Session Notes

The People Pleasers – Grace Walk Ministries:::Sharing the Love & Life of Christ:

“God gives you the desires of your heart. He places them there, but if you don’t know who you are you may spend your whole life trying to fulfill other people’s plan for your life. Many a frustrated Christian has struggled with finding fulfillment in life because they’re trying to be something and do something they’ve never been called by God to do. The meaning of grace, in part, is ‘divine enablement.’ By His grace, God enables you to be all that He has called you to be and do all that He has called you to do. But remember this: His grace doesn’t empower you to be and do what somebody else has called you to do. Who God has made you to be is wonderful, so you must resolve to be that person. Any effort to be somebody else is an affront to God because it suggests that you (or others) better know who you’re supposed to be and what you’re supposed to be doing. Don’t live for other people. It will wear you out. Instead, live from the identity in Christ that your Father has given you. Then you will be free to be and do all that you were designed for. The Apostle Paul once said, ‘I’m not trying to be a people-pleaser!”

This is a good article except the pleasing God section and some law. I pray we do not hamper the SPIRIT IN OTHERS BY OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THEM.

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CBC News – Consumer Life – Labelling deadline may keep natural health products off shelves:

“Natural health producers today are being asked to supply double-blind studies and human clinical trials to back claims made on the labels, even when safety has been established, he said. It’s a very expensive requirement for small- to medium-sized firms. ‘Back in 2004 some products were approved very quickly, but if the same applications were made in 2008 or 2009, they might not have gotten their licence,’ said Carter. New Brunswick pharmacist John Staples said he’ll have to stop selling several herbal and homeopathic medicines in April — not because they’re unsafe but because the producer considers Canada too small a market to invest in the licensing procedure. ‘Crazy’ standards, says N.B., pharmacist He expects herbal and homeopathic medicines to be the most affected and says it’s ‘crazy’ for Health Canada to apply the same standards to both pharmaceuticals and natural health products. ‘Pharmaceutical drugs are far more potent and just a slight deviation in dosage can be dangerous,’ said Staples, whose Moncton pharmacy Staples Drugs, has sold both types of drugs for 40 years. ‘A doctor can prescribe the arthritis drug Celebrex for you, but it can also cause a heart attack,’ he said as an example. ‘With homeopathic drugs, you can take 10 times the dosage and there’s no problem.’”

Forgiving Ourselves – Grace Walk Ministries:::Sharing the Love & Life of Christ:

“‘I know that God has forgiven me, but I just can’t forgive myself,’ someone recently said to me after describing a recent period of time in his life when he had made the choice to repeatedly commit the same sin again and again. As Christians always do, he had finally reached the place where he couldn’t stand the thought of living like that for the rest of this life. So he cried out to his Deliverer and the cycle of sin was broken. The foolish behavior was now a thing of the past, but he couldn’t disconnect from it mentally and emotionally. A sense of guilt and self-condemnation was draining him of his energy, enthusiasm and joy. He wasn’t still committing the sin, but was as miserable as he had been when he was. ‘So you do believe that God has forgiven you?’ I asked. ‘Yes,’ he answered, ‘but I can’t forgive myself for what I’ve done. I’ve been a Christian long enough to know better.’ After we had talked awhile and nothing I said seemed to be sinking in, I finally asked him, ‘Do you think you’re better than God?’ ‘What do you mean?’ he asked. ‘I mean that if the blood of Christ is sufficient for God to look at you and say, ‘Forgiven,’ what will it take for you to forgive yourself? If the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for this sin you committed isn’t enough for you, what will it take? You’ve set a standard for yourself that is obviously higher than the one God has set.’”

This is a great encouragement to allow children the grace for God to change them! There is no need for guilt/drivenness. May it be so for the world.

