A smile for your day

"We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!

For your wonderous works declare that Your name is near."

Psalms 75:1

Have you given thanks for anything yet today?

For the Master's use

"Let Your work appear to Your servants,

and your glory to their children.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us;

Yes, establish the work of our hands."

Psalms 90:16-18

If we don't have a plan, we won't go anywhere.

If we give up when the way gets hard, our strength is small.

If we quit as soon as we hit a roadblock, we definitely are not going to make it very far.

If we turn around when things look hopeless, we've lost sight of our all powerful God.

If we admit defeat when we're tired, we've forgotten that we're in the middle of of a war.

Every day contains small, yet significant, battles for the Lord. Fix your eyes on the finish line, persevere, give your all to the Master, and know that He who has called you will be faithful to do the work. When we stand before the Lord one day, we will not regret any sacrifice we have made for Him.

We will wish we had given Him more.

-Sarah Mally

Christ is all in all

The service of Christ is the business of my life.
The will of Christ is the law of my life.
The prescence of Christ is the joy of my life.
The glory of Christ is the crown of my life.

-Unknown

More faces...

...of my sweet, four month old sister.

I hope ya'll don't mind more pictures of Charissa -- I just can't keep my camera lense off her (if you couldn't tell... [grin])

The guys have taught her to blow bubbles...which she does quite often now! Leave it to the brothers to teach her the un-lady like things! [smile]

Eyes of blue

Isn't she the sweetest thing?! By now she is definitely the most photographed baby ever in the Wissmann household -- and I dare say Nebraska, too!

Beauty from trials

Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.
C. H. Spurgeon

(Butterflies, too?!)

Answering the call

God does not have to come and tell me what I must do for Him, He brings me into a relationship with Himself where I hear His call and understand what He wants me to do,

and I do it out of sheer love for Him.

-Oswald Chambers

Family update: After orientation yesterday, our family is excited and prayerful as we head into prisons this week. We pray that hearts will be opened and that many will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; He is the reason we sing!

A Conversation:

The deception:
"Some are so hidden in their own little world that they do not know what is happening in the world around them. True, there is evil in the world. But you must get used to it, or in the end thou shalt be dreadfully shocked."

The truth:
"I can think of no more dangerous position than to learn to tolerate evil in order to become accustomed to reality...The one who becomes comfortable with that which is corrupt is quick to accept it, and what one accepts, he will soon embrace. I pray that I will always be shocked by the evil of the real world."

Excerpt from: Before You Meet Prince Charming

"Guard your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the issues of life."
-Proverbs 4:23

Love in action

You can give without loving,
but you cannot love without giving.

-Amy Carmichael

"...love one another; as I have loved you... By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples,

if ye have love one to another."

-John 13:34-35

From my shelf

My family and I are about to set out on a seven week trip -- so my posting might be sporadic for a while! I'm never sure when or where I'll be able to get online, but I will post when I can.

With countless miles ahead (translating to many, many hours in the bus!) I am armed with books I hope to read.

First and foremost, my Bible. Something my Dad has done and encouraged us to do, (thank you, Daddy!) is to make the commitment that once a new day has started, I will never read any other book until I've read The Book -- God's Holy Word.

That being said, here's a list of other books I'm hoping to either finish reading or start reading while on this trip:


Humility: True Greatness by C. J. Mahaney
God clearly states that He is drawn to the humble. He's also clear that He opposes the proud. These two, humility and pride, cannot coexist. Where one is fostered, the other is defeated. Which will you pursue?

The Light and the Glory By Peter Marshall and David Manuel
From the first cries of "Land! Land!" on the Pinta to the modern age, the authors make their case that America has been afforded a divine destiny. Columbus' view that God was calling him to bear the light of Christ, the Euro-American victory over Metacomet, King Phillip, and the preachers of the Great Awakening are all seen in light of God's plan for His new nation.

Surrender: The Heart God Controls by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Where do we begin to be used by God to fulfill His purpose in our world? The answer lies in our devotion to Jesus. Are you just making a contribution, giving Him back what you think you can spare or afford, or is Christ your life? It is a lifetime choice to be slaves of Jesus Christ--and it is because we love Jesus, our Master, that we want to offer Him our willing service all the days of our life.

Before You Meet Prince Charming
by Sarah Mally
How can young people be committed to purity and to God’s best? Sarah Mally challenges young ladies to turn to the Lord for fulfillment, to guard their hearts and minds, to identify and avoid the world’s thinking, and to shine brightly in this generation.

Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ
by John Piper
You’ve never met Him in person, and you don’t know anyone who has, but there is a way to know Him. Look at the Jesus revealed in the Bible. Keep your eyes open, and fill them with the portrait of Jesus in God’s Word. Ask God for the grace to understand, and you will see the truth of His Son. Jesus is the treasure; enjoy Him above all else.


Do you think this list will keep an avid bookworm busy, challenged, and inspired?!

Psalms 23

"The Lord is my Shepherd,

I shall not want.

...

He restores my soul."

My good is God Himself,

not joy or peace, not even blessings,

but Himself, my God.

Crystalized h2O

Yipee! The forecast was right! We now have a few inches of snow!
And wet, dripping gloves...pink noses...hot cocoa to sip...

Ahh...the joys of winter!

One year of blogging!

Can you believe it? It has been a whole year since my first post and I entered the lists of 'bloggers.' What a fun adventure it has been!

