"As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent...
Night is coming, when no one can work."
John 9:4 (NKJV)
This is the month for sweethearts and lovers, when we celebrate St. Valentine's Day with flowers, chocolates, and other sentiments of love. Even though this newsletter is being posted the day after Valentine's Day, the fact is that whether you celebrate on 14 February or the day before or after, when you love someone with all your heart, every day is Valentine's Day!
I pray that as you celebrated the marvelous gift of love, you also paused to remember the greatest love gift of all — the gift of God's only Son who came and died to reconcile our hearts back to God.
"In this is love,
not that we loved God, but that He loved us,
and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins."
1 John 4:10 (WEB)
This ministry is going through some 'growing pains'. During the next 40+ days, as I prepare for my visit back to the States in April, I'm fasting and praying for God to reveal to me His plan for this ministry. I would greatly appreciate your prayers, too. In the meantime, I just want to share a few uplifting stories, cartoons, and humorous tid-bits while I wait on God.
"And be sure of this:
I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:20 (NLT)
Be blessed in Jesus' name!
Your sister & servant in Christ,
My Redeemer Lives
Christian Ministry
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Who 'we' are...
My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry was founded in 2003 by Rev. Linda Smallwood and is based in the U.S. and south India. We are comprised of several independent missionaries serving the Lord in India, Kenya, Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
  
Our affiliated missionaries' single goal is to bring the love of Jesus Christ and the Salvation message to those who are lost. Many of these ministries serve their communities in Jesus' name through specialized socio-economic ministries to orphans, widows, the elderly, crippled, and the destitute.
The objective of My Redeemer Lives is to equip these men and women of God with the finances, training, and tools needed for the awesome task they've undertaken.
To the world you might be one person,
but to one person you might be the world.
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The origin of Valentine's Day
There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day. The most widely held belief is that it was named for a priest, St. Valentine, who chose death rather than renounce his love for Christ and worship the Roman Emperor, Claudius II. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine". In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine.
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Two Hearts
Two hearts, in love and in friendship combined,
Who can say why these wandering hearts intertwine?
Some may call it fate, perhaps kismet or chance,
But I know it's more than a mere happenstance.
There's a divine director arranging our parts,
Guiding our footsteps, leading our hearts.
He is the one some may call a mistake,
Some may call an unseen perpetrator
plotting all our heartbreaks.
But I know there's a reason our paths often wander,
'Tis not His great fumble 'tis simply our squander.
Of the greatest resource that divine unseen Man,
Has placed so simply in the palms of our hands.
It's the heart, our deceptive emotional toy,
That brings so much sorrow while it's searching for joy.
And, why, some might ask, would a loving God grant,
such an unpleasant compass to usher our paths?
To quote someone else who so eloquently drew,
The conclusion I yearn to reveal to you.
He carries our hearts, He is never without,
Wherever we go, He is there and hasn't a doubt.
That the fickle thing beating right here in our chests,
Will guide us home safely to our Shepherd's breast.
But we musn't confuse our free will with a choice.
For our hearts are already aware of the joy,
Of our link to the Father so they often employ,
Many distressful meetings so we can reconnect.
By simply accepting the payment of debt,
Offered by our Saviour, the one perfect Lamb,
Who once died but now risen, extends His scarred hands.
To heal that same heart He has placed deep within.
That because it beats here, it is burdened with sin.
Which is why it so often will lead us astray
Yet we cannot deny this great need to obey,
The desire to follow the path that He lay.
Right up to that cross where patiently waits.
For our mishandled hearts to regather to His.
So at last we can be at complete utter peace,
Knowing our hearts at their ultimate home,
Will finally reveal what they've known all along.
© 2006 Cristina Juhasz. All Rights Reserved.
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Hold onto good friends.
They are few and far between.
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Happy Valentine's Day!
May God touch your heart
and may you always know He loves you!
God loves you and gave His only Son so we can
be free of living in bondage and sin.
Enjoy His freedom, His forgiveness, His love!
As I think of you, I have asked God to touch your life
and fill your heart with lots of love
and a life of Joy, Hope and Peace.
