Posted by Posted in Bible, faith, God, Jesus, the cross

Every Scar A Story

Scars.

Lots of people have them. I have two or three myself.

Scars tell stories and young boys especailly love to tell the stories related to thier scars.

All the accidents, risks and daring episodes that make those scars are great stories.

I have two scars from stichs I got when I was three. My aunt was whizzing us around on a merry-go-round and daring lil’ Priscilla decided to go no hands and I flew off, breaking my arm.

I relish telling the story including all the ice cream, balloons and goodies that came with an emergency room visit.

Oh and the story about how I sang “When I Am Afraid I Will Trust In You” by Steve Green right before my surgery is a good one.

I have another scar on my wrist that I got when a dog scratched me because I wasn’t petting him enough. 🙂

Whether it be a bicycle accident, broken arm, or running into a brick wall every scar has a story, a unique, fun-to-brag-on kind of story.

The greatest scars of all are the ones Jesus has though. Now thats a story.

God (the God who created heaven and earth and everything else..yep that God) sent His only son down to earth because after Adam sinned we all lived in sin and were not worthy of eternal life with Him.

So this son incarnated and became a human, was brougt into the world through a young teen virgin, Mary and grew up as a poor carpenters son.

He then calls petty fishermen to be His disciples teaching them about the kingdom of God and proclaiming Himself as the son of God. He worked miracles and was absolutely perfect!

Well, the Pharisees didn’t like that one bit so they plotted to destroy Him and they finally got their chance after the Passover thanks to Judas Iscariot- one of Jesus’ disciples who betrayed Him.

Jesus was unfairly accused (remember He is perfect), beaten, mocked and scorned. Pontius Pilate was scared of the people even though he thought Jesus was innocent so he delivered him to be crucified.

The Son of God crucified? How could this happen? Well actually, His death was the reason Christ came into the world. He paid the perfect sacrifice so that now we can be called children of God if we trust in His perfect name.

Wow, thats a story. And Jesus got some scars to prove it.

He had scars from the nails pierced in His hands.

He had scars in His side from when the soldiers stabbed Him to make sure He was dead.

Best. Story. Ever. Oh.. and its real.

But it doesn’t end there.

Jesus was placed in a grave and three days later some women came to put incense on his body. Surprise, surprise, he wasn’t there.

Jesus had risen from the dead, defeating death forever.

But not all the disciples believed when Mary Magdalene, the young witness told the story.

Thomas- one of the disciples- didn’t believe it. He said….

” Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

John 20:25b

Then Jesus showed up.

He told Thomas this:

“Put your finger here, and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve but believe.”

John 20:27

Those scars saved the world.

Those scars saved you.

Those scars saved me.

All of a sudden my epic-fly-off-the-merry-go-round scars don’t seem so cool anymore.

“He himself bore our sins on his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

1 Peter 3:24

So next time you start boasting about your scrapes, bumps and scars remember His scars.

Boast in his scars….. because they saved the world.

Thanks be to the scars of Christ,
Priscilla

Posted by Posted in army training, Bible, character, faith, God, Jesus, Living for God

Army Training- 1 Timothy 6:11-16

Here is a verse to strengthen and encourage you as you fight your good fight of faith.

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the prescence of many witnesses. I charge you in the prescence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time- he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”

1 Timothy 6:11-16

I hope this verse encouraged you to pursue godliness, fight your fight of faith and trust and worship your King of kings and Lord of lords.

Keep fighting!

Priscilla

Posted by Posted in abortion, Books to Read

Book Review- Unplanned by Abby Johnson

I recently finished the book “Unplanned” by Abby Johnson. The story is about Abby and her journey from one side of the fence to the other. If you don’t understand keep reading and I will explain. 🙂

Rating: ***** 5 stars- as usual with my book reviews!
Age to read: 13 and up – The book did describe the abortion process in the first chapter so that is why I think it should be for mature readers only…

Abby Johnson started volunteering at Planned Parenthood after a volunteer fair at her college. She had a heart for the women coming and wanted to help them. Planned Parenthood fed her lies that by giving abortions they were helping the women. Abby had two abortions herself and moved on to operate the clinic in Bryan, TX. But then, one fateful day she helped with an abortion procedure and her eyes were opened. God had been wooing her over time and this one act was the last straw. She knew now that what she had been doing all along was help support killing babies. Read this incredible book to learn about Abby’s amazing story of walking across the line from Planned Parenthood to Coalition for LIFE!!!

