After writing my last blog I looked online for a church in Fairbanks. I found a website for a church named Journey Christian Center. They have an online prayer request and I submitted the following prayer Request:

Prayer Request: I am new to Fairbanks. I have been struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. I plan to attend Journey Christian Center this Sunday for the first time. Please pray for my strength to go on my own and rebuild my relationship with the Lord.

I received the following reponse:

Tara,

I look forward to meeting you. I will pray that you begin a path of recovery from your addictions. It may be a long hard road but I think you'll find it's worth it to be free. Have a great day.

Derek Dickinson
Minister

Every problem is an opportunity to trust God.

I have a problem. I have been on the wagon for a while now but I fell off this weekend. I was feeling really lonely and my self esteem has plummeted. I know there is no place to go but forward. I know there is nothing I can do but NOT do it again. The thing that bothers me the most is that I have let down Daniel. I have, once again, let down the person who I care about the most. I have told Daniel before that I was never going to drink again and every single time I have done it again. When I say it now he doesn't believe me and I don't blame him. I have proven that "talk is cheap" and now I don't know what to do. I don't want to say it again because I don't even believe myself anymore. I don't feel like a very good person right now. I want to find a good church and a local AA chapter in Fairbanks. I want to prove myself right. I want to show Daniel that I am a good person. I feel that the only one who believes in me is God and I honestly think he shouldn't believe in me either. I have proven too many times that I am not someone to believe in because all I do is let people down.

Out Of The Mouth Of Babes

JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his new baby sister. After a while he asked: "Mom why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?"

MELANIE(age 5) asked her Granny how old she was. Granny replied she was so old she didn't remember any more. Melanie said, "If you don't remember you must look in the back of your panties. Mine say five to six "

STEVEN(age 3) hugged and kissed his Mom good night. "I love you so much that when you die I'm going to bury you outside my bedroom window."

BRITTANY (age 4) had an earache and wanted a pain killer. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a child-proof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: "How does it know it's me?"

SUSAN(age 4) was drinking juice when she got the hiccups. "Please don't give me this juice again," she said, "It makes my teeth cough."

DJ (age 4) stepped onto the bathroom scale and asked: "How much do I cost?"

MARC (age 4) was engrossed in a young couple that were hugging and kissing in a restaurant. Without taking his eyes off them, he asked his dad: "Why is he whispering in her mouth?"

JAMES(age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt." Concerned, James asked: "What happened to the flea?"

TAMMY(age 4) was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, "Why doesn't your skin fit your face?"

A Sermon I think this Mom will never forget.... this particular Sunday sermon..."Dear Lord," the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. "Without you, we are but dust..." He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four year old girl voice, "Mom, what is butt dust?"

Breakfast at McDonald's

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.' The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch. An overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched foracceptance. He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said 'Thank you.' I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.' I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope.' We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because ofthe Grace that we had been given were we able to give. We are not church goers, but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said 'Can I share this?' I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and beingpart of God share this need to heal people and to be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor,and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as acollege student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:

*UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.*

*LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head.

To handle others, use your heart.

God Gives every bird it's food, but He does not throw it into its nest.

That's a sexy woman of God right there.

Don’t Pee At The Cemetary

Two women friends had gone for a girl's night out. Both were very faithful and loving wives, however, they had gotten over-enthusiastic on the Bacardi Breezers. Incredibly drunk and walking home they needed to pee, so they stopped in the cemetery. One of them had nothing to wipe with so she thought she would take off her panties and use them. Her friend, however was wearing a rather expensive pair of panties and did not want to ruin them. She was lucky enough to squat down next to a grave that had a wreath with a ribbon on it, so she proceeded to wipe with that. After the girls did their business they proceeded to go home. The next day one of the women's husbands was concerned that his normally sweet and innocent wife was still in bed hung over, so he phoned the other husband and said, "These girl nights have got to stop! I'm starting to suspect the worst. my wife came home with no panties!!" "That's nothing" said the other husband, "Mine came back with a card stuck to her pants that said: "From all of us at the Fire Station. We'll never forget you."

IS IT FRIDAY YET?

"Good morning! This is God. I will be handling all of your problems today. I will not need your help. So, relax and have a great day!"

After my brother passed my dad allowed us to go into his room and pick out things to remember him by. I found the above saying on a plaque hanging by his bed. It was so uplifting and I wanted to share with John that same encouragement he felt every morning when he read it. I came across it when I was unpacking boxes last night and I brought it to work this morning for my daily reminder and dose of encouragement.

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. Isaiah 41:10

I woke up this morning with a renewed sense of self. I went to bed early and got a good nights sleep and I am ready to tackle my work day. When I checked my email this morning the above Bible verse was the verse of the day sent to me. It was almost as if God emailed me himself. Thank you Auntibeck and Realityjunkie for praying for me. Your prayers were heard.

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it...

I have been having a little bit of a rough time at work. I am working for a very big association and I'm afraid I'm having trouble fitting in, something I have never had trouble with before. My supervisor has asked me if I was always this quiet. I have also never been accused of being quiet. Upon hearing this I seemed to withdraw more than I was before. I have landed an excellent job and I am afraid to lose it. I think this is where my fear is coming from. Please pray for me.

One Year

2006

2007

My life has changed in the year I met you. I have become a better person because of you. You have taught me to be more paitent, to take care of myself, and to love more than I thought capable. I can't imagine a life without you and I hope I never have to. I love you.

I Have You

When I feel all alone I remember that I have You by my side and that is the cure for all lonliness.

When I feel so much pain I remember that You felt the ultimate pain for everyone.

When I feel I have no purpose I remember that You are my purpose.

When I am crying myself to sleep I know that You are beside me drying my tears.

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.