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"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me".

We all know that very familiar saying.
In fact, it was probably one we heard often while growing up.

Little did I know that this common phrase was actually quite unbiblical!

The Bible teaches that there is great power of the tongue...it can be used to heal and to hurt. Read James 3, it describes the very destructive power of an untamed tongue.

Just stop for a moment and think how it felt when someone last praised you. They may have said how great you looked or what a good job you did. It probably made your day!

Then stop and think how it felt when someone criticized you, called you a name or said something untrue. We say we won't let it ruin our day, but we all know how hard it is to shake
a verbal (or written) attack. I dare say we've all had this happen. I know that I have and it stings and hurts and has a direct bearing upon how I am able to fulfill my duty as a wife and mother. A stick in the eye or a stone upside of the head would probably have been less painful.

It's not just the verbal words that can hurt people. This is the era of technology. We can now be "stung" with an untamed tongue via the keyboard. Instead of a verbal "lashing" that we can audibly hear, we get the "flame" that burns. Both cause great pain!

It has been said that the tongue of man is like a fire, which can set a whole forest ablaze. As we know from the huge wildfires in the past, a small flame can ignite a huge fire!

James tells us that the tongue is a fire, ignited by hell itself! The tongue is so mighty that
when it is uncontrolled it can wreak havoc with our bodies and the bodies of those that the deadly poison has been aimed at!

We can send a man to the moon, harness the power of an atom, yet we can't seem to bridle our own tongue?!

As I tell my children (and often remind myself), we will have to account for every word that comes out of our mouth and every word that we have written. Therefore, we must remember that we need to be very careful of what we say verbally as well as with what we write in our emails, blogs, forums. God sees and knows it all. We can send something anonymous, but we are not anonymous to God.

We can call ourselves religious, Catholic, Christian or whatever...but if we fail to tame our tongue (and our response to those who "flame" us) we can not be considered as such.

Let us resolve to bite our tongues if we must! I know mine has nearly bled at times and I've had to literally get up and walk away from the keyboard when being "attacked".

Let us RESOLVE to HEAL with our tongues! What power we have to do GOOD! :-)

May God bless and heal you and those who have hurt you!

In God's Love.......Wendy Cukierski
+Wife and Helper to Walter (Genesis 2:18)
+Mother to our 13 blessings from God (Psalm 127:3,5)

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Do People Annoy You?

Do you ever wonder why God lets so many people annoy, despise, and provoke you?

Do you have people who disrupt your live, demand your attention and basically drive you nuts?

Well, that's because God loves you. Loves you, you say? Yes, He is shaping you..hewning you for His purposes!

It is God who compares us to living stones that are being perfectly hewn out! ( I Peter 2:5 and Ephesians 2:19-22). In fact, there were 80,000 "hewers of stone" during the construction of Solomon's Temple. Each of those stones were so perfectly hewn that they needed no further hewing after being put in place for the Temple ( I Kings 5:15-18; 6:7).

We need to look at all those folks who are hostile and disruptive in our lives as God's hewers. If we can do this, then we are ready for the next command:

"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

How hard this is when our first instinct is to toss back an insult! As I've grown older (I'm 43 now), it has become easier. I finally "get it". There is not one enemy that I wouldn't gladly hug if I came in contact with. I sincerely mean that.

Read what David states in Psalm 119: 67-71 "Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. ... The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. ... It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes"

What David said has been true in my own life and in our apostolate. Our apostolate has been "hewn out" by friends who "don't get it", family members who despise me and crazy people who curse me out. Their actions motivated me to really study God's word more intently in order to clarify and refine what I do and what I teach.

What Peter promised in 1Peter 5:10 has become a reality for me "... After that ye have suffered a while [the God of all grace] make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you"

Let's try to welcome those who react to us, not as intruders into our lives, but as hewers sent by God to assist Him in improving our character (and I'm quite a character, so I've been told) and conforming us into the image of Jesus!

Do I hear an AMEN? ;-)

In God's Love.......Wendy Cukierski
+Wife and Helper to Walter (Genesis 2:18)
+Mother to our 13 blessings from God (Psalm 127:3,5)

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Are Your Finances Suffering?

