Tag: Thanksgiving

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Think of Our Deployed Military At the Holidays

Thanks to all of you who have been joining me here. We help bring change to lives. The response has been wonderful.  We just past 4,000 new subscribers. That was a huge increase in 2016. We only had 1,000 two years ago.The year 2017 helped us to make it to 4,000.

We have reached our goal.  We will now be giving a prize to the person who is our 4,500th person to subscribe. 

Help us make it to 4,500 by subscribing today if you haven’t already. This shows you care for veterans. Just click on the icon right after the title of this post and click on FEEDBLITZ , and the posts will come straight to your inbox.                            ____________________________________________________________

Doug Bolton, the founder of the blog, Signs of Hope, which is at www.dailysignsofhope.com, has written a new book, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.” It reaches out the many military and veterans who may be battling anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, rejections, and the many other usual suspects. There are 22 military connected suicides every day. That is almost one every hour. Doug wants to help stop those statistics.  

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This is a new social network just for veterans. I joined it and made instant friendships with veterans who want to talk about what I want to talk about. Please check it out. You will be glad you did. 

https://www.rallypoint.com/join/spc-douglas-bolton

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We have just added a fantastic product for people who are suffering from PTSD. I have looked at the video myself. It is a little long, but it is very valuable. Go to   https://sites.google.com/site/v4vweaponspackage/  to see for yourself. It will change your life if you suffer from PTSD. 

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I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving. I am moving around like a sloth! My wife and I went to three places to celebrate Thanksgiving.

We started out at our daughter’s home for a wonderful feast, and much talking.

Then we went to my wife’s sister’s house and they had a table full of food as well. We selected choices that weren’t what we had to eat at the first place.

And Lastly, we went to my wife’s brother’s home where they had dessert. There was so many choices, I had to try them all!!!

I am paying for it today. I have been on four walks trying to work some of it off. I will sure need a nap today!

One of the things we discussed around the table at our first stop, (My granddaughter suggested this) was that each family member shared what they were thankful for, and some were pretty funny. Our youngest granddaughter (7) said, “I am thankful for this family I have.” Almost tear time there.

Then it came to my turn. I was last and there were so many others that said things I probably could have said, but I immediately thought of all the service members who weren’t home with their families on thanksgiving. I told my family, we need to be thankful for all those who are deployed and having their day in the trenches.

We must never forget. I am a veteran, and I missed a few holidays with family. The first one was very tough. I was only eighteen years old and in Korea.

If you have a family member who is deployed I feel your pain. I had a son in  the military and he had two tours in Iraq. He was in harms way , and I was sitting and watching football games with the family.

Those who serve are heroes. Every single one of them. Be thankful for them. They are there so we can have our Thanksgiving without fear.

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

Your are never unloved.

Adn above all…never, ever, give up!

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Be Thankful for WhatYou Have, Not What You Want

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Another shocking announcement! ( That got your attention!) “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World, ” is now out in eBook form. You can acquire it at all the eBook outlets. It is only $4.99 compared to $19.99 in the bookstores. You can even order it right from this site by clicking on the Amazon icon on the right.

If you want a hard copy, with the autograph of the author on it, just click on the bookstore tab at the top of this page to order one. It is only $15.99 plus shipping compared to the $19.99 price in the retail stores.

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I have a podcast here that I did with John Kremer, the marketing guru. He invited me to share unusual places to sell books. Take a listen and hit those streets running: goo.gl/WGTF7

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It is late in the evening. It is Thanksgiving Eve. I am sitting here wondering what I have to be thankful for.

Let me list some:

  • I am married to a wonderful wife who cares for me, and knows me well enough to know when I am hurting. She is always there for me, and never doubts me.
  • I have three children that I sometimes feel I don’t deserve. That are all successful in their fields, and are Christian. They married Christian spouses as well. They constantly lift me up when I am down, and always have me back when I need them.
  • I have seven beautiful grandchildren, I could tell you about each and everyone of them, but I would be up for hours. They are all Christians, and are leaders in their schools.
  • My mother is still alive at the age of 95. She still smiles and tells me she loves me. She needs help each day and is a wheel chair, but I don’t flinch at the opportunity to help her since she helped me everyday when I was little.
  • Some people complain about their in-laws, but I have the most wonderful in-laws a person could ask for. We have such a great time every year when we gather for Thanksgiving. I look forward to  tomorrow when we will laugh, eat, and share stories we need to do to catch up.

Thanksgiving is being thankful for the things we have, not the things we want.

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

 

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Many Come to Church on Easter. Where are They Other Sundays?

