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In today's Words for the Week Christian Podcast, we will look at a modern day example of Habakkuk 3:17-18. The original scripture reads this way: Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no
grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce
no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the
stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my
Savior.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (Read all of Habakkuk 3)New International Version But the version God gave me (and which I briefly discuss today) is: Though the programmers do not program and there is no software to sell, though there is no ink in the cartridge and I don't know how to re-fill it, though there are no renters in the abandoned rental house and no one to pay the mortgage...yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Penny Haynes, Online Community Magazines
P.S. We just put renters in the house, and I bit the bullet and learned how to re-fill the ink cartridges. Now, if I can only get the programmers to produce something I can USE! :)
Click here to listen to the Podcast about Learning Your New Identity
WHO WE ARE DETERMINES WHAT WE DO
Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a homeless young woman who lived on the streets. She had no parents, no clothes except those upon her back, no belongings to speak of. She ate whatever she could find, even someone else's left-overs in a garbage can.
One day, the prince of the city came through the streets with his royal carriage and saw the young woman rummaging through the garbage bins. His heart was filled with compassion, and he had his servants invite the young woman to enter the carriage to come to the royal palace. The woman was confused; why would the Prince want her to come to the palace?
But she accepted the invitation, though she remained somewhat in a daze. When she came to the palace, she was shown to a huge bedroom with a large canopied bed, closets full of women's clothing, and which was adjacent to a large bathroom, with a huge jaccuzzi tub. She was instructed to remove her clothing, take a long bath, and put on any of the clothing she found in the closet.
She was suspicious, and very uncomfortable, to say the least, but her curiosity, mixed with her fatigue and her hunger drove her to try it. She enjoyed the luxurious bath and the delicious feeling of being clean; she felt almost decadent when she put on the long flowing gown that she had picked out of all of the splendid garments. She went down the long staircase and was escorted into the main banqueting hall, where she sat down to a huge feast with every food imaginable. The Prince had requested that a special feast be held in honor of the young woman, who probably had not sampled such fare before.
The evening was wonderful. She enjoyed the food, the drink, the fine clothing and the wonderfully important way she was treated by the Prince and the servants. It was like living in a dream. And she expected the dream to soon come to an end.
But the Prince requested that the young woman become his Ward, his permanent guest, whose welfare would now be his concern. All of her needs would be taken care of by the Prince. She was welcome to stay with the Prince as a Princess of the kingdom for as long as she desired.
Amazed at such a prospect, she followed the servant back to the huge bedroom, where she was given a silken dressing gown for sleeping. The bed was soft, the sheets cool, the covers warm. It was perfect.
Yet in the morning, she found herself hungry again. And out of habit, she reached for her old rags instead of the fine clothing hanging in her closet. She went downstairs, through the huge banqueting room and kitchen, and went outside, behind the palace to the garbage dump, where she began rummaging for scraps from last night's feast, as she had learned to do throughout her life in order to keep from starving.
One of the servants noticed a beggar eating out of the trash cans and informed the Prince. His Highness looked out the window and recognized the beggar as his new Ward. He rushed down the stairway and out behind the house and turned the young woman toward himself.
Why are you wearing these rags? You have new royal clothing in your new bedroom. And why are you eating out of the dumpster? There is an abundance of food in the royal refrigerator, all at your disposal. You are dressed like a pauper, and acting like one who has no food or clothing, when in actuality, you are now a princess, with all the goods, rights and privileges of royalty. Don't you know who you are?
I am an orphaned pauper, said the young woman, living in your palace. I don't deserve to be in such a fancy place; I am nothing, and I have nothing. I have never done anything to even merit my visiting here, much less my living here.
That's not the point, said the Prince. I invited you here, and adopted you as one of the royal family solely out of my compassion for you. You didn't earn it; I freely gave it to you. And you no longer are an orphaned pauper; you are a royal Ward, with all of the benefits and privileges that come with being my Ward.
Whether or not you wear the fine clothing or eat the sumptuous food is up to you, but it is yours nonetheless. However until you accept the fact that you are no longer a pauper, and embrace the truth that you are now a Princess, you will never be able to enjoy all that now belongs to you.
