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January 2022 Archives
Today is Monday, January 3rd, 2022; Karen's Korner #4606
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Today's entry - January 3 - from "365 Days of Prayer for Women", written by Stephanie Sample:
THIS WORK MATTERS
"Whatever you do, work heartily,
as for the Lord, and not for men."
~ Colossians 3:23 ESV
"God, I know your ways are perfect and that you placed me exactly where I am for a reason. There are moments though, that my life seems like endless drudgery. How can this work matter? These dishes, this sidewalk that needs clearing of snow. Help me remember all I do is for you. Let me clear the sidewalk, as if you were about to walk on it----to wash the dishes as if you were going to eat from them. Give me a glimpse, when I need it, of the many thankless tasks you've done for me, and he energy to do the job before me as if for you."
"What is your reason for doing all your tasks?"
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Today is Tuesday, January 4th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4607
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"The Lord says,
'I will make my people strong
with power from me!
They will go wherever they wish,
and wherever they go,
they will be under my personal care."
~ Zechariah 10:12 LAB
* Bible Commentary: "God promises to strengthen his people and reveals that this strength comes from God. When we stay close to God, his Spirit enables us to do his will, despite the obstacles. When we stray from God, we are cut off from our power source."
*
Father God, thank You that You promise to strengthen us as Your people. Will you help us to remain close to You, we have a tendency to wander away, like people across the ages. You have the answers. We don't! Thank You that You never give up on us and that You love us and want to take care of us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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Today is Wednesday, January 5th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4608
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Several quotes from 'Side Notes', the vertical thoughts in the margins of the December/January publication of OUR IOWA magazine:
"Snowmen fall from heaven --
unassembled."
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"Faith is holding on tight
when the going gets windy."
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"Always do right --
this will gratify some people
and astonish the rest."
~ Mark Twain
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"You can always pray for someone,
when you don't have the strength
to help in any other way."
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"Did you hear about the guy
who got hit in the head with
a can of soda?
He was lucky it was
a soft drink."
*
*"Everyone one you meet
deserves to be greeted with
a smile."
*
"What lies behind us
and what lies in front of us
are tiny matters
compared to what lies within us."
*
"Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain,
but all happiness
and growth occurs while
you're climbing it."
*
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Today is Thursday, January 6th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4609
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Number 20 from the book "100 Things God Loves About You", which I purchased to give as a gift. I like it so well I am going to keep it. Read it and re-read it! In a world filled with lots of distractions, we need to be reminded of His Love for us:
GOD SIMPLY LOVES TO LOVE YOU
"As the Father has loved me,
so have I loved you."
~ John 15:9
"Ever dream about that guy? You know THAT guy. The one who's crazy about you, who can't wait to spend time with you. The one so in love with you that he constantly sends you little gifts to let you know he's thinking about you.
"Well, THAT guy is real. No, really! No matter what your relationship status might be, THAT Guy is crazy about you, can't wait to spend time with you. He's so in love with you that He constantly sends little gifts to let you know He's thinking about you. He's God---and He simply loves to love you."
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Today is Friday, January 7th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4610
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Bible verse and prayer taken from a recent email by Kathy Branzell, President of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. National Day of Prayer is set annually for the first Thursday of May.
"Your hands made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding,
that I may learn Your commandments."
~ Psalm 119:73 NASB
*
"Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, You are the Alpha and Omega, the God is, was, and is to come. You are ALL mighty, wonderful, powerful, and worthy of all praise. You are the Author and Perfecter of faith and our lives, and we have nothing to fear as we walk in the safety of the shadow of Your wings. You are our refuge and our strength. You never leave us or forsake us, and we desire to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Please increase our understanding of Your will and ways so that we can worship You with our lives. Thank you for all that You have done and will do as we commit to learn and respond to You in 2022."
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Today is Monday, January 10th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4611
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(FYI - I am going to
be away from my computer and home; in and out the rest of the winter. This
the final Karen's Korner until Tuesday, January 25!)
