Circles

As we began to pray over our Thanksgiving dinner

I peeked up and noticed the table we were gathered around.

A circle.

I peeked again and smiled at all the little hands holding each other.

A circle of hands.

As we had conversations, we were all able to see one another because we were all facing each other.

In a circle.

A place of gathering a place of coming together to unite.

Uniting in Thanks, Uniting in unity, Uniting as one family.

It's at this moment I am reminded once again, that God has brought me Full Circle.

This Thanksgiving may have been your first time celebrating.

This Thanksgiving may be a bitter time for you.

This Thanksgiving may be one of wishing you could be with your family, the one you left behind.

This Thanksgiving may be the first one you fully enjoyed away from the old thoughts, the old beliefs.

This Thanksgiving may be the one your hoping,... that next years Thanksgiving you'll be able to cope better than this years.

This Thanksgiving may be the one you feel regret, and question why did I leave?

This Thanksgiving may be pure joy for you!

This Thanksgiving may be the one you recognize and see that God has taken you Full Circle.

To many years of not having Thanksgiving.

To many years of not having family gatherings around a table.

I am there with you. I have been at, and have felt everyone of those emotions.

You are in the right place right now, don't doubt it for today or in the days to come.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:6 NLT

God has surrounded me and given me a circle of friends and family larger than I could of ever imagined! He has provided me through this circle;  love, comfort, strength, encouragement, a place of belonging, direction, acceptance, and pure joy!

There is a place for you in this circle.

Then he (Jesus) looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."Mark 3:34-35 NIV

This Thanksgiving I was and am thankful for you.

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Praying that you will recognize when God has brought you Full Circle.

Consuming Emotions

Are you lonely?
I am with you each and every day... Matthew 28:20 ISV

Are you afraid?
"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid."  John 14:27 NLT

Are you anxious or worried?
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 NIV

Are you angry, seeking revenge?
"I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD. 
Romans 12:19 NLT

Are you still being judged?
I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Ezekiel 18:30 NIV

Has your family failed you?
He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished. 1 Chronicles 28:20 NASB

Are you feeling weak and defeated?
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.
Exodus 14:14NIV

Our emotions and feellings are merely that.  They are neither right nor wrong.
However, how we act upon our feelings is where the trouble lies.

What is stealing your hope, your joy, your sleep, your life?
What is consuming you, controlling you?
Cast it ALL every bit of it on the Lord!

Be honest maybe for the first time in your life.  Tell him what trips you up every single time.
Tell him your worries, your struggles.
He's waiting............................................Just for you.

Who Plays Down the Veracity of God?

Definition of ve·rac·i·ty:
Habitual truthfulness: "his veracity and character". Devotion to the truth - Accuracy.
-Webster Dictionary-

In my findings.....Jehovah's Witnesses play down the veracity of God.

You may be thinking/saying like my daughter did: "Wow that's pretty BOLD, pretty out there, in your face, Mom!"
I guess if you are on the side of the Jehovah's Witness.
If you are a Believer, a Christian, a Born Again Christian, you may be on the side of Christianity.

This is about TRUTH!  This is  about the FACTS!
This is  about the EVIDENCE!

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹ Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. John 14:10,11 NIV
 
There does come a point in time where you have to choose! 
There is a time where you do have to get off the fence!
There will come a time, a place in your life, and you make a choice, which way will I go? Whom shall I choose? What am I going to believe? Who am I going to believe in?
 
Really the black and white of it is, no wait let me re-word that.
Truth be told, it's more about the Black, White and RED of It!
Red-His blood shed for me the sinner.

I know your out there...
Afraid, confused, scared, alone, ashamed, judged, so extremely fearful, angry, bitter.
Thinking:"Frankly I really don't care, I really don't care anymore that was so long ago." But I know you have that heavy cloud over your shoulder.

You might be a child of a parent who was a Jehovah's Witness and say, "Well I'm not really affected by it, my parent/parents were out of it before it had an impact on my life."
You might be the child of a parent who is still very active as a Jehovah's Witness.  You grieve the loss of your mom, or dad, or siblings.  You long to have relationship with them, but know that you absolutely can't, not under your current way of living.
You might be the parent, condemning yourself for the choices you made for your family while you were a Jehovah's Witness.

I was YOU! I am YOU!  I have felt every bit of those emotions and many more.
But because of Jesus' blood I can type out these black and white facts and know they are covered in Christ precious blood. I am hear to tell you.
My complete devotion is to the Veracity of God!
I am not hear to debate, or defend.
The Lord defends:
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien...   Deuteronomy 10:17,18 NIV

So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. Philippians 1:7 NLT

We all have a new hope offered to us, if you would so choose to receive it, accept it, believe it.

Here in this little blog world; you will find truth from His word.  Not altered or manipulated  in any way.  I challenge you, seek it out for yourself.  My devotion is first and foremost to Christ, and then my devotion is to you, the reader to show you Truth from Lies. Beauty from Ashes.

I will not Play Down the Veracity of God!

I will speak Truth in Love.