Women's Focus Ministries: Friday Writings......6/17/16

Good morning...

Today I have become even more painfully aware that all people have issues that are really serious. I remember talking to my mother when I was a little girl and I when I was aware of our issues in my family. I was wondering why our family seemed to have so many issues. She told me that all families have worries about things, but they just do not talk about things outside the family.She told me that I shouldn't either. Now that I know more about what people can be suffering and it is universal in one degree in or another. As a singer said, "That's Life."

Hope your Friday is a good one.

God bless from
Corinne

The Devotional component in the Friday Writings of Women's Focus Ministries is titled, "Forever Young" and was written by Corinne Mustafa. The topic of the devotional is the the stages of aging. Corinne wrote, "I knew about God, and I was totally aware of the history and theology of my Christian faith.The most amazing thing is that this is essentially God's wish for his children.......When we die we have the assurance, without worry for eternity. In fact we will receive a new body that will be forever young."

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Today's Devotional

"Forever Young"

written by

Corinne Mustafa

I know that I am not getting any younger...no one is even a one week old baby. I have reached an age where I think about death...not often but sometimes...nor is it morbid. It is an actually realistic thing to think about. It is no really different than the young woman who thinks about the fact that she may be marrying soon or the thinking of a pregnant woman when she is expecting her first baby. I do not think completely differently than I did years ago. I do like to think that my thinking is more mature and some of my pastimes have changed. I have a music box that has a woman looking at herself in a mirror. She has a rounded rump and is wearing a hat. In the mirror she is seeing a young woman with yellow hair and the caption on the box is "you are always the same on the inside." Good wisdom I would say.

What got me started on train of thought was a 75th birthday celebration for Joan Baez on public tv a week or so ago. In my estimation she was the "coolest girl in world" back in the 60's. To see her with her 75 year old face made me cry. I realized that this happens to all of us as we get older...even the coolest ones. Joan had many of her era musical friends performing with her. I was drawn back into my early days and started reminiscing about "my days!" Then it came to my mind that every era in my life was my days, and the joys and challenges came according the season I was passing through, There were good times; there were not so good times.

We all experience relative the same things as we pass through life...major happenings and smaller and less impactful, but definitive none the less. I can look on my life and think of happenings that bring me joy as well as the ones that bring a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. Such is life.

The biggest thing that has happened to me lights up all of my life. Some people have it earlier on. I knew about God, and I was totally aware of the history and theology of my Christian faith. However I was lacking in having a relationship in the personal, loving God I know Him to be now. He is a God who loves me constantly and suffers alongside of with me when I cry; He supports me in times of need: who inspires me with the presence of the Holy Spirit whenever I need counseling or answers. In my maturity my faith and beliefs have grown exponentially.

Back to Joan Baez, her final song of the concert was "Forever Young," a song that I have always loved since I first heard it. It is not a Christian song as such. However the words tell of wishing someone that they can remain forever young. It is possible in our spirits to have this though the body becomes old. The most amazing thing is that this is essentially God's wish for his children. When we die we have the assurance, without worry for eternity. In fact we will receive a new body that will be forever young.

Sung by one of the coolest girls in the world.

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Quote of the Day:

The beauty of life is we can always decide.

with trust in God's help,

to make today better.

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Snippets of Spiritual Insights from Beverley

Of this one thing I am sure. The peace of God will always lead me in the right direction. Even when the rest of the path remains unseen.

It is the one thing here on earth that cannot be duplicated- the peace that God gives us. It cannot be shaken. No matter what. When God's peace takes ahold of us and grips our hearts we know that we know that we know- that we are in the right place- and there is absolutely nothing that can cause us to believe otherwise.

"And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts (deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state) to which as (members of Christ's) one body you were also called (to live). And be thankful (appreciative), (giving praise to God always)."

Colossians 3:15 Amplified Bible

written by Beverley A. Napier (c)

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Humorous Innocence From the Mouths of Babes