Lyrical Friday - God Be Praised

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Happy Friday! I've had to wait all of November to share today's post with you. The words you are about to hear and read are more than a song, they truly are an anthem that my soul can't help but sing!

The first time I heard this song, it was sung live in a church service. It was as if I was transported to Heaven and all God's people sang in one voice, one accord to our King of Kings. The lyrics of God Be Praised, by Gateway Worship, can only be described as powerful. And as I shared this song with others, they too shared the same sentiments. There are days when my soul is weary and upon crying these words my soul is revived and I can't help but sing.

I pray that God Be Praised may become an anthem for your soul; more than a song, a piece of sacred praise, holy devotion, and a patriotic stand.

David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:10-11

O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple. As your name deserves, O God, You will be praised to the ends of the earth. Your strong right hand is filled with victory. Psalm 19:9-10

Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. Psalm 113:2 

Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. Psalm 145:2-4

God Be Praised, Gateway Worship


You saved my life from death
When I was all defeated
You spoke Your promises
And brought life to my weakness
Came as a conquering King
And You warred for my freedom
My soul can’t help but sing
Hallelujah

You opened up my eyes
For the first time I saw You
Your love commanding life
And deserving devotion
You told me who I am
Now in faith I believe it
My soul can’t help but sing
Hallelujah

You’ve made a place for me
Silenced all my accusers
Leading me forth with peace
Filled with joy I will follow
Your cross demands my life
Now Your grace is my anthem
My soul can’t help but sing
Hallelujah

Hallelujah, we’re redeemed and made free
By the blood of the Lamb We have won
Hallelujah, we will sing victory
Jesus conquered the grave
God be praised

Birthday Surprise! It's Nicole. part 2

Happy Wednesday! Welcome back to the Birthday Series to read part 2 of Nicki's journey.  Get your passport ready, pack your bag, and bon voyage ... you're off to Gulu, Uganda!

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I've never told the bathtub story.

There was a tub. That’s all it was though—an empty beige bathtub with a handheld faucet. My first instinct was, “Damn, I’m going to make a disastrous mess every time I bathe.” I pictured a flood of murky water seeping down the hall into my room. (Which actually happened one morning, but it wasn't my fault, I swear!) Ministry in Uganda is a dirty business; dusty feet, orange-tainted clothes, wash my long hair two or three times just for it to feel clean and the water not be brown, kind of dirty.

Then, there was this one day. This overwhelming, slap-in-the-face, type of day. The kind of day where I prayed on the boda boda (motorcycle taxi) all the way home that I would have enough connection to call my mom and listen to her wisdom. With the time difference I had to wait for her to wake up, of course! It was one of those days where trusting in this great big God of mine, the Creator and Savior of the universe, was harder than getting on that same boda boda with a skirt (NOT easy, people).

It was on this day, in Gulu, Uganda. From one moment to the next, I found myself fully clothed and in fetal position, crying my eyes out for almost three hours… inside of this tub. For that brief time, my world sort of froze. I felt as though it hadn't completely shattered, but it was slightly tilted a little too far over for my comfort, and all I found myself doing was trying to find some sort of balance for my heart, to where it wouldn't topple over and break completely.

I had effectively lost my grip. Had I forgotten what to expect? Had I let my emotions run too deep? Maybe, just maybe I expected too much from someone who was unstable to begin with? How could anyone just leave them? Literally just abandon them in front of my face.

Obviously, God knew the answers to all of the million questions racing through my head.

Here’s the thing— I often wonder how my thoughts towards this world, our duties, this life— how it all would really be to me if I hadn't met Patience and Andrew. While in Uganda, I got a small glimpse into the life of being a mom. I experienced first-hand dealing with the struggles of my kids on a daily basis. I dealt with the personalities accompanied by the attitudes. I saw joy and innocence as well as the hurt and suffering that no child should ever have to experience. It was in the midst of caring for these two precious lives though, that God truly stretched me farther than I ever thought imaginable.

I dealt with their birth mother. She was younger than I with a total of six children. The twins were the youngest of them all at two years old. She was sick. They were starving, literally. And I was found in the mix because God purposefully had me there in Gulu Babies Home on this very same day. She left them there. In that moment, she chose addiction as she walked away from me with her skinny toddlers crying in my arms.

