We are God's children

Here is a reminder from Max Lucado that indeed we are a child of God:

What matters to you—matters to God! You probably think that's true when it comes to the big stuff; the major-league difficulties like disease, death, sin, and disaster—you know that God cares. But what about the smaller things? What about grouchy bosses or flat tires or lost dogs? What about late flights, toothaches, or a crashed computer? Do those matter to God?

God's got wars to worry about and famines to fix. Who am I, we say, to tell Him about my troubles?  I'm glad you asked.  The answer is found in I John 3:1. "The Father has loved us so much that we are called children of God.  And we really are His children." I love that last phrase.  "We really are His children."

John added that phrase for you. We really are His children! If something is important to you, it's important to God!

By Max Lucado from He Still Moves Stone

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

Blessings!

Fred
 
 

UpWords · 07/19/2013

Great words of encouragement for those of us who are past our prime. 

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: MaxLucado.com <email@maxlucado.com>
Date: July 19, 2013, 5:06:47 AM EDT
To: <frwaggoner@hotmail.com>
Subject: UpWords · 07/19/2013
Reply-To: MaxLucado.com <email@maxlucado.com>

MaxLucado.com Weekday Email Age is No Enemy  Today's MP3 I remember some years ago when my doctor said, "Nothing to worry about, Max—your condition is pretty common for folks in their mid-age!"  Don't you hate it when someone reminds you?  Of all the things you couldn't count on, there was one thing you could, and that was your youth. Just because you're near the top of the hill doesn't mean you've passed your peak. Your last chapters can be your best. What was intended to be an island of isolation for the apostle John became a place of inspiration, and in his final years he wrote the last book of the Bible. When J.C. Penney was ninety-five years old, he affirmed, "My eyesight may be getting weaker, but my vision is increasing."  Many are anticipating the destination.  I hope you are.  And I hope you'll be ready when you get home. Age is no enemy.  It's a mile-marker—a gentle reminder that home has never been so near! from He Still Moves Stones    07.19.13.mp3 So Glad God Doesn't Require a Smartphone   My cellphone contract is up. So, I am a candidate for a new smartphone. A week of shopping has made me wonder:  am I smart enough to buy a smartphone? HTC, iOS, WWDC, S3, Samung, G-U-L-P. How many models are there? How many options can one brain process? Carriers, updates, data plans, and sizes…someone help me! 3G, 4G, LTE, GSM, HSPA+. NFC, GPS, PPI. Dual-core, quad-core. Five megapixels, eight megapixels. Android 4.1, Android 4.2. iOS 6, iOS 7. Q10, Z10. Google Play, iTunes, iCloud. Windows Phone 8 (or is it Windows 8 Phone?). BlackBerry . iPhone 5, iPhone 5S. Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy S4. HTC One. Nexus 4. Leaves me longing for the day of  wired telephones in the living room. I remember when my parents bought an extension for their bedroom. We thought we had moved ahead one century! Hang on to your hat, Alexander Bell. Changes happen so fast these days, can anyone keep up? By one estimate, there are some 37,000 smartphones on the market today. That was a month ago. Odds are the number is now 38,000. Increasing at the rate of the national debt. Are you kidding me? I am glad, really glad, that talking to God does not require a smartphone.  Jesus taught us to begin our prayers by saying, "Our Father in heaven" (Mt. 6:9). More specifically, our "Abba in heaven."  Abba was an intimate, tender, folksy, pedestrian term, the warmest of the Aramaic words for "father." Formality stripped away. Proximity promised. Jesus invites us to approach God like a child approaches Daddy. No special training required. No monthly plan needed. Stunning, don't you think, that the highest conversation in life requires nothing but an open heart and a "Dear Father?" How gracious of God to keep it simple. Even more gracious of Him not to require a smartphone. © Max Lucado, 2013    UpWords Partners help make these emails & more available for free at MaxLucado.com. Spread hope worldwide · 10% store discount · Free Max Lucado sermons · more Partner with Us UpWords · 12175 Network · San Antonio, TX 78249  unsubscribe | update subscription preferences

How to be blessed by God

Psalm 112:1 NIV

"Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands."

See it at YouVersion.com:

http://bible.us/111/psa.112.1.niv

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Humility

The Bible says that the fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Now we know that being humble is having a respectful fear of God. 

"Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life." Proverbs 22:4 NIV

See it at YouVersion.com:

http://bible.us/111/pro.22.4.niv

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Morning Bell: The Words That Started It All

Take time to read the Declaration of Independence today and thank God for the men who crafted this document and then fought to overthrow tyranny. We owe them a debt of gratitude that we can never repay. 

Morning Bell: The Words That Started It All

http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/04/rereading-the-declaration-of-independence/

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UpWords · 07/01/2013

God loves the Humble!

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: MaxLucado.com <email@maxlucado.com>
Date: July 1, 2013, 5:11:49 AM EDT
To: <frwaggoner@hotmail.com>
Subject: UpWords · 07/01/2013
Reply-To: MaxLucado.com <email@maxlucado.com>

MaxLucado.com Weekday Email God Loves Humility  Today's MP3 God loves humility!  Could that be the reason He offers so many tips on cultivating it? May I (ahem) humbly articulate a few? Do you want to be humble?  Assess yourself honestly.  Don't take success too seriously. Celebrate the significance of others. Don't demand your own parking place. Never announce your success before it occurs. Speak humbly. One last thought to foster humility. Live at the foot of the cross. Paul said in Galatians 6:14:  "The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging." Do you feel a need for affirmation? Does your self-esteem need attention? You don't need to drop names or show off. You need only to pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this:  The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that's a fact.  So if you need to brag, brag about that! from Traveling Light      07.01.13.mp3 UpWords Partners help make these emails & more available for free at MaxLucado.com. Spread hope worldwide · 10% store discount · Free Max Lucado sermons · more Partner with Us UpWords · 12175 Network · San Antonio, TX 78249  unsubscribe | update subscription preferences

Final thoughts on Uganda

Saturday, June 29.

Final thoughts.

Here are some of my thoughts and reflections on this year's trip to Uganda.

Uganda hasn't changed much over the last couple of years. There is a little more construction and property/home improvements than I observed last year. Still, most everything looked pretty much the same.

Mum's Resort Hotel? What can I say? It's not a Marriott or a Hilton, but its clean, safe, and the food is fairly good. It does need some painting and fixing up. They have added a covered walkway to the attached conference center that they were building the first time we stayed there. The food is basically the same. It's OK, but not something that you would write home about. It still amazes me that most of the items that are on the menu they do not actually have?? The biggest problem we had was with their internet service. We were constantly having problems in logging on to their network. After Wednesday, I was never able to log-in using my iphone? I keep telling myself that its Uganda and I need to be patient. On a positive note, we did not lose power at the hotel at any time during our stay there. That's definitely a good thing.

Iganga hasn't changed much either. It is still dirty and dusty, crowded, and there's lots of garbage and trash in and along the streets.

The drive from Kampala to Iganga is much the same, but they did have some construction going on in several places along the way to patch and repair some of the worst spots. The big trucks and the diesel fumes are still bad.

The streets in Kampala are still very crowded, especially in the mornings and afternoons. The pollution is still terrible, but I found it is not as bad as what I experienced in Yangon, Myanmar. The road to Entebbe from Kampala is still very crowded and bumper to bumper most of the way.

Even though, I did not see much a change in Uganda, I am excited about this nation and what I see that God has in store for His church there. We now have found a leader (Pastor Daniel) that we can work with and who has the same vision as we do to invest in and develop leaders who will truly lead like Jesus.

I am really excited about the next three (3) years and can hardly wait to see the progress that these sixteen men and women will make as we continue to work with them and help them grow as leaders. Luke and I have a lot to do before next year to re-look and tweak some of the things we did this year and to put together the materials and lessons for next year as we focus on the Apprentice level and one-on-one leadership.

I feel deep down in my heart that we are onto something big that God is wanting to do in Uganda and in Africa. He is working there within His people and things are moving. I am truly thankful that He is letting me be a small part of it.

Please continue to pray for Luke and I, for Pastor Daniel and these sixteen leaders, that we will all be faithful to the commitment that we have made and that through this effort many more men and women will rise up who will become leaders who lead like Jesus and that Uganda, Africa, and the world will be impacted for Christ. May it be so Lord Jesus!

Thanks so much for your prayers of support and words of encouragement.

Blessings to you and to yours!

Fred



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