The young woman stood there baffled. How could this be? Who was she? A pauper or a Princess? She didn't know who she was anymore. She had been a pauper so long, she continually felt like a pauper. But the Prince has decreed that she is a Princess, and whatever the Prince decrees is the truth.
Dear Prince, I have been a Pauper so long, I do not know how to be a Princess. I don't feel like a Princess inside. And yet I know that what you decree becomes law. So I need you to help me remember who I now am, so that I will act like a Princess instead of a Pauper. I do so want to be a Princess.
The Prince called one of the royal servants, a handmaiden named Paraklete. Youť, the Prince said, are to remain at the side of the Princess at all times, reminding her that she is now a royal Princess. You are to remind her of the benefits and privileges that come with her rank, and remind her of the behavior befitting someone in her position. You are not to force her to do anything, but to always speak the truth in love to her.
And the newly found Princess slowly learned to eat from the royal refrigerator rather than the royal dump, and reach for her new fine clothing rather than her rags. And she made good use of the royal bathroom and routinely tried to keep herself clean from the filth she used to walk and wallow in.
But this slow transformation of her outward actions only followed on the heels of the renewal of her mindset. With Paraklete by her side, reminding her that she was not a pauper, but a royal Princess, she slowly learned what her new identity truly was, and learned to act according to who she now was.
Questions:
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A remarkable phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. So profound, the station has it posted on their website. Click below to listen to it. It's short.
Penny Haynes, 1st Podcast Publishing & Online Community Magazines
To watch this video, click here.To listen to the audio, click here - to download the audio, right click here and save target as.
In this week's Words for the Week Christian Podcast, I am attaching a video version of this song which shows the words of the song, just in case the words aren't clear. It can also be used for meditation, or for worship. Please feel free to use it however you wish, except commercially (meaning you can't sell it as if it were your own).
Penny Haynes, 1st Podcast Publishing & Online Community Magazines
In today's Christian podcast, Words of the Week will share a short comparison about Christians and pumpkins, and how much we are alike.
Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see. This was passed on to me from another pumpkin. I'm sending this to all the pumpkins in my patch. Happy Fall!
Penny Haynes, 1st Podcast Publishing and Online Community Magazines
This
is Lori Arriaga of Christian Women's Resources
with this weeks edition of Words for
the Week, Christian Podcast
where we bring you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
With the school year already here and as a Christian parent
who home schools a certain scripture verse always comes to mind but more so
during this time of year that I wanted to share with you.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 - Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today
are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when
you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when
you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
I pray this is my heart always and yours as well so we may train our children
up in the Lord, making a difference in their lives and societies as well.
Until
next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
This
is Lori Arriaga of Christian Women's Resources
with this weeks edition of Words for
the Week, Christian Podcast
where we bring you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
This weeks Words for the Week I bring you Christian Women’s Resources featured Kingdom Builder for the month of August. The theme for this month is on “Praise and Worship” and Pam Mendelson of www.northwoodsgiftemporium.com has many great reasons to praise and worship God but two main reasons are her son and daughter whom her and her husband were foster parents for but have since adopted them into their family.
Hear how God has done many miracles in their lives and how they continue to bless single mothers and children out there by continuing to meet a need out there for foster parents.
Until next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
This
is Lori Arriaga of Christian Women's Resources
with this weeks edition of Words for
the Week, Christian Podcast
where we bring you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
This weeks Words for the Week I want to share with you an inspirational article titled "Your Worth." It is written by an unknown author but it is a wonderful article that helps us keep our perspective on things in our lives.
Your Worth
By: Unknown Author
Do not undermine
worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are
different that each of us is special.
Do not set your goals
by what people deem important
Only you know what is
best for you.
Do not take for
granted the things closest to your heart
Cling to them as you
would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
Do no let your life
slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future
By living your life
one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Do not give up when
you still have something to give
Nothing is really
over until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile
thread that binds us to each other.
Do not be afraid to
encounter risk, it is by taking chances that we learn to be brave.
