Isaiah 9

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:2‭, ‬6 KJV
http://bible.com/1/isa.9.2-6.KJV

Created in the image of God

Since the original fall of Man,  Satan has been trying to make women feel uncomfortable in there bodies. Flesh became an issue. Before that there was no feeling of self-consciousness. Remember this woman of God , HE, GOD,  (Jesus) created you perfectly, and exactly how he wanted you. *Learning to be thankful in the provision of God!

Jesus follower,,,

Dear Girlfriend,


What Jesus desires in us is someone who loves Him enough to obey Him....
If we say we love Him but do not want to live according to His Word, we deceive ourselves!  No-one
does this perfectly, but it should be our driving force.


ex. If  I tell my children I love them, but I do not spend time with them or SHOW them love in my actions, they will not believe I love them.


Sooooo....
who do you think you're fooling when you live only for yourself?  When you don't wait for God to work in your life and instead choose to satisfy a "flesh" desire? 
When the only person you care to please is yourself?


I prefer to be an encourager , but we also need to be HONEST WITH OURSELVES!


The commandment Jesus wants us to follow above all is....
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul"

A Time

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;  A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.  He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.  I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.  I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
Ecclesiastes 3:5‭-‬8‭, ‬11‭-‬12‭, ‬14 KJV
http://bible.com/1/ecc.3.5-14.KJV

Peace be still....

I really thought as we got older pressures would lighten up.
They haven't!  Maybe, it's because as we grow older we recognize the urgency of loving others and sharing truths. 
Maybe, it's because  Satan is applying  more pressure on the believer in these last days.....
Either way the result is STRESS!

More than ever we feel the need to lean on Jesus....
Trust in Jesus....
No time for pride or petty problems.  No time to quarrel.  No time to fear or loose sight of what is eternal.

Time to come together in prayer and faith as worshippers of the One True God.
What an amazing Heavenly Father we have!  One who is gracious and merciful worthy of our adoration and praise.  
Oh God, we love you with all that we are. Please help us not to faint when hard times come.  Help us Jesus to lift your name above all the noise and rioting and divide!!!!!
We know You alone are our peace and not any human can take your place.

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Peace be still!
Love jackie

Can I just be honest, ,,,

Can I just be honest for a minute....
There is no such thing as "kind of " being a Jesus follower.  You either are or you aren't! 


When Jesus chose his disciples, He said-....Matthew 4:19-20
"Follow me.....and I will make you fishers of men"


What wonderful promise He has also given to everyone who is a disciple.  A promise that HE will make us into who He want's us to become.   Slowly, carefully, lovingly molding us and walking with us all the while.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isaiah 61:2
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isaiah 61:3
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
 (KJV)

Ezekiel 36:26
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
 (KJV)

stronger together

Ecclesiastes 4:10
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.


Being married has its ups and downs.  Two people who vaguely know each other enter into a commitment and begin a new life together as one.


I am a very independent person!  So is Jay.  All of the baggage we have (unforgiving, childhood experiences, the way we react to problems, and family issues) is brought into the relationship with us.
In other words, it gets crowded real fast!  Finding your place in your relationship and figuring out how to cope with problems together, takes patience and should be handled with kindness and love. 


If you hang in there and talk......hang in there and listen......really listen, remember the person you fell in love with is just that, a person....life together is far far better than a life alone.  Life together in love with Jesus and your mate is comforting and fulfilling.
A WORKING MARRIAGE 

• make time for each other everyday
• schedule date nights in advance (you won't go if you don't)
• put you spouse's needs above your children's (your children will grow up and move on, you will be with your spouse forever)
• give them down time with NO agenda
• remember neither one of you are perfect
• say I love you a lot
• touch each other
• kiss before you go to sleep every night
• say good morning and good night
• be polite

Put Jesus in the center of your marriage.  WWJD may seem trite but it is completely true.  Think about what Jesus would do!  Think about how Jesus loves you both and not one more than the other.  He will watch your back for you so you can react with vulnerability and honesty. 

weeds in my garden

After digging in the dirt and pulling weeds and a lot of sweating, our garden looks pretty good.  I've always enjoyed beautiful flower beds and the wonderful smell of flowers in bloom....but, it's a love hate relationship!  What I do not enjoy is dirt under my fingernails, rough hands and an achy back.  It is very difficult to have one without the other.


