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VIEWING 1 - 4 OUT OF 4 TOTAL
Giving Thanks
DATE: 30 Nov 2008, 10:43 am / MOOD: Eager to ride
Giving Thanks We have so much to be thankful for, but sometimes we let our circumstances dictate our outlook on life. We start having pity parties because we didn’t get that promotion or raise, or our neighbor has a nicer car or a bigger house etc. There was a time when I could afford the (what I now call) some of the luxuries of life – the big SUV, jewelery, etc. Now – those things don’t matter to me much anymore, but I’m grateful for the things I do have: Jesus who enables me to approach the throne of mercy and grace; family and friends; a roof over my head, and food to eat. I might not have everything that I “want” – like a bigger bike and all the gear and chrome, but the Lord has always provided me with everything that I “need”. Sometimes we don’t know what’s important until we are faced with a crisis. God has worked all things for good in my life that the enemy (the devil) meant for evil, like difficult circumstances, death of a loved one, having a handicapped child, financial problems, and the list goes on and on. First we have learn to appreciate the things we do have (and take care of them). There are times when we don’t appreciate someone or something until he/she or it is no longer there. We realize that we wasted time not liking something when we could have enjoyed the whole time it was ours to enjoy. There are so many things we take for granted: the air we breath – we don’t think about it until we can’t breath well due to some disease; the green grass – we don’t always realize it’s there until we have to cut it; the ability to wake up every morning – some don’t. I personally have many things to be thankful for. I’m so grateful for the time the Lord has given me with Garrison, and to know what it’s like to be loved the way Garrison loved me (even at times when I was stubborn and unlovable). I also have the assurance of knowing where he is now – with Jesus. As Kelly puts it “He is singing to Jesus and playing his guitar”. I’m thankful for my beautiful daughter that is the joy of my life. She can make me smile when no one else can. And I’m thankful for my mother who helped me take care of Kelly so I was able to work. I’m thankful for my “little” bike with the dents in the fuel tank – it provides transportation and gives me the pleasure to enjoy the freedom of riding . It’s also cheaper on fuel. I’m thankful for family and friends who have stood by me and given me the support and encouragement I needed to keep going. I’m thankful for my friend Mike who keeps letting me borrow his vehicle with four wheels because I buy vehicles that keep breaking down. His car provides me with transportation when I have Kelly and my mother with me, or when the temps are below freezing and I can’t ride my bike because heated gear is just way too expensive. I probably put more miles on his car in the last couple of years than my own.lol I’m thankful for Jerry and his wife Joyce who keep fixing my flats on my bike (I think we are on tube # 5) among other repairs and who taught me to ride. I’m thankful for my good friend Peter who prays for me even though he has never met me in person. I’m thankful for Harmony Community Church and CMA, and of course all of my brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to pray for me. I’m even thankful for the people I thought were my friends, but were no friends at all, people that I have really trusted but who added to my already difficult circumstances. I do thank the Lord for the lessons I learned through all of that. Once again He worked it out for good. At the time it would have been easy to “pay back” the people that have wronged me, but that’s not what the Lord wanted me to do. He promised in His word that the “battle belongs to Him”. He doesn’t want us to retaliate but to be kind to others, no matter how they treat us. Thessalonians. 5:15-18 Make sure that nobody PAYS BACK wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks IN all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Worldly happiness depends on our circumstances, but joy from within comes from God who is pleased when we have a thankful heart. We need to focus on Him and not on what we “wished” we had or what we lack.
Philippians. 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends al understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Just stop grumbling and complaining and be grateful for what the Lord has given you and for what He has done for you.
Philippians. 2:14-15 Do everything without complain or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation…… Psalm 95:2 Let us come before Him with thanksgiving. …… Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations.
