Happy New Year!

The year begins and the race is on to get to the finish line! It began the day we accepted Jesus and with the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives we continue to press on ever harder to the finish line, and do all we can to stand fast in the armor and when the battle rages or there seems to be a disturbing quiet before the next battle we stand some more!
Oh how reassuring it is to have the host of all the heavenly armies at our Commaders disposal, and a clear line of communication with our Father through Jesus when we are in need of help, Oh what boldness this instills!
Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God sees the end from the beginning and holds us tight in His hand where no one can snatch us away! In our Father, In His word, In His truth, in His promises you can believe.

Why so downcast oh my soul?
Look up and believe in your God for He will never leave you or forsake you.
What do you do when the enemy seems to be surrounding your very soul?
Cling tight in your desperate need to the tower of your refuge for He cares for you and knows all! Trust Him!
After you make it through the refining fires, grab hold of another and point them to Jesus as they walk through their fiery furnace.
As you walk through the dark cold night of great storms in your life know that your Father guards you with a jealous love and can mend all the broken pieces of your heart and life!
Arise, stand, and worship the lover of your soul...Jesus, for the battles rage on, but...we already know who has won the war!
Praise God! (loosely translated...woooooo hooooooooo! )

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Hebrews 6:17-19

© Monika Hardy

My Jesus, my Shepherd

Regarding Psalm 23.....

Jesus, my Shepherd, companion to my soul, tends the issues of my heart, and leaves me in want of nothing else as He is everything I NEED.
He makes me to rest in a pleasant place at home in Him.
He draws me close to Him again and again.
He refreshes my soul with anything that it needs to keep me on the path of what is right just, pure and holy, all for His glory!
Even though that path may lead through dark and miry days I need not fear sorrow, or grief, or what men may do to me. I need not fear the enemy.
For You, my Beloved, are with me!
Because of You I can walk through this life knowing you sustain and correct me and guide me with your eye and comfort me with the Comforter and hold me safe in Your everlasting arms.
Even now in the presence of those who vex, distress, afflict me and try to shut me up,
You prepare a feast in which You allow us to feed on the love of Your Word even now, and it brings me hope for the time we shall meet face to face.
You consecrate me, set me apart unto Yourself, and pour Yourself into me bringing comfort, gladness and hope to overflowing and satisfy my soul!
Being assured of these good things, You let me know in my heart that I am well favored, Your Beloved, and that You will never leave me or forsake me!
You my Jesus will pursue me relentlessly and watch over me in the highs and lows, through all the seasons of my life, surrounded by Your goodness and mercy. And my heart will forever be at home in You, abiding safely, and as Your Bride will one day never more go in or out!

Happy Birthday my Jesus, my Shepherd, my Bridegroom!



© Monika Hardy

Fervent Love

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently 1Peter 1:22

Finding a treasure in the thrift store is a lovely hunt. Wandering through isle upon isle, digging through pile after pile, and searching through rack after rack, just to find that one item laid aside by another that will bring much joy to another. It may take some cleaning, and mending to restore it to its once original condition, but it’s worth it, as it will be of great use and be admired by the new owner.

Digging through the rooms of our hearts we may find things that have piled up, put aside but not dealt with. Purifying our souls with the power of the Holy Spirit by obeying God’s word can create a change in the disposition of the soul. Sanctification, being set apart unto God for His work, requires an active and continuous search of the fruit that is growing or rotting within in the soul. Should there be a deep root of bitterness within the heart it will affect the outward disposition. As believers our love for our brothers and sisters in Jesus should be unfeigned or sincere and without hypocrisy. True love flowing from the heart of God through His willing vessel cannot be faked. Fake shiny fruit hanging on a dead vine may look good, but it is imitation none the less and obvious to others.

How much more lovely is it when we dig deep into the treasure that God has left for us! Digging deep into the treasure God keeps for us in His word give us water with which to wash away the unsightly sinful stores within the heart, and gives us gold and silver and precious jewels with which to adorn our soul. These jewels sparkle and shimmer and reflect the true love of Jesus, and then can we love one another intently with a purified heart. See to it today Beloved that we shine brightly, without a counterfeit love, for the lost and dying world needs FAITH, HOPE and LOVE, and the greatest of these is LOVE.

© Monika Hardy

New Movie...."The Will"

"THE WILL"

Click on the link above to watch the movie trailer of the the newest film

"The Will" which our church has made.

Many of the scenes are filmed in gorgeous Coeur d' Alene, Idaho

and I even got a background part in the Ballroom scence

filmed at the beautiful Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington.

