All That I Am Today
(A ministry for THIS moment)
"Offering everything we are to the Lord."
most writing is by South Dakota author BJ Reese
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WELCOME TO ALL THAT i AM TODAY TEACHING MINISTRY
Bonnie (BJ) Reese
Founder
Jan Suntken
Founding Partner
Kelly F. Miller
Ministry Partner
Amy K. Ellis Ministry Partner
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." ~ 1 Corinthians 14:33
ALL THAT I AM TODAY
~ ministry moments ~
Jan., 2023, to date
A SEASON OF TRANSITION, part 2​
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Greetings, Everyone!
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It has been a crazy-busy few weeks since our third quarter ended, and I am only now getting around to sharing our latest news here. Please, bear with me as I try to bring you up to speed . . .
In June, we presented the third seminar in our "A Gathering of Hearts" series (Creating Balance, and Staying In The Moment), and received some very useful and positive feedback from those in attendance. On September 21, we presented the fourth and final seminar in the series (Who Am I? & CAN I Make A Difference?), also to some very positive feedback.
With the series completed, we have some important prep work to do this Fall:
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Organize all materials and props, for all seminars, into a portable storage system. This will make it easier to travel to other locations to present the series.
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With the Seminar series completed, our next plan is to take the series on the road. We are prepared to travel up to 200 miles from Rapid City, SD, to bring the series to your location.
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Expecting that all of that preparation is completed before Christmas: we plan to begin a community outreach effort, to small groups, churches, organizations --- anyone who would like to hear one or all of the topics being offered --- after the first of the year.
TOPICS:
1. Telling God, “Thank-You.”
2. Surrender.
3. Calling Out to God.
4. Recognizing God’s Voice.
5. Creating Balance.
6. Staying in the Moment.
7. Who Am I?
8. CAN I Make a Difference?
We are excited to see where God takes us next with this wonderful message He has given us to share!
In November, we participated in a Craft/Vendor Fair in Rapid City. We made some good contacts, shared some information about our ministry, and raised a little money to help support us.
Please keep us in your prayers as we organize and, in some cases, restructure our materials in preparation to take "A Gathering of Hearts" on the road. We will need clarity, wisdom, discernment, and focus as we move forward from here.
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At some point, we have plans to record all of the seminars in this series, so we can offer them to folks who live more than 200 miles away. For now, we feel God telling us to hold off on that plan. We will focus our energies and efforts on the work needed to be ready for 2025.
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Your prayers and encouragement are greatly appreciated. Please be sure to reach out to us if your group or organization is interested in having us visit you in the coming year. We are now reserving dates. You'll find an email link at the bottom of this page; or you can reach us on Facebook. You'll find a link to our Facebook group at the top and bottom of the page.
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To His Glory . . .​
To His Glory . . . BJ, Jan, Kelly, & Amy
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A SEASON OF TRANSITION​
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I know, it’s been quite a while since we posted anything new on these pages. We’ve been in a state of transition over these past few months. To be perfectly honest, our heads are only now beginning to stop spinning. We thank you for your patience while we were away . . .
We completed the second Seminar in our “Gathering of Hearts” series, and presented it in February. The day after that presentation, God began opening doors to other possibilities. As He did, He made it clear to us that we are definitely to complete this series, and present it more than once! It was exhilarating to have that confirmation!
Of course, God always tempers excitement with humility . . . so we were thrown a few curve balls, which managed to steer us off course, temporarily. As we became more disoriented and confused by those distractions, it became harder to see what the next step was supposed to be. So, we sat quietly, waiting for the fog to lift.
I say “we” because I dragged the whole Team along with me on this wild ride. The Truth is, I lost my way --- in the noise and exciting chaos of the world around me. Ever faithful to God’s plan and purpose for us, my Teammates stood by, steadfast in their determination to help God show me His Truth. I am SO grateful to Him for bringing them into my life!!!
As this Spring progresses toward Summer, we will keep you apprised of further changes . . . as we learn what they are. However, we WILL wait quietly, for God’s instruction before we take any action.
While you’re here, make sure you watch for changes and new features on our other main pages. They will be coming shortly, as we can get the editing done during our construction phase. Among other things, we are releasing a new T-shirt design in May (see the photo, just below this article). This one takes a humorous approach to the Christian view of this world being only our temporary home (see Hebrews 13:14-15). We are currently accepting pre-orders for that shirt, between now and May 1 (see the promotional announcement, below this article).