Because He loves you God wants you to put yourself in a position were He can bless and keep you even through devastation and loss. God can turn anything around for your good.

Look around you. Ask God to show you what you do have that could help with your finances. Ask Him to lead you. Ask Him to order your every step. He can orchestrate “chance” meetings, put you in the right place at the right time and can change your situation over night. There is nothing to hard for Him.

Listen for His directions. He can speak through His Word (dont worry be happy)scriptures, circumstances, people, and more. God can speak to you through the small still voice inside of you. Spend time with Him and learn to recognize His voice when He speaks to you.

Jesus said in Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners,Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord,And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,that brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3

Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers”.

How shall I pray?

Do we need to know how to pray? In Luke 11:1 Jesus' disciples asked, "Lord, teach us to pray." We also need to learn how to pray.
How often should I pray? One thing we do know, from Sacred Scripture, is that we should pray habitually throughout the day and also at special times when needs arise.
So what is prayer? Read Acts 4:24,31. Prayer is simply man talking to God, expressing his thoughts to God (Rom. 10:1; Matt. 6:9).
How should I pray? Some cannot seem to think of much to say. That is why we now offer these Special Need Prayer Beads.

What should I pray for? We should pray for the things we truly need, however some people forget to thank God for what they have received. Their prayers consist almost entirely of asking for more. God is a generous God, willing to give what we need. But He also expects appreciation for what He gives.

The following are Bible Passages that teach us that we can request what we need:
Philippians 4:6,7 - Instead of worrying, let your requests be made known to God. "Supplication" refers to requests for needs to be "supplied."

Matthew 7:7-11 - God is like a loving father who gives what his children need. If we ask, we will receive.

1 Peter 5:7 - Cast your cares on God because He cares for you.

James 4:2,3 - Sometimes we do not receive because we do not ask. On the other hand, God will not answer selfish requests for things we do not need.

1 John 5:14,15 - If we ask according to God's will, we receive our petitions.

[1 John 3:21,22; John 14:13,14; 15:7,16; 16:23,24,26]

What are specific Bible passages I can use for my needs? The following can serve as a guide:

* God's will to be done - Matthew 6:9-13 (note v10). [Matt. 26:39]

* Necessities of life - Matthew 6:11. [Acts 27:35; Matt. 15:36; 14:19; 1 Tim. 4:3-5; Luke 24:30]

* Forgiveness of sins and deliverance from the consequences of sin - Matthew 6:12.

* Ability to recognize and resist temptation - Matthew 6:13. [Matt. 26:41; Eph. 6:11-18; 2 Cor. 13:7; Luke 22:31,32; John 17:14-16]

* Good health and freedom from other threats to life or safety - 3 John 2; 2 Kings 20:1-7 (Hezekiah) [James 5:13-18; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; 1 Kings 8:35-53; 2 Chron. 7:13-15; Jonah 2:1-10; Psalm 50:15; 86:6,7; 32:6,7; 2 Sam. 12:15,16; Num. 11:2; Luke 21:36]

* Deliverance from enemies and persecution - Acts 12:1,5,12. [2 Thess. 3:1,2; 2 Cor. 1:8-11; Acts 4:23-31; 16:25; 1 Kings 8:33-35; 2 Kings 19:4,15-19]

* Safety in travel and care for loved ones we are separated from - Acts 21:5. [Acts 20:36-38; 28:15; Ezra 8:21-23; Gen. 24:26,27; 1 Thess. 3:9-11; 2 Tim. 1:3-5; Rom. 1:10; 15:30-32; Philem. 22]

* Peace, courage, joy instead of disappointment or discouragement - Philippians 4:6,7. [1 Samuel 8:6-9; 2:1-11; Jer. 29:7; Psalm 122:6; 1 Peter 5:7; Matt. 26:36-46; Col. 1:11; 1 Thess. 3:9; 2 Sam. 7:18-29]

* Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of God's will - Psalm 119:169-172.

