me. I know there is a place where I am to be used for the Lord. God never takes anything away from me without replacing it with something much better. In the meantime, it still hurts a lot!

Change in general is hard on me. I like to feel comfortable. Lately, change is the story of my life. I feel like I am on a roller coaster ride and I am hanging on to God's hand with all that is in me. It is exciting, I've got to admit! I'm certainly far from being bored!! 8^)

Link to the 12/14/98 Bible study.

Here it is, the last week before Christmas! People are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. It is dangerous to drive within a half mile of malls. People are still standing in long lines at the post office trying to get their packages "express mailed" to make it in time for Christmas. There are people with sad faces picking through the remains of the Christmas card racks. Christmas eve will be a busy time at the stores, full of people who all-of-a-sudden remembered they forgot to get something for Auntie Em or Uncle Henry.

Christmas cookies, pies, and banana nut breads need to be baked. Presents need to be wrapped. The list goes on and on and on. . . What happens? We get tired, frustrated, and sometimes depressed. When Christmas day arrives we sigh a sigh of relief and are able to relax (unless, of course, it is a day of flying down the freeway from one relative's house to another). What is missing from this picture????

Uh, let's see. . . did we forget something? Did we get presents for everyone? Were they the right size/color? Did we remember to pass out all the presents? I don't think we forgot anything.

WHAT ABOUT JESUS?????

Satanhas taken our eyes off Jesus. He has used some of his tricks, tradition being one of the most effective, and has caused us to think about everything but Jesus.

Slow down, better yet - - stop. Remember the One who gave you the best gift you ever got. It is time to thank Him. It is time to unwrap that gift again. Look at how wonderful, how beautiful, how exquisite it is! Don't forget- - Jesus IS the reason for the season!

Thank you for your prayers for me about my leaving my church. My family and I are now looking for our new "assignment" from God.

Link to the 12/21/98 Bible study.

Are you one of those people that starts the new year with resolutions? If you are, then you are probably one of those people that ends up not following through with their resolutions. Most people cannot change habits all of a sudden.

Will you allow me to make a suggestion? There is a way to change habits. God can help you to change something from one day to the next. If it is something that lines up with God's Word then you can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He will help you with it. The trick is knowing whether or not it lines up with the Word and with God's will.

There are things about God and about the things He has for you that you can't even imagine. Do you have a Bible? Go read the first chapter in Ephesians. Read it a couple of times. He has already chosen you and already has things for you. He is waiting for you to open your heart and mind to Him. He is waiting for you as the next move is yours. The two things you need to do to begin working on that resolution are read your Bible (start with the book of John, then go back to Matthew and work your way through the New Testament) and pray. (If you want to know more about how to pray you can get some helpful hints here.)

If you allowed me to make the above suggestion, then perhaps you would allow one more. This one will help you with the first one. Make one resolution. Resolve to get to know God better in 1999. He is ready, willing, and able to help you do that! That's a guarantee you can take to the bank! He has been waiting for you, arms open wide, all of your life.

If you came here yesterday looking for this week's Bible study, I apologize. I was on my way back from visiting my husband's family. By the time we got home I was too tired to think about doing a Bible study.

I encourage you to make God your biggest priority this coming year. There are so many things about getting closer to Him that are just so wonderful there are no words to describe them. Don't ever think you know all there is to know about God. Don't ever try to put God in a box. He can't be boxed. The only box you create is around yourself, putting you on the inside and God on the outside.

Link to the 12/29/98 Bible study.