Who are you?

Why is it you find yourself reading this blog?

What is it about God's Grace Notes that captures your attention?

I'm not talking to everyone... just a chosen few.

Those of you who drop in from time to time.. browse my posts, then silently slip away.

A blog can be somewhat like a whisper in your ear... it softly beckons you to draw closer. To listen more intently...

There's something being said that you find intriguing, and you don't want to miss it.

That's how it is with the Bible... it has beckoned to me for years. I have read it, studied it;

I have written in mine from cover to cover... not just one, but many of them! They tend to wear out as the years go by...

I have poured out my deepest needs, concerns, fears, failures, hopes and dreams into the pages of this book.

I heard a statement the other day that has captured my thoughts.

It was just a short out-take from a message that Jentezen Franklin was preaching on TBN.

It's not verbatim, but it's the part that captured me:

"There have been times in my life when I couldn't hear God. When I can't hear God, I read God... and when I read God I begin to hear God. When you need to hear God, you need to read His book... when you begin to read this book, then this book begins to read you!"

I so totally relate to what he was saying! There have been times in my life when it seemed God was a million miles away... far away and unable to hear my whispered prayers for help.

There have been times that I have felt like He's been in the very same room, and couldn't hear me shouting at the top of my lungs!

This journey we know as "life" certainly is a peculiar trip, isn't it?

Sometimes it seems as if life is hell- bent on stealing absolutely every good thing from us that life is supposed to have to offer!

So, today I'm wondering... who is it that I'm speaking with? Who is it, that like myself... are hungering for more than just a religious status quo?

I'm tired of hearing that the world is out of control...

I'm tired of the poverty, abuse, neglect and forsakeness I see in the faces of so many people!

There are some amazing organizations and groups of people who are taking the needs of the world to heart, and have established some incredible ways to help.

Kids who are forced to live on the street is a outrage in our country of such extreme abundance!

When kids are delegated to the streets, the light of their spirits are often squelched before they even realize how creative and beautiful they really are!

It's our loss, really...

Children are creative, bright, intuitive, energetic, enthusiastic.. sounds like the ingredients necessary to create a life filled with great joy, don't you think?

Joy is contagious, so our nation and our world are robbed of a spark of hope as each one of these young lives are crushed under the burden of living (surviving) on the streets of our nation.

Apalling, isn't it?

Why do you think this bothers me so much?

As you can see, I'm linked to many of these organizations that offer hope and help to people in need.

Grief support, spiritual support, help for the homeless, and those who offer food for the children...

Why do you think?

Yes, you guessed it. Because I've been there, done that. I've been a child of the streets, and I know how lonely and frightening it is to be so.

I survived the nightmare. I not only survived; I've become very well educated in the arena of emotional, social and religious extremes, as well as the poverty, despair and homelessness that is often born of them.

I'm well acquainted with the shortcomings of the religion that fuels the flames of failure in a heart torn by grief.

That's why I've built my own little kingdom known as

 God's Grace Notes!

It may not seem like much... just a few pages in a blog, a fledgling website and a heart's desire to change the world!

www.godsgracenotes.com

It may not SEEM like much, but it is.

I've come to understand that ONE VOICE, one person, one song, one bright idea, one tiny little note of love can change the world for someone in desperate need.

Did you know that a roll of toilet paper can sometimes be a miracle?

When you are homeless, or living in a shelter... your own roll of toilet paper becomes a golden treasure!

It's something most people take for granted, and yet... so many people don't even have the ability to keep their homes filled with such a basic necessity.

There just has to be a better way for us to govern our world.. and there is!

The Bible tells us that...

"of the increase of His government there shall be no end."

That's speaking of Jesus. Now, there's a man who knows how to meet the needs of people!

"Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this."

Isaiah 9:7

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this!

The whisper of His voice is rumbling in my heart.

It roars louder each day, as I am surrounded by broken hearted children, women who live in fear or dread of the man that should be their provider, people who are suffering from physical illnesses, mental turmoil, and a host of spiritually wounded warriors.

That would be those who "used to go to church"... but don't go anymore. Most will emphatically tell you that they got out and they are never going back! 

You say that sounds like a rough neighborhood? Well, it is.

I live in the same world you do, and yes; it is a very rough neighborhood.

The difference is... I'm no long afraid to speak up and do what it takes to change my neighborhood. I'm not afraid to reach out and do what I can do to change my own little corner of the world.

Again, it may not seem like much, but it is. Any good thing that is done for someone else has the potential to change their world for good.

Kindness has the ability to give a broken hearted person the opportunity to see themselves from a different vantage point.

It's the thing that changed my life... one small kindness after another, year after year; little tokens of love that have brought me to the place of BELIEVING the grace notes that have been delivered to me from God's Word.

Words of love, encouragment, hope, acceptance, celebration, inspiration, compassion and approval have led me to a place of my own personal epiphany!

I KNOW that God loves me.

 I tried to earn that love for a lifetime; but God refused to accept my actions that were steeped in faulty perceptions about our relationship!

The thing is, that now... I don't even try to earn his love. It's free and unconditional. It's been the wooing of that still small voice of love and approval that has led me to this place of celebration...

This place of understanding, this place of personal experience is life-transforming!

It's led me to the brink of transcendence!

My journey has led me to the place that I can now ask the question...

Who am I talking to?

Why are you here?

What is it that's stirring within your heart that has compelled you click on a link called

God's Grace Notes?

I know what it is... it's that same wooing voice that is beckoning you to bend an ear.

You hear something that you are straining to comprehend, and you don't want to miss it either!

Take heart, Dear Reader.

God is leading us closer and closer to the place that He intends for our lives to intersect!

