Many readers enjoy Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling:  Enjoying Peace in His Presence", her daily writings, as if Jesus is talking directly to the readers. All of them are good; some hit us better with our own daily needs than others.

Here is one from several days ago:

"I am taking care of you. Trust Me at all times. Trust Me in all circumstances. Trust Me with all your heart. When you are weary and everything seems to be going wrong, you can still utter these four words 'I trust You, Jesus'. By doing so, you release matters into My control, and you fall back into the security of My everlasting arms.

"Before you arise from your bed in the morning, I have already arranged the events of your day. Every day provides many opportunities for you to learn My ways and grow closer to Me. Signs of My Presence brighten even the dullest day when you have eyes that really see. Search Me as for hidden treasure. I will be found by you."

~ Words taken from Proverbs 3:5; Deuteronomy 33:27; Jeremiah 29:13-14

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The Gifts of the Cross

"Have you ever wondered why God gives us so much? We could exist on far less! God could have left the world flat and gray---we wouldn't have known the difference. But he didn't. Why give a flower its fragrance? Why give food its taste?

"Jesus asked, 'If you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won't your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?' (Matthew 7:11 TLB).

"Every gift reveals God's love---but no gift reveals his love more than the gifts of the cross. They came, not wrapped in paper, but in passion. Not covered with ribbons, but sprinkled with blood. The gifts of the cross! Have you taken time to open these gifts? If you do perhaps you will hear him whisper, 'I did it just for you.'"

~ By Max Lucado

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Yesterday I had two medical tests:  a calcium scoring and a check of my carotid arteries; both advised by my doctor as a way to maintain as much good health as possible.

It was amazing to me, lying on the hospital bed and listening to my heart beat over the speaker. We all know that our hearts beat but to listen to its regularity, magnified hundreds of times! It reminded me to be thankful for something I have taken for granted for decades....tha-thump thump; thump thump, thump thump.....Amazing!

My niece and her husband are having a baby in mid-August. This is the week that they learn whether it is a boy or a girl. That little baby is already experiencing the 'thump thump'. Amazing!

The Bible says, "We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well!" (Psalm 139:14) We know it, but it is 'wonderful' to be reminded!!

Thank you, God!

(Note from yesterday's Karen's Korner:  My niece and her husband found out, "It's a girl!" And for anyone who was concerned about my tests, I don't have health concerns. These were only base line tests for my permanent health records. I am fine!)

Last weekend our community hosted a parts of three days youth encounter. Later on Sunday afternoon, the nearly forty youth were the 'featured speakers' at the wrap up event.

One of the 'items' of the event were all the people in attendance, singing to them: "Have You Seen Jesus My Lord". The words were appropriate for the closing event and the song seems appropriate as we embark on the spring and summer season:

HAVE YOU SEEN JESUS MY LORD

By John Fischer

"Have you ever looked at the sunset,

With the sky mellow and red,

And the clouds suspended like feathers?

Then I say, 'you've seen Jesus my Lord.'

REFRAIN:  "Have you seen Jesus my Lord?

"He's here in plain view.

Take a look, open your eyes.

He'll show life to you.

"Have you ever stood at the ocean,

With the white foam at your feet,

Felt the endless thundering motion?

Then I say, 'you've seen Jesus my Lord.'. REFRAIN

"Have you ever looked at the cross,

With a man hangin' in pain,

And the look of love in his eyes?

Then I say, 'you've seen Jesus my Lord'. REFRAIN

"Have you ever stood in the family,

With the Lord there in your midst,

Seen the face of Christ in each other?

Then I say, 'you've seen Jesus my Lord'.  REFRAIN

"Have you ever walked to Emmaus,

With the Lord there at your side,

Felt his fire burn brightly within you?

Then I say, 'you've seen Jesus my Lord'.  REFRAIN

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"The news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city, and a huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm braches and wet down the road to meet him, shouting, 'The Savior! God bless the King of Israel! Hail to God's Ambassador!'

"Jesus rode along on a young donkey, fulfilling the prophecy that said, 'Don't be afraid of your King, people of Israel, for he will come to you meekly, sitting on a donkey's colt!'"

~ John 12:12 - 15 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "We celebrate this day of Jesus' triumphal entry as Palm Sunday (this Sunday!). Jesus entered his last week on earth riding into Jerusalem on a donkey under a canopy of palm branches, with crowds hailing him as their king. To announce that he was indeed the Messiah, Jesus chose a time when all Israel would be gathered at Jerusalem, a place where huge crowds could see him and a way of proclaiming his mission that was unmistakable.

"The people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about Jesus. They were sure he would be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory, and thus they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to Jesus' real mission. When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people turned against him."

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Because He Lives

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

~ John 10:11 NJKV

"Real meaning to your life is found in the glorious dawn of God's story, which breaks into full revelation in the Person of Jesus Christ. What an astounding truth! What a life-changing message!