Do not shut love out
of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to
receive love is to give love
The fastest way to
lose love is to hold onto it too tightly
In addition, the best
way to keep love is to give it wings
Do not dismiss your
dreams,
To be without dreams
is to be without hope, to be without hope is to be without purpose
Do not run through
life so fast that you forget not only where you have been,
but also where you
are going
Life is not a race
but a journey to be savored each step of the way.
So smile and let the
Son shine through, for God is watching over you.
I pray that you
are blessed and that you begin to slow down, dream dreams and live life one day at a time not taking anything for granted and living to the fullest with lots of love, hope and purpose.
Until
next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
This
is Lori Arriaga of Christian Women's Resources
with this weeks edition of Words for
the Week, Christian Podcast
where we bring you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
Today
I bring you a devotion posted over at the What If ... ? Women blog titled "Preciousness of Silence" (by the Missionaries of Charity Prayer Book). A very thought provoking devotion. Enjoy!
Until
next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
This
is Lori Arriaga of Christian Women's Resources
with this weeks edition of Words for
the Week, Christian Podcast
where we bring you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
Today
I bring you an article written by Shalene Kearney that was posted at our Hope for the Family blog where
she shares about how easy it is to take our freedoms for granted. Very timely message especially with the Fourth of July coming up.
She shares from the scripture in Galations 5:13-15.
Come on over and join us in our discussions at our Hope for the Family blog. We'd love
to hear from you.
Also, feel free to join Friday morning's Virtuous Women's Gatherings
in Penny Haynes audio conference room. at 9:00
CST / 10:00 EST
Until
next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
This
is Lori Arriaga of Christian Women's Resources
with this weeks edition of Words for
the Week, Christian Podcast
where we bring you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
Today
I bring you a devotion I wrote for this months theme at Christian Women's Resources on Keeping in Step with the Spirit. Enjoy!
Are You Keeping in Step with the Spirit?
But
the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such
things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified
the sinful nature with it's passions and desires. Since we live by the
Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. - Gal. 5:22-25 I
have always loved this scripture because it specifically tells me what
sort of fruit I can expect to see in my own life as well as other
people's live if we are keeping in step with the spirit. But what does
it take for us to keep in step with the spirit so we do bear this
fruit? That is what each of us need to consider since we all must find
the individual footsteps we are called to walk in order to keep in step
with the Spirit. There are a few basic things I need to remind myself
of in order to be sure I am keeping in step with the Spirit for my
life. We must first develop an ear to hear the Spirit's
guidance. Many times after we become a Christian we expect to be able
to hear His voice right away but being a Christian doesn't mean we
automatically hear it loud and clear. Yes, some things may be loud and
clear but many times the Spirit speaks very softly and we must develop
an ear to hear it with all the other noise clamoring around us trying
to get our attention. We must examine often who we are allowing to
direct our footsteps. With so many voices telling us to do this and do
that, at times it can get downright confusing, especially when these
voices come from well intentioned sources who we trust or look up to. Next
we then must be willing to allow the spirit to direct our footsteps
according to His Word as it says in Psalms 119:133 so we can begin to
develop this ear to hear. Just as we get better the more we practice
any skill or talent, the more we dig into the Word of God, the better
we become at hearing His voice in our lives, even in the midst of all
the clamoring noise around us. We must now examine whether we truly are
willing to allow the spirit to direct our footsteps. Sometimes we may
just be following the easy path or what we think is best but that is
not always the path the Spirit is trying to guide us on. If you
have ever watched a parade, notice how all the participants are in in
step with the drummer. There is commitment, willingness, respect and
unity among them when they follow the authority of the drummer. If not,
it shows in their walk because they are all marching to their own beat.
Same goes for Christians. We can be sure we are keeping in step with
the Spirit if what we are doing is in alignment with the Word of God
and we produce the fruit of the Spirit. If not, we may be marching to
our own beat where we are out of step with the Spirit causing us to
struggle in bearing it's fruit. Therefore, let us be sure to align our
steps according to His Word and walk forward in faith because our path
may not always be easy or what we believe to be best.
