Happy Anniversary To Me - A Gift For You!

Today is my one year anniversary! Who would believe it? Not me!


I started blogging as a way to practice and improve my writing skills, and hopefully, to encourage someone in the process. It has turned into a sweet blessing for me, making so many new friends in cyberspace. My life will never be the same because of you!

To thank you for your encouragement and support over the past year, I am hosting my first "give-away". Everyone who shares a comment will be entered in a drawing for the newest Max Lucado book "Fearless". To be eligible to win, please leave me a comment on the blog (http://www.eternitycafe.blogspot.com/) or reply to this email. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win. At the end of the week, one of my kids will pull the winning name.


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To commemorate this anniversary, I'm sharing my first blogpost, still one of my favorites!
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Monday, October 13, 2008
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Thanks for visiting Eternity Cafe today. Well, friends, I'm finally in the 21st century, and here's my first post!! It is my desire that this blog will serve to shine God's light in your life and mine. I just love to share ideas, stories, illustrations, photos, even recipes as they come to me, either through my crazy brain or by way of email, devotions, sermons, conversation, etc. I hope that you will join me adding your insights by posting your comments.

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For my first post, I chose a story that is near and dear to my heart. Years ago, when my 20 year old daughter was just four, we were standing side by side in church singing during the worship service. (By the way, she now stands beside her dad as she plays bass guitar leading the worship with him! How time flies!) But at that time, my observant little girl asked me a question. She said, "Why do people raise their hands when they worship?" I was just about to share my great wisdom with her, providing some brilliant answer when I felt the Lord just shutting my mouth tight. So I asked her, "Why do you think that people raise their hands when they worship?" To which she thoughtfully replied, "I think that they are holding hands with God."
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From that moment on, I always asked her (and my son) what they thought before I provided my answer!
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Her answer revealed so much insight into what our relationship with God ought to be. It was the prophet Micah who said, "He has showed you, O man (or woman), what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." You might say "... to walk holding hands with God."
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Now just imagine that you are a child holding the hand of your Father. His hand covers yours, and you feel His protection. He is so much bigger than you are. He is gripping you tightly because He doesn't want to lose you. He doesn't want any harm to come to you. He wants to protect you, even though sometimes He allows you to reap consequences, because that too, is for your good.
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Imagine as you hold His hand where His eyes are. He can see across the street. He can see what lies ahead. He can see where the dangers are, and He can shield you from them. Imagine His vision and realize how limited your vision is. And remember, when a child holds her daddy's hand, it is gripped and supported - He is doing the holding! It is not nearly as difficult as when you try to keep your hand raised in your own strength.
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Imagine how much the owner of that Hand loves you. How He cares for your every need, even those that you don't realize you have. How His grip is a confirmation of how you are tenderly loved with a strength beyond your own understanding. Realize that if a great danger were heading your way, how He would push you out of the way, and sacrifice Himself that you might live.
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This is what it is to be a child of God.

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:24

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"I want men (& women & children!) everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer."

1 Timothy 2:8.

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Susan