GRACE UPON GRACE

 1 JOHN 5:19-21 AND WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD, AND THE WHOLE WORLD LIETH IN WICKEDNESS . AND WE KNOW THAT THE SON OF GOD IS COME, AND HATH GIVEN US AN UNDERSTANDING, THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM THAT IS TRUE, AND WE ARE IN HIM THAT IS TRUE, EVEN IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS THE TRUE GOD, AND ETERNAL LIFE. LITTLE CHILDREN, KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS. AMEN.   LOVE

1 THESSALONIANS 1:8-10     FOR FROM YOU SOUNDED OUT THE WORD OF THE LORD NOT ONLY IN MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA, BUT ALSO IN EVERY PLACE YOUR FAITH TO GOD-WARD IS SPREAD ABROAD ; SO THAT WE NEED NOT TO SPEAK ANY THING. FOR THEY THEMSELVES SHEW OF US WHAT MANNER OF ENTERING IN WE HAD UNTO YOU, AND HOW YE TURNED TO GOD FROM IDOLS TO SERVE THE LIVING AND TRUE GOD; AND TO WAIT FOR HIS SON FROM HEAVEN, WHOM HE RAISED FROM THE DEAD, EVEN JESUS, WHICH DELIVERED US FROM THE WRATH TO COME.   LOVE

AMOS 4:4-8 COME TO BETHEL, AND TRANSGRESS; AT GILGAL MULTIPLY TRANSGRESSION; AND BRING YOUR SACRIFICES EVERY MORNING, AND YOUR TITHES AFTER THREE YEARS: AND OFFER A SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING WITH LEAVEN, AND PROCLAIM AND PUBLISH THE FREE OFFERINGS: FOR THIS LIKETH YOU, O YE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, SAITH THE LORD GOD. AND I ALSO HAVE GIVEN YOU CLEANNESS OF TEETH IN ALL YOUR CITIES, AND WANT OF BREAD IN ALL YOUR PLACES: YET HAVE YE NOT RETURNED UNTO ME, SAITH THE LORD. AND ALSO I HAVE WITHHOLDEN THE RAIN FROM YOU, WHEN THERE WERE YET THREE MONTHS TO THE HARVEST: AND I CAUSED IT TO RAIN UPON ONE CITY, AND CAUSED IT NOT TO RAIN UPON ANOTHER CITY : ONE PIECE WAS RAINED UPON, AND THE PIECE WHEREUPON IT RAINED NOT WITHERED. SO TWO OR THREE CITIES WANDERED UNTO ONE CITY, TO DRINK WATER; BUT THEY WERE NOT SATISFIED: YET HAVE YE NOT RETURNED UNTO ME, SAITH THE LORD.   LOVE

  In 1999, I was close to graduating from the local college. Behold, I was invited by a family member to fill in at the front desk at their workplace while some staff took time off during the holiday season. Of course, I said yes. During that time, a little extra money was very welcome. I was unprepared to go to work; I needed a little makeover. I quickly pulled out from my closet professional wear that had long sat. I was dressed down most of the time and focused on my goal of being a present mother, completing college while maintaining my home. I went to college initially for computer programming and quickly realized this was not for me. I then pursued a word processing degree. My close family worked in social services, and the sound of it was not appealing, so I pursued something different. A degree that qualified me to work at any front office landed me on A counselor's path. I started that position and quickly learned about other programs in the agency. This agency provides ...

AMOS 4:9-13 I HAVE SMITTEN YOU WITH BLASTING AND MILDEW :  WHEN YOUR GARDENS AND YOUR VINEYARDS AND YOUR FIG TREES AND YOUR OLIVE TREES INCREASED, THE PALMERWORM DEVOURED THEM : YET HAVE YE NOT RETURNED UNTO ME, SAITH THE LORD. I HAVE SENT AMONG YOU THE PESTILENCE AFTER THE MANNER OF EGYPT : YOUR YOUNG MEN HAVE I SLAIN WITH THE SWORD, AND HAVE TAKEN AWAY YOUR HORSES; AND I HAVE MADE THE STINK OF YOUR CAMPS TO COME UP UNTO YOUR NOSTRILS: YET HAVE YE NOT RETURNED UNTO ME, SAITH THE LORD. I HAVE OVERTHROWN SOME OF YOU, AS GOD OVERTHREW SODOM AND GOMORRAH, AND YE WERE AS A FIREBRAND PLUCKED OUT OF THE BURNING: YET HAVE YE NOT RETURNED UNTO ME, SAITH THE LORD. THEREFORE THUS WILL I DO UNTO THEE, O ISRAEL: AND BECAUSE I WILL DO THIS UNTO THEE, PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD, O ISRAEL. FOR, LO, HE THAT FORMETH THE MOUNTAINS, AND CREATETH THE WIND, AND DECLARETH UNTO MAN WHAT IS HIS THOUGHT, THAT MAKETH THE MORNING DARKNESS, AND TREADETH UPON THE HIGH PLACES OF THE EARTH, THE LORD, THE GOD OF ...