January | 2019 | Heaven Sent Sentiments

Monthly Archives: January 2019
- Unleashed Power of Christ
  
  Posted at 6:41 PM by Shanon Crenshaw, on January 31, 2019
  My mom, 19 years old, at Disneyland. 1971.
  
  Good morning friends!! Today, Thursday, January 31st, is a beautiful day and you know what?! I am choosing to celebrate life!
  
  We have a choice everyday to choose love, joy, peace, hope, and grace! My Savior, Jesus Christ, is the One that fills me and overflows my spirit with those gifts–especially when I seek Him.
  
  “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart” Jeremiah 29:13.
  
  Today, I am celebrating life and love, and seeking an outpouring of Jesus in my heart as I delight in the memory of my mother on what would have been her 68th birthday. I am celebrating:
  
  * the 39 years she was in my life, here on earth, being my mommy, mentor, Christ follower, teacher.
  
  * how she would sing all the time: in the car, in the house with me and my sisters, and especially while we would take walks together, which were often while I was growing up.
  
  * her ability to soothe all my hurts through hugs, and how she would brush my hair for as long as I needed while I talked to her about whatever was bothering me until I felt better. Sorry I made your arm sore, mom. 🙂
  
  * her “goofiness,” laughs, and just plain fun that she had around everyone, whether it was friends, family, or, dare I say, MY friends. She had a joy for life that was contagious.
  
  * she loved Christmas! Decorated the house right after Thanksgiving, kept it up through New Years, and never failed to tell anyone and everyone about our Savior’s birth! She always set an extra spot at the table for a guest, for anyone that could join us for our Christmas dinner.
  
  Thank you for indulging in a few of my memories. 🙂
  
  ***
  
  God is so amazing! Let me share with you how amazing God is, this is the title of my January 31st devotional:
  
  TRIUMPH OUT OF TRAGEDY
  
  Twenty-eight years ago, January 31, 1991, would have been my mom’s 40th birthday. She was not here to celebrate with me because she was in her heavenly home with Jesus. Being eighteen and her death so new to me, it was a tragic day–full of extreme sorrow. And that’s okay, grieving is hard and it is a process that each person experiences in a different way.
  
  As a Christian and because of Jesus, I sought Him in every way I could and sometimes it was simply, deep, gut-wrenching cries of pain and sorrow. He understood and knew, no matter how “simple” my prayer was. He knew my heart.
  
  The amazing thing about each prayer, each time we seek Him, each song we sing in worship, it builds our connection to Jesus, gives us Joy, and releases the Power we need to triumph over tragedy!!
  
  The more you seek Him, during all the seasons of life, the more you are filled up with the Life giving, Joy producing, Power sustaining gift of God!!
  
  “…Christ has triumphed over tragedy, and He wants us to do the same because in such triumph God is glorified. When something tragic happens to us–the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job–unbelievers watch us closely to see whether we react differently than they would. If there is no difference, if we despair as unbelievers might, how is God honored? How do we testify of Christ and His Power? (Graham, Billy).
  
  Seek the LORD with all of your heart, and receive the Power of Christ. He is waiting with outstretched, open arms, to hold you close and to give you the amazing comfort of our Heavenly Father.
  
  In closing, here is a prayer, I prayed today, by Billy Graham:
  
  Our Father and our God, thank you for bringing hope and forgiveness to dispel the sin in my life. Help me to triumph over the inevitable tragedies of life through trust and faith in You. Let my joy in the midst of despair honor and glorify You through Jesus. Amen.
  
  Happy Birthday, my precious mom!!!
  
  All the glory to God,
  
  Shanon
  
  Image of Jesus hugging child by http://www.taemen.co.kr. Gallery
  
  Graham, Billy. “January 31st devotional: TRIUMPH OUT OF TRAGEDY.” Unto the Hills: A DAILY DEVOTIONAL. 1996. WORD PUBLISHING.
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  Posted in Reflections/Stillness | 6 Comments | Tagged bible, Christian, God, Jesus, Power of Christ, Triumph out of Tragedy
- Give Up Your Fake Pearls
  
  Posted at 10:08 PM by Shanon Crenshaw, on January 27, 2019
  Hello friend!! What a God-blessed day it has been! This morning, while I was seated at my writing desk, I began writing today’s blog on one of my favorite prophets–Elijah.
  