* Faithfulness, good works, a life pleasing to God - Philippians 1:3-6,9-11. [Col. 1:9-11; 4:12; John 17:9-12; 1 Thess. 3:10-13; 2 Thess. 1:11]

* Love - Philippians 1:9. [1 Thess. 3:10-12; Eph. 3:14-19]

* Strength - Colossians 1:9-11. [Eph. 3:14-19; 2 Thess. 1:11]

* Patience, long-suffering - Colossians 1:11.

* Grace and mercy - 2 Corinthians 4:15. [Psalm 4:1; 86:3-6; 1 Cor. 1:4]

* Proper speech - Psalm 141:1-3.

* Eternal life, eternal glory - John 17:24-26.

This is not a complete list, but it should help. Remember that we can always make requests, but we must also give thanks!

Will God answer my prayer? Consider several Bible passages expressly stating that God does answer prayer:

1 John 5:14,15 - We can have confidence that, if we pray according to God's word, He will hear us and grant what we ask.

1 John 3:22 - Whatever we ask we receive because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him.

James 5:16 - The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah prayed and it did not rain for 3 1/2 years. He prayed again and it rained (v17,18).

Matthew 7:7-11 - If we ask, seek, and knock, we receive what we requested. God is like an earthly father who gives good gifts to His children who ask.

1 Peter 5:7 - Cast your cares on Him for He cares for you.

What else do I need to do? God does act in response to prayer, but He will not act if we are not willing to do our part.

Matthew 6:11 teaches us to pray for our daily bread, but we must still work for it (2 Thess. 3:10).

James 1:5 says to pray for wisdom (cf. Col. 1:9), but we must still study the word (Acts 17:11; 2 Tim. 3:15-17). The prayer is answered, not by miraculous direct revelation, but through the natural process of study. God gives us opportunities to learn and blesses our study so we learn what we might not have known had we not prayed.

3 John 2 - A prayer for good health requires us to care for our bodies, not knowingly damaging our health for personal pleasures.

What if He doesn't give me what I prayed for? God gives us what He knows is best for us.

Matthew 7:7-11 - Like an earthly father, God gives good things, not things that do harm.
Matthew 26:36-46 - Jesus prayed to avoid the cross, but said, "Thy will be done." He still had to die, but an angel strengthened Him (Luke 22:43). God met His need while still doing what was needed for mankind.

Psalm 34:10 - Those who seek God will not lack any good thing. [Rom. 8:28; James 1:17]
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 - Paul prayed for his thorn in the flesh to be removed. God did not grant the request but instead did what was best for Paul. [Matt. 6:8; Eph. 3:20; 1 Kings 3:5-13]

God is infinite, where our knowledge is limited! We may not know what is best, but God does. This is why we ought always to pray for God's will to be done. He can then give us what we asked, something greater, or something different, according to what He knows to be best.

In conclusion I would like to mention that We Must Pray in Faith!
James 1:5-8 - Ask in faith without doubting. One who doubts will received nothing from God. First we must believe that God exists, then believe that He has power to answer prayer. The skeptic or agnostic who prays ("just in case there is a God") is wasting his breath.

Mark 11:24 - To receive the blessing we request, we must believe that God will answer!

God will answer prayer for you. He desires to meet your needs and offer you everything He has promised to His faithful children. If you live a faithful life, He has promised to hear your prayers according to His will! Do not give up hope!

 

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TESTIMONIAL: Wendy I dont know how you do all this with all those wonderful kids - I've not been on this e-mail thing for very long, but believe me since I've found you, I find it very hard to stay away. I've just been reading the anxiety one, it is so good I'm nearly half way into my 70's its been a lifetime thing with me - but I'm still working on it with your help - thankyou! It is amazing what beautiful bits I am finding on your pages and thankyou - thankyou - with love PatC. I know all those prayers are helping me.

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TESTIMONIAL: "I thank God for you, your family, & your apostolate! I am a homeschooling mother of 7 & I cannot tell you what a blessing you are to my family & I! Know you are all in our prayers! Sincerely, Kim & Tribe!"