"Because He emptied Himself of all but love, your can be filled.

"Because His body was broken, your life can be whole.

"Because His blood was shed, your sin can be forgiven.

"Because He submitted to injustice, you can forgive.

"Because He finished His Father's work, your life has worth.

"Because He was forsaken, you will never be alone.

"Because He was buried, you can be raised.

"Because He lives, you don't have to be afraid.

"Because He was raised, you can be strong.

"Because His promises are always true, you can have Hope!

"Praise God for just giving us Jesus!"

~ By Anne Graham Lotz

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Last week when I went to the doctor, our conversation drifted to Martha from the Bible. As a leader in his local church, he said their sermon on the previous Sunday talked about her.

Martha was the one who welcomed Jesus into her home which was shared by her sister Mary. The Bible says, "But Martha was a jittery type, and was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing (Luke 10:40)." And then she whined that her sister Mary was listening to Jesus rather than helping her.

Jesus said, "Martha, dear friend, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it......(Luke 10:41 & 42).

But Dr. Whitters continued that 'it didn't appear she learned much' He recalled the final miracle which Jesus did - raising Mary and Martha's brother Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus had been dead for four days before Jesus arrived. As the group moved toward the tomb, Jesus told them to roll away the stone. Martha said, "By now the smell will be terrible (John 11:39)."

 "Once again Martha was busy worrying about the wrong thing," Dr. Whitters said. He went on to say that too many times we worry about things that will never happen or something which God will take care of for us.

Even if we have 'Martha tendencies, our job is to believe and have faith. And trust God to do the rest!

WE HAVE A CHOICE

"In so many areas of life, we have no choice. 'It's not fair,' we say. But the scales of life were forever tipped on the side of fairness when God planted a tree in the Garden of Eden. All complaints were silenced when Adam and his descendants were given free will, the freedom to make whatever eternal choice we desire.

"Any injustice in this life is offset by the honor of choosing our destiny in the next. Wouldn't you agree? It would have been nice if God had let us order life like we order a meal. It would've been nice, but it didn't happen. When it came to many details of your life on earth, you weren't given a choice, a voice, or a vote. But when it comes to life after death, you were! In my book, that seems like a good deal. Wouldn't you agree?

~ by Max Lucado

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Jesus whole life on earth was leading up to this week. So here we go, as Jesus eats his Last Supper with his disciples:

"As they were eating, Jesus took a small loaf of bread and blessed it and broke it apart and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take it and eat, for this is my body.'"

"And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks for it and gave it to them and said, 'Each one drink from it, for this is my blood, sealing the New Covenant. It is poured out to forgive the sins of multitudes. Mark my words-----I will not drink this wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom.'"

~ Matthew 26:26 - 29 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "Each name we use for this sacrament brings out a different dimension to it. It is the Lord's Supper because it commemorates the Passover meal Jesus ate with his disciples. It is the Eucharist (thanksgiving) because in it we thank God for Christ's work for us. It is communion because through it we commune with God and with other believers. As we eat the bread and drink the wine we should be sober as we recall Jesus' death and his promise to come again, grateful for God's wonderful gift to us, and joyful as we meet with Christ and the body of believers."

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Today is Good Friday. Not such a good day for Jesus. But a great one for us!

Reconciliation

"The most notorious road in the world is the Via Dolorosa, 'the way of Sorrows.' According to tradition, it's the route Jesus took from Pilate's hall to Calvary. The path is marked by stations frequently used by Christians for their devotions---each one a reminder of the events of Christ's final journey. No one actually know the exact route Jesus followed that Friday. But we do know where the path began. In heaven. Jesus began his journey when he left his home in search of us.

The Bible has a word for the quest:  reconciliation. 'God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself' (2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJV). Reconciliation re-stiches the unraveled, reverses the rebellion, and rekindles the cold passion. Reconciliation touches the shoulder of the wayward and woos him homeward. The path to the cross tell us exactly how far God will go to call us back."

~ By Max Lucado

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I hope that you had a wonderful weekend celebrating Easter with family and friends!

It's hard to wrap our minds around Jesus' resurrection. He isn't the only one to return to life again. He's only the first!

As our congregation sang "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" together, I couldn't help but think of, not only Jesus, but also lots of family members and friends who also, don't have to face 'permanent death', but they too 'live again':  spouses, parents, children, close family members and friends!

Talk about hope!

"Christ the Lord Is Risen Today"

` written by Charles Wesley in the late 1700s

"Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens and earth reply: Alleluia!

"Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Dying once He all doth save, Alleluia!

Where they victory, O grave? Alleluia!

"Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now they sting? Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!

Christ has opened Paradise, Alleluia!

"Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!

Foll'wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!"