I've been able to meet some of you (what a delight!); some of you I only know through blogs and your comments; and still others of you knew me way before I ever thought of starting a blog --or was even into photography, for that matter. (Imagine that! I used to go everywhere without a camera! [smile] )

Though I mostly post inspirational quotes and scriptures along with my photography, just know that I'm a normal girl, too. I love to talk and laugh, cry and sing, dream and hope, go shopping; and yes -- I even have bad hair days! (Just ask my family!)

But I don't have time for everything, and in the few minutes I do have to blog, it is my prayer to post things that what will encourage you, and deepen your walk with the Lord. If you've been blessed, challenged or encouraged by anything I've posted this past year - praise the Lord! I'm just trying to be a sweet aroma and beautiful reflection of what God's grace as done in my life. As one friend wrote me in a letter once: "I consider myself a mirror; people look and see Jesus, but -- for goodness sake, don't praise the mirror!"

To all you faithful friends and commentors -- thank you! You have truly made blogging a joy with your added insights and thoughts, and I treasure hearing from each one of you.

And for all you 'lurkers,' (those who have read this blog and have never or rarely commented) -- I'd love to hear from you! Would ya'll mind just leaving a little note saying howdy, who you are (if you'd care to share!) and maybe how you found my blog? It doesn't hurt -- really! It is a painless process, and I'd enjoy hearing from you!

Open door

"See, I have set before you an open door,

and no one can shut it..."

Revelations 3:8

An open door -- where does it lead?
What does this year hold?
What does God want to do with my life?

There it is -- the open door.
No one can shut it.
No one can hinder God's will for my life,
except me.
Will I walk through the door?
Are the steps I am taking today leading me through the door?
Or farther from it?

This next year seems to hold so many possibilities!
Maybe it'll be drastically different.
Maybe it'll be very similar to last year -- I don't know!

But I do know that I want to walk through that door.

O be careful little hands...

We are not built for ourselves, but for God.

Not for service for God, but for God.

-Oswald Chambers

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Forecast

Hooray! Our brown-ish/brown-ish scenery is supposed to be undergoing a major change this weekend. White, shimmering, delightful snow is in the weather forecast! [grin]
I can't wait, and hope the forecast is right! Sledding hill, here we come! (maybe...)

Snapshot in time

True greatness

:: Brokeness means to have no rights before God and man.

"This is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit."
Isaiah 66:2

:: God is decisively drawn to humility. The person who is humble is the one who draws God's attention...and attracts His grace. Think about that: there's something you can do to attract more of God's gracious undeserved, supernatural strength and assistance!

:: Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in the light of God's holiness and our sinfulness.

:: Pride takes innumerable forms, but has only one end: self glorification. It is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependence upon Him.

Excerpts from Humility: True Greatness by CJ Mahaney

A hunger for God

"I AM...your

exceedingly great reward."

Genesis 15:1

When God is the supreme hunger

of our hearts,

He will be supreme in everything.

-John Piper

Created to praise

Most of the verses written about praise in God's Word were voiced by people faced with crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other difficult situations.

- Joni Eareckson Tada

This people I have formed for Myself;

They shall declare my praise."

Isaiah 43:21

My little sweetheart

Where did you come from baby dear?
Out of the everywhere, into the here.

Where did you get your eyes so blue?
Out of the sky when I came through.

What makes your forehead so smooth and high?
A soft hand stroked it as I went by.

What makes your cheek like a warm, white rose?
Something better than anyone knows.

Where did you get that pearly ear?
God spoke, and it came out to hear.

How did they all just come to be you?
God thought about me and so I grew.

But how did you come to us Baby Dear?
God thought of you, and so I am here.

-George MacDonald

Chance banished --

In the Bible college correspondence course I am currently taking, I recently finished the book of Ruth. I ran across this devotional, and found it very insightful...

___________________________

"She gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech."

Ruth 2:3

Her hap was. Yes, it seemed nothing but an accident, but how divinely was it overruled! Ruth had gone forth with her mother’s blessing, under the care of her mother’s God, to humble but honourable toil, and the providence of God was guiding her every step. Little did she know that amid the sheaves she would find a husband, that he should make her the joint owner of all those broad acres, and that she a poor foreigner should become one of the progenitors of the great Messiah.

God is very good to those who trust in him, and often surprises them with unlooked for blessings. Little do we know what may happen to us tomorrow, but this sweet fact may cheer us, that no good thing shall be withheld. Chance is banished from the faith of Christians, for they see the hand of God in everything. The trivial events of today or tomorrow may involve consequences of the highest importance.

This is a weary world when Jesus is away—we could better do without sun and moon that without Him—but how divinely fair all things become in the glory of His presence! Our souls know the virtue which dwells in Jesus, and can never be content without Him. We will wait in prayer this night until our hap shall be to light on a part of the field belonging to Jesus wherein He will manifest Himself to us.

-Spurgeon

Jeremiah 1:7

"Do not say, 'I am a youth,'

For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you,

you shall speak."

You may not understand why He leads you now in this way and now in that, but you may, nay, you must believe that perfection is stamped in His every act.

-Elizabeth Prentiss

Happy New Year!

Another year has come and gone -- can you believe that 2006 is over already? The year went by so fast! As I reflect on a year gone by, (and look forward to the new one!) my heart is filled with gratitude that God is actively involved in every area of my life.

"You are acquainted with all my ways...

and laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high -- I cannot attain it."

Psalms 139:3, 6

All my desires have not been gratified,

but Thy love denied them to me...

All Thy work is perfect, and I praise Thee.