A new life in Christ

Michael Fran*zese was a financially powerful member of a New York Crime family. He was sworn into the Colo*mbo Crime Fam*ily at the age of 24, against the initial wishes of his father. He has been referred to as the Mo*b's, "Long Island Don" and "The Prince of the Ma*fia."

He was once the primary target of a massive, fourteen agency government task force that "had one assignment----to bring down the Ma*fia's youngest and most financially powerful new superstar, Michael Fran*zese." At the height of his m*ob activity, Michael was "one of the biggest money earners the m*ob had seen since Al Ca*pone, and the youngest individual on Fortune magazine's survey of "The Fifty Biggest Ma*fia Bosses." (Vanity Fair Magazine).

This guy was living the "high life" in a life of cri*me, until God choose Him. That's right. God called this man into service for the Kingdom of God despite the life of sin he was pursuing.

On the set of a film he was producing he met and fell in love with one of the dancers. She would ultimately be the woman God would use to bring him to himself. She would introduce Michael to Christ. Eventually, they would marry.

Eventually, he would walk away from his life in the mo*b and he would refuse government protection. In fact, he is the only high ranking official in the mo*b to leave, refuse protection, and live to tell about it.

And he isn't hiding folks!!!

I was fortunate enough to visit my brother's church on the week that Michae*l Franz*ese came to speak. It was amazing. This man has not only left the m*ob and lived, but he is preaching the glory of God across the nation!!

You can read all about his incredible story in his book, "Blo*od Covenant". You can order it and learn more at this website. (It is also available at amaz*on)

I wanted to share with you a few of the things that he said that touched my heart:


1. The ground at the foot of the cross is LEVEL! (can I get an AMEN on that one?) So many people struggle with their past, but we need to remember that when we come to Christ we have a new life! We are given a fresh start and those sins are forgotten, no matter what they were.

II Corinthians 5:17 "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"


2. Where are you in giving your life to God versus studying Him as a subject? You see, Michael was an alter boy growing up. He knew all about God, but didn't know God. There is a difference. God taught him that religion was more than a subject. It is a relationship with Jesus Christ.

3. God will prove himself without a doubt if you seek Him and surrender. It won't be "beyond a reasonable doubt" the way our court system handles things. It will be beyond ANY doubt! He shared how this has been true in his life. The gospel is TRUE and will hold itself up to any scrutiny.



He has an amazing story to share and I am so glad I was able to hear him speak. I encourage you to check him out and read about God's amazing power in this man's life.

~Mary

Sand & Stone

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument; and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: Today my best friend slapped me on the face.

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: Today my best friend saved my life.



The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”

The friend replied, “When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand, where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your benefits in stone.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person,
An hour to appreciate them,
A day to love them
But then an entire life to forget them.

Do not value the things you have in your life, but value who you have in your life.

Originally posted at Living to Learn & Learning to Live on August 11, 2007.

Images made at http://www.imagechef.com/

You are what you think you are

The story is told of a man who found an eagle's egg and put it into the nest of a barnyard chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the chickens did. It scratched the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. It clucked and cackled. And it flew no more than a few feet off the ground, in a chicken-like thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers.

One day the eagle saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. He watched as the bird soared gracefully on the wind, gliding through the air with scarcely a beat of its powerful wings.

"What a beautiful bird," the young eagle said. "What is it called?"

The chicken next to him said, "Why, that's an eagle - the king of all birds. But don't give him any mind. You could never be like him."

So the young eagle returned to pecking the dirt for seeds, and it died thinking it was a chicken.

What you think of your own potential not only defines who you are today, but what you will be tomorrow. Find your confidence and strength in God and soar like the eagle!

God's Little Lessons for Mothers

God's Little Devotional Book

I'd like to share with you a devotional book that I like called;

" God's Little Devotional Book for Mom's"

Here are a couple devotions out of it that I'd like to share with you.

A child is fed with milk and praise.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29

Consider these "Commandments for Parents," written from a child's point of view!

1. My hands are small; please don't expect perfection whenver I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball. My legs are short; slow down so that I can keep up with you.

2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; let me exlore it safely; don't restrict me unnecessarily.

3. Housework will always be there; I'm little only for a short time. Take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.

4. My feelings are tender; don't nag me all day long (you would not want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness).

5. I am a special gift from God; treasure me as God intended you to do - holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.

6. I need your encouragemnet but not your empty praise) to grow. Go easy on the criticism; remember , you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

Children are natural mimics -
they act like their parents in spite of every attempt to teach them good manners.

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. 3 John 11a

If a child lives with criticism
He learns to condemn;
If a child lives with hostility
He learns to fight
If a child lives with ridicule
He learns to be shy; If a child lives with shame he learns to feel guilty
But
If a child lives with tolerance
He learns to be patient;
If a child lives with encouragement
he learns confidence;
If a child lives with praise
He learns to appreciate;
If a child lives with fairness
He learns justice;
If a child lives with security
He learns to have faith;
If a child lives with approval
He learns to like himself;
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship
He learns to find LOVE in the world!