  This wasn’t too surprising because we kicked off our new ladies bible study last Wednesday night which features this amazing man of God. We are studying, “Elijah: Spiritual Stamina in Every Season” by Melissa Spoelstra. I’m only on day four of the first week and I love it!! Which is why I began sharing in my blog today about how relateable Elijah is….and then, nothing. I knew the Holy Spirit was leading me in a new direction.
  
  But where?
  
  Apparently only across the room, to my dark brown bookshelf, where I keep my old bibles, writing books from school, and all of my past bible studies. I keep them all because I use them as journals, prayer prompts, and heartfelt answers to questions that reflect on that season of my life. I highlight, scribble, doodle, and mark it all up with memories and reflection. Anyway, why am I at the bookshelf…
  
  Oh yeah. I am led to pick up a different bible study, by the same author, that we did the fall of 2017. It is titled, “Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World”. I am so thankful I looked through it. It really wasn’t that long ago, but in that short time, several prayers were answered, I can see growth in my relationship with God, and God revealed something new and fresh through His Word! Don’t you love that?!
  
  One particular story really spoke to me. The author, Melissa Spoelstra, relayed her version of a story she heard at church camp many years ago:
  
  A little girl bought a plastic pearl necklace with the money she had been saving all year. She loved her pearls and felt so grown up when she wore them. She only took them off when she went swimming or took a bath. Though the pearls weren’t real, that didn’t matter to her. She had bought them all by herself.
  
  This little girl had a loving father. One day he said to her, “Honey, do you love me?”
  
  “Yes, Daddy,” she said. “You know I love you.”
  
  “Then will you give me your pearls?” her father asked.
  
  “Not my pearls!” the little girl practically gasped. “But you can have my toy horse.”
  
  “That’s okay, Sweetheart. I love you,” he replied. And then he kissed her cheek. About a week later, the father asked his little girl again, “Do you love me?”
  
  “Daddy, you know I love you,” she said.
  
  “Then will you give me your pearls?” he repeated.
  
  “Not my pearls. But I’ll give you my baby doll.”
  
  “That’s okay. I love you,” the father answered. And once again he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
  
  This same routine happened again and again, and the little girl began to wonder, “If Daddy loves me, why does he want to take away something I love?”
  
  Then one day the little girl walked up to her father with tears in her eyes and held out her fake pearl necklace. “Here, Daddy. This is for you,” she said.
  
  The father reached out a hand to take the necklace, and with his other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet case. Inside that case was a strand of genuine pearls, chosen with love and care for his daughter. He had had the pearls all along but was waiting for his daughter to give up what she had so that he could give her something even better.
  
  ***
  
  Isn’t that story amazing? I know I read it during the bible study, but for some reason it was magnified today, and I felt, there it is. That is what God wants me to share!
  
  And here we are my friend. What comes to mind when you read that story? Has God asked you to give up something in your life that you are holding onto? It may be an unhealthy relationship, bad habits, material things, a certain job, a place that you live, etc. What I have come to realize in my life is this:
  
  “God will never take something away without giving you more in return. Trust that He knows what He is doing” (Joel Osteen).
  
  I can honestly say I have experienced all of those things and more! Years and years ago, I was in a toxic friendship. It just wasn’t healthy any more. But we had been friends for over a decade, etc. Blah, blah, blah. I kept making excuses and God kept nudging me to let. it. go. Our friendship had run its course and we didn’t have much in common anymore.
  
  Guess what happened? It kept getting worse until I felt bad all the time and finally listened to God. I would have experienced a lot less stress and pain if I would have listened to the Holy Spirit in the first place and let it go. Please tell me someone relates to that!?
  
  The most amazing thing is what God did next. He brought some new friendships into my life that were more compatible with my family, interests, and faith. He was trying to bless me in new ways, but I was clinging to what I was used to and didn’t want to change.
  
  God wants the best for you! In giving you the best He has, you have to give up all that He has asked you to. It isn’t an easy thing to do, and it may not be comfortable, BUT it will ALWAYS be worth it!!!
  
  Praying God’s absolute BEST for you, my friend! Step out in faith and trust God!
  
  All the glory to God!!
  
  Shanon
  
  Image of “Just trust me…” by Jennifer Brobbey. “He’s Got Something Much Better For You…” 6 March 2017.
  
  Image of “When God gives you a “No””… by Erin Perkins. Pinterest.
  
  Osteen, Joel. “God will never…” quote. Twitter. 25 June 2015. https://twitter.com/joelosteen/status/614265614564241408?lang=en
  
  Spoelestra, Melissa. “Day 2: Spotting a Fake.” Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World. Abingdon Press. Written. 2014.
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  Posted in A-Ha Moments | 5 Comments | Tagged bible, Christian, Faith, God, God's Best, Trust God
- Is Today the Day?
  