Praise God for His continued love for us!
We don't deserve it, but He loves us.
So let's live like people who
are in love with their Master.
Walk joyfully and smile with Joy!
God bless you!
Ron and Dianna Dohmann
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No one falls in love by choice, it is by chance.
No one stays in love by chance, it is by work.
No one falls out of love by chance, it is by choice.
Do not spend the rest of your life
with someone you can live with!
Spend it with someone
you can't live without!
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Things To Do At Wal-Mart When You're Bored
- Dart around the store suspiciously loudly humming the "Mission Impossible" theme.
- In the auto department, practice your "Madonna look" using different size funnels.
- Hide in a clothing rack and when people browse through, say "Pick me! Pick me!"
- When an announcement comes over the loud speaker, assume the fetal position and scream "No! No! It's those voices again!"
- Go into a fitting room, shut the door and wait a while. Then, yell very loudly, "There's no toilet paper in here!"
- When a clerk asks if they can help you, begin to cry and ask, "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"
- Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.
- Make a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the rest rooms.
- Walk up to an employee and tell him/her in an official tone, "Code 3 in housewares, "and see what happens.
- Go the Service Desk and ask to put a bag of M&M's on lay away.
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Checking In
A minister passing through his church
In the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
And see who had come to pray.
Just then the back door opened,
A man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw
The man hadn't shaved in a while.
His shirt was kind of shabby
And his coat was worn and frayed,
The man knelt, he bowed his head,
Then rose and walked away.
In the days that followed,
Each noon time came this chap,
Each time he knelt just for a moment,
A lunch pail in his lap.
Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
With robbery a main fear,
He decided to stop the man and ask him,
"What are you doing here?"
The old man said he worked down the road.
Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
For finding strength and power.
"I stay only moments, see,
Because the factory is so far away;
As I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This is kinda what I say:
"I just came again to tell You, Lord,
How happy I've been,
Since we found each other's friendship
And You took away my sin.
"Don't know much of how to pray,
But I think about You everyday.
So, Jesus, this is Jim
Checking in today."
The minister, feeling foolish,
Told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome
To come and pray just anytime.
"Time to go," Jim smiled and said "Thanks."
He hurried to the door.
The minister knelt at the altar,
He'd never done it before.
His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
And met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart,
He repeated old Jim's prayer:
"I just came again to tell You, Lord,
How happy I've been,
Since we found each other's friendship
And You took away my sin.
"I don't know much of how to pray,
But I think about You everyday.
So, Jesus, this is me checking in today."
Past noon one day, the minister noticed
That old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim,
He began to worry some.
At the factory, he asked about him,
Learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried,
But he'd given them a thrill.
The week that Jim was with them,
Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed people, were his reward.
The head nurse couldn't understand
Why Jim was so glad,
When no flowers, calls or cards came,
Not a visitor he had.
The minister stayed by his bed,
He voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends came to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.
Looking surprised, old Jim spoke
Up and with a winsome smile;
"The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
That in here all the while
"Everyday at noon He's here,
a dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:
" 'I just came again to tell you, Jim,
How happy I have been,
Since we found this friendship,
And I took away your sin.
" 'Always love to hear you pray,
I think about you each day,
And so, Jim, this is JESUS
Checking in today.' "
Contributed by Ron & Dianna Dohmann
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I guess love really is blind!
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Valentine's Day Humor
After my husband and I had a large argument we ended up not talking to each other for days. Finally, on the third day, he asked where one of his shirts was.
"Oh," I said, "now you're speaking to me?"
He looked confused. "What are you talking about?" he said.
"Haven't you noticed I haven't spoken to you for three days?" I challenged.
"No," he said. "I just thought we were getting along."
Submitted by Beth Doria to
Reader's Digest Laugh Lines
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Cup O' Joe
A Grandmother was surprised by her 7-year-old grandson one morning when he had made her coffee.
She drank what was the worst cup of coffee in her life. When she got to the bottom there were three of those little green army men in the cup. She said, "Honey, what are the army men doing in my coffee?"
Her grandson said, "Grandma, it says on TV, 'The best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup!'"