Walking with Jesus and being His disciple is like that.  Constant work and tending to, trying to keep the flowers in bloom and the weeds out.  Weeds like anger, jealousy, laziness, deceiving myself, and planting instead good things like love, joy, peace, and practicing longsuffering toward everyone, and
praising God with thanksgiving.
It is so worth the effort!  Watching God bless your work, tenderly watering and shining down on your
life and your loved ones.
Do not faint under the pressure dear one.  Keep up the good fight, don't quit, don't give in, the rewards far out way the struggle.


Galatians 6:5
For every man shall bear his own burden.
Galatians 6:6
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Galatians 6:8
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
 (KJV)

My hope for you....

My hope for you is for people to treat you and your loved ones with generous grace.   No one has walked in your shoes or knows exactly what is going on in your heart and your mind at any moment.

May you understand and feel the love and grace God has for you....

None of us deserve to share in the grace God extends to us through His Son in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We know it is a free gift!

Christ freely gives:

a love that is kind

a love that hopes

a love that speaks a soft answer

a love that does not fail

the scripture says

Romans 5:5-8

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 (KJV)

Not only did Jesus DO nothing amiss.....He thought no evil against His accusers!  He became Life so that we might have LIFE....

Lord, today I come to you so unworthy of your grace, and yet I know you give it freely and willingly.  May I be willing to generously share that grace to others who might fall short of perfect(just like me) , and generously give grace and love even when they don't share it with me....



Walk in the Light.

A couple weeks ago  right before Nate's wedding,  I decided to go have  a nice manicure.  It was kind of dark in the salon  and I  thought to myself how is she going to see what she's doing? Have you ever tried to complete a project in the darkness. We can try our hardest and think it's turning out correct, but until we view it in the light, there is no telling how it will turn out.....
My manicure?  Not great! 

Staying in close fellowship with God will insure the best possible outcome for our lives.  

God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all......

*When we walk with God we will have light for whatever task is at hand:-)

~jackie

Let's talk about adoption

Adoption is the method God chose to bring us (strangers) into His family as His own....




When we entered into the adoption process it was a complete mystery to me.  Would I be able to take this baby and love him as my own?  When a woman births her own child, most of the time, she also gives birth to a new deeper love within herself to nurture the baby.  But, how would I "feel" about someone else's child?  God, through many trials and tears brought Isaac into my life at a moment of great transition.  He had been working on me!  Reshaping me!  Most of the time when we view ourselves, we see a pretty okay human being.   Giving ourselves a whole lot of our attention.
God had to bring me to a place of seeing the deep needs of those around me and off my own perceived need. 


When Isaac was born, my husband was on a mission trip.  We had not been in Michigan very long, so I didn't know Detroit well at all.  God had taught me enough about the roads system that I could get there but not without fear.  I didn't have my mom, my husband, or any close friends.  Just a girl in labor and a baby on the way.....I was given the privilege of being in the delivery room at the time of birth...wow, I had never experienced that side of birth.  I had to be clothed from head to toe with hospital gowns and gloves because I had severe poison ivy covering my whole body and we couldn't risk giving it to the baby.  Birth is emotional, it is a miracle, it is a gift!  After Isaac was born he was handed to me!  I sat in the chair, tears streaming down my face thinking about this new little human.....handed to ME!  My heart broke that day.  I realized there are so many people in the world who need the opportunity to be born into the family of God, just as this little baby boy was born into ours.  Of course the family of God is so much more perfect than us, the Cubbison's,  but what a picture.

I fell in love that day in a whole new way.....thank you Lord.....I love that not so little guy now with my  whole heart.  People ask me how can you say you love strangers?  And I tell them it's all about Jesus and how much He loves us!


thank you Kim Kruchkow, for thinking about the Cubbisons!  Thank you Lord Jesus for your longuffering love you show to us.  Love Jackie

Hang on....

Hang on, don't quit.  Find some time early today to let Jesus breath life into you and into your situation.....

God's not done with you.....He has a plan.  Do right and set your mind on things above.  Lay all your cares to the side today....Put your armor on to protect you from evil.

Chin up, eye on the prize.....you can do this!

 

Psalms 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
 

We grew up near Grand Lake St. Mary's.   Every summer we enjoyed long warm sunny days  fishing and swimming.  They were great times for sure....


