Hi GEMS!

We’ll be taking a look at this wonderful idea of “peace” in the next 2 weeks.

To walk in peace throughout every part of your life is an amazing thing. So much of what our culture throws at us may be “fun”, but it isn’t peaceful. Unfortunately, Satan does a good job of making our human hearts think that we need “fun” more than we need peace. God has wired us for peace – but that doesn’t mean we can’t also have “fun”. What we find is that when we live in such a way that we are pursuing peace, God opens our eyes to amazing “good, clean fun” that fills us up and truly replaces our desire for the worldly “fun” that only leads to fighting, pettiness and regrets.

I’ll be praying for peace in your life – but as you’ll see, peace doesn’t just “happen”…read on!!

Love ya~
Lisa

Thur/July 3: Psalm 34:11-14
The fear of the Lord means that we love Him and have reverence for Him. Notice in verses 13 and 14, the psalmist is telling us to do certain things that will lead to peace. We have to actively choose to live peaceful lives. If all you do is pray for peace but you do not exercise control over your tongue (meaning watch what you say), you are not going to get peaceful results from your relationships. The Holy Spirit in you will help you hold unkind words in – pray and ask for His help.

Fri/July 4: John 8:31-37
In celebration of Independence Day – read these verses and celebrate your freedom from sin and eternal death!!

Sat/July 5: Matthew 5:9
This verse is found in a sermon of Jesus’ known as “The Beatitudes”. He give practical advice on ways to live. Again, notice that he says the “peacemakers” are blessed, not the peaceful. It takes effort to live a peaceful existence.

Sun/July 6: Romans 12:17-21
Paul writes of more ways to live the peaceful, Christian life. Note that this section revolves around verse 18. The other verses just give good practical advice on how to live out your peace.

Mon/July 7: 2 Corinthians 1:2 and then 2 Corinthians 13:11
Notice how Paul opens his letter by wishing “grace and peace” to them (sound familiar? From Doug’s teaching on June 29). In the closing of his letter, Paul wishes them peace again, but here, he is telling them that they need to choose to live that way.

Tues/July 8: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
The Greek word for “quiet” is the same root word from which “peaceful” also comes. Do you live your life by minding your own business and being productive? You can be a better witness for the love of Jesus in your life if others see you living a peaceful, “quiet” life.

Wed/July 9: Hebrews 12:14
Another verse that is to the point of why we should try to live peaceful lives.

Thur/July 10: James 3:13-18
I love the book of James. He just lays it out. Look how he ties wisdom to peace. Take an honest look at yourself: Do you live with envy, selfish ambition or disorder in your life? Do you want more wisdom and to live in a higher way? Read James 1:5-8.

Fri/July 11: Jeremiah 29:12-13
For those of you who wonder if God hears when you pray (like for wisdom that we read about yesterday) – read this as an assurance that God hears you when you come to Him with a sincere heart.

Sat/July 12: Galatians 5:22
This is the list of the “Fruit of the Spirit” that lots of Christians talk about. Take stock of where you are right now spiritually. Notice that it is not the fruits of the Spirit – it is the fruit (singular). If we are allowing the Spirit to run our lives, all of these characteristics should show up in our lives – not just the ones that are “easy” for us.

Sun/July 13: Ephesians 4:20-32
Another great writing from Paul about how to live a peaceful, Christian life. It is not easy to deny our nature – believe me I know that as much as you. The truth of the Bible shows us that when we choose to live how Jesus taught us, we have peace. When we do what we want and don’t care about Jesus’ way, it can lead to pain and separation from God and others.

Mon/July 14: Philippians 4:4-7
God’s peace is yours when you stay close to Him in prayer.

Tue/July 15: Psalm 85:8-13
God promises peace – but not if His people are going to act like fools. Peace is a benefit of living God’s way – we have to choose to live peacefully. Salvation is completely free – we don’t deserve it and we can do nothing to “get” it: We only have to accept it. Peace, on the other hand, is ours to choose once we have the Holy Spirit living in us.