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Most people who know me have heard me say, "I am a Bible reader; not a Bible scholar." I don't know if I have ever read the Bible clear through from cover to cover or not. Since it is 66 books put together under one cover, I tend to pick a book. Read it. Then move on to another book. Some books (i.e. Psalms) I have read more often than others (i.e. Numbers).

For a personal reason, today I decided to start reading the small book of Joel from the Old Testament. It made me think that it sounded like today's (or any day's) news!

Here are a couple of paragraphs which introduced the writings:

"A single bomb devastates a city and the world is ushered into the nuclear age. A split atom reveals power and force such as we have never seen. At a launch site, rockets roar and a payload is thrust into space. Discoveries dreamed of for centuries are ours as we begin to explore the universe.

"Volcanoes, earthquakes, tidal waves, hurricanes, and tornadoes unleash uncontrollable and unstoppable force. And we can only avoid them and then pick up the pieces.

"Power, strength might---and we stand in awe of the natural and man-made display. But these forces cannot touch the power of omnipotent God. Creator of galaxies, atoms, and natural laws, the sovereign Lord rules all there is and ever will be. How silly to live without Him, how foolish to run and hide from Him; how ridiculous to disobey Him. But we do. Since Eden, we have sought independence from His control, as though we were gods and could control our destiny. And He has allowed out rebellion. But soon 'the Day of the Lord' will come."

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According to the 'PURPOSE for the book of JOEL': 

 "To warn Judah (and us!) of God's impending judgment because of their (our) sins and to urge them (us) to turn back to God."

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While it is important to pay attention to the news, buy insurances, and know how to protect ourselves from natural disasters, how much wiser to know and understand God and His awesome plans for each of us as His Children. Why is it important? Again taken from the introduction to Joel:

"God is the one with whom we all must reckon--not nature, the economy, or a foreign invader. We can't ignore or offend God forever. We must pay attention to His message now, or we will face His anger later."

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Thank You, Father, that You have everything under Your control. That You love us and desire to take care of each of us forever. You have awesome plans for those of us who choose to accept Your love and those plans. Lead us. Guide us. Direct us. You can do a better job than we can do on our own. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.

God So Loved the World

"Can a holy God overlook our mistakes? Should a kind God punish our mistakes? From our perspective, there are only two equally unappealing solutions. But from God's perspective, there's a third. It's called 'the Cross of Christ.' The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.

"How could he do this? In a sentence:  God put our sin on his Son and punished it there. ' God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God' (2 Corinthians 5:21 MSG). Why did he do it? Because 'God so loved the world that he gave his only Son' (John 3:16 NLT). Aren't you glad the verse doesn't read 'For God so loved the rich?' Or 'For God so loved the famous?' No, we simply (and happily) read:  'For God so loved the world!" And you and I are included in that love!

~ By Max Lucado

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"'Master,' his disciples asked him, 'why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?'

"'Neither,' Jesus answered. 'But to demonstrate the power of God.'"

~ John 9:2,3 LAB

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Bible Commentary on these two verses:  "A common belief in Jewish culture was that calamity or suffering was the result of some great sin. But Christ used this man's suffering to teach about faith to glorify God. We live in a fallen world where good behavior is not always rewarded and bad behavior not always punished. Therefore, innocent people sometimes suffer. If God took suffering away whenever we asked, we would follow him for comfort and convenience, not out of love and devotion. Regardless of the reasons for our suffering, Jesus has the power to help us deal with it. When we suffer from a disease, tragedy, or handicap, we should try not to ask, 'Why did this happen to me/us?' or "What did we do wrong?' Instead, we should ask God to give us strength through the trial and offer us a deeper perspective on what is happening."

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Today's offering by Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling:  Enjoying Peace in His Presence"

:

"Let Me control your mind. The mind is the most restless, unruly part of mankind. Long after you have learned the discipline of holding your tongue, your thoughts defy your will and set themselves up against Me. Man is the pinnacle of My creation, and the human mind is wondrously complex. I risked all by granting you freedom to think for yourself. This is godlike privilege, forever setting you apart from animals and robots. I made you in My image, precariously close to deity.

"Though My blood has fully redeemed you, your mind is the last bastion of rebellion. Open yourself to My radiant Presence, letting My Light permeate your thinking. When My Spirit is controlling your mind, you are filled with Life and Peace."

~ Taken from Genesis 1:26 - 27; Romans 8:6

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Sometimes when I type a Karen's Korner, I write in the margins of my Bible the date and number which I used it. Today's was used before:  KK #1849 on June 24, 2010. An added note:  "Heading for Des Moines this morning. Luke (older grandson), 6, is in 1/2 day Living History Farm camp":

"He wove my sins into ropes to hitch me to a yoke of slavery. He sapped my strength and gave me to my enemies. I am helpless in their hands."