There will also be something new coming on the pages of each of our regular columns . . . a Table of Contents for all of the articles ever written in that column. Our purpose for this feature is to turn our vast assortment of articles and stories into a sort of research library. Readers will be able to peruse the list of titles, in search of topics that may be of interest to them. Our hope is that these lists will make it easier for you to: a) find a favorite you remember reading, or b) locate an article that may address some concern you’re struggling with in your life. The titles will be listed in alphabetical order for each of those pages.
The lists will begin to appear between now and April 26th. However, this new feature will remain “under construction” while I work to complete it the way we've envisioned it. When it is finished and fully functional, each title will be linked to the place on the web site where you can read that article. We thank you, in advance, for your patience during this time-consuming process.
With the addition of the new shirt we mentioned, we decided this would be a good time to give our shirts a place of their own on the web site. Therefore, we will be separating the shirts and the books . . . keeping the books where they are, and creating a new page for the shirts, and some other items we're going to be offering.
As we move through 2024, we will keep you informed of what’s going on for us at All That I Am Today. For now, we can tell you this . . . it appears that God is directing us to put teaching and outreach communication on the front burner. In an effort to give Him our best effort, some of the other things we’ve always done will be --- for now --- slowed down, or set aside.
Please, stay tuned --- here, and on our Facebook Group’s page --- to learn more about the exciting new adventure God has planned for us.
To His Glory . . . BJ, Jan, Kelly, & Amy
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EMBRACE THE CHANGES​
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Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
The words of this much-loved verse are hard to hold onto when we’re going through major changes in our lives. Yes, it is true that some changes are exciting and exhilarating. However, many changes are unsettling, to say the least. In some cases, they can be downright terrifying.
Major health challenges, the loss of a job or home, the death of someone we love and cherish . . . all of these can leave us nearly paralyzed with fear. All of that anxiety begins to fade when we can turn our thoughts back to The Word. The bright promise found in this verse from the profit Jeremiah starts to turn the tables. They assure us that God can and will do something wonderful with everything . . . filling us with hope.
In honor of the wondrous changes around us during this Autumn season, all of this month’s passages are related – in some way – to the topic of change. Our prayer is that each of you finds some nugget of strength, courage, or peace in the verses we’ve chosen this month.
We wish you God’s bright and abundant blessings . . . and the comfort of
His glorious peace, as you travel the ever-changing road of life.
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To His Glory . . .
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BE WHO YOU ARE
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For most of my life, I’ve felt inadequate in terms of how I could contribute to God’s Kingdom. It seemed obvious to me that I possessed none of the necessary skills required for doing His work. I am not drawn to the notion of travelling to faraway lands on mission trips. The idea of walking through run down neighborhoods, talking with the folks who live there, gives me the willies. I’m not comfortable in a room full of young children.
I admire effective speakers and pastors, who inspire and motivate others with their words. I’ve even envied their ability and opportunities to do that. But I am not gifted in that area. The truth of the matter is, I could see lots of things I couldn’t do, and it left me feeling guilty. Even more useless to God’s Kingdom.
After all, I’m just a woman who likes to write things down. A person who sees pictures in the written word. I couldn’t see any way God could possibly use that to further His Kingdom. One day, I shared my frustrations with God.
“I cannot do what those people do, Father! I can’t do any of those things! How can I possibly be of any use to you, when I can’t do what they do?”
As I cried my questions to God, the Spirit whispered His answer into my heart. “Do what YOU do! That is your purpose.”
Slowly, I am finally beginning to understand. To me, my writing may seem like a steady stream of random thoughts. But I keep forgetting that it isn’t up to ME to decide how those thoughts will be used. That is up to the One Who called me to write them down.
Today, I bring this lesson to you. As you seek to discover your role in God’s plans for the Kingdom, don’t overthink it. Be who you are . . . who He Created you to be. He will do the rest . . .
To His Glory . . .
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FREEDOM
In honor of America’s Independence Day, all of this month’s articles are related to freedom . . .
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A movie I recently watched posed a fascinating question:
“Do miracles happen because we believe? Or do we believe because miracles happen?”
Wow! Really chicken-or-the-egg thinking, huh? As I watched the movie, and heard them pose the question again, near the end, a thought occurred to me . . .
It seems to me that miracles happen whether we believe, or not. To me, the real question is, “Will we notice?” When I realized this, I knew I wanted to pose my questions to you.
Are YOU tuned in, to the way God’s Hand shapes the world around you? Is YOUR heart open to the shape, the sound, the structure of a miracle? Will YOU recognize it?