Wed/July 16: Acts 10:34-36
Peter the apostle/disciple of Jesus is talking for the first time to a man who was not a Jew about the fact that Peter is finally understanding that Jesus came to save all people, not just the Jews. You are so fortunate to live in a time and country where it is easy for you to choose to listen to God and to love Christ. Following Jesus leads to peace.

Let's pray for one of our own.....

Hey GEMS!

I am sorry I have been off for a couple weeks, but I was out of town and then had a very frustrating time with my email and couldn't get things and read things and..... Please forgive me! I am back and wanting to share things with y'all.

I am sure several of you have gotten emails about the loss of our dear sister Lisa. Lisa's Mom passed away on Thursday morning. Lisa is doing okay, but hurting and dealing with all the family stuff too. Please lift her up before the Throne and ask God to give her and the family that peace that only He can give.

I love y'all and will be writing more later!

Remember: God is good ALL the time and ALL the time, God is good!

Love and prayers,
Cheri Lynn

Note from Lisa and Daily Bible Reading Update

Hi GEMS!

I am up early and sitting at my computer on a beautiful sunny morning. I see the incredible nature of God in the way He faithfully grants each of us a new day in which to make an impact the people around us. I have been daily praying for you and I’m looking forward to being with you again – whether at summer picnics or when we get together in the fall!

God has been leading me to Psalm 139 this week, so we’ll spend some time looking at this interesting section of God’s word.

Love ya!
Lisa

Thur/June 19: Psalm 139:1-4
You know how you sometimes hear that “God is always with you”? This section shows us one place where the Bible teaches us this. No matter where you go, no matter what you do, no matter what you say – the Lord is there.

Fri/June 20: Psalm 139:5
Here, we see the loving protection of God. He lays His hand upon you. Are you seeing it? Sometimes, we miss how God is protecting us because He isn’t doing it in the way we want. If you are truly His child, you are a part of His promises, and He is protecting you. If you’re not “feeling” this, perhaps a good prayer starter today is, “Father, please show me how you are protecting me – open my eyes to see you.”

Sat/June 21: Psalm 139:6
In this verse, the “knowledge” is God’s complete knowledge of every single thing about us. Do you ever find yourself doing or thinking things and you wonder, “Where did that come from? Why am I acting/feeling like this?” We mystify and amaze ourselves sometimes—but God knows us more deeply than we can know ourselves. Because of this, as we draw closer to Him, He reveals more and more about who we are to us.

Sun/June 22: Psalm 139:7-8
One of the characteristics of God is that He is omnipresent. This means that because He is Spirit, He is in all places at all times. Our human minds cannot really understand how that’s possible. But, this verse assures us that this is true. What a comfort to know that the God we worship is able to be there for each one of us at all times no matter where we are. Additionally, we need to remember that because God is omnipresent, He sees everything we do…”The Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little hands what you do.”

Mon/June 23: Psalm 139:9-10
The idea in verse 9 is that God sees the entire scope of the world. The “wings of dawn” meaning where the sun comes up (in the east) and “far side of the sea” probably meaning (at the time of this Psalm’s writing) the most western seas. Again, we see the promise and comfort from verse 10 – He will lead us and guide us everywhere we go.

Tue/June 24: Psalm 139:11-12
We cannot hide from God. He sees all the wonderful things you are doing everyday, and He sees the ugly things you do. Remember, you are not condemned for the “bad”, but you do need to confess them to God and simply ask His forgiveness.