One thing I remember in particular was something my baby brother used to do.  He was always pushing his physical limits.  He would swim out into the lake as far as he could until he was to tired to swim back.  The water would be over his head......and he would begin to yell helllllp!
(I remember this yell very well, it was the exact same yell I heard the time he talked me into ridding the zipper at the Mercer County Fair)  I would jump in as fast I could and swim out to save him.  I wasn't strong enough to swim holding him, so I would lift him out of the water, walk on the bottom of the lake a little bit and then come up for air.......repeat.......until we  came to the pier.  It was a long exhausting process.


Ministry can feel like that.....exhausting trying to keep others afloat while struggling to catch your own breath.


But, it doesn't have to be.   It is a job Jesus does with ease.....He will not only carry the weight of our fellow Christian but us also.  We need only "let" Him.....it is not ours to carry alone.  He urges us to take His yoke upon us and He will carry the burdens as we walk in tandem with Him. 


Ministry is His.....we are only to be His partner.   Let Him worry about the outcome.   Just be the servant serving their master knowing all the while the Master has everything under control.

New bud

New bud

Spring

Spring

For the JOY set before you...

Look beyond your current cross for the JOY that is in your future........
Life has many disappointments, and it's easy to find fault in everything if we want to.


Why not choose to find the JOY, even if you have to look longer and harder than you want to.
YOU and those around you will benefit from the effort.
It takes denying yourself the luxury of entertaining destructive thoughts, and replacing them with God thoughts......Jesus the author of our faith, looked for the joy in the middle of His cross.


Jesus the original positive thinker.~love jackie

Sweet Girl,,,,

My Sweet Girl,


I know things get tough sometimes.   I also know it isn't always easy to follow Jesus....
You can do this!


Please don't sell yourself short!  You are beautiful and smart and funny.  You are a one of a kind creation of God who perfectly designed you exactly how He wants you to be.   YOU are talented, maybe you don't understand your full potential yet but you are talented!  God has a wonderful plan for you life......let Him work it......

Slow down.  Don't be in such a hurry to put on adulthood.  Cherish every day and all of the privileges that come from living in this country.   So many people love you beyond what you can imagine.  You are more precious than fine gold. 


I love you so much
 

looking unto Jesus.....

At times I carry plenty of weight.... right now is one of them.  I don't like it and it always seems to catch me by surprise.
How in the world can I gain weight and not see it happening???  But that's exactly what happens.  One tiny little "cheat" to many!  Huffing and puffing with the weight of my choices clinging on me....... it makes everything in life harder. 


The weight of sin is very much like that.  One tiny little cheat at a time, "sorry God I don't have time to start my day off in prayer and study"......."I'm so tired Jesus, you know how hard I'm working why aren't you blessing me like you are blessing them".......and before I know it "bam" I'm carrying the weight of the world and of all my sin! 


The importance of trusting Jesus for every single step of our journey is sooooo important!  The light of His Word shining on our path is the only way we can continually see the good things He has for us, and walking with Him keeps us fit and ready for what ever comes up.....so "weight" doesn't sneak up on us again.  Well, at least we can try!
Hebrews 12:1-2
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.


We have so much to be excited and thankful for!  Don't get discouraged, just get back in the race.

God's not done

The last few weeks I've been quite emotional.....


I started off the month wondering if it was truly God who had laid our SMART outreach on my heart, or if it was my own contrived idea.  So many doubts were flooding my mind with whether or not it was worth our time or doing any good.  Obstacle after obstacle standing in our way.


It's mission conference at our church through the month of February, which for us always means opposition.   Illness', oppressions, people pressing us with their criticisms......how can we continue this way?  It was "feeling" like there was no hope or help in sight,  still we had a few encouragers to ease the tension, we are so thankful for those!


2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;




2 Corinthians 4:13-17
 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day

There are weeks when I feel the need to tape my mouth shut and spend my days hunkered down at home reading the Word so I don't get in trouble.....



*1 Thessalonians 4:11
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
 (KJV)

Wisdom

I love to be in the presence of our young.....they inspire, invigorate, and entertain. 