  Posted at 5:30 PM by Shanon Crenshaw, on January 18, 2019
  Going Home…
  
  Have you thought about it? God has. In fact, because He is omniscient, He has all of your days and my days recorded in His book, before even one came to pass. “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day passed” (Psalm 139:16 NIV).
  
  The Bible teaches that God knows the exact moment when each man is to die (Job 14:5).
  
  This week I have found myself more focused on these Truths of God than ever before. You see, I have heard of several unexpected deaths this week of people I know and it brought the subject of death to the forefront of my mind.
  
  God is awesome and His timing is perfect. Yesterday, January 17th, when my heart was heavy with prayer, love, and concern for my friends, God spoke to me through scripture and the amazing gift of fellow believer Billy Graham.
  
  “How different would today be if you knew it would be your last one on earth before meeting God face to face? We should strive to live everyday as if it were our last, for one day it will be” (Graham, Billy. emphasis mine).
  
  ***
  
  Honestly, God has been hard at work changing me from the inside out over the last several years. I am ready for Him to call me Home, even if it is today. Years ago, I would have been concerned at leaving my kids, husband, and family behind. How would they be without me? What if, through missing me, it caused them to have problems with their faith and their relationship with God?
  
  God reassured me that, He was always with me when I walked through that very situation at eighteen years old, and that He would be there in the same way for my family as well. In fact, He loves them more than I ever could. He is a good, good Father. My fears have been replaced by His promises.
  
  So, I live every day seeking God first. I shower all the people God places in my life with love, prayer, and my time. I place importance on experiences and people rather than on material things.
  
  Please understand I am not trying to be boastful or proud. This all the work of God, He changed me. I am eternally thankful that He did.
  
  What about you? How would you answer Billy Graham’s question? Are you living today knowing that when you die you will meet Jesus face to face?! Does your family and friends around you know about Jesus and the Good News He brings to the whole world?
  
  Don’t tarry…for the day is coming. Ask Jesus into your heart to be your Savior. Seek God everyday. Pray and love without ceasing.
  
  “Our Father and our God, when my time on earth is finished, please draw me safely into Your heavenly home. I pray that You will take me into Your presence when You are ready for me to go. Help me to be ready for that time. If my work on earth is not yet finished, then please give me the spiritual strength to continue. In Jesus’ name. Amen” (Graham, Billy).
  
  That prayer was at the end of the devotional for that day, January 17th, and it said beautifully what my heart could not put into words. I love the God-given wisdom of Billy Graham.
  
  If you have not began a devotional for 2019, I highly recommend, “Unto the Hills. A Daily Devotional.” by Billy Graham. I was blessed enough to find it for $2.99 at my local thrift store. This girl loves a bargain. 🙂 Check it out!!
  
  May God bless you today and always!
  
  All the glory to God,
  
  Shanon
  
  Graham, Billy. “Unto the Hills. A Daily Devotional.” Tyndale House Publishers. Print. 1996.
  
  Image of “The Sinners Prayer by Bill Graham.” You Tube. Alter Calls and Sinners Prayer.
  
  Image of “Welcome Home” by Sts. Joseph and Paul Catholic Church.
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  Posted in God at Work | 4 Comments | Tagged Christian blogger, death, Eternal life, sinners prayer, Welcome home to jesus
- Deserts, Valleys, and Hills
  
  Posted at 7:55 PM by Shanon Crenshaw, on January 11, 2019
  The second week of January began in a predictable way, weather wise, here in the Pacific Northwest. The clouds and the wind were rolling in, billowing and forming a thick layer of insulation against a gray and darkening sky. A light rain fell on the evergreen and tall pine trees surrounding my Washington home. The season of Winter has definitely made it’s grand and wet appearance.
  
  And yet…
  
  Right now, I feel as though I am walking through the desert–a dry, parched land with a scorching sun and hot, unrelenting winds. Not in a physical sense (although a hot, dry sunny day does sound nice!) but in a spiritual sense. Spiritually dry. Another term I could use to describe what I am going through is walking through the valley.
  
  I know that, over the last several weeks, there has been a shift in the awareness I was feeling in regard to God’s presence in my life. Now, I know without a doubt, that God will never leave me nor forsake me (Joshua 1:5). Whether or not I “feel” His presence, I know that He is there. I believe in this Truth and in no way feel abandoned. However, I wanted to understand more of what I was going through and shared my experiences with one of my nearest and dearest God fearing “mom’s” that the Lord has blessed me with.
  