Posted by Posted in I was thinking..., words

Keeping Words of Beauty Beautiful

In this day and age, people use words of beauty flippantly. Lightly. Nonchalantly.

What is a word of beauty?
Words of beauty for me are descriptive words that show your love and pleasure for something. Words like beautiful, pretty, amazing, awesome, wonderful, good and great.

Today though people use these words all the time. We exchange words of beauty for slang terms and make beauty something cheap.

Now we introduce words like ‘hot’ to refer to beauty.

Now I can’t say “I’m so hot!” (hot- weather wise 🙂 )without being misunderstood.

Now people use words like awesome and amazing to refer to things that really aren’t.

We always grew up reserving the word ‘awesome’ for referring to God and the phrase “Only God is awesome” could be heard whenever we used it another way. Our family jokes about our little brother, when having a woman over she used the word ‘awesome’ in another context and young William corrected her “Only God is awesome!”

The story was funny but I can’t help but look deeper and say ‘where did that respect for words go?’

How many of us automatically respond with ‘good’ when asked how we are doing? I too am guilty of this. It is grammatically incorrect for one thing and it is an automatic response that doesn’t show sincerity of heart in our answer.

Lets save words of beauty for the things that truly are beautiful!

Posted by Posted in character, essays, history, holidays, homeschool

A Tribute to Christopher Columbus

Today is Christopher Columbus day for all who didn’t know. 🙂 As a tribute to this great man I am posting my report on him I did in August. Enjoy!

Christopher Columbus was a great man of history and we can learn many lessons from his life.
1. Determination: Christopher went from being the son of a weaver to Admiral of the sea. How did this happen? Chistopher was born to a weaver and when he reached the appropriate age his father started training him to carry on the business. Christopher hated it. His heart longed for the ocean.
He and his brother Bartholemew, started a map making business together and Christopher also joined a few voyages to learn more about sailing. Christopher read many books from Marco Polo and soon came up with the idea of sailing west to get to the East and Cathay (China). He now tried to find someone to sponsor his expedition.
For years he pleaded with kings and queens from Portugal, France, Italy and Spain. Christopher never gave up though and finally his determination was rewarded. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain decided to finance him now that the war with the Moors was over.
Christopher had gone from son of a weaver to Admiral of the ocean sea! Through hard work, determination and endurance, Christopher stuck with his God-given idea and went on to find America! (2 Timothy 4:7-8*)
2. Christ-bearer: Christopher felt his expedition was a God-given task. Christopher mean Christ-bearer and Christopher believed that God had called him to bring the light of the gospel to the Indies. On his second voyage, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella sent priests with him to convert the Indians. (Mathew 28:19-20*)
3. Pride: With all the royal titles, riches and attention Christopher was getting, pride started to form in his heart. On one of his voyages back to Spain, there was a great storm. Just like Jonah, Christopher had been running away from God and God was letting him know through a storm.
Still, pride remained. After Christophers first voyage he came back in a parade of pomp and splendor. This made the pride grow. Pride continued to poison Christophers character until later he was humbled and came back to Spain wearig the robe of a monk (more on that later ;)).
We must learn to stay humble before God, even when prosperity comes. We must keep that dangerous pride out of our life. (Proverbs 16:18*)
4. Humility: Christopher struggled with pride but after some events at his colony (Hispaniola), Christopher was unjustly fettered and kept prisoner. Although this was unjust it taught him a lot about himeself and humility. After this humiliation, Christopher didn’t struggle with pride quite as much. (1 Peter 5:6*)
5. Injustice: There were some things that Christopher Columbus did that I do not agree with and I think were unjust. His treatment of the Indians, his haughty leadership, his revenge-filled hate for those who opposed him and his negligence of his wife and children. Christopher Columbus had some struggles especially when governing his lands and although I admire his good qualities I dislike his injustice and harrasment of those around him. (Proverbs 21:15*)
Christopher Columbus was a great man and I learned a lot by looking at his life. Christopher died still thinking that he had discovered the Indies but he actually paved the way for others to follow and settle in the New World- America!

* “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Sprit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded and I will be with you until the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20

“Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Proverbs 16:18

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you.”
1 Peter 5:6

“When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous, but terror to evildoers.”
Proverbs 21:15

**If you want to read more about Christopher Columbus check out “Heroes of History: Christopher Columbus” by Janet and Geoff Benge It is a good book!

Enjoy celebrating this hero!
Priscilla