The film is based on a true story involving

redemption, sacrifice, unselfishness, and true love!

Times are hard on many, and life can seem to overwhelm us,

but through it all, we can trust God!

A wonderful message in movie form to share

with one and all at Christmas or anytime.

Some behind the scenes photos....

© Monika Hardy

Rebuked by a 90 year old!

I guess yesterday was my Blogaversary...and I didn't even notice it.

Thanks to Teena in Toronto for noticing and sending on a comment.

Hope your Thanksgiving was a special weekend of prayer and Thanksgiving to Almighty, wonderful Counselor, who brought the Seperatists and Puritans to this land so many years ago so they could worship the true and living God free from persecution. How ironic it is that times have changed is it not? What a wondeful time to seek the Lord while He may be found!


I was at the "Club" as mom calls it...the Assited Living home for Alzheimers patients and led them in worship of our Savior and read to them from the book of Hebrews. Relating the fact that those in the Hall of Faith of Hebrews walked in faith and trusted God with their lives and their example was written down for us through the ages as an example for us to follow!

I had such a wonderful time with them as we sang and they shared what they were thankful for.

After our time was over, a 90 year old man came up to me to thank me for the beautiful time of worship he and his wife were able to share. Then he quickly rebuked me for not coming to one of the other homes in the area for the past year while his wife resided there! He said he phoned many of the area churches and asked for a worship service, and throughly rebuked me for not using my talents for the Lord this past year, and then asked me where I had been.

I shared with him that I was at home caring for my Mother In Law with Alzeimers, and that she is now here at this home and I now have more time to come in and share. He quickly excused me for my absence this past year elsewhere and told me that this particular day was their 70th wedding anniversary! I shared with him what an awesome accomplishment that was and must take the power of God, and that our 27 years pale in comparison!

Have you been using the talents God has given you to share the good news of Jesus Christ lately?

© Monika Hardy

I will cast all my Cares upon You

© Monika Hardy

1894 Agicultural Almanac

1894 Agricultural Almanac

A Thanksgiving Hymn
"Have you cut the wheat in the blowing fields,

The barley, the oats and rye,

The golden corn and the pearly rice?

For the winter days are nigh."

"We have reaped them all from shore to shore,

And the grain is safe on the threshing floor."
"Have you gathered the berries from the vine

And the fruits from the orchard trees,

The dew and the scent from the roses and thyme

In the hive of the honey-bees?"

"The peach and the plum and the apple are ours,

And the honey-comb from the scented flowers."
"The wealth of the snowy cotton-field

And the gift of the sugar-cane,

The savory herb and nourishing root -

There has nothing been given in vain,

We have gathered the harvest from shore to shore,

And the measure is full and running o’er."

Then lift up the head with a song!

And lift up the hands with a gift!

To the ancient giver of all

The spirit of gratitude lift!

For the joy and promise of Spring,

For the hay and clover sweet,

The barley, the rye, and the oats,

The rice and the corn and the wheat,

The cotton and sugar and fruit,

The flowers and the fine honeycomb,

The country, so fair and so free,

The blessing and the glory of home,

"Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!"

Joyfully, gratefully call,

"To God, the preserver of men,

"The bountiful Father of all."

© Monika Hardy

The praying man

Not that I speak in respect of want:

for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,

therewith to be content.

Philippians 4:11

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

to the which also ye are called in one body;

and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3:15

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:

it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise:

be thankful unto him,

and bless his name.
For the LORD is good;

his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 100

No matter the sadness or situation that may loom about,

a thankful heart can raise the voice of praise

and cloud the thoughts of doubt.

Mercy that is forever, and Truth that is eternal

which brings songs of thankfulness for our God

in the believers heart... one and all!

A November Recipe...

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Fall Giveaway...

By the way....Blessed Femina has a lovely fall apron giveaway,

and you might want to go take a look and enter the give away!

© Monika Hardy

On being Thankful

As this month of November begins, a National Holiday of Thanksgiving will be upon us quickly. An attitude of gratitude is a matter of the heart, everyday of the year.

What is the origin of America's annual Thanksgiving Day?

"The grateful Pilgrims then declared a three-day feast, starting on December 13, 1621, to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends. While this was not the first Thanksgiving in America (thanksgiving services were held in Virginia as early as 1607), it was America's first Thanksgiving Festival."

PRESIDENTIAL THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATIONS

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor"

The Pilgrims made a very long journey in miserable conditions to flee religious persecution and find a land where they could worship God freely. Even though the trip was miserable and they didn't have much when they arrived on the chores of North America they were grateful.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" --

William A Ward

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3:15

© Monika Hardy