It is written by Anne Graham Lotz, as she tells about struggling at times
with depressing thoughts. Billy Graham's daughter struggles at times with
depressing thoughts? Oh, that's right she is a human being!
Life-Giving
Power
"Your Word has given me life"
~ Psalm 119: 50 NKJV
"Sometimes when
we are depressed, we feel lifeless. It's hard to get out of bed in the
morning. We seem to have no energy to do even the most routine functions. If
you are depressed by the greatness of your problems, read God's Word! That's
where you find help. That's where you find joy. Let the rushing waters of the
Living Word drown out all other sounds and voices. There is life-giving power
in the Word of God!
"At the most difficult times in my life - the loss of a baby, the forced
removal from a church, the execution of a friend, the robbery of our home
- God's Word has sustained me. There have been times when I have only
been capable of reading a few verses at a time, yet the supernatural
life-giving power of the Word of God has not only helped me maintain my
emotional and mental balance, it has given me strength to go on, even if only
one day at a time."
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Today is Tuesday, January 25th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4612
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(I am back!
Continuing to be in and out all winter!)
Continuing to read "365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie
Sample. (And men, my commentary!).
This one is dated January 21. It could speak volumes to about anyone.
"Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with
wings like eagles,
they shall run and not
be weary,
they shall walk and not
faint."
~ Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
"Lord, your
power knows no limits. When I think of how boundless your strength, how
endless your ability, I stand in awe. Considering how easily I tire, how
quickly I become overwhelmed, it is clear I am not calling upon your
power enough. I'm weary, Father. Responsibilities mount and threaten to
overwhelm me. Instead of giving in and lying down, I call upon your
supernatural power. Infuse me, Lord! Spring up a well of energy in this empty
vessel. With your help, exhaustion will not win. Allow me to finish strong so
I can shout of your provision to all who can hear."
"How have you experienced God's supernatural power!"
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Today is Wednesday, January 26th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4613
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An email inspirational thought from Max Lucado from several days ago. Hard not to like Max and his thinking. Easy to understand and pretty practical and good for 'everyday life':
It's Better
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).
"It is better to forgive than to hold a grudge, better to build up than to tear down, better to seek to understand than to disregard, better to love than to hate.
"God’s solution for the ills of society is a quorum of unselfish, life-giving, God-loving folks who flow through the neighborhoods and businesses like cleansing agents, bringing in the good and flushing out the bad. They hail from all corners of the globe, reflect all hues of skin. Liberal, conservative, rural, metropolitan, young, old. Yet they are bound together by this amazing discovery: happiness is found by giving it away."
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Today is Thursday, January 27th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4614
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Taken from "100 Things God Loves About You" with the subtitle "Simple Reminders for When You Need Them Most". Can we ever hear or say "I love you" too many times?
Here is #12:
God loves the way you love.
"Dear friends,
let us love one another,
for love comes from God.
Everyone who loves has been born of God
and knows God."
~ I John 4:7
"Love. That's really what it's all about, despite what those misguided bumper stickers might say about the hokey-pokey. To be more precise, it's all about choosing love because love is a choice. Sometimes it's an easy one. Other times.......well, it just isn't.
"When you choose to walk away instead of striking back, when you choose to honor the parent who isn't so honorable, when you choose to return evil with kindness, God smiles...and He loves you for it."
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Today is Friday, January 28th, 2022; Karen's Korner #4615
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(Out again. Next Karen's Korner will be Monday, February 14. Thanks for sticking with me!)
Taken from Luke and Jesus feeding 5,000:
"Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and looked up into the sky and gave thanks, then he broke off pieces for his disciples to set before the crowd. And every ate and ate, still, twelve basketfuls of scraps were picked up afterwards!"
~ Luke 9:16 & 17 LAB
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Bible Commentary: "Why did Jesus bother to feed these people? He could just as easily have sent them on their way. But Jesus does not ignore needs. He is concerned with every aspect of our lives - the physical as well as the spiritual. As we work to bring wholeness to people's lives, we must never ignore the fact that all of us have both physical and spiritual needs. It is impossible to minster effectively to one type of need without considering the other."
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