Hold Fast to What God has Done for Us

We had an incredible time at Bible Study today as we continued in our study of


"Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On".

We didn't play so much golf, as cool temperatures combined with intermittent rains kept most indoors. So you know, the combination did not dampen our spirits.

We will be playing more as we prepare to support The Bethany House by way of participating in their Annual Golf Tournament.

For the most part, this group of ours would not be easily mistaken for serious golfers.

We are serious about having fun and spreading salt and light wherever we can...but serious as in keeping score and who wins, who loses. Not so much!

Supporting The Bethany House may give us a few more opportunities to shine a light in a few dark places..

We are really enjoying the study, not to mention camaraderie as we discover the many ways God refines and sifts us. We have learned He is into A's, big time and if we don't get the benefit of a trial or struggle, we will find ourselves back in it until we do.

One of several elements we are encouraged to use as we weather these storms is gratitude and praise.

Remembering what and where God has delivered us from, perhaps keeping a gratitude and praise journal. As you face various trials you can hold fast to what God has done for us in the past and know that He will do no less in the future.

"Through faith in Jesus we have received God's grace. In that grace we stand. We are full of joy because we expect to share in God's glory. And that's not all. We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on. The strength to go on produces character. Character produces hope. And hope will never let us down. God has poured his love into our hearts. He did it through the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us."

In closing, enjoy the following testimony of lives that have Praising Him in the storms and come out on the other side, with the abundance of blessing.


God bless you,
tammy

joy, triumph, victory and funny hats

I recently received an email addressed to Inga…that’s right, Inga.

If memory serves me right and most of you know, sometimes…
it doesn't...but if it did
I was kind of thinking the name Inga was of Swedish origin.

You know what?

It is.

Having recently spent a lot of time and money with The Geek Squad as my laptop was severely sick; I was in no mood to inadvertently open a virus from some stranger looking for a Swede.

After further consideration, I got to thinking…
I do drive a Volvo, I have very blue eyed and I’m about as blond as you can pay to be.

Ummm...Inga?

As I pondered the possibilities, I reflected on a few Swedes I've known or know of.

There’s Heidi: I read the book as a teen and loved Shirley Temples cinematic interpretation of the girl.

Swedish? Check!

Of course let’s not forget Abba!

What kind of list ‘o Swedes would be complete without Abba?

“Momma Mia, here I go again, Oh my…” Oops! Sorry…I couldn't help myself.

In the sports world we have Björn Borg, Annika Sörenstam and, an…oh yeah,



Annika!

Now there’s a connection!

Someone out there in web world, very cleverly found some 6 degrees of separation between me and

Annika Sörenstam...The ultimate golf super hero (for girls)!

Let me share my reasoning.

Of all the golf tips and suggestions bantered about these last few months, it’s those practiced by Annika, when executed properly, that never fail me.

The best advice of all?
is really good…lean in a bit closer if you can.

Whenever Ms Sörenstam putts, no matter her distance from the hole,

she keeps her head down

for the duration of her swing , start to finish…including her follow through.

This ‘Titan of the Links’, never looks up until

she hears that rewarding ‘clink’ of the ball as it drops into the hole.

In my early days…back in May, when I debated ‘be?…bee the ball’ , and other such nonsense…talk amongst my golf buddies was all Annika.

Struggling to make a putt with a swarm of honey bees trying to pollinate my ball, I overheard a golf Buddie share this little gem,

‘Keep your head down like Annika’.

Uh?

‘Yah! You ever watched Annika? She never looks up, always keeps her head down. She doesn't need to know where it’s going once she hits it. She knows how big her swing should be and what her efforts should produce, and it usually does.’

I try hard to keep that lesson in mind and ultimately, anytime I’m able to execute play similar to my Swedish golfing guru, I see dramatic improvement in my game.

As our group continues studying Stormie Omartians’ “Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On “ , I can’t fail to make the following connection.

The greatest progress we’ll ever make in our moment by moment, daily walk with God, is when we keep our heads down, our mind on the mark and do what we know to do whether we feel it, see it or not. That’s faith.

If we’ll just let go, do the thing the way we know to do it and trust God, He’ll take care of the rest. Keep in mind, God is not obligated to let us know where we’re going or even why. He requires we be obedient to His instruction, follow His lead and move on, one step or stroke at a time.
He’ll adjust our swing if need be, remember; this is not about ‘just doing it’, but instead doing it with, through and for Him.

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” Hebrews 12:1-3

As we focus on the prize, not losing heart or forgetting where our help comes from, we are assured of completing this ultimate game with the consummate partner and coach. All that will remain are shouts of joy, songs of triumph,

dances of victory

and

funny hats?

I can hardly wait!

How about you?

Got your club ready and your head down?