Don’t Worry; Just Let Him Lead

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that Jesus has it all under control. If we just let Him lead, we can come out of unrest to rest, disorder to order, etc. I’m living proof that He can; and we can in His Name, and with His help. And can I say this? – Oh, how wonderful it is when peace surrounds you-within (heart), and round about you.

I love this song by Hillsong. I think it goes perfectly with today’s message- I hope you’ll read it at twolisteners.org. And I hope you are as blessed by this song as I am – every time I hear it! What a great way to start the day!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Faith Is Also Its Own Reward

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us of God’s promise that our faith will be rewarded.

As I read the message, in the midst of the Corona Virus pandemic and everything that’s been affected by it, I must say some thank yous. Thank you, Lord, for keeping us in the palm of your hands; first of all. Thank you, to all those who keep right on giving, right on caring about the rest of the world, and right on doing your best to help everyone get through this thing. I’ll never be able to express how much I appreciate you, and how deeply grateful I am to you.

I also think about Noah, Abraham, Moses…and our Lord, Jesus. What awesome faith they showed us! I’m always blown away when I think about Jesus; about the strength of His faith; and His love. He could have called the whole thing off at any given point in time. But He didn’t. And when I think about that, I think about the times I’ve trudged onward. I don’t know how I got through any of it, except by God’s grace strengthening my faith as I went along. The Bible does say we reap what we sow, right? Yeah, that little faith seed becomes a beautiful and majestic tree over the years, doesn’t it? Faith is its own reward. Isn’t it cool how God works all that stuff out so perfectly?!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Interludes Of Peace

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to protect our peace at all costs. We’re told to stop everything and regain our peace whenever it’s been disturbed. As I read this message, I think about Proverbs 4:23, which tells us to guard our hearts above all else because everything we do flows from it.

I found, some time ago, that little interludes of peace throughout the day help to keep me unruffled. These can include a few minutes of some quiet instrumental music-I love bamboo flute music for calming and refreshing my spirit. I used to take a short 30 minute “awake nap” after work each day. This helped me to switch gears and get back into Mom mode. Of course, an evening drive after dinner, or even a sunset picnic out in a quiet area make for a wonderful interlude of peace. I wrote a song titled “Little Wild Rose,” after a drive in the country with my then husband. See how that works? Creativity is always refreshed after an interlude of peace.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

I Am Thankful For…

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that praise is the way to move mountains. Praise can make a molehill out of a mountain.

I used to write down ten things that I was grateful for, every evening, before bed. I learned this from a book titled “Simple Abundance,” by Sara Ban Breathnach. From this practice, I began to discover some beautiful simple pleasures, like that first sip of my morning coffee-especially Amaretto Coffee. LOL

What does this all have to do with praise moving mountains? Well, I got into the habit using that same technique, only, saying “thank you, Lord,” when faced with a difficulty-great or small. If you make the same list, citing the little difficulties that were smoothed out for you, the things God does that we take for granted…like waking up and having one more day here with loved ones, etc., you’ll see just how much God is there for us, and does do for us. This helps to get you into the habit of, not only blessing consciousness and thankfulness, but also of God consciousness and gratitude. You begin to become more and more conscious of His Presence in your day.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

The Foretaste of Divinity

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God’s standard is the only standard we are to strive to live by, and up to.

Isaiah 53 comes to mind when I read the message. It speaks of Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is the firstborn of many. That many includes you and I…because, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12-13) (ESV)

Isaiah 53:2 is a powerful revelation about how God can take you, from the dry ground of living under a generational curse, or under sin, and cause you to be the root of a new generation. A new generation under the love and admonition, and walking in the power and authority of Jesus Christ. Isn’t that awesome?! You can have a better life; your children, and their children…generations after them, can have better lives. Isaiah 53:11 is a confirmation of that: “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” (ESV) That means God can take all that turmoil and pain within you, and give you His knowledge. That will give you the power to help others to stand and walk uprightly (in power and authority). That’s what it means to “bear the iniquities” of others. We help them to overcome the adversities and barriers that keep them from living successfully.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Hush, And You’ll Hear Him

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to just hush and trust the Lord. He’ gets us through the storm; and then, when it’s quiet-and we’re quieted, He will teach us His Word and Way.