I am fully convinced that He has a GOOD Plan for ALL of us... and I refuse to let go of that hope that propels me ever forward.

I hear the heart cries of a nation of suffering saints...

I hear the moans of hungry children, who have no means of providing for themselves.

I hear the depression of battered hearts who have lost their spark of life.

I'm not the only one who hears...

JESUS HEARS...

...and He fully intends to do something about it!

I'm listening closely; because His plan is for us to pay attention, and be ready to deploy at a moment's notice!

It's time for me to close this portion of pondering prose...

So, who are you?

Who's listening?

What are you doing to help change the world?

What is it in your world that needs to be changed?

Can you help me?

Can I help you?

You never know... but as each day passes; and we each step more fully into our purposes...

We may find that we are destined to meet... face to face!

Won't that be great fun? I look forward to working together with others who are determined to change the world for good.

I was given some good advice by one of the Director's of a homeless shelter...

She said, "Start where you are, and do what you can with what you've got."

It seemed a trite platitude to me at that moment... but that was then; and this is now.

Now, I understand what she meant. Now, I can fully embrace where I am; but now I am also straining more intently to hear the whispers of the man who directs me about the what's and where's of what I can do.

So, I'll keep posting as I ponder; I'll keep listening for your responses; whether small or great... I'll be listening as I pray.

...and we'll let the Governor of Peace take it from there!

In the interim, Godspeed... and Shalom

I'll talk to you again soon,

Connie

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

What are WE doing to help?

Visit Child Help to learn more about how you can help the millions of children who are suffering from child abuse and neglect...

It's what Jesus would do, and it's what we should do too.

Let's get really aggressive, and make a difference in the life of these kids.

Shall we?

Greetings, Fellow Grace Notes!

Come on in, but please take your shoes off,

 and walk softly today.

I have a cake in the oven,  and I don't want it to

fall while it's baking!

The Bible instructs us to care for the widows and orphans...so, that's what I'm working on again today! It's exciting, but it's a HUGE job; so I've been scouring the countryside, looking for some recruits to help me.

Guess what?

I found some of them today!

I'm so excited!

But the funny thing is... they don't even know yet, that they have been recruited! They don't know that they have the potential to change the world...one widow; and one orphan at a time.

 But, I do...

I see their talent, and skill, and strength, and knowledge, and wisdom, and kindness and determination...

They don't even know that the future of our world is in their hands!  But, I do... I see; they are wonderful!

You may be one of them as well;

and we just haven't connected yet!

God's Good Plan for ALL of Us is all about timing and the proper ingredients!  Like the science of baking a cake... one ingredient at a time; in it's proper order, baked for just the right amount of time, at just the right temperature...

Our relationships are like that! We go about our daily lives, not even realizing that just "being" is part of a bigger recipe than we realize!

So, when it's time for us to meet; we shall!

Until then, I'm going to be busy with these raw diamonds that I discovered today. You should see them.. they are exquisite!

They need some polish, and shaping, and refining; but I have a friend who is a jeweler, and He will be designing some unique and one-of-a-kind settings for them.

It's so exciting.. I can scarcely wait to see where He places each one of them!

I know, I know... there are a lot of metaphors in this post... I just can't seem to help myself!  If you'll notice, that's how the Bible is written...it has many, many metaphors.

Pictures of everyday life; so we can grasp the ideas behind them.

Jesus often used the words:

LIKE... and AS

It's my favorite way to chit chat...You know, like; the Valley Girl kinda thing!!!  Like... really!

LOL... I'm having a lot of fun today; just enjoying being in the bubble of dreaming, and planning, and thinking, and listening, and chatting with my Father.

You may not know my Dad, but I'm sure you've heard of him.. My favorite name for him is "Dad", but you may know him as God!

Whooo hoooo... Now, THAT's what His good plan is all about! It's his intention for everyone to come to realize that He is LOVE, and He wants us to become His children!

He's a good father, who takes good care of his children... you know the old saying...

Like father, like son.. Like mother, like daughter

Well, God is spirit, and so are we... so he's got both genders covered in that analogy!

In most cases, kids grow up to be just like their parents... so that's why I'm busy baking cakes today.

I have some friends and family who are working on the basics, you know; things like meat and potatoes; milk for the babies....

But I intend to top off the meal with beautiful, sweet, fluffy cakes!

There's a lot of work to be done; you know we have a lot of widows,  orphans and homeless folks in the U.S. and around the world...

So, it's high time we get busy...

Would you care to join me?

If we say we love God, and that He lives in us, then we need to act like him. He's a God who feeds the hungry, and comforts the wounded, he heals, and gives people the opportunity to live in joy, peace and happiness.

 We all need to do the same...we need to help take care of the hungry and lonely people in this world who have been beaten up by their life circumstances...

I found a vein of gold nuggets today, and I'm getting ready to engage them in helping me with the task of feeding the widows, orphans and homeless in our community!

If you are one who can help, then pray about HOW...WHERE...WHEN and HOW MUCH God wants you to do!

  by carload...  by jeepload... or by wheelbarrow!

If you are one who is in need... pray for God to connect you to that person who has the ability to help replenish what's missing in your life.

There's a hungry world out there..

 Let's be like Jesus, and FEED THOSE MULTITUDES!

Well, I have to run for now... the bell is ringing on my timer, and I need to go take care of my cakes...

Stay tuned...

My life is changing fast since I found God's GOOD plan for me... I've finally discovered the difference that real love makes in your life; and I want to share the sweetness of it!

Like a piece of warm, sweet, fluffy... cake!

Until we meet again... be blessed!

Connie

Dear Driver.... it's time for a cake run!

...and I've got a trainload of 'em!