My friends, our time on this Earth is – in terms of God’s timeline – finite. Miniscule. Fleeting. We are here for only a blink of God’s Mighty, all-seeing eye. While we’re here, miracles happen all around us . . . Every. Single. Day. As His children, we are free to choose what we believe about Him and His miracles. As Americans, we still have the freedom to express those beliefs.
So, I invite you to accept this challenge. Ask God to keep your eyes and heart wide open --- to all the wonders of this glorious adventure called life. Then, don’t stop at simply noticing the miracles He sends your way. Acknowledge them.
Thank Him profusely for showing them to you. Give the people around you the chance to see the wonder that God has revealed to you. Let the glorious Light of His unending Love shine through you.
You see, my friends, there is one truth that this delightful movie failed to specifically mention. Despite that fact, my heart pondered that truth long after the movie had ended. This life IS a miracle! The fact that we are alive at all is the very first miracle that every single one of us already experienced. That we are here, to have this discussion, is also a miracle.
Don’t waste this precious gift. Share it, every chance you get! Let others see, in the way you live your life, what you already know about miracles . . .
To His Glory . . .
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HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
From all of us at All That I Am Today Teaching Ministry,
we wish you and your family a Happy and Blessed Father's Day!
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As things with this ministry continue to grow and change, I find myself reflecting on changes in me over the course of the last few years. One of those changes involves my attitude about fathers . . .
Growing up with only my mother as an adult role model, I had varying attitudes about having a dad in my life. When I was little (up through first grade), I longed for a daddy of my own. Other kids had one . . . it must be SO nice! My mother’s brief remarriage, when I was seven, put an end to that desire. If all fathers were as abusive and controlling as my stepdad, I wanted no part of having a dad.
By the time I was a teenager, I was happily determined to do without one. I realized how well my mom had filled the role of ‘dad’. Her guidance was firm and loving. He discipline was fair, consistent, and predictable. She was reliable. She could always be counted on to show me the right way to live, and that I was always loved unconditionally. Because of those truths, I was contented with the way things were. Mom was the only ‘daddy’ I needed.
As I learned more about God, growing up, I added Him to the equation. Mom was the only ‘daddy’ I needed, and God was the only Father I needed. I was sure I knew all there was to know on the subject. Certain that my thoughts were on the right track.
Being a part of a strong church family, since 2004, I’ve learned how flawed my attitude really was. Yes, Mom made sure we were taught the values and concepts a father would normally teach his children. And, she showed us unconditional love, over and over again. Still, her teachings were always filtered through a female emotional system. No matter how hard she tried, she could not possibly give us the male perspective on anything.
Listening to our pastors and other church leaders, and observing the loving, godly dads in our congregation, I see the truth more clearly now. My understanding of a father’s role in a child’s life has changed a lot. While it was always easy to imagine why a boy might need a dad, I now realize his value to a little girl. He can show her what a godly man acts like, how he treats a woman, how to recognize a man who isn’t good for her . . . among many other things a girl can learn from her father.
I don’t share these wandering thoughts with you in search of sympathy. I harbor no regrets about my own upbringing. But, I do feel compelled to pass along what I have learned. If you are blessed to have your father in your life, do your best to cherish that for all it’s worth. Listen to his guidance. Ask his advice now and then --- especially if you’re “all grown up”. Apply the lessons he has taught you . . . and let him know you appreciate him. God has placed him in your life to show you how to live.
If you’re a dad, remember that God Created that role specifically with you in mind. His intention is that you guide your children along a godly path. That you show them what God’s unconditional love and forgiveness look like.
Whether you’ve been at it for years, or have just become a father. If you’re now enjoying the role of grandpa or great-grandpa. Or, maybe, you’re in a position to guide, coach, and/or mentor younger men – and boys – around you. Whatever fatherhood role God has placed you in, remember this:
You are God’s Earthly representative. His best hope for people to know what He is like. Through you, the people you love and care about have an opportunity to get a glimpse of the Father’s Love for them. If what they see in you is attractive to them, and makes them feel loved and cared for, they will be far more likely to seek out their own personal relationship with God.
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To His Glory . . .
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EXCITING CHANGES . . .
From all of us at All That I Am Today Teaching Ministry, we wish you and your family a Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day! Whether you’re a first-time mom, or an experienced "pro", a grandparent/great-grandparent, a Foster Mom, Stepmom, a mom to your cherished fur-babies . . . or a mentor to a young person who has no mom at home. Whatever your specific situation is, know that you are precious to God . . . and that this day is set aside to honor you for all you do in the lives of those you love and care for. Your influence on the lives of the young people in your circle does not go unnoticed --- ever.