I’ve proven Him on this so many times. I’ll get so worked up and upset; and then just one minute in prayer, and the storm’s gone. “Help me, Jesus; I need to pray,” I’ll say. And, when I’ve prayed, I’ll pick up my Bible, and there will be that beautiful little nugget that will stay with me from then on. This is one of my favorite songs. I hope you’ll be as blessed by it as I am. These are some folks with the Gaither family.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Saturday Silly – October 5, 2019

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Dad had been gone all week on his sales trip. He arrived home bright and early Saturday morning. The kids were all in the living room watching television, but Mom was nowhere in the vicinity. “Where’s your mother,” asked Dad. “The poor battered woman is in the bathroom cleaning herself and the two year old up,” answered Stephanie, the oldest of the children. “Battered woman? What? What are you talking about, Stephanie? Did something happen to Mom,”asked Dad, now alarmed. “I’ll say,” said Tommy, the second oldest child. “Little Mike got so excited about pancakes for breakfast, he grabbed the bowl of batter, and threw it up in the air. He got batter all over himself and Mom.” Isn’t motherhood awesome?! I think so; and I mean that with all my heart. LOL

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Please encourage a survivor, and let a victim know she’s not alone, or, that he’s not alone. Please light a candle for all the victims who did not survive, but lost their lives to this. Thank you to all those who stood beside me. I am eternally in your debt, and eternally grateful for your help. From a survivor … Yes, you will laugh again, my dear…keep fighting! You’re not alone.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Serving All Isn’t As Hard As May Seem

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we are here to serve…just as Jesus came to serve us, and not to be served.

The message bids us to be a servant of all. The first time I read that, I scratched my head a couple of dozen times, and was still confused after I thought about it. Oh, my God, how can I possibly serve everyone? I don’t even know what some people need or want? What?! One day, I was reading about the woman at the well. I read the part where Jesus told her that God seeks those who worship Him to worship in spirit and in truth. That’s when it hit me. I am to have an attitude of humility, friendship, helpfulness, and kindness toward others in my world. I am to reject any notions that anybody owes me anything, that I am entitled to any honors, or preferential treatment, etc. The best King is the one who will fight right alongside his soldiers. Jesus never asks us to do anything He, Himself wouldn’t do. When He does ask us to do something, He equips us for the task.

That last statement gets me every time I want to put my hands in my ears and act like I don’t hear God. It makes me laugh at myself when I want to just fall to the ground and say, “I can’t,” or “I don’t want to.” “Do it anyway,” God says. When I change that attitude, and get the right one going, life is good. Things get done, friends are found, or new ones made, and I’m not disappointed. If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed.

Some might say that’s a negative viewpoint. It isn’t. It’s pure truth. We are not entitled to anything more than anyone else is, nobody owes us anything in the way of lauds and praises, or preferential treatment. We are all one in Christ Jesus. That’s why we’re told to honor one another above ourselves. When we do this, both you and the other person are honored. God has said that whomever humbles himself will be exalted, but whomever exalts himself will be humbled.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Know That You Know, That You Know

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we, not only have the right to live in peace and joy, but also, the responsibility to.

There’s a very powerful statement in the message: “Success is the result of work done in peace.” That tells me a couple of things. First, it tells me that I have to be at peace within, if I want to make real progress outwardly. By that, I mean manifesting positive change outwardly. If I am not happy with myself, if I am hurting or confused, or angry within, etc., I’m not in a state conducive to positive change. Secondly, it tells me that I must work to bring peace to another, if I want to truly help them. First peace, then process, then, progress. Finally, it tells me that I shouldn’t measure success by the wrong things. There was a time in my life when just making the bed daily was a victory, a success.

Anything that brings peace, as long as it isn’t compromise with evil, is a success; it’s progress. Of course, peace with evil, isn’t really peace, is it? We have to be careful what we’re making peace with, also. Sometimes, what we mistake for peace, can actually be compromise in the wrong direction, or even surrender. Never surrender your peace, and the joy arising from true peace, to anything or anyone except the Lord, and the Word of God.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

You’ve Got That Xtra Something, Baby!

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we are to be, and can be, generous givers. Kingly givers, we’re told we can be.

The scripture referenced in the message is: “For the bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33) When I read this scripture, I think about Jesus’ words about seeking, knocking, asking. If we live in the Presence of the Holy Spirit, which we do, we’re living in Heaven, essentially. We are of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus also said we would do greater works because He is at the Father’s side. That means to me, that I can give life to the world. That tells me, then, that the message to me is that I can be a kingly giver, being generous in thought as well as deed. Generous in giving all I am and all I have.

When I translate this to daily living it works out like this: I can seek and find ways to give just a little more than is required or expected. Along with that sack lunch, I can give a handshake, a smile, a hug, an encouraging word, etc. Who doesn’t love those little encouraging notes you find in that brown bag? It also means I can go the extra mile at work, or at church, or somewhere else in the community. I can stay and help that co-worker finish his/her project, so everybody gets to go home at a reasonable time…but the work is also finished. Little things like that are acts of kindness and little shows of a big heart, a big person, and even more importantly, a big God. That is what it’s all about. This is also illustrated quite nicely in the stories about Jesus feeding the crowds with just a little. See, it’s not what you have. It’s what you do with what you have. And, Baby, one of the greatest gifts the world can have, while you’re in it, is YOU!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu