Thankfulness is a verb

True thankfulness is a verb; producing worshipful actions that represent the deepest level of respect and admiration for the LORD.   For me achieving the slightest degree of reverence and awe came when I realized the LORD God does not need me.  There is nothing I can offer in the flesh that could remotely improve the movements of God.  In fact my sin is what put Jesus Christ on the cross to be brutally murdered.  His blood does not demand vengeance for sin, but screams out grace and mercy.  God does not need me, He wants me.  God does not need you, He wants you.  Be thankful for this encounter with Jesus Christ and let it produce a righteous response called worship; in this we can truly express thanks.

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe

God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving to all our American Friends and Family.  

#Thanksgiving #God #Jesus #Bible #Christian #worship #Grace #Mercy

A True Story of HOPE and INSPIRATION:

A True Story of HOPE and INSPIRATION:  it will take a few minutes to read, but well worth the time.  Your will be glad you read it!

Imagine if you will for a moment; being a prisoner not by bars, but imprisoned by conditions beyond your control.  For many this is not hard to imagine at all.  There are so many people held captive by mental and physical illnesses in this world today.  They keep us from living normal and productive lives.  They prevent us from quality of life physically, emotionally, relationally, and even spiritually.  

Many of these situations can be managed if appropriate medical treatment is sought and adhered to.  Think about having a disease that ravages your mind and body that has no hope, no treatment, and no cure.  A disease that does not take your life away in a matter of a few short weeks, months or even years; but one taking decades.

Ten years ago my wife, Carri, was diagnosed with such a disease; Huntington’s Chorea.  This disease affects the mind, body and nervous system.  It is often compared to having a combination of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and mental psychosis.  This particular disease destroys the brains ability to control negative emotions and produce positive ones.  Imagine a mind that is controlled by negative emotions and thoughts such as depression, anger, rage, fear, obsession, paranoia, and anxiety. Imagine not being able to form the right words or stay mentally focused.  Imagine not having the ability to control your body’s muscles; causing you to move uncontrollably, choke and aspirate frequently.  Imagine a disease so horrific that many end their own lives by suicide, families are destroyed and friendships broken forever. Imagine a disease that causes the people closest to you to abandon you.  Imagine a disease when diagnosed by a doctor is like hearing this; “I’m so sorry, there is nothing anyone can do for you, you have Huntington’s Chorea…. This will be Hell for you, your family and your friends.  I’m giving you twenty to thirty years to suffer with this monster.”

This was never an imagination for us; it became our reality on December 19, 2005.  On that day, we made the second most important decision of our lives.  The most important decision was made years earlier to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.  This day we made the decision He was our LORD!  We refused to allow Huntington’s Chorea to become our prison bars and chains.  We knew Jesus Christ is LORD and there is nothing that can separate us from His great grace and unending mercy.  This world had nothing to offer; no amount of strength or energy of our own could ever save us.  

We learned very quickly that the fruits of the Holy Spirit; (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) were exactly that; fruits of the Holy Spirit.  These fruits could never truly be a product of one’s own mind, by the relief of any symptoms or even by a cure.  It is in accepting Jesus Christ as LORD and living that way that the Holy Spirit produces these fruits in our lives.  

Upon being diagnosed, Carri made a bucket list for her life.  On that list was a foreign mission trip, run a half marathon, and visit the Holy Land in Israel.

We surrendered our lives to the faithfulness and obedience to our LORD.  As a result we have traveled the world domestically and internationally serving in the mission field.  We have been serving faithfully in youth and children’s ministry.  We have done our best to be obedient to the call of being the hands and feet of Christ by serving others, meeting needs and proclaiming the gospel of salvation.  I even accepted the call to ministry and was ordained on Easter Sunday 2011.  

Our battle has never been easy, but it has never been without joy and hope.  Carri had a few good years physically, emotionally and cognitively.  However Huntington’s disease still took its toll.  Carri was suffering from uncontrolled muscle movements, emotional and cognitive hardships, frequent choking and aspiration.  She was no longer able to work as a nurse in the ways she longed for. 
Remember the bucket list?  Well about 5 years ago Carri lost all hope of ever being able to run the half marathon; the physical effects of Huntington’s Chorea had taken enough toll on her body to end that dream.   Carri was at the point that even short moderate hikes were no longer a consideration.   

In February of 2014 the Lord brought something into our lives.  This was not something we ever imagined, nor would we have ever considered if it had not been our desperate situation.  Friends of ours from church shared with us a product called LIMU.  It was an all organic all natural nutritional product made of brown seaweed; full of nutrients our bodies so desperately need.  After some very skeptical research, we realized we could not afford not to give it a try.  

The last thing I want to do is to take away from what the LORD has done in our lives.  He is our hope and we give Him all the praise for bringing us something that He created.  

Carri has not been cured of Huntington’s Chorea by any means.  

Our prayer has always been that the LORD God will take our suffering and bring glory and honor to His great name.  We have always wanted our story to inspire others to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and LORD.  

On November 21, 2015 Carri crossed the VICTORY line after running the White River Half Marathon for Kenya in Cotter Arkansas along the beautiful White River.  

Our prayer is this; “LORD, take our lives and use our sufferings to reveal your grace and mercy to the world around us.  Proclaim your great name in and through us, revealing the kind of hope only you can provide.  Use us to lead others into salvation; that they may give their lives to you.  In Jesus name we pray, amen.”
The pictures are of Carri crossing not a finish line; but a VICTORY line in Christ Jesus name!  

Consider this scripture and its truth of how the LORD can set you free!

Psalm 119:25-32   I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. 26 I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. 27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. 28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. 29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. 30 I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. 31 I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

#HOPE #INSPIRATION #Huntingtonsdisease #HuntingtonsChorea#HD #marathon #VICTORY #Jesus #LORD #God #mentalillness#illness #disease #hopeless

Looking for permission

Are you a prisoner to your pain and suffering?  Are you awaiting release so that you can praise the LORD?  

Here is the deal; you don't need permission from your

Sufferings to praise God and worship Him.  You are free to praise and worship no matter what life has thrown at you.  

Do it praise Him in the storms of life and rejoice in the hope of salvation! 

Psalm 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Lead by example

One thing that matters to

me the most; is knowing that my walk with Christ sets such a powerful example that others are naturally led to Christ by following

me.  

Who looks up to you?  Where are you leading them?

1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Shadows come and shadows go, no matter what Jesus Christ will always shine

I talk a lot about hardships in life, simply because I believe they are the obstacles that cast shadows of doubt upon us.  

Think of it like this;  the sun casts its light upon us and we can feel it's warmth and see its light.  However, when we step behind a wall, the wall casts a shadow.  In that shadow we don't feel the warmth of the sun or see its light like we did when it was within our direct sight.

In that shadow, do we doubt the exists?  Do we question; will it ever shine again?  Of course not. Because we know obstacles cast shadows in the sunlight.  They always have and they always will.  No matter what the sun is still shining on the other side.

If the sun is so faithful and dependable, then how much more so is the author and creator of that light? 

Hardships may cast shadows in our life.  In those shadows we begin to question and doubt;  will the "Son" ever shine again?  Jesus Christ will never quit shining.  Sometimes we just got to get to the other side of those shadow casters to see the light. 

With Joseph, he went through some pretty dark times.  His brothers wanted to kill him, Potiphar's wife wanted to molest him, and Potiphar locked him away.  Through it all Joseph remained faithful to God and God navigated Joseph's life through those dark times.  

God knew that those dark times was what it was going to take in order to position Joseph right where He needed him.  Ultimately through those difficult circumstances Joseph ended up in the position that would literally save the entire nation of his people from the starvation and death of the great seven year famine.  

You just don't know where God is positioning you as He navigates your life through the shadows.  Trust me, He will always shine.  He has a plan to position you for greater things than you could ever imagine.  

Keep the faith, shadows come and shadows go but no matter what Jesus Christ will always shine!

Genesis 50:20 you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 

Is your comfort zone really comfortable?

Is your comfort zone really a zone of comfort?  If you’re honest with yourself, the answer is most likely no.  Why not?  Probably because your comfort zone is just like the other 99% of people; your comfort zone is nothing more than a façade.  It is a façade that protects you from allowing others to see your true weaknesses, fears, and failures.  On the outside you appear to be that guy or that girl that has life mostly put together and under control.  On the inside we know we are weak, afraid, and failing. 

Behind the walls of our deceptive façade, we have convinced ourselves that our current sufferings are as good as it can possibly get.  The lies from the inside tell us that if we expose the truths on the outside, our sufferings will be magnified.  We don’t want to admit that we are not strong and we need the support of others.  We convince ourselves that if we face our fears they will consume us and destroy us.  God forbid someone discovers our failures and deems us a fraud.  So here we find ourselves comfortably miserable in our self-made miserable comfort zones. 

This façade is built with pride and maintained by fear. 

I have discovered the truths of God’s word; that the power of humility tears down the façade of miserable comfort zones.  When the façade has been torn down, we find the grace we truly hope for; the kind of grace the lies on the inside say we can never find.  My friends, it is in God’s grace we find the hand of God working in our lives supernaturally and personally through the hands and feet of others.   In God’s grace we find ourselves serving and ministering others as the hands and feet of God.  In His grace there is no greater comfort.

James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."^a1

Inspiration and Desperation - Our powerful story

Inspiration and Desperation always moves people.  Ours was desperation.

It was out of our desperation for our daughters failing health that God answered our prayers.  Friends who cared enough shared something with us that literally changed our lives forever.  God brought healing into our lives in ways we never thought we could even hope for.

Our desperation was not just centered around our daughter's health issues of lupus, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, other undiagnosed auto immune disorders, dependence on numerous prescription medications and narcotics.  Our desperation also included my wife's battle with Huntington's Chorea disease and my physical and emotional battles as well.

The answer to our prayers brought us from desperation to inspiration!