~ Lamentations 1:14 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "At first, sin seems to offer freedom. But the liberty to do anything we want gradually becomes a desire to do everything. Then we become captive to sin. Freedom from sin's captivity comes only from God. He gives us the freedom, not to do anything we want, but to do what he knows is best for us. Strange as it may seem, true freedom comes in obeying God----following his guidance so that we can receive his best."

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I can remember a number of years ago, my cousin who had seen the 'world' from lots of angles, saying, "Karen, sin is so much fun.........in the BEGINNING!" He'd go on to say those 'fun' things eventually trap people. And he had experienced some of them first hand...

So let's pray for all of us that we can avoid some of those thoughts and actions. God will also bail us out of the things which want to enslave us!

Dear Lord, thank You for Your power and love. You have rules for our lives and they are good ones. They keep us on a path that is truly liberating. Help us. Lead us. Guide us. Thank You too for showing us the way when we get entangled in things which ensnare us. Thank You for plans and Your design. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Today's email inspirational thought from and by Max Lucado:

Certain Victory

"It's time to declare war on the pestilence that goes by the name, I can't. It attacks our self-control with......I can't keep a job and it attacks our marriages......I can't forgive. It even attacks our faith....I can't believe God cares for me.

Had Joshua mumbled those words, who would've blamed him? Joshua 1:1 begins with bad news, 'Moses, my servant, is dead.' To lose Moses was to lose the cause. Imagine the dismay, the grief, the fear! And yet, God told Joshua, 'Moses is dead. Now therefore, arise.' Moses may be dead, but God is alive! Even so, Joshua had reasons to say, I can't. Moses was dead. And the Canaanites ate folks like the Israelites for breakfast! But Joshua never declared defeat. God gave him reason for faith. Victory was certain because the victory was God's!

The same is true for you.

A handful of 'favorite sayings', printed vertically on the margins of some of pages in the April/May issue of OUR IOWA magazine.

If you have a favorite saying or two tucked in to a favorite book or better still in your mind, send them to me. That is where the magazine gets the 'good ones':

"Before repeating anything a little bird told you, be sure it wasn't a cuckoo."

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"To add to your joy, count your blessings."

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"If you lighten the way for others, you'll never be in the dark yourself."

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"Study nature; love nature; stay close to nature. It will never fail you."

~ Frank Lloyd Wright

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"Happiness doesn't consist in having much to live on, but much to live for."

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"Middle age starts when you become more interested in how long your car will last rather than how fast it'll go."

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"Blessed are those who give without remembering and receive without forgetting."

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"Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine."

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"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."

~ Winston Churchill

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"There is an island of opportunity in the midst of every difficulty."

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Taken from "The Gentle Art of the Servant's Heart" by Charles R. Swindoll:

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."

~ Psalm 62:5 - 6 (NIV)

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"Jesus----the One who first painted the servant's portrait-----never promised us a rose garden. He came up front with, and admitted that, the arena of this world is not a friend of grace to help us on to God. Nevertheless, He went on to tell all godly servants in every generation that their influence would be nothing short of remarkable."

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A had a couple of friends respond to yesterday's Karen's Korner sayings which I will email to OUR IOWA magazine for their potential use in the publication. But also I am sharing them with you today:

From Wilma Aldrich:

"The least said, the best mended."   ~ retold by her husband Larry's Grandma Hinkley

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"Forgiveness is remembering without being angry."   ~ said at church

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"Life is a mirror of things we say and do; so give to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you."    ~ from her mother Marvel Whitten

"Never------never give up!"     ~ Winston Churchill

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From Cindy Schubert:

"To keep your marriage brining

With love in the loving cup

When you're wrong admit it

And when you're right shut up.

~ Ogden Nash

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Several days ago we cranked up the rototiller to get a couple of gardens ready for spring planting. I also tilled a spot which was gauged by snow removal equipment this past winter. Because I didn't want to tear up too much grass, I dug a few edges on the rim with a garden fork.

As I dug, I thought about reseeding grass and tilling the ground versus scattering seed just as it was. I knew it wouldn't grow nearly as well without digging up the ground.

My next thought was, "What about our lives?"

We don't like it when 'things' happen to us that we don't like very well. But maybe God can use these "rototilled' times as opportunities for 'His seeds' to take root, grow, and produce 'fruit' for us and for others in our lives.

Luke chapter 8 from verses 5 - 15, Jesus tells about different types of soils and sowing seeds.

A portion of the commentary on several of these verses states, "The fact that some of the seed produced no crop was not the fault of the faithful farmer or of the seed---the results depended on the condition of the soil on which the seed fell. It is our responsibility to spread the seed (God's message)......"

Dear Father in Heaven, thank You that You can use both the 'good' times and 'bad times' to produce good fruit. If times come we don't care much about, help us to remember that it may be we are just being 'rototilled' to produce more fruit. Thank You that You can use everything which happens to us for our good and Your glory." In Jesus' Name. Amen.