But, this morning I  want to highlight what the wisdom of age can bring.
Time and experience brings wisdom.......wisdom that you can't buy or fake.  There are things in this life that you can't possibly know unless or until you experience them or someone teaches you.....
SO many things.......
So, listen up:
"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves;  for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief;  for that is unprofitable for you!"
"Children obey your parents in the Lord!"

Obeying doesn't sound exciting or fun, but it is BENEFICIAL to you,
and you just might learn something!

Momma

 Dear Momma,

It's Monday again and you are questioning  your life.  


Before you lose all hope for a peaceful quiet life, right now take a minute to breathe and ask your Maker for help!  He is there with you!  He WILL keep you in perfect peace as you keep your focus on Him. 
* You have a wonderful life ahead of you and awesome opportunity to give Him praise.  You can do this!
~love Jackie
Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
 (KJV)

                                                        take some time to refresh

A Good Dad

My Dad was a little man, but mighty after he came to know Jesus.


  Dad had shared with me that his Father had beat him many times when he was young and that his Mother had just sat by and watched not saying a word.  I was told that my Dad was a drunk and unfaithful to my Mom before he came to know Jesus.
  I wasn't there for any of those times, so it is not my experience with him.



My Dad was a good Dad.....
A good  Dad who would sit up in the middle of the night with me when I couldn't sleep because of fear or because I had questions to ask.  He would  pray with me and read the Bible with me.

A good Dad who would take my friends and I to all of the football games and buy us treats.

A good Dad who loved Jesus and taught one of my Sunday School classes, I still remember the lessons he taught.

 My Husband is a good Dad

No doubt about it.....

Boy, time can really get away from me....


A couple of years ago God broke my heart for children in our community who lacked in the most basic of needs.  At that time I had no idea what to do or how to do it.....but I was 100% convinced God placed that  burden on my heart......


So we started.  We asked some of the teachers in the church how they thought we could be a benefit.  We went into the community and began asking strangers what they felt was the biggest need. 


The first need is the kids are hungry.  This fact makes me cry at the thought.  We have children in our community who are hungry.


Second, we need to help kids do better in school....one on one.


........ we have a very limited budget and a limited number of people who will help.
In my heart I am fully DOUBTING  God can do anything through us......(in the mean time we were facing some hard situations......cancer and all that goes with it, good friends getting angry with us...)


But Jesus was saying press on......so we started in our Church, not knowing yet how or what, we started SMART
homework help
mentoring
games
and most of all Dinner


After a full school season of running SMART in our Church, which was fun, but not really needed, God opened the door.
Currently we are running SMART in a low income house development and have an average of 15 kids ages 8-15 attending.
I am believing God that He will bring these children into HIS fold.  We may never see the end results here on earth.


So what's my point?
Start......whatever it is God has told you to do.......start.......it doesn't have to be big, but you do need to take a step.  Be faithful at it.  You cannot decide to be there one day and not the next.....it takes
time and work and love......
Ask God to bless it and direct you.
I know He is not done with SMART, it is still becoming what He wants it to be,  but our little band of soldiers will continue to fight for these kids and their success.


I know your tired.......do it any way!

Love

Waiting for
 God.........

Nothing tries our faith like waiting for God to answer prayer. Waiting tests our loyalty  to Him as our trusted Heavenly Father . Waiting is not ceasing  from all activity; it is submission to God's better idea. Waiting for God means that all of our life is brought under God's umbrella of authority and direction. If we run ahead of God, we will be painfully chastened by turmoil, exhaustion, and failure.
Waiting for Him.........He will work all things for our  good.......!

To BE (politically correct) or NOT to BE (politically correct),

Freedom of speech is absolutely at the core of the freedoms we share in the U.S.  It is also a freedom we should not take for granted and should protect.

Having said that, as a believer in Jesus, we do need to be mindful of all that comes out our mouths and it needs to be true..... We are responsible for every word, every syllable.
Be so mindful dear Christian, because the very words we speak not only reveal what is really in our heart, it can make or break someone else's desire to receive Jesus.   I know you don't want to be responsible for someone else, but simply by being in proximity to people, you are.
Jesus was aware of His surroundings and awake to whom He was influencing.

Luke 8:46-48
 46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

As we push through the crowds  this week,  let us be mindful not only of whom we consciously touch, but all those we come in contact with......

.......with words of blessings, of good comfort, and generous peace.  Be a difference maker.
love jackie