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I Am Loved!
(I used this last month,
but felt it was worth repeating
for this month when we celebrate love.)
I am loved, I am loved, I can risk loving you,
For the one who knows me best loves me most.
I am loved, you are loved, won't you please take my hand?
We are free to love each other, we are loved.
All I had to bring was imperfection,
There was so much more I lacked than I possessed.
I could hardly comprehend His offer:
I’d give all I had, He’d give the rest!
I said, "If You knew, You wouldn't want me,
My scars are hidden by the face I wear."
He said, "My child, My scars go deeper,
It was love for you that put them there."
Forgiven. I repeat it, I'm forgiven!
Clean before my Lord, I freely stand.
Forgiven, I can dare to love my brother,
Forgiven, I reach out to take your hand.
We are free to love each other,
We are loved!
Copyright © The Gaithers
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The optimist says, "The cup is half full."
The pessimist says, "The cup is half empty."
The child of God says, "My cup runneth over by faith."
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God Is Like...
A fifth-grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideas about God.
Here are some of the results:
God is like... BAYER ASPIRIN.
He works miracles.
God is like... a FORD.
He's got a better idea.
God is like... COKE.
He's the real thing.
God is like... HALLMARK CARDS.
He cares enough to send His very best.
God is like... TIDE.
He gets the stains out that others leave behind.
God is like... GENERAL ELECTRIC.
He brings good things to life.
God is like... SEARS.
He has everything.
God is like... ALKA-SELTZER.
Try Him, you'll like Him.
God is like... SCOTCH TAPE.
You can't see Him, but you know He's there.
God is like... DELTA.
He's ready when you are.
God is like... ALLSTATE.
You're in good hands with Him.
God is like... VO-5 HAIR SPRAY.
He holds through all kinds of weather.
God is like... DIAL SOAP.
Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did?
God is like... the U.S. POST OFFICE
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor ice
will keep Him from His appointed destination.
Contributed by Marian Coffey
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"It's not you, it's me.
We have to accept that we're from two different worlds..."
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Little Johnny's Aching Side
At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially interested when they told how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs.
Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and she asked, "Johnny what is the matter?"
Little Johnny responded, "I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."
Received from ArcaMax Jokes
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God is...
God sits outside of time. He has never not been full of glory. He is altogether glorious. Everything He touches carries the fragrance and the passion of His manifest presence. He is wonderful, awe-inspiring, and magnificent. Our meetings must reflect the glory of His unchanging nature. I love to meditate on the nature and character of the Lord.
For me, He has come to be the kindest person I have ever known. He is kindhearted, gracious, loving, good-natured, and benevolent. He is generous, cordial, approachable, and thoughtful. He is slow to anger and swift to bless. He sees the good, acknowledging the treasure and the worth in people. He inspires confidence, renews our self-worth, and puts a smile on our hearts. He is captivating, beautiful, and completely lovely. He is strong, powerful, a force to be reckoned with, a conqueror and overcomer.
He is a paradox — a fierce and mighty warrior dressed as a lamb; the King of Glory and a bruised reed; a son, a servant, a prophet, a priest, and a king. The fear of Him is the beginning of wisdom, yet His laughter makes us wriggle with pleasure. He continually brings us to points of vulnerability and weakness so that His sheer joy in Himself can be our source of strength.
Graham Cooke
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My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry
has a vision for a great Christ awakening and revival around the world, and a passion
to help bring this about, directly or indirectly, irrespective of national boundaries,
languages, denominations, or ethnic, racial or social/economic castes or classes.
We are a non-denominational, Christ-centered Free Ministry and Missions Society.
In accordance with IRS Code § 508(c)(1)(A), all donations are tax-deductible.
Scripture taken from:
King James Version (KJV), Copyright © 1990 by
Thomas Nelson, Inc.
New International Version (NIV), Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
New King James Version
(NKJV), Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
New Living Translation (NLT), Copyright © 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers
World English Bible (WEB), 2001 MT-based public domain update of 1901 American Standard Version (ASV)
Copyright © 2006. My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry™. All rights reserved. |