Wed/June 25: Psalm 139:13-16
I LOVE these verses. I refer to them all the time when I’m talking to someone who does not like the way God made them. Either they think they are too short, too tall, too fat, too skinny, too slow, they have a disorder, they’re not pretty enough, their nose is too big, it’s too small, etc. etc. Read these verses and see that God made you. He does not make mistakes. Every person is wonderfully made. Another way to understand these verses is, ““I thank you because I am so wonderfully and mysteriously made, and because all your works are so wonderful; you know me completely” (Robert Bratcher)

Thur/June 26: Psalm 139:17-18
These verses give us a way to worship God. When you are getting wrapped up in the problems of your life, it’s so easy to lose the “big picture perspective”. In verses 17 & 18, the psalmist is reminding us that the God who knows us and is with us has more “thoughts” than we could ever imagine. He is so immense and incredible—yet, He personally cares for each one of us. You are precious!

Fri/June 27: Psalm 139:19-22
Wowser! Strong words! #1 – I love the honest emotion we see here. This guy was not afraid to lay out exactly how he was feeling—and we should never be afraid to do the same with God. The psalmist is showing his hatred for those who are enemies of God. He is so in love with the Lord that he cannot stand those who hate God. Of course, we have to strike the right balance between hating the sin, but loving the sinner.

Sat/June 28: Psalm 139:23-24
Are there any of us who have “anxious thoughts”? Use these 2 verses as a prayer to the Father. You can’t hide anything from Him anyway, so open up and acknowledge that you want Him to search you. Looking at the very last line – what a loving conclusion to this great Psalm. God, “Lead me in the way everlasting”. It’s only the things of God that last; our lives are better and stronger when we live according to His ways.

Sun/June 29: Psalm 143:10
This is a great follow up prayer verse. By ourselves, we cannot always do the good things we know we should and that we want to do. Here is an honest prayer that says, “God, I need you to show me how to be like You.”

Mon/June 30: Psalm 26:2-8
Verses 2 & 3 again touch on the idea of God examining our hearts. Verses 4-8 give some ways that a Christian lives when she is wanting to please God.

Tues/July 1:Jeremiah 17:10
I keep taking us into the Old Testament because I believe it is very important for us to see that the core characteristics of God have been around for thousands of years and He does not change. That is a comfort to me when my world is going crazy. I am hooked up to God who has seen it all and still the world continues. Here, God again assures us that He sees what we do and rewards us for choosing right ways. Never forget, however, that when you do wrong, you can be forgiven – but His forgiveness cannot take away the consequences that come from our choices.

Wed/July 2: Ephesians 4:20-32
Paul is writing to the church and telling them to remember that they are Christ’s people. He reminds them (and us) that when we choose to live as His children, we are new creations. With each new day, we can grow towards being more like Him. Paul gives some specific examples of ways to live a God-honoring life.

Cardboard Testimonies......?

Happy Saturday GEMS!

I was trying to catch up with my email and found an email from a friend that she had forwarded from one of our GEMS. Anyway, it was a video from YouTube and I wanted to share it with you. I thought it was very thought provoking and wanted to hear your thoughts. Watch and listen and let me know what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

Have a great evening and a blessed Lord's Day!
God is good ALL the time - All the time God IS good!

Love ya!
Cheri Lynn

Proper Storage Prevents Spoiling

Hey GEMS,

I hope all of you had a great three day weekend and remembered to pray for all those that have served and are serving our Country. I actually got away from town for a couple of days. It was nice to just relax.

I received this from one of our Mentors and wanted to pass it on. Enjoy!

Eating more fruits and vegetables is a requirement for every healthy eater. But when you buy more fresh produce, do you end up throwing away more than you eat? You're not alone. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans throw away nearly 31.6 million tons of food every year. And a recent University of Arizona study found that the average family tosses 1.28 pounds of food a day, for a total of 470 pounds a year! That's like throwing away $600! Storing fresh produce is a little more complicated than you might think. If you want to prevent spoilage, certain foods shouldn't be stored together at all, while others that we commonly keep in the fridge should actually be left on the countertop. To keep your produce optimally fresh (and cut down on food waste), use this handy guide.