Come on over and join in the discussions at The What If Women Blog, we'd love
to have you ponder the possibilities with us.
Also, feel free to join Friday morning's Virtuous Women's Gatherings
in Penny Haynes audio conference room. at 9:00
CST / 10:00 EST
Until
next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
This is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's
Resources with this weeks edition of Words for the Week, Christian Podcast where we bring
you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
Today I bring you an interview with Wendy Okemma of Yak's Healthy Lifestyles as she is featured at my Christian Women's Resources website as May's featured Kingdom Builder. She is also coming on board with us as a partner and in our interview she shares with us on this months theme of being Justified through Faith and what that means to her personally. Be inspired as you listen to this weeks Words for the Week.
Come on over and join in the discussions at The What If Women Blog, we'd love to have you ponder the possibilities with us.
Also, feel free to join Friday morning's Virtuous Women's Gatherings
in Penny Haynes audio conference room. at 9:00 CST / 10:00 EST
Until next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
This is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's
Resources with this weeks edition of Words for the Week, Christian Podcast where we bring
you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
First and foremost I wanted to appologize for the podcasts not working the past couple of weeks. It has been fixed and hopefully we won't be having any problems from here on out but you know how techonolgy goes sometimes.
First I want to give you a little background to what I want to encourage you with today. I had met this wonderful lady by the name of Randee Krumwiede who is the founder of The Pink Collar Club some time last year. I had taken her Path to Purpose ecourse which is a 14 day journey. If you are interested in checking out this free ecourse, I highly recommend it, you can find it at her website at pinkcollarclub.org.
But today I wanted to talk about one particular day in the ecourse that stuck in my mind where she asked us to ponder the possibilites in our lives by starting with a "What if...? question and to fill in the blank for our lives.
Since I was pondering the What If...? for my life I also thought it would be great to start a What if...? blog. I talked to Randee about doing it together and to get others involved and some good discussions going. We decided to start the blog along with 3 other women calling it "The What If...? Women".
The What if women is a blog that ponders the possibilities where we begin each day with a simple question: What if...? It may be a fun and light hearted post or a serious post, you never know what you are going to get as we all bring our different personalities to the blog.
We started the blog not even a week ago but already have some great posts and comments from others on the topics:
What If...We Embraced Uncertainty?
What If . . . We Didn't Complain?
What if ... I ran away from home?
Be sure to come on over and join in the discussions at thewhatifwomen.blogspot.com, we'd love to have you ponder the possibilities with us.
Be sure to join Friday morning's Virtuous Women's Gatherings
in Penny Haynes audio conference room. at 9:00 CST / 10:00 EST
Until next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
This is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's
Resources with this weeks edition of Words for the Week, Christian Podcast where we bring
you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
I hope everyone had a great Easter this
past weekend. Today I am going to continue reading in John chapter 20.
Be blessed as you listen to the account of after His resurrection.
Be sure to join us each Friday at 9:00 am CST 10:00 am EST for our Virtuous Women's Gatherings
in Penny Haynes audio conference room. Each month
we will have a themed topic to discuss where women fellowship and share with
one another what God is doing in their lives.
Until next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
This is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's
Resources with this weeks edition of Words for the Week, Christian Podcast where we bring
you hope and encourgement brought to you by Encouraging Audiobooks.
With Easter this weekend, I wanted to begin reading about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus in John chapter 19 from the NIV bible today and continue reading in John chapter 20 and 21 after His resurrection the next couple of weeks.
I pray you and your loved ones have a blessed Easter Sunday.
Be sure to join us each Friday at 9:00 am CST 10:00 am EST for our Virtuous Women's Gatherings
in Penny Haynes audio conference room. Each month
we will have a themed topic to discuss where women fellowship and share with
one another what God is doing in their lives.
Until next week, this is Lori Arriaga
of Christian Women's Resources,
and Words for the Week, Christian Podcast Sponsored by Encouraging Audiobooks.
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1st Podcast Publishing - Audio/Video Magazine (Variety)
