Today's Karen's Korner was yesterday's Max Lucado writing. I little different twist; some good thoughts:

Examine Your Gifts

"Be careful! In a desire to be great, one might cease being any good. Not every teacher is equipped to be a principal. Not every carpenter has the skill to head a crew. Not every musician should conduct an orchestra. A promotion might promote a person right out of their sweet spot. For the love of more, a person might lose their purpose. Greed makes a poor job counselor.

"Examine your gifts, know your strengths. Romans 12:3 says, 'Have a sane estimate of your capabilities.' Proverbs 15:16 says, 'It is better to have little with fear for the LORD than to have great treasure with turmoil.' So, don't let the itch for things or the ear for applause derail you from God-intended design!"

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A couple of thought provoking Proverbs;

"Anxious hearts are very heavy,

but a word of encouragement does wonders!"

~ Proverbs 12:25 LAB

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"Humility and reverence for the Lord

will make you both wise and honored."

~ Proverbs 15:33 LAB

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It's Fathers' Day on Sunday. What a great time to celebrate the dads, grandpas, sons, men in our lives.

They are important.

Shortly after Jamie graduated from college, she traveled to California to be a 'house mom' to wayward girls between the ages of 13 - 19. They had enough trouble that they weren't yet ready to go to foster care homes.

As the counselors looked for reasons for these girls' difficulties, some were very intelligent and others maybe not. A variety of races. Some came from affluent families; others were quite poor. The only thread they found in common:  'absence of a positive male' in their lives.

Could that have been the difficulty!?

Father in Heaven, thank You for Your plans for families. Thank You for the way You have designed each of us - male and female. And that we need some of each in all of our lives. This weekend, we celebrate fathers. So many men are so loving and kind; always caring. Thank You for sharing them with us.

Boys and girls, men and women, even if we don't have the most loving and caring situations, we can celebrate You as Our Heavenly Father. Thank You that You will 'never leave us nor forsake us' and that You have promised to 'love us forever.' In Jesus' Name. Amen.

"God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.

So if God has given you the ability to prophesy,

then prophesy whenever you  can---

as often as your faith is strong enough to receive a message from God.

If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well.

If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.

If you are a preacher, see to it that your sermons are strong and helpful.

If God has given you money, be generous in helping others with it.

If God has given you administrative ability and put you in charge of the work of others,

take the responsibility seriously.

Those who offer comfort to the sorrowing should do so with Christian cheer."

~ Romans 12:6 - 8 LAB

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Today is something written by Sarah Young in her "Jesus Calling:  Enjoying Peace in His Presence"; inspirational writings as if Jesus was talking with us personally, with Bible verses to support what she writes:

"I am creating something new in you:  a bubbling spring of Joy that spills over into others' lives. Do not mistake this Joy for your own or try to take credit for it in any way. Instead, watch in delight as My Spirit flows through you to bless others. Let yourself become a reservoir of the Spirit's fruit.

"Your part is to live close to Me, open to all that I am doing in you. Don't try to control the streaming of My Spirit through you. Just keep focusing on Me as we walk through this day together. Enjoy My Presence, which permeates you with Love, Joy, and Peace."

~ John 3:8; Galatians 5:22

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Last week was a bad one with two celebrity suicides. I didn't know either one of them:  a guy who was a known chef on a cooking channel and a gal who was part of the fashion industry. Very successful people.

I heard a couple of interviews given by professionals who work with those dealing with mental health issues. They discussed what could have gone wrong. Or how some thing like this could be prevented. I listened to the talk, but not once did I hear anyone say anything about the spiritual side of things.

Since we are made physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual, I wondered if the spiritual side of things could have been a contributing factor?

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Look to Jesus!

~ By Anne Graham Lotz

"The wage of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

~ Romans 6:23 NIV

"The wonderful good news of the Gospel was shouted out so clearly by the apostle Paul that it still resounds today. The wages of sin is physical death and spiritual deadness as well. BUT the gift of God is eternal life, spiritual life, abundant life through faith in Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God.

"What do you think you have to add to your existence in order to experience real life?

"Increasing your investment portfolio?

"Traveling to more exotic destinations?

"Possessing the latest car or computer?

"Achieving public recognition?

"Reaching your professional goal?

"Wearing the trendiest fashion?

"If you want purpose and meaning and satisfaction and fulfillment and peace and hope and joy and abundant life that lasts forever, look to Jesus!"

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God made you special

By Max Lucado

God
made you and broke the mold! Every single baby is a brand-new idea from the mind
of God. Scan history for your replica; you won’t find it. God tailor-made you.
You aren’t one of many bricks in the mason’s pile or one of a dozen bolts in the
mechanic’s drawer. You are it!  And if you aren’t you, we don’t get you. The
world misses out.

You
offer a gift to society that no one else brings. When you and I do the most what
we do the best for the glory of God, the Bible says that we are “marvelously
functioning parts in Christ’s body” (Romans 12:5). You play no small part,
because there is no small part to be played. God “shaped each person in turn”
(Psalm 33:15). We need you to be you. And YOU need you to be you!

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(Sometimes this new format doesn't come out like I like. Yesterday's was a case in point. If you think so too, click the icon at either the top or the bottom of this 'korner' and it will read much better. Try it!)

Sculpted from Nothing into Something

By Max Lucado

"You are more than statistical chance, a marriage of heredity and society. Thanks to God, you have been 'sculpted from nothing into something' (Psalm 139:15). He made you 'you-nique'. Secular thinking, as a whole, doesn't buy this. Society simply says, 'You can be anything you want to be.' But can you?

"God never prefabs or mass-produces people.'I make all things new,' he declares! (Revelation 21:5). So, you can do something no one else can do in a fashion no else can do it. 'Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that' (Galatians 6:4). When you do the most, what you do the best, you put a smile on God's face. What could be better than that?"

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God is Greater than Creation

"Through Him all things were made;

without Him nothing was made that has been made."

~ John 1:3 NIV

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"God Is not one of several gods. He is absolutely supreme over everything! God is greater than creation. This means there is nothing in my life -

"The more lowly your service to others,

the greater you are.

To be the greatest, be a servant.

But those who think themselves great shall be disappointed and humbled;

and those who humble themselves shall be exalted."

~ Matthew 23:11 & 12 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "Jesus challenged society's norms. To Him, greatness comes from serving---giving ourselves to help God and others. Service keeps us aware of others' needs, and stops us from focusing only on ourselves. Jesus came as a servant. What kind of greatness do we seek?"

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