Canadian Home Education Resources – Good Stuff for Home School Families:

“CHER CATALOGUE Alpha Omega Publications Anthologies & Treasuries Art Audio Bible Character Development Computers Contest Critical Thinking Early Education Economics Fun & Games Geography Gift Certificate Health History & Culture Home Economics Language Arts Languages Leadership Math Math Supplements Music Novels & Such Pencils Physical Education Recommended Resources Sale Bin Science Seasonal Unit Studies”

Home School Resources in Calgary – Stores:

“Canadian Home Education Resources Specializing in home schooling materials. 108 – 1289 Highfield Cr SE, Calgary, AB T2G 5M2 Phone: (403) 243-4443 Fax: (403) 243-9727 http://www.canadianhomeeducation.com”

Canadian Home Education Resources – Critical Thinking:

“Problem Solving, Reasoning, Logic, and Arguments Develops logical thinking for superior reading comprehension and test success. Description & Features Critical Thinking teaches your child to think logically, present well-developed arguments, and see through unsupported arguments. Book One helps students develop the fundamentals of logic, argumentation, and critical reading. Easy-to-understand explanations of concepts are followed by examples and real-life, often humorous, discussion problems. Students learn to identify valid and invalid claims and arguments, sufficient and insufficient evidence, fact and opinion, … List Price: $27.95 per EACH Stock:  Yes Qty:    Need More Info? Click here for added information such as Author, Ages, Sample Pages, Links, etc”

Canned Goods and Closed Hearts – Grace Walk Ministries:::Sharing the Love & Life of Christ:

“My parent’s generation had known what is was like to be without food. Consequently, somewhere deep inside them a voice must have said, ‘I will never be caught without enough food to eat again.’ Thus, the massive inventory of canned goods. Come what may in life, there would be food in the cabinets. I think that’s how many of us face most areas of our lives. We have faced circumstances at times that created a sense of loss or need within us. Because the situation was painful, somewhere deep inside us, we said, ‘This won’t ever happen to me again.’ So we hoarded what we have and shut the cabinet door. We went into the self-protection mode. Some were hurt by a friend and have now closed the door on vulnerability. They’ll never trust another person as a true friend. Others have had a marriage go sour. Today, they won’t completely open up to their mate because of fear. If they give everything, they risk losing everything again. Some were burned at church. Now, they have lumped all churches in the same hypocritical pile and won’t become an integral part of a church fellowship. The hurts differ, but the response is common. Shut the door of my heart and don’t risk losing what I have or being hurt. After all, if it happened once, . . . What ‘great depression’ have you experienced in life? What commodity did you feel you had taken from you when you needed it most? Was it trust? Love? Friendship? What have you lost? As a result have you tried to stuff those things deep inside you that you don’t want to ever lose again? Are you fearful to take them out? Have you resolved that you’ll never find yourself in that kind of situation again?”

This is a great article which describes what happens when a person who has been hurt in turn hurts another. I pray J.C’s Spirit will teach the us, our families, friends, clients, schools, and world to be vlulnerable again in life. God show us other’s hearts/hurts so we will not feel a hint of judgement.

Heavenly Father, I Am Your Child – Grace Walk Ministries:::Sharing the Love & Life of Christ:

“Every blessing in Christ Jesus is already mine. (See Ephesians 1:3) By faith, I will enter in to the grace-filled walk that you have prepared for me. (See Romans 5:2) I am everything you say I am. (See1 Corinthians 15:10) I can do everything you have called me to do. (See Philippians 4:13) I can have all that you have called me to have. (See Psalm 84:11) My days will only grow brighter.(See Proverbs 4:18) Your favor is upon me and will never leave me.(See Lamentations 3:22-23) Nothing that comes my way can harm me. (See Isaiah 54:17) You orchestrate my circumstances so that everything works out for my good. (See Romans 8:28)  Without wavering, I will hold tightly to the hope I say I have, because You can be trusted to keep your Promise. (See Hebrews 3:23)”

This is beautiful! I pray Jesus’ Spirit teaches/reminds/lives these promises through us, our families, friends, schools, clients, and world every moment!