Circle of LIFE

Girlfriends, Welcome in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior...the Name above all names. On Thursday morning as I was headed to our office I noticed a sign at our local Pizza Hut. "Smiles Wanted. Apply With-in". I immediately went to the day before as I was surrounded in the school lunchroom with beautiful 6th graders all around, busy eating their lunch, noisy as they shared their hearts. Why would I say beautiful? Because there was tons of laughter at no one's expense at the table I happened to be sitting at.

I said to my little girlfriend that I mentor, "Aren't people beautiful when they smile?" She was totally in agreement as well as the other young girls that sat there enjoying lunch and fellowship.

This is not about me, but I want to use myself as an example to show that I fully understand the passage of scripture from Luke 7. I feel that this is so important today and heavy on my heart as February has been the month of "love" for centuries. I wonder, are we showing and giving love like Christ asks of us?

Luke 7:36-50, please take a moment to grab your bible, your coffee and catch up with me.

As you read that passage of scripture, what do you see happening here? I see a MIRACLE. Jesus allows her to TOUCH Him. To accept the tears, to welcome the kiss, to bless the touch. He knew every thing about her past, but more importantly He knows all about her future. She is showing her love for Jesus and He is RECEIVING her love with total abandonment as the Pharisee Simon sat there and watched this exchange. Christ's words are so important here for each one of us that has been this sinful woman...."Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much.", verse 47a NIV. and He goes on to tell her, to tell you and to tell me..."Your sins are forgiven". I have been told to my face to leave, your not wanted here. My heart can grasp the thoughts that Simon was thinking. Perhaps you join me as well....one of many, that could easily have been the woman with the alabaster box. Believe me, I KNOW the sinful woman, and more importantly I received from Christ just as she received from Christ.

But I wonder, what will you and I do with our healing? And that is my challenge for you and I today, tomorrow and always. God does not exclude, so why do we? Being a Christian is not a club, there is no price to pay for us to be a Christian, that price was paid by Jesus Christ at Calvary. It is a gift, may you and I be gift givers.

We have been forgiven MUCH, will we in turn forgive the little? God asked me this as I awoke from my slumber last week, early in the morning. I hadn't been in this passage, but it came front and center, and really hasn't left there. I'm in Esther with CBS (Community Bible Study) and that same week we were learning all about BEING A MEAN WOMAN. Let me tell you, some mean came out of me, and I had to deal with some stuff. But in the midst of that week of homework, God spoke as I mentioned earlier to my heart. Will I forgive the little? Thursday morning as I sat here thinking about that smile wanted and to apply with-in, isn't that a wonderful gift to give to another?

Will you and I allow the sinful woman or man that happens to be in our midst: grace, mercy, and even forgiveness? How about a smile? I want to show you something I learned a few years ago when I received so much healing for my poor choices early in life. It impacted my thinking and it is a great refresher for me today.

Yolanda's Circle of Life:


I ask that you grab your own piece of paper, and emulate what I am presenting to you, but where I have the word "Samaritan" written 12 times outside of my circle, I ask that you write 12 actual names of those that you possibly haven't been allowing in. Samaritans and prodigals alike.

I am doing the very same thing as I haven't done this exercise for a few years and I need to. Then lets you and I commit to praying for these 12 people that Jesus Christ died for, to being kind to them when we are in their presence, to bless with a smile, and to reach out to them. May we cut others and ourselves some slack. You and I may never know, but they could very well be angels. God may very well use us to speak through & by doing so, allowing their own healing.

Hebrews 13:2 NIV "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."

Father God, thank You for Your precious word. For precious healings, for precious Brothers and Sisters that You use to touch our own lives. Lord, we desire to be like You, cause us to open up our circle of life and allow the world's cast off's to truly receive their very own healing. Lord, You are so good to us. May we pour forth grace, mercy and forgiveness today, tomorrow and always. Let that begin with a much needed smile for someone this very day. In the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

**2/08/2009, being in the morning (Sunday) and a flurry for many of us, I decided to bless the evening before. I used random.org pulling the comments from the last post I had written. I wanted to CELEBRATE the one year anniversary of Higher Grounds as a blog with an unannounced give away. Thank You Christ Jesus for writing through me. Thank you Ladies for entering my own Circle of Life this past year. Words can not express what you have done to my heart and to my world. The winner's are as I wanted to choose two: #13 Valerie and #19 Heather C. were picked by using this format. Please send me your U.S. Snail Mail address and I'll get a Beth Moore devotion, journal, pocket calendar and a coaster for your Coffee or Tea headed your direction to each one of you.**