Happy New Year 2009 Significant

Finally today, I feel that I can catch up. It has been a rough but joyous time here at the Harris house since my last post.

John 15:16 reminds us...You didn't choose me! I chose you! I appointed you to go and produce lovely fruit always, so that no matter what you ask for from the Father, using my name, he will give it to you. I am going to take one more step and that is the next two scriptures which say, I demand that you love each other,for you get enough hate from the world! But then, it hated me before it hated you.

What a lesson because I feel like I failed but God is so faithful, he picked me up and challenged me to keep going.

It started with my mini-job and a new computer and a new Word 2007...two dangerous things to use on a mind that is computer compromised. Excited, we set up the new computer, loaded, etc. etc, you know all the terms. The next day, my new one blew up too. I lost a lot of information, emails, some submissions, some pieces of my writing and was struggling big-time with a simple 15 hour a week job. I wasn't producing very much fruit. On top of that, I had awful flu almost all of Nov. and then after a week of rest, I got it again. Two days ago it was better and I have come from the land of the dead. Jim is coming out of the woods with it tonight. Poor thing. The first week in the New Year, sob! I was let go. I felt terrible, my pride and everything else exploded but still....I was at total peace and as I felt led to finally go back to my blog site, there was a post from Rose, it was so sweet and I knew that I was still loved and forgiven despite myself.

There were quite of few tests from fellow believers who left me in a cloud of dust and this lesson seemed quite appropriate as I pick up pieces, lick my wounds and start again. It doesn't matter where or how I have been misunderstood, I have my marching orders and that is to keep on loving and producing fruit, especially members of my body in Christ. I can do this on the strength of my Lord and Savior, that is why in John 15:26 he sent me the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. I need them and they need me despite ourselves!

But wait! I forgot to tell you the best part of all...God is faithful to the call on our lives! Yep! I got work published for payment in 2008. What a wonderful gift from Jesus. Friends, I have written and published for years, but this was awesome because one story made it in Faith Deployed and one in Cup of Soup for the Catholic Soul. A story that I wrote three years ago and also a story that I did not send to them for consideration. Jesus took care of that! I don't know how, another wonderful miracle in our lives. Years ago he promised if I would do my part, he would take care of the rest.

May each of you have a Blessed and Happy New Year. I am praying in the cleft of the rock and seeking ways in which to bless you.

Love,
Paulette