If you think that your life is so bad, and you think you have nothing to be thankful for……..remember those that don’t know where their next meal comes from, remember those that are fighting for your freedom and don’t even get to come home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. And always remember how much the Lord loves you. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. God bless you all In His Love ♥ Ilona Riding4Jesus 11/29/08
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The Romans Road
DATE: 12 Mar 2008, 8:21 pm / MOOD: Eager to ride
The ROMANS ROAD is a pathway you can walk. It is a group of bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament. If you walk down this road you will end up understanding how to be saved. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin. We were born under the power of sin's control. Admit that you are a sinner. Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..." Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible does plainly teach that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people end up that remain spiritually dead. Understand that you deserve death for your sin. Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Salvation is a free gift from God to you! We can't earn this gift, but we must reach out and receive it. Ask God to forgive you and save you. Romans 5:8 "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!" When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the cosmic price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. Because He loved us and gave Himself for us! Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you. Not religion, or church membership. God loves you! And reaches you right where you are. Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!" Call out to God in the name of Jesus! Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." If you know that God is knocking on your heart door, ask Him to come into your heart. Jesus said, Revelation 3:20a "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him..." Is Jesus knocking on your heart's door? Believe in Him. Ask Him to come in to your heart by faith, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Open the bible to the gospel of John and read what God says about Jesus, about you, and about being born again. God will help you. Just talk to Him. He loves you. You need to look for a local church where God's word is preached. The bible says that we are to desire God's word like a newborn baby desires mother's milk. Aren't you hungry to know the truth? Water baptism is one of the ways you first show that you have been joined to Jesus. The symbolism is this: When you go down in the water you show that you have been crucified and buried with Him, And when you come up out of the water you show that you have been raised to walk with Him in newness of life. (See Romans chapter 6) You have been born again. (See John chapter 3) Your body has become God's temple. Your heart is where He lives. Forgiveness is yours in Jesus. And you belong to Him. You were sin's slave. But now...You are a child of GOD! John 1:12 "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name!" Romans Road Ministries I had been not been changed since Garrison passed away, but a friend is helping me update everything. Thanks for checking it out. God bless and ride safe
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Rainy Church Ride
DATE: 25 Nov 2007, 11:56 am / MOOD: Eager to ride
I haven't been on my bike for a couple of weeks, and I've missed riding so much. It's been somewhat of a stressful week for me, and I needed to re-charge my internal battery as well as the battery on the bike. I was hoping it wasn't going to rain today. I already knew it was going to be cold though, but I wanted to ride anyway. When I got up the sky was very cloudy. By the time I got my bike ready to ride and out of the garage I saw raindrops on my bike and my helmet, but I was determined that I was going for a ride, and no one or anything was going to stop me. As I started riding I could feel myself let go of everything that was on my mind. So for the first time I rode my bike to church all by myself. Everyone there knows I ride, but no one has seen me ride from my church except two other CMA members. As I was turning left onto the church driveway I saw all those people standing outside watching me and I wanted to do everything just right. Then I saw the sand in the road and I got a little nervous and I laid down my bike.  I was so mad which gave me the extra strenght to pick up my own bike. Now with new scratches on my bike, a bend foot peg and scuffs on my leather, I am very grateful that the only thing that got hurt was my pride . Of course everybody else just wanted to make sure I'm alright and came to help in case I needed it, but the only thing that helps a hurt ego is to just get up and keep going. The ride home was wet, but the Lord was watching out for me as He always does.  And here is my stress relief recipe: Pray - Take one helmet - A pair of chaps - A map of the US (unless you do as I did and just ride to church) - Exhale often - Repeat as necessary God bless and ride safe
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Ride to Juliette, Georgia
DATE: 02 Nov 2007, 7:58 pm / MOOD: Elated
Last Saturday was my first group ride with my chapter, the CMA SonRiders. We left Warner Robins, Georgia at 10 am and met some more people from our group in Byron, Georgia. I was a little nervous and excited at the same time. At first I was afraid that I was not able to keep up with everybody, but I had no problems and enoyed every mile. Juliette was very crowded. We browsed through the museum and through the little town where the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" was filmed. Our plan was to eat at the Whistle Stop Cafe, but there was a two hour wait, and we were too hungry to wait. Instead we got on our bikes and rode to Buckner's in Jackson, Georgia. Great choice, great food. What an awesome day and what a great ride. I rode 176 miles that day (the furthest I been before was 50 or 60 miles) and it felt great. I know for some of you that's not much, but for me it was a lot, and I plan to put some real miles on my bike now and ride every chance I get. Also wanted to thank my friends that helped me make those first little steps to start riding in my back yard and then my neighborhood, and then the special friend that encouraged me to got me out there on the real road for my 50/60 mile trip, and of course the SonRiders that never doubted me and made it possible to go further. God bless and ride safe
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