If you are celebrating without your mom this year, know that God feels the ache in your heart . . . and He loves your mom more than you can possibly know. It has been 24 years since I celebrated Mother’s Day with my mother, and I won’t lie to you --- it hasn’t always been easy. Making the transition, from honoring my mom to BEING the mom has been a challenge, to say the least.
Fortunately, God has opened my eyes to the countless ways in which my kids and grandkids show me their love, every day of the year. Not just on Mother’s Day. The more I learn about what it is to be honored and respected by my family, the more I long to teach others what I’ve learned.
Among those lessons: life is fluid, and ever-changing. Some of those changes can be painful and difficult to endure. And some of them are wonderful, exciting, glorious additions to our lives. No matter what kind of changes they are, change never goes to waste in God’s plan. It all works to His Glory. Recently, my family – and this ministry – have been the recipients of wonderful changes . . .
Welcome to our family, Abigail Kay Reese! We are SO glad you’re here!!!
Welcome to our Ministry Team, Amy K. Ellis! We are excited to have you with us!
Of both of these new additions, I can honestly say this. I look forward, eagerly, to witnessing what God has planned next. Watching Him weave together the tapestry of our lives is the most exciting adventure I can imagine.
All of us at All That I Am Today wish you a Happy Mother's Day, and we pray that you will continue to ride along with us, wherever the road leads next. We have a strong feeling that this journey is just getting started!!!
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To His Glory . . .
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HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY!!!
Five years ago today, at an urging from the Holy Spirit, this web site was launched. At first (I thought!), it was a place where I was to post various articles I wrote. A collection of the endless ramblings of my mind. Before long, I was prompted to add family stories and personal conversations I’d had with God.
Delighted to have a place for my thoughts to go, I eagerly wrote down everything that came into my mind. Two years later, the murmurings of change began to stir my spirit once again. My friend Jan and I met often, hungrily exploring every possibility we could imagine. God was up to something, and we were anxious to learn what it was.
In September, 2020 – during the height of the COVID crisis – this ministry was born. When we chose the name, we suddenly understood an important part of the web site’s purpose. It was to be Home Base for this ministry. Today, our list of teaching topics is growing and taking shape. God has, through a Facebook Group, provided us with an audience which is growing larger all the time.
Our first five years have been a fascinating and exciting journey. So much so, that I actually have to notice the dates in order to realize that it’s been five full years already. It doesn’t seem that long ago at all.
To date, we have posted 180 articles on this web site, with an estimated total of 110,160 words. The joy and wonder of watching God shape, guide, and provide for this ministry have been – and continue to be – an overwhelming thrill. Totally beyond my ability to express in words.
As we mark this exciting milestone, we want to thank you all for joining us on this adventure. We hope you will continue to follow us as we eagerly wait to see what the future holds. Be sure you check out our Birthday Sale, on our Products & Services page! To help us celebrate, our other pages will feature a re-print of the very first article that appeared on that page. That way, those of you who have joined us in the past few months can discover more about how we started.
Enjoy, and may you be blessed by the things you read here . . .
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To His Glory . . .
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GOD IS MOVING!
As February drew to a close, Jan, Kelly, and I found ourselves in awe of the work God is doing through this ministry. Much of it is – at this time – only evident to the three of us . . . but that doesn’t make it any less exciting. Watching God grow this ministry has been one of the biggest thrills any of us can remember. We can hardly wait to see what He will do next!
Meanwhile, there are ways for you to keep up with what is happening here at All That I Am Today. First, there’s this column, where we try and keep you abreast of what we’re learning or what we’re doing. In addition, there are four other pages where we post new articles or stories every month: Precious Legacy, Wings of Hope, Tapestries, and Conversations With God.
Each of these five pages have an “Archives” set up, where you can read every article we’ve posted since that page was conceived. In all, you’ll find four pages under the “Articles & Stories” tab, and 11 pages under the “Archives” tab. Under “About Us”, you can read how all of this came about to begin with, and how God brought the three of us together.
If you’d like to interact with other folks who are following our ministry, you can do so in our Facebook Group: All That I Am Today. There, we study Scripture passages on a variety of topics, and share our thoughts and concerns. When prayer needs arise, members share them here, where they are met with compassion and grace.
None of what we’re doing would be possible without the efforts of our amazing Prayer Support Team . We give them quarterly updates about the ministry. In turn, they lift us up in prayer, and offer us their encouragement.