In this moment, curled up in that bathtub, for the first time ever, I actually doubted “purpose”. Has that ever happened to you? Maybe you've never found yourself sitting alone in a tub, but has God ever thrown a curve-ball to you so fast that—forget not even seeing it come—you were just left questioning “is this even real?”

Wisdom from my mom helped only for the moment. The solace provided by roommates, the same.

“God, did I really just experience this? Were these kids that I just grew to love just left behind by their own mother?”

It was in that bathtub that I realized I was trying to remind God of the things He promised to us—telling Him that He was doing it all wrong. Funny right? I didn't think so.

Firmly holding onto God’s promises in the midst of hardship can be a powerful experience. Did I fully trust God at His Word? Definitely not in that moment. I will humbly admit that I had a moment of relapse, but God graciously allowed me to stumble over myself, feel the hurt and vulnerability that He knew I needed, and give me the strength to pick myself back up and make a difference.

He knew.

He allowed the circumstances around me to take place. He didn't feel bad for me, but instead He entrusted me with the blessing of being a part of the beautiful rescue mission that was about to take place in the lives of my twins. Clearly, in my own life as well.

Please be encouraged today in knowing that God’s promises are true. We are loved by a God who is forgiveness, mercy, grace, faithfulness, strength and love. It’s a reminder I need EVERY SINGLE DAY.

And with that truth stored away in my heart, the only purpose for a bathtub from now on is solely to relax! 

Patience, Nicki, and Andrew, first time ever walking in 2 years.
Uganda 2013

Birthday Surprise! It's Monica part 2

Happy Friday! Welcome back to the Birthday Surprise series. Today Monica will be sharing with you part two of her journey in Montana and Guatemala. Be blessed!

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When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.- Genesis 22:9

   During my experience with Ignite, the Lord opened my eyes to how big the Church really is, all the people and the work that’s going on for His Kingdom and all that’s being accomplished as well as all the souls that still needed to be shown His love and compassion. I found myself falling in love with unfamiliar people and places and being very confused as to what to do with my new found desires.

   

At first I was kind of frustrated  “ God, I had my life planned out already I was going to go to school for this many years get my diploma in this, serve you in this way, get married eventually and who knows I might even thrown in a few kids somewhere down the line, why are you changing the plans on me know? why are all of these new desires suddenly popping up, they don’t even logically match up with anything that is naturally me!” ( which looking back now, isn’t that how God usually works? Gotta Love Him for it)

   But the new desires where there none the less, the Lord grew my perspective of who He was and just what He was capable of and just how sovereign He was in my life and in everyone’s life as well, God has a plan and nothing can really stand in the way of HIs will getting accomplished.

    Half way through my time on the field, while I was translating the story of Abraham and Isaac for the Kids program curriculum down in Antigua, the Lord had me experience my own Isaac sacrificing moment. Was I really willing to offer up my Isaac to the Lord, my life, the plans I had made, all of the promises I believed the Lord had given me or the desires that I believed where God given, was I willing to give that all up if He asked me to? Or did I value the gifts more than the Giver? 

The Lord brought me through a season of doubt, events where lining up in a way that made is seem like those newfound desires in my heart were never going to happen, and it looked as if I was going to be left hopeless and shattered, and that feeling of hopelessness and panic at the thought of not having what the Lord had ( I believed) promised me left me broken. 

    Broken not at the fact that I wasn’t going to receive my desires or that I had misheard God, but Broken at the fact that I had placed my eyes on the promises and not the Promiser. My hope was not on Him who redeemed and saved me ( not to mention Loved me unconditionally) it was on His promises. The Lord used that moment to instill in me the importance of placing my hope in Him, not on the things that He can give me.  Yes the Lord provides for us, but the motivation behind my relationship with God has to be Love and gratitude not what I can get out of it. 

    I ( in my own way) tied my promises to the altar and ran a knife through it. The most interesting thing about this passage to me is that God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, but stopped him before he could run the blade through. God is not a liar, and yeah we’ve all heard it before “God was just testing Abraham to see if he would do it”, but how did God know Abraham would really plunge the knife in? How did He know Abraham wouldn’t turn the knife at the very last second? For me the answer lies in the fact that the Lord looks at the heart, and the Lord knew Abraham would sacrifice Isaac physically because he had already done it in his heart. True sacrifice happens within the confines of the heart. 