Countertop Storage Tips
There’s nothing as inviting as a big bowl of crisp apples on the kitchen counter. To keep those apples crisp and all countertop-stored produce fresh, store them out of direct sunlight, either directly on the countertop, in an uncovered bowl, or inside a perforated plastic bag.

Refrigerator Storage Tips
For produce that is best stored in the refrigerator, remember the following guidelines.
* Keep produce in perforated plastic bags in the produce drawer of the refrigerator. (To perforate bags, punch holes in the bag with a sharp object, spacing them about as far apart as the holes you see in supermarket apple bags.)
* Keep fruits and vegetables separate, in different drawers, because ethylene can build up in the fridge, causing spoilage.
* When storing herbs (and interestingly, asparagus, too), snip off the ends, store upright in a glass of water (like flowers in a vase) and cover with a plastic bag.

What to Store Where: A Handy Chart
Use this color-coded key along with the chart below:
Store unwashed and in a single layer
Store unwashed and in a plastic bag
Store in a paper bag
*Ethylene producers (keep away from other fruits and vegetables)

Store in Refrigerator
Apples (storage >7 days) - Apricots - Cantaloupe - Figs - Honeydew
Artichokes - Asparagus - Beets
Blackberries - Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts - Cabbage
Carrots - Cauliflower
Celery - Cherries
Corn
Grapes - Green beans
Green onions
Herbs (except basil) - Lima beans - Leafy vegetables - Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms - Okra
Peas
Plums
Radishes
Raspberries
Spinach - Sprouts
Strawberries
Summer squash - Yellow squash
Zucchini

Store on Counter top
Apples (storage < 7 days) - Bananas Tomatoes
Basil - Cucumbers - Eggplant - Garlic - Ginger - Grapefruit - Jicama - Lemons - Limes - Mangoes
Oranges - Papayas - Peppers - Persimmons - Pineapple - Plantains - Pomegranates -Watermelon
Store in a Cool, Dry Place
Acorn squash
Butternut squash
Onions (away from potatoes)
Potatoes (away from onions)
Pumpkins
Spaghetti squash
Sweet potatoes
Winter squash

Ripen on Counter, Then Refrigerate
Avocados - Nectarines - Peaches - Pears - Plums
Kiwi

*More about Ethylene:
Fruits and vegetables give off an odorless, harmless and tasteless gas called ethylene after they're picked. All fruits and vegetables produce it, but some foods produce it in greater quantities. When ethylene-producing foods are kept in close proximity with ethylene-sensitive foods, especially in a confined space (like a bag or drawer), the gas will speed up the ripening process of the other produce. Use this to your advantage if you want to speed up the ripening process of an unripe fruit, for example, by putting an apple in a bag with an unripe avocado. But if you want your already-ripe foods to last longer, remember to keep them away from ethylene-producing foods, as designated in the chart above.
Food is expensive, and most people can't afford to waste it. Print off this handy chart to keep in your kitchen so you can refer to it after every shopping trip. Then you'll be able to follow-through with your good intentions to eat your 5-9 servings a day, instead of letting all of that healthy food go to waste.

Have a great rest of the week!
Blessings!
Cheri Lynn

Sky Angel.......

Hey GEMS,

I had received this video clip a few weeks ago and then Lisa sent it to me today. I wanted to share it with all of you and let you be encouraged as well. Out of the mouth of babes...... We do have someone to lean on when we think we are alone. HE is there/here/everywhere!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYcszYW6ceE&NR=1

Enjoy! Have a good day tomorrow!

Love y'all!
Cheri Lynn

A must see........

Hey GEMS! I received an email from a friend that had the following link attached. please take a look at it and praise the Lord with me - "We are fearfully and wonderfully made!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4&feature=email

A snippet from a great message entitled "How great is our God!" by Louie Giglio. This section talks about Laminin - an amazing molecule in the human body. A must see!

I love y'all!
Happy Mother's Day!!!

Cheri Lynn