We encourage you to access these various resources, and follow us on this extraordinary journey. If you feel you’d like a slightly more active role in our work, we invite you to become a part of our Prayer Support Team. If you’re feeling Led in that direction, we would love to have you!
God is moving, folks! And we love having you along for the ride!
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To His Glory . . .
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THE WONDER OF YOU​
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I chose passages about love for this month’s Scripture Reflections.
With each passage, I’ve posted some personal comments . . .
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
~ Deuteronomy 6:5
I’ve always enjoyed the music of Elvis Presley, especially the beautiful ballad, “The Wonder of You”. Several years ago, I found myself singing those lyrics aloud as I drove to Hill City for a women’s event at church. As I sang, I realized I wasn’t simply recalling the words, or singing to thoughts of some person. I was singing to God!
With my heart overflowing with joy and gratitude for all that God has done, and is doing, in my life, those lyrics were a song of praise to My Heavenly Father. With a couple of minor word changes in the second verse, Elvis’ heartfelt lyrics make a perfect praise song . . .
When no one else can understand me,
When everything I do is wrong;
You give me hope and consolation,
You give me strength to carry on.
And you’re always there, to lend a hand
In everything I do.
That’s the wonder . . . the wonder of You.
And when You smile, the world is brighter;
You touch my heart, and make it sing.
Your grace to me is worth a fortune;
Your love for me means everything.
I guess I’ll never know the reason why
You love me as You do.
That’s the wonder . . . the wonder of You.
Whenever my heart is overwhelmed with the joy and awe of all that God has done for me, I find myself singing this song. Always out loud. And it seems as though I can never make it all the way through without tears of profound gratitude rolling down my cheeks. Elvis Presley’s beautiful love song has become the song of loving, grateful praise that I sing to my Father . . .
Thank you, LORD, for providing the perfect words to express the love I feel for You . . . ~ BJ
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To His Glory . . .
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WELCOME TO ALL THAT I AM TODAY!​
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PART OF THE STORY​
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For many years, I lived in absolute certainty that there was no way God could use me to further His Kingdom. That I had nothing to offer. I wasn’t scholarly. I wasn’t a preacher, and I hadn’t studied the Bible. I didn’t even talk like a Christian much of the time! My greatest passion was my writing. It always had been. But I didn’t write anything that really made a difference to anyone. I certainly wasn’t writing godly manuscripts or useful textbooks. I didn’t write things that mattered. Or, so I had always thought.
Then, Pastor Ben issued a Scripture Challenge at church one week. We were invited to write down 100 passages --- one each day for 100 days. Deciding to share my journey into this adventure in our Facebook group, I found myself inspired to share my thoughts and comments on some of the passages. I don’t know what I expected . . . but the results have been surprising. Humbling.
People began reading them, and coming back the next day to read the next one. They began commenting on them; even thanking me for sharing them. They began asking me to keep the challenge going, after those first 100 passages were completed. As this year began, I found myself halfway through our NEXT 100 Scripture passages. We are learning and growing together, through our exploration of God’s Word.
Also, as Christmas approached, I was asked to read a story to a group of children at a special Christmas party. The story was one I had written, about why we celebrate Christmas. I wrote it in the hope of making the Bible story easier for young children to understand . . . so they would know the Truth about Christmas.
It was fun to read to those precious youngsters. The kids loved the story, and asked for copies of it that they could take home with them. After the party was over, I realized something wonderful. I felt as though I had become a PART of the story of Jesus’ birth by reading that book to those children. God had used me, and the simple words I had written, to share His Greatest Gift with a group of children.
After decades of thinking I had nothing to offer God, I suddenly saw that I had been wrong. I realized that God could use my writing --- just the way it is --- to reach other people with His love. It isn’t ME, or my efforts, that makes it special. It’s HIM! Our amazing, loving, and clever Father had created a way to make use of the one thing I truly loved to do! The awe and wonder of that knowledge has permeated every fiber of my being, ever since that Christmas party. It takes my breath away. It leaves me . . . speechless.
So, I ask you: what is YOUR favorite thing to do? That thing that always quiets and rejuvenates your spirit, every single time you do it? Try this: offer your hobby, craft, skill --- whatever it is --- to God. Ask Him to use what you do for His purpose. Then, watch as He answers that prayer. You won’t be sorry . . . God can make YOU a part of the story --- a part of His mighty plan --- just the way you are.
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To His Glory . . .
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