inspired artwork by Dale Jackson www.StratoArt.com

"Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O LORD my God, Your wondrous deeds and Your thoughts toward us; none can compare with You! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told."

~Psalm 40:4-5 (ESV)

inspired artwork by Dale Jackson www.StratoArt.com

1. Our sins our forgiven and our iniquities are not counted against us (Ps 32:1-2);
2. The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us (2 Cor 5:21);
3. We are poor in spirit, and ours is the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:3, Is 66:2, Ps 40:16-17);
4. We mourn and we are comforted by the LORD God Almighty (Matt 5:4, 2 Cor 7:10, Rev 2:14, James 4:9-10);
5. We are meek, that is, we aren’t boisterously shouting our demands, our rights and our agendas, rather we submit and trust all things to our sovereign God, and we shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5, Ps 37:10-11, Philippians 2:3-4);
6. We hunger and thirst for righteousness and are fully satisfied by Christ alone (Matt 5:6, Ps 42:1, Is 55:1-2, John 7:37, 2 Tim 2:22, 2 Cor 3:4-6);
7. We are merciful, knowing we have received mercy from our awesome Father God (Matt 5:7, 25:34-36, Gal 6:1-2, 10, Heb 6:10, Prov 19:17, Luke 6:35-36);
8. We are pure in heart because of Christ, and we will see God (Matt 5:8, John 17:17, 1 Peter 1:22);
9. We are peacemakers and are called sons and daughters of the Most High (Matt 5:9, Rom 12:17-19, Heb 12:14-15, James 3:17-18, 2 Cor 5:18-20);
10. We are reviled and persecuted and falsely accused of all kinds of evil because of our good behavior in Christ, just as the prophets and other faithful saints before us were also treated (Matt 5:10-11, 1 Peter 2:19-20, 23, 3:13-17, 4:12-16).

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—”

~Philippians 3:8-9

I love technology, don't you? I love how God gave wisdom to people, so we can discover what ails us...most of the time.

One of the most common food allergies is gluten. There are those who have severe Celiac Disease to those who have a mild intolerance for gluten. Regardless of which spectrum you're on, if you treat your body as it is, the holy temple of God, then you can still live a "normal" and healthy life by staying away from foods with gluten in it. The trouble is, most foods (even sauces) have gluten in them. It's a common ingredient, even in shampoos, soaps, cosmetics and skin care.

I have a precious sister in Christ who has a son that is gluten intolerant. He breaks out in rashes and gets quite sick if he's exposed. So she's had to find interesting ways to allow him to still be a kid and enjoy some fun foods, like cookies, but without gluten.

I want to share with you a wonderful recipe she has for Coconut Macaroons. It's simple and gluten-free! I want to emphasize simple because so many gluten-free recipes out there are so complicated and use ingredients you wouldn't use for anything else. So I really appreciate that Kim has come up with a recipe that anyone can make and enjoy!

Because Kim is one of the most thoughtful and giving people I know, I wasn't surprised to find out that she entered her recipe on a Facebook Gluten-free Cookie page so she can share her yummy recipe with others. That's just the way she is.

Please click the photo below to get her recipe and please go "like" her recipe to let her know you appreciate her kindness. I did! Then please, be thoughtful like Kim and share this with others. :o)

Before our gracious and wise God allowed me to be physically limited by a rare metabolic myopathy, I used to run...a lot. I especially loved running outside; basking in the beauty of God's creation and worshiping Him as I ran. I would often weep as I was overcome by awe and utter joy of how awesome God is.

Since I loved running, I would run in 5K's for different causes. I enjoyed the challenge and the idea that by simply running, God enabled me to help and encourage others.

There was this one race I'll never forget. A race where I got smoked by an elderly woman.

Initially, I was committed to keeping this precious woman company. She could see that I could run faster, and wanted to. So she kindly smiled at me and said, "Why don't you go on sweetie. I'll either catch up, or see you at the finish line." I didn't want to leave her alone, but I also wanted to win. So I thanked her and went on. Well, in my pride, I ran fast and hard, just like many who were running alongside me. We were all near the front. But little, by little, some (including me) began to lose some steam and slow down a bit. When I saw that I was running a couple of minutes faster than I had planned, I slowed down...way down...I began to walk, which in running language means, you've stopped.

For those of you who run, you know that walking doesn't help, it only hinders. Instead of giving a person a "second wind", walking makes you use more energy to start running again and eventually works against you. The more you stop running, the harder you make your body work and the slower and weaker your pace becomes. It's wiser to keep running, perhaps at a slower pace if necessary, than it is to completely stop running, and walk.

Towards the middle of the race, I heard a tiny little pitter patter coming from behind me. Little, steady steps, creeping up on me. When those little steps caught up with me, I looked and it was that cute, elderly woman. As she ran up to me she said, "Come on honey, we're halfway there. You can do it.", then she passed me! As I watched this precious woman pass me, I marveled at the tiny, yet steady stride she had. I was also a struck by the fact that she spoke to me without even breathing heavily. How in the world did this elderly woman who had a smaller stride than me and looked more feeble, run pass me with very little effort?

She ran with perseverance and wisdom. I did not.

Though physically, it appeared I was more qualified to run this race, this woman possessed the unseen qualities I severely lacked to finish it well.

I can no longer run physically, but I am grateful to God for the unseen and eternal lesson He taught me through this sweet woman I had the privilege of being smoked by. I learned to run this race of life, with perseverance and wisdom. A strong steady pace is better than a quick "hurrah" start, a mediocre middle and a pathetic end.

And just like in this race, running the race of faith, is run better with true and loving companions:

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

~Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, Hebrews 12:1-2

How do you accurately assess those who are running this race of faith alongside you? Who are your true companions in the cause of Christ? I've learned it is not those who quickly come alongside you with great boasts of their love for Christ, nor those who obtain a lot of Bible knowledge, nor those who claim to agree with your passion to live a life completely abandoned to the Lord Jesus (Gal 1:10, 2:20).

Talk is cheap and often fake. A person's true character and passion is revealed by their level of perseverance, or lack thereof.

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

~1 John 3:18

I've learned my true companions are those who are carrying their crosses (Luke 9:23), steadily running with perseverance and wisdom, as we mutually exhort one another all the more, to live only for the Day that is approaching (Hebrews 10:23-25); so that none of us will be ashamed at the appearing of our Savior (1 John 2:28).