       My challenge for the duration of my time in Guatemala as well as now that I am home is making sure that when I wake up each morning I put my eyes and hope in Christ, not on anything else, because when my joy is dependent on the God who never changes ( or fails) there’s no person or circumstance that can take it away.

Guatemala 2013

Birthday Surprise. It's Nicole. part 2

Welcome back to Nicki's hope story.
Part 1 (click here) was a great read, yet I tell, part 2 will be even better! May the Lord speak mightily to you!
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Here is a piece of God's hope story: 

She is eight years old. Her brown face contains a smile that can brighten the darkest of moments. Her big black eyes have potential to catch anyone’s attention, and keep it. She is timid at first glance but once she feels comfortable you have nothing more than a young girl full of joy and laughter and smiles dancing around your waist and holding onto your hand for dear life. She is smart, she is kind, and she is beautiful in every way. She has gone through much more difficult struggles in her short eight years than I have in my twenty-two. She is a daughter of the King. She does not know her earthly father, but she is learning to trust in her heavenly one. Her name is Alijati, she is from Kamonkoli, Uganda, and I am her sponsor.

The Lord has used this precious child to teach me lessons I never knew I needed to learn. Lessons on love that go beyond barriers that we put up around ourselves. Lessons on patience and trusting in our God in Heaven that promises to be our strength, our guide, and our help in times of trouble and need. But most importantly, a lesson on how important it is to be obedient to what the Lord is asking of you, in order to not miss out on the will He has for your life.

God had purposed for me and Jati to connect with each other, and because of this and the desire He placed in me to want to do something bigger than myself, her need and my ability intersected. I am able to provide food and education to a worthy child who would have not fully known these things otherwise. And it goes beyond that. In providing for her and being there for her, I am able to give her the opportunity to know Jesus and experience His love and hope in a tangible way; a way that she has never known because of the struggles she's dealt with.

I have my own dreams that start with love and the desire to glorify God, and end with wanting some precious brown faces in Uganda to know about their Father in Heaven who loves them and is intimately acquainted with them. Maybe your hope story isn't a needy child that you can provide for from across the world. Maybe it’s a stranger across the city or a sibling in the next room. My prayer is that our mighty God would strengthen and equip you to do what you may not even know He’s called you to do yet. Allow your ability and the need He places before you to intersect, so that He may be glorified. Open your eyes, open your heart, allow His love to flow through you and watch your hope story, which is really His, unfold right before you.

"We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our hope and our shield. 

In Him our hearts rejoice as we trust in His Holy name." Psalm 33:4 

photo of Nicki and Alijati, Uganda 2012

photo of Nicki and Alijati, Uganda 2012

Alijati is the beautiful girl wearing the white top. 

Lyrical Friday - Overcome

Happy Friday to You! 

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome. the world. John 16:31-33

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This portion of scripture has been one of great comfort in my life, many times. It is often quoted to those who are in the midst of tribulation and sort of blurted out without giving much thought to it. These words, spoken by Jesus, are so heavy in worth. Jesus has overcome this world: tribulation, hunger, thirst, sleep deprivation, loneliness, poverty, humiliation, betrayal, slander, demonic manifestations, temptation, and the greatest of these, sin and death. Do you hear the treasures of this verse being rattled? All that we are going through, and all that we have yet to walk in to, Christ has overcome. And because He has overcome we can take refuge in His comfort, delight in His hope, glory in His praises and rest in His promises. 

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I pray that you may be anchored in this truth today, tomorrow and forever. You are in Christ, a new creation, you no longer have to fear as the world does, but you can be of good cheer in the midst of tribulation. Because Christ was not alone when he walked this earth as a man, neither are you. The Father is with you. He loves you and He cares for you. What matters to you, matters to God; no matter how big or however small the matter may be. He is for you, not against you. Trust Him with your life and as you do, you too will overcome this world. 

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Overcome, Jeremy Camp 

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Seated above, enthroned in the Father's loveDestined to die, poured out for all mankindGod's only son perfect and spotless oneHe never sinned, but suffered as if He did2All authority, every victory is YoursAll authority, every victory is Yours2CHORUS:Savior, worthy of honor and glory,Worthy of all our praise, You overcameJesus, awesome in power forever,Awesome and great is Your name, You overcame2Power in hand speaking the Father's planYou're sending us out, light in this broken land2We will overcome by the blood of the Lamband the word of our testimony, everyone overcome

in the battlefield

Miami, Wedensaday 7:30pm

Hello Lovelies. A very quick post, on the go to share an update and a word of encouragement.
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Two weeks ago from today, my Mother felt a throbbing pain that circulated her right eye, ear and nose. Thinking it to be sinus tension she took meds and to no success. Four days later she was in the hospital and diagnosed with an acute glaucoma attack which caused her to lose her sight. Last Tuesday she arrived to Miami from Dominican Republic and we took her immediately to Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Since then she has undergone 4 laser procedures, 1 eye injection, 2 eye drops every four hours, 1 every hour, 1 before bed and medication. Yesterday she was told that the only option left is surgery. A physical exam was done and preparations for Tomorrow's surgery are on its way.
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Unexpected, unprepared and unbelievable are words that can describe this trial. But the Lord has been so faithful, loving and present. He has sustained us through the prayers and care of the Christian brothers and sisters in our lives. His Word has become and beacon of hope and an anchor for our faith. And so it is my duty to pass on to you, as you are found in the battlefield of a fiery trial, the encouragement that has been poured on us through His Words.
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The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. Exodus 14:14
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Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now. Joshua 23:8
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Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true. Joshua 21:45
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Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
² From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 
Psalm 61:2
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The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
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Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
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But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:10

Lyrical Friday - Beautiful to Me

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Happy Friday!

I first want to wish Stephanie Landa a happy birthday. She is a faithful reader, great prayer warrior and friend. May the Lord's beauty and light continue shinning in you and through you.

As always, I must be honest with you. I had heard of Kerrie Robert but not listened to her music. Upon "youtubbing" her today I felt a bit disappointed with her lyrics, lots of words yet not much substance to them. That all changed when I stumbled upon 'Beautiful to Me' and it stirred up within me so many memories and took me back to a place of loneliness, pain and hopelessness. The greatness of this song is that it didn't just lead me down a sad memory lane, but to the promise land. The place where God took my pain and brought about beauty and wholeness.

Isaiah 43:1-2 // But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, and He who formed you: 
      Fear not, for I have redeemed you; 
      I have called you by your name; 
      You are Mine. 
      When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 
      And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. 
      When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, 
      Nor shall the flame scorch you. 


Isaiah 43:25 // I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. 


Isaiah 49:14-16 // But [your name here] has said, “The LORD has forsaken me, 
      And my Lord has forgotten me.” 
       Can a woman forget her nursing child, 
      And not have compassion on the son of her womb? 
      Surely they may forget, 
      Yet I will not forget you. 
       See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
      Your walls are continually before Me. 

Isaiah 51:3 // For the LORD will comfort Me, 
      He will comfort all My waste places; 
      He will make My wilderness like Eden, 
      And My desert like the garden of the LORD; 
      Joy and gladness will be found in it, 
      Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. 

Isaiah 54:4-12 // “Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; 

      Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; 
      For you will forget the shame of your youth, 
      And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. 
      For your Maker is your husband, 
      The LORD of hosts is His name; 
      And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; 
      He is called the God of the whole earth. 
      For the LORD has called you 
      Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, 
      Like a youthful wife when you were refused,” 
      Says your God. 
      “ For a mere moment I have forsaken you, 
      But with great mercies I will gather you. 
     With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; 
      But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” 
      Says the LORD, your Redeemer. 
      “ For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; 
      For as I have sworn 
      That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, 
      So have I sworn 
      That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. 
      For the mountains shall depart 
      And the hills be removed, 
      But My kindness shall not depart from you, 
      Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” 
      Says the LORD, who has mercy on you. 
       “ O you afflicted one, 
      Tossed with tempest, and not comforted, 
      Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, 
      And lay your foundations with sapphires. 
      I will make your pinnacles of rubies, 
      Your gates of crystal, 
      And all your walls of precious stones."

I have suffered from a broken heart many a times. The cause that wounded me deeply were many: death of a loved one, death of dreams hoped for, death of a career, death of a friendship, death of a romantic relationship, deaths of many kinds. There was much confusion overtaking my mind and uncontrollable fears. Even my health was falling apart. My heard bled in silence, I cried and barely felt alive. Depression kicked in, held me captive and bound me with chains. But the Word of the Lord did not fail me and Isaiah became my most intimate companion. God loosened the chains, captivated me with His wonders and removed my reproach, He healed my broken heart and mended my wounds.

Beloved Sister, beloved Brother I am in tears for you. The Lord sees your pain, He knows your affliction and He cares. He is holding your broken heart, all and every single piece. If you allow Him to, in His length of time, He will heal and mend. He will restore you to wholeness. No sin is too great that God cannot forgive. I beg you to forgive your offender, even if the great offender is you. God can and will restore. 

If you have no other place to go, or can't find the strength to open your Bible, print these verses out and read them till you believe them. I know that Jesus, who personally knows pain, will comfort you. I know how hard and how terrifying a healing process can be. You don't have to do it alone. Invite Him today to be your Healer. He is gentle and loving, full of mercy and overflowing with compassion. I can attest to this great truth. He healed me and continues to do so. His promises are yes and amen, so why not hand over your burdensome pain? If you need someone to talk to or someone to pray with, contact me. 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see—
      a splendid crown in the hand of God.
Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City” or “The Desolate Land.”
   Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God,”
   for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride. 

Isaiah 62:3-5

My promise to you: I will not stop praying for your until your righteousness shines like the dawn, and your salvation blazes like a burning torch. Isaiah 62:1

Beautiful to Me, Kerrie Roberts


So much I don't understand
That I’d change if I wrote the story
How pain can heal and death bring life
How defeat can bring such glory
You didn't hold back one breath
You even gave Your last one
So I’d live

It's beautiful to me
Your holy mystery
I'm standing here in awe
Of how you make everything
So beautiful to me
Someday I will see
How You hold this wounded heart
And make it perfect and complete
And it's beautiful to me
Beautiful

I don't deserve Your suffering
I should be the one who's bleeding
But Your broken body gives
This broken spirit what it's needing
You reach through time with Your sacrifice
Your wounded hands holding this fragile life

This ache, this longing
This heart that I've been searching
In this moment while I'm breaking
Show me
What Your plan, Your promise
A pain that has a purpose
I let you in to use it
And just like Your hands built heaven’s hall
You’re making me so beautiful

It's beautiful to me
Every mystery
I'm standing here in awe
Of how You make everything
So beautiful to me
So perfect and complete
You hold this wounded heart
Someday I will see
And it's beautiful to me
Beautiful to me
Beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful to me
Beautiful to me

when the dark cloud of guilt comes around...

hi dear friends.

I wanted to share a few verses with you that are life-savers in my life, especially when the dark cloud of guilt and shame comes over me... Cling to these promises and make them at home in your heart. Wonderful memory verses if you're looking for a few. May the Lord be merciful and gracious to you. May He speak both life and light to the dry and fallow ground of your heart. God bless you!

As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:5

For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to Him. 2 Chronicles 30:9

For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 1 John 3:20

I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellion. Jeremiah 33:8

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:12

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin. Romans 4:7-8

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

God exalted Jesus to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring You and Me to repentance and forgive our sins. Acts 5:21

Has He promised you...

 For God's promises are still promises even if you don't receive them right now.

Has God promised you anything [fill in the blank], trust that He will respond. Be reminded today that He who has promised is not a liar but is faithful. All the promises in Him are Yes and Amen! As you wait upon the fruition of that promise, wait with joy and not with grumbling. As you wait, know the Lord your God in an intimate way. As you wait, serve God and His people with an abundance of love, compassion and fervor. As you wait, don't run ahead of God, don't lag behind but right in the center of God's will for your life.

And if you are convined that God has forgotten you and the promises He has made you, I challenge you to search the bible and read up on all the promises recorded. I bet your faith will be renewed.
God bless you!
 
For all the promises of God in Christ are Yes, and in Christ Amen, to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20
 
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. 2 Corinthians 7:1
 
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:8
 
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
 
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12