Written by Lori Henson

A vice removes the grip of grace
​It steals the empowerment to run this race
The wooing and cunning, it draws indeed
Planting a dry harvest with a toxic seed

This vice completely straps the heart
It plays a very strategic part
And you run your life without a chance
Of finishing in the freedom dance

The vice is called ADDICTION undaunted
And it longs to live where you can be haunted
It tugs and pulls and drives the stake
Then lingers like an unwanted drake

But, O’ there IS a God who knows
Your every trial, need, and woe
He longs to lavish His love on you
To set you free- He died for YOU!

The Lord, He is the God who heals
And places you in HIS eternal seal
He WILL restore, He WILL deliver
And wash you in His ABUNDANT RIVER

Give it all to Him dear soul
Let Him take His full control
He’ll set you free from vices strength
And all that has enticed you at length

.Written by Susan Stedman

     I don’t know how many of you have been watching “The Chosen” series about the life of Jesus. I hope everyone is because it is the most wonderful, amazing show I have ever seen. Make sure you have plenty of tissue with you because the tears always flow. From the very first episode where Jesus calls Mary by her real name, which only her father had done in childhood, to the latest episode with the healing of the woman with the twelve-year issue of blood, those two episodes mean so much to me that I can barely share it.
     After a year of suffering, I was diagnosed with vertigo in 2012. There are days when all I can do is lie still with my eyes closed, unable to drive or work. Not only have I lived with the disabling dizziness, but with the fear of it coming on at any time. I can say that the fear was just as debilitating as the condition. It would hit most often when I laid down to sleep…a sudden feeling of tilting or rolling. I would shout and grab whatever I could hold onto because I was afraid of falling out of bed. Once it hit, I was down until I could take meds and sleep it off.
     Sunday night, January 8, 2023, my husband and I watched the episode “Clean, Part Two.” I sympathized with the lady who had the issue of blood because in 2010, I had that problem so badly that I nearly died and had to have an emergency hysterectomy and nine blood transfusions to save my life. As the episode drew near the end, the woman followed Jesus, trying so desperately to touch the hem of his garment because she had faith that doing that would heal her. Just as in the scriptures, as soon as she touched Him, He felt it and turned. I was crying my heart out because I could feel vertigo coming on as I watched. All I could think was, “If I could just touch Him, I could be healed of this!"
     Lovingly, Jesus knelt down to her – I was crying so hard I could barely see the screen – and He told her that it was not the cloth she touched, but it was her faith that healed her. I’m not sure what came over me, but I felt that Jesus was speaking to me directly. I always wavered before, not having enough faith to sustain me, but seeing it played out before me was proof that it really was true, what He said. Not what was on TV, but what the Bible said. I prayed and declared my intention. I was afraid to say anything to anyone – sort of hedging my bets – but I realized it was that doubt that had always held my faith back. On Wednesday morning, I told my husband. By then, I had not had vertigo in three days. It had never stayed away so long. A hint of it washed over me a couple of times like it was trying to reassert itself, but I refused it out loud, reclaiming the healing, and when I resisted it, it went away. 
     On that Wednesday night, I learned something that blew me away. The Bible doesn’t mention the woman by name, but on the show, they named her. When my mother was pregnant with me, my father wanted to name me Veronica. He loved that name and called me that most of her pregnancy, I am told that my mother did not like it. My father had never finished high school and, although he was a mechanical genius, he was not very literate. Mother said, “If you can spell it, we will name her that.” So, sadly for him, I was named Susan.
     I was reading about the episode, and I discovered that the woman was called “Veronica.” To me, it was so much like Mary in the first episode, not being called that name except by her father, living a lie as an unclean person, until her real Father called her by name and said, “I have redeemed you, you are mine.”

Update: One week later, still no vertigo. I can sleep on my right side, which I could not do, and I can roll over onto my back, which I haven’t been able to do in years. AMEN!

God Bless you as you become the very best person you were created to be, this year of 2023 and beyond! ​

Written by Clare Chapman 

     Hi! This is Clare Chapman from Kingdom Writer’s Group. It is 11:41pm on December 31, 2022. I am getting excited about 2023! What does God have in store for me-His beloved daughter? I can’t wait to find out! I pray I will dwell in His presence and be forever aware that He lives inside me because I will need Him every day of 2023! He knows all my thoughts, every hair on my head, when I sleep, and when I wake up. He knows what I need today and in the future. He is preparing me for 2023 and He is preparing me a place forever. 
     Now to get real! There are people who suffer in this world for their faith in Jesus. We do not need to take our freedoms in Christ or the freedoms we have left in this country for granted. I can go on a diet, plan all my meals, and find all the ingredients I need for every recipe all the time, but that is not the case for everyone on this planet. I have so much to be thankful for! 
     So what do I do with this year 2023? I think I should make the most of it, appreciate it, and learn during it! I have dreams and you may too. I want to start a YouTube channel and I want to get healthy mentally, physically, spiritually,  and financially with God‘s help. I want to be a good friend, sister, daughter, aunt, speaker and writer. I want to follow God‘s will for me in 2023! Can I do any of this without God?  I could try but why? God says we can do nothing without him. Jesus says in John 15:4-5 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” 
     We are so blessed that the God who created the universe is mindful of us and wants to hold our hand and walk through life with us! the Bible says in Isaiah 41:13 “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Christ came to earth, died for our sins, rose again, and sent the Holy Spirit so we could have a close intimate relationship with Him. Why do you live without Him? We have such a privilege to know Jesus! Knowing Jesus makes me excited on New Year’s Eve! Even when I am alone, I can feel God‘s presence. I am in a warm house beautifully decorated to my taste. I can take a hot bath, cook a hot meal, and drink a cold or hot drink. I am truly blessed beyond measure! BUT my greatest blessing is Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit!!! if tonight you don’t know Jesus…you can! God wants to hold your hand, live inside you and guide you in 2023. His ways are higher, His ways are best, and His ways bring blessings! I trust Him with my 2023. Can you? The joy and power of God‘s presence will be my biggest blessing in 2023! Let it be yours too. 
     I pray Ephesians 3:16-18 over you and your family for 2023 “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ”
Amen!!!

Written by Susan Stedman

Written by Donna Butler

​The art of giving thanks has been lost at times. We forget to appreciate the little things and complain when it doesn’t fit what or how we think it should be. We say thank you sometimes just out of obligation without genuinely appreciating the time someone took to do a kind deed for us. We also take grace, be it from God or people, for granted and feel like we don’t have to say thank you because it is “owed” to us. If we actually got what we “deserved”, would we be thankful then? Gratitude just takes thinking outside of yourself. Remember…THANKS!

Think  Humility  Appreciate  Name  Kindness  Savor

Think about the time, expense, thought, and cost/sacrifice of the gift or action done specifically for you. Remember, the person did not have to, they chose to.
Philippians 4:8 NET “…whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.”

Humility is a modest or low view of one's own importance. You are not God. We don’t deserve all the praise and glory. We need to remember that and be humble. 
Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

Appreciate means to recognize the full worth of… It is a verb which means there needs to be an action behind it. 
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Name, say the person’s name and the item or deed that was done in your thank you. Make it specific and meaningful.
Luke 6:31 “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

Kindness is a character trait. Enough said.
Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Savor is a characteristic of taste, flavor, or smell, especially a pleasant one. Whatever we get is a blessing. So take time to savor the little things.
Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Whatever the case, being thankful has to be intentional…Just take time to give thanks.

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