Check out our powerful and tearful testimony.

experiencing God's favor

The experience of God's presence is not something earned, it is only given by way of faith.  You must ask yourself; is my faith that the outcome of my deeds will earn God's favor?  Or is my faith in found in the deeds of Jesus Christ alone?  Faith that Jesus Christ is the son of God, Jesus Christ came to this earth as a man, Jesus Christ was crucified holy and righteous,  Jesus Christ was buried in the grave, Jesus Christ conquered death by rising from hell to life in the third day,  and Jesus Christ is our redeemer and salvation.  

No man can ever deed himself into God's favor.  It is only through faith that our lives are transformed into the deeds of God; in that we find ourselves experiencing His favor. 

Galatians 3:1-14 1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?4 Have you suffered so much for nothing--if it really was for nothing?5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

our limu experience - Bill and Carri Butcher

Hand out or hand up?

So often we go to God in prayer asking for hand outs.  "God I need this, God give me that,  God if only I had..." Are you guilty of asking for hand outs from God? Or better yet telling God what to hand you? 

It seems that in our desperation is when we hit our knees the most.  In our desperation. We are always in our greatest need.

God knows our needs my friends.  The answer to our needs is not a hand out but rather a hand up.  

Next time you find yourself asking God for hand outs take His hand up instead.

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Are you fighting for your faith?

What is the most desperate thing you have ever done?  For me, I can think of a lot of things I did out of desperation.   In those times of desperation I did what I normally would not do.  What I really want to point out is the level of perseverance that prevailed in my desperation.  I can’t help but believe that the true measure of our desperation is directly related to what we do in response to those situations.  Have you gone to great measures before in your times of desperation without quitting?

I don’t want to go into great detail about my desperate times simply because I want to keep this short.  I will say this, there have been times I put up a great fight and refused to surrender until the bitter end.  I knew what I needed and wanted and I was not about to give up without a fight.

The greatest things in life that we desire all can come from God.  Think about it we all want love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, hope, purpose, meaning….  These things all come from God.  We want them and we need them but yet we don’t value them enough to fight for them.

Jacob got it, he knew what he needed and wanted.  Jacob knew God would provide.  In Jacobs desperation, he wrestled with God all night refusing to let go just so he could receive God’s blessing.  Jacob desperately held on and persevered to great lengths and because of this God changed who Jacob was and blessed him.  That day God changed Jacob’s name (the crafty deceiver), to Israel which means he struggles with God.  God wants us to earnestly and passionately seek Him and hold onto Him, literally put up a fight to never let go.

Are you willing to do all it takes to hold onto God, to put up the fight of your life to receive what God has to offer?  God rewards the actions of our desperation when it comes to pursuing His presence.  What does your actions of desperation say about the value you have for God’s blessings?

Genesis 32:24-30 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.  25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.  26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."  27 The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.  28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."  29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

Hope for Tomorrow

Think back five, ten, fifteen, even twenty years ago; if you are old enough.   Does your life today look the way you hoped it would?  When I was a child I thought like a child so I believed I would become superman someday.  Obviously that was not realistic.  When I was a teenager, I believed I would become a successful business man with a beautiful wife, two children, a huge house with a white picket fence and never have any troubles or trials.  As a young adult, I believed I would become a prominent person is society and change the world. 

I had some notable beliefs about my future and all were positive.  Not once did I have an ambition to become a drunk, an addict, an abuser, or even indigent.  However, many of the choices I made in life early on only opened the opportunity to become what I least desired; a failure.  I had never hoped to be a failure.  Honestly, I have never met anyone else whose life ambition was to become a failure either. 

I can’t help but realize how many people make choices to do stupid things just to experience life.  In those experiences like premarital sex, exposure to pornography, drugs, alcohol, risky behaviors, expressions of pride, and rebellious behavior they are only setting themselves up for the life they least desire.  So few are behaving in ways today to prepare themselves for what the truly hope for in tomorrow. 

To me it is insane to believe that you can live a life in complete opposition to the life you hope for in the future and still hope for a better tomorrow.   It simply does not work that way my friends.  Time and time again I have had the opportunity to care for those who have hit rock bottom in life, a life they themselves would define as a complete failure.  Everyone I have asked this simple question; “Is this the life you once hoped for?”  Never once have any of them said yes.  Then I ask this; “Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?”  The answer has always been “I never would have done the stupid things I have done that got me here”. 

Your past defines your present; however it does not have to define your future.  There is a life full of blessings that can be found in Jesus Christ.  May I encourage you to set your past mistakes, sins and failures at the foot of the cross and accept the forgiveness, redemption and sanctification that only Jesus Christ can offer.

Romans 13:8-14 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.⁹   ×

References for Romans 13:8

Cross References

9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet,"^a10 and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up¹¹ in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."^b12   ×

References for Romans 13:9

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Footnotes

10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.¹³   ×

References for Romans 13:10

Cross References

11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come¹⁴ for you to wake up from your slumber,¹⁵ because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.   12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.¹⁶ So let us put aside the deeds of darkness¹⁷ and put on the armor¹⁸ of light.   13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness,¹⁹ not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.²⁰      ×

References for Romans 13:13

Cross References   14 Rather, Clothe yourselves  in The Lord Jesus Christ,²¹ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.^c22