I leave you with these devotions. Make some wonderful memories with your families.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Mommy Moment ~ On Assignment from God

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

~Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV)

As mothers, we have countless, daily opportunities to plant God’s Truth and Love in the hearts and souls of our children. God desires for us to cherish the little (and big) hearts of our children, as a gift from Him. As my children have grown from infants, I have taken this scripture verse to my heart and prayerfully asked God to give me a passion for keeping my children’s hearts. In my quiet times with Him, I have been led in discovering what Deuteronomy 6:6-7 commands us to do. The first thing I discovered was my own need for daily time in God’s Word. Prior to this, I routinely attempted to handle each day in my own strength. I often sent “prayer arrows” up to God asking for help, but I was not faithful in seeking God’s wisdom for each day. Giving my early morning time to the Lord gives me the guidance and strength I need to reflect the attributes of the Lord, disciple my children’s hearts and train them in the way they should go. Another foundation in my life to apply this scripture has been through prayer. Having three young children has me on my knees and seeking God’s guidance in all areas of life. It is during these moments of prayer that I cast my concerns, frustrations, prayer needs and desires to the Lord. I strive to humble my heart and confess any sin in my own walk so that I may intercede on behalf of my child. I ask God to touch my child’s heart and reveal Himself to them in a personal way. I also pray for their spiritual development, for future Christian spouses, for God’s will in their life and anything else the Lord lays on my heart. I can honestly say that when I am daily praying for my children, I see a marked difference in their heart attitude as compared to days I do not pray. God shows me in marvelous ways that He does hear and answer my prayers! We might not know this side of Heaven how our prayers have influenced the lives of our children, but we can be confident that God is working in and through them!

So, how did I learn to apply Deuteronomy 6:6-7 in our daily life? God showed me that He wanted me to reflect His joy, love and affection as I trained my children. For me, this meant enjoying them as the treasures that they are. They are unique people whom I love to spend my days with. I laugh at their funny antics, show genuine joy with their presence in my life and lend kindness in my words and by my actions. I share with my children the majesty of God as we discover the beauty all around us. My husband and I strive to train them in God’s commandments through family devotions and Bible readings. They have plenty of opportunities to practice loving others first. They learn obedience in the home, which will mature to obedience in the Lord. Most importantly, I believe that my children will see our passionate love for God and will embrace His love for them as well.

As I was cleaning my young son’s room yesterday, I found a beautifully detailed coloring page that he created. I was moved to tears as I realized the picture was of him, holding a kite on a beautiful sunny day. Written on his kite was the name, “Jesus.” My heart rejoiced and praised the Lord for this Mommy Moment. It was a much needed glimpse of how God is working in the hearts of my precious children, May you be inspired today as you live out your own assignment from God ~ the job is not easy, but we can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength we need (Philippians 4:13).

The whole piece

In church on Sunday my aunt handed my son a stick of gum. "One for daddy too?" he asked. And she handed him a second one for his daddy.

While his daddy was in the choir singing, my son held that piece of gum. First it was in the wrapper, fresh and new, a perfect gift for his daddy. Later, when I looked at him, he was slowly unwrapping it, peeking inside. Pretty soon the whole wrapper was off and my son was liking the piece of gum. By the time his daddy came down from the choir, my son handed him a tiny piece of the gum and the rest was gone.

You might say that was too much temptation for one little boy. He was responsible for such a big piece of gum, and while I'm sure his daddy wouldn't have minded halving it with him, I doubt he cared for the pea-sized portion he ended up with.

Sometimes my days are like that fresh piece of gum. I know that the first thing I should do each day is share it with my Father. But I want to sleep just a little bit longer, or I get a phone call, then the kids need me. Books, television, the computer, they all get my time before I get a chance to pray, and all He's left with is the tiny pea-sized portion of my time right before I fall asleep at night.

How would my life be different if I put God first? It is my prayer this year that I will desire Him most of all.

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:21

Parenting! Prayer!

"We try to do the best we can raising our children. Then, just when we think we've got the parenting terrain all figured out, we suddenly find ourselves in new territory again as each new age and stage presents another set of challenges. Sometimes we sail through smoothly. Sometimes we encounter tempests and tidal waves. Sometimes we get so tired that we just want to give up - let the storm take us where it will."

"We don't have to be tossed and turned by these winds of change. Our children's lives don't ever have to be left to chance."

"We don't have to pace the floor anxiously, biting our nails, gnawing our knuckles, dreading the terrible twos or torturous teens....Nor do we have to be perfect parents."

The good news is, we can start right now, this very minute to make a positive difference in our child's future.

"At every stage of their lives our children need and will greatly benefit from our prayers. The key is not trying to do it all by ourselbes all at once, but rather turning to the expert parent of all time - our Father God - for help. Then, taking one step at a time, we must cover every detail of our child's life in prayer. There is great power in doing that, far beyond what people imagine. In fact, don't ever under-estimate the power of a praying parent." From Stormie Omartian's The Power of a Praying Parent

After beginning this book, the Lord stirred up a desire in me to share this burden of prayer for my children with other parents.

Out of this desire, came a blog - a become a place where you can come and say a prayer for your children (old or young). To read more and begin to pray with me for our children, click below.

"The battle for our children's lives is waged on our knees. When we don't pray, it's like sitting on the sidelines watching our children in a war zone getting shot at from every angle. When we do pray, we're in the battle alongside them, appropriating God's power on their behalf." (S.O.)


Blessings,