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The year 2011 was a good year for me in selling my book. I sold over 300. In 2012 I will be digging in and trying to top that, plus hopefullyhave another book published. Stay tuned for updates on my first book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” and all future books.

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The book “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” reaches out to those who may be suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, or hopelessness.

The book is on sale right now in the sites bookstore. It is normally $19.99 in the bookstores, but on this site it is only $15.99. The shipping has been cut in half as well. A total savings of over $6.00. Just click on the “Bookstore,” tab at the top of this page.

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Today’s excerpt is about how people only seems to go to chruch on special occasions like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. Where are they the rest of the year?

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Chapter 28

 

Without Jesus, You Don’t Have a Prayer

 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

 

When I went to church yesterday, it was exciting to see so many people. We had 2,565 people there. It was Easter Sunday. We normally have about 1,000 on an average Sunday. My question is: Where are the people the rest of the year? They are only there at Easter because they have accepted the ways of this world and have become churchgoers and not church members. That is what they do: Go to church at Easter.

They have Easter egg hunts at home. They have big family gatherings, but they do not know the meaning behind Easter. They want the Easter bunny to fill their baskets to bring joy to their faces, caring nothing about having Jesus in their hearts.

            As we go through life, some think they can survive on their own without Jesus. They conform to the world around them and think that life is going to be kind to them, because they are “good” people, and surely (I know—don’t call me Shirley!) they will be blessed in their “afterlife.” But when they have finished the race, and face the judgment, God will say, “I do not know you because you rejected My Son.”

We must learn that without Jesus, we do not have a prayer of being with Him in heaven. We have to go the extra mile and let Him into our lives. Then the time of judgment will be different. When we finish the race, God will say, “Come in, My good and faithful servant.”

When it was time for Jesus to be crucified for our sins, He went through many hardships. Others before Him (like Joseph) and after Him (like Paul) also faced hardships. The similarities show that whenever we go through trials, some good can come of it, if we stay close to God and keep the faith.

Joseph went to find his brothers because his father asked him to go to Shechem to look for them. They were out tending the sheep. He didn’t find them there, and asked where his brothers had gone. He was told his brothers had gone on toDothan. He could have stopped when he got to Shechem. He had gone as far as his father had told him to, but he went the “extra mile” (actually about twenty) to find his brothers inDothan. When he found them, what did they do? They threw him into a deep hole called a cistern, tore off his robe and then sold him into slavery. The robe was a richly ornamented one that his father had given Joseph. His brothers hated Joseph, so they betrayed their own brother.

Paul spent many years being persecuted, facing torture and spending time in prison, but he never wavered. He continued to preach all over the world of his time, telling people about salvation. He was a loyal servant of God. He kept on serving the Lord. Even though he had many hardships, he finished the race.

Jesus could have saved Himself when He was put on the cross. But He allowed the soldiers to pound the nails into his hands and feet, crushing the bones and letting the crimson blood flow to the ground. He could have sent for a thousand angels when He was hanging on the cross and have them destroy the people. Instead He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” He said He was thirsty, when He could have opened up the skies and let rainwater fall into His mouth. Instead the soldiers gave him bitter-tasting vinegar wine. He could have set Himself free at anytime, but instead He said, “It is finished!”

The soldiers took Jesus’ robe off just like the brothers did to Joseph. It also was a specially made robe with no seams in it. It was woven in one piece from the top. The soldiers threw dice to see who would win the robe. It must have been Jesus’ finest possession. It was a great “collector’s” item for the soldiers.

Jesus walked all over the country teaching about salvation. In the end He was persecuted, beaten, marched through a mock trial and put to death. He went through many of the things Paul went through.

Yes, Jesus could have saved Himself that day. He could have done many things to stop what was happening to Him, but He went on to walk the extra mile. He went on to finish the race. He went on to the cross to pay the supreme sacrifice for our sins.

Have you walked the extra mile? Is Jesus your Lord? Will you finish the race with Him and live an eternal life of joy? He paid the price for the ticket to get you in. He wanted to die for you because He wants you to be in heaven with Him.

 

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart

that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

 

Further Adventures

Study the book of Romans. Read it to see how wonderful life can be when we follow God. Also find some books that tell about the life of Jesus. Here are two I recommend, both by Philip Yancey: The Jesus I Never Knew and What’s So Amazing About Grace? Yancey digs deeply into the life of Jesus and shows us much more about Jesus than we could ever understand on our own.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how someone can say, “I believe in God,” on Sunday, but on Monday follow Satan (who, by the way, also “believes” in God)?