  During our conversation, she reassured me that what I was experiencing, she could also relate to, and that she has walked through it. She asked if I had ever heard of, “dark night of the soul.” I had not. Charisma magazine author, Joy F. Strang, describes it in this way,”…a season of dryness–called a dark night of the soul by 16th century mystic John of the Cross–during which it seemed as if God was not there.” While visiting together, my friend and I, discussed this subject, and others, while we shared the Word of God, prayer, wisdom, and lots of hugs. And coffee! 🙂
  
  Joy F. Strang, in her article titled, “Why you’re in a Spiritual Desert,” describes her own experience of being spiritually dry.
  
  “During my “dark night” I realized that on our path to spiritual maturity, we don’t go from mountaintop to mountaintop. We have to walk through valleys as well. Even after we have arrived in our “promised land” we may experience spiritually dry times.
  
  David confirmed this truth in Psalm 63, in which he expressed the thirst he had for God in the midst of a “dry and weary land” (v. 1). He wrote the psalm in the desert of Judah—a dry region in the promised land! David had experienced God intensely before (see v. 2) but found himself for a season in a place “where there [was] no water” (v. 1)”
  
  For a moment, let’s focus on, “we don’t go from mountaintop to mountaintop.” A mountaintop experience can be described as a place (or time) where we can clearly hear God’s voice and we are able to follow His leading because it is clear to us. God’s presence leaves us feeling empowered, strong, inspired, and loved. We feel confident, through this mountaintop experience, that with God, we “can do anything through Christ who gives us strength” (Philippians 4:13).
  
  As much as it would be amazing to never leave the mountaintop, the reality of living in a sinful world, is that many seasons of our life are spent in the valley. This is where our faith is really grown and matured and used by God.
  
  Billy Graham has this to say in regard to mountaintops and valleys: “we are made for the valley of life. God will sometimes allow a view from the hills, but only so that we might be refreshed enough to return to the valley–where the action is–that we may be of service to Him. Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys“ (Graham, Billy, v).
  
  Did you catch that?! “…but fruit is grown in the valleys.” This is where the action is, where our faith and our fruit, grow together in a way that can be powerfully used by God!
  
  ***
  
  I’ll share a few things that I am doing right now while I am experiencing this dry season.
  
  1) I asked God to search my heart and reveal to me any sin that I need to repent of and receive His forgiveness.
  
  2) I start my day in the bible. By doing this, I know the foundation of my day begins with Him, and my heart and mind are better prepared to respond to His presence throughout the day. This is also a time when I read my devotional, I begin a new one each year.
  
  3) I always begin my day with prayer. Depending on what I have going on for the morning, the length of time varies. However, two things never change. Everyday I begin and end my day with prayer and thanksgiving.
  
  4) I ask God to open my heart in a way to be of service to others throughout my day. He has never disappointed me and given me lots of ways to bless others. As a result, this takes the focus off of me and my own cares, and I get to share the love of Jesus with those He brings into my life.
  
  5) I listen to music that remind’s me of God’s presence in my life. I listen to it in my car, while I’m cleaning the house, getting ready to write, and especially when I am feeling sad and depressed. There is nothing that can turn my mood around quicker than when I put on my favorite Christian artist, turn the volume up loud, and dance for my Savior, “much like David was dancing before the Lord with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14).
  
  6) Several times throughout the day I pause and pray. Whenever I drive by my daughter’s school, I say a prayer. When an emergency vehicle is going by, I say a quick prayer. When I am anxious, stressed or not feeling well, I say a prayer. And especially when God brings someone to my mind, I say a prayer for them. Praying in this way again, takes the focus off of me and my worries, and directly releases them to God.
  
  Our faith and fruit grow the most when we are close to the vine (Jesus) and filled with the Living Water. This requires action on our part through the Word of God, prayer, and submitting to God every single day.
  
  I encourage you, know matter what season you are in, to develop a prayer, bible reading, praise, and worship schedule that allows to be as close as possible to the God of the Hills and Valleys! God Bless You!
  
  All the Glory to God,
  
  Shanon
  
  Image of “It takes a valley and a God…” by CHRISTian Poetry Deborah ann
  
  Image of “You’re God of the Hills and Valley’s by taurenwells VEVO
  
  Graham, Billy. “Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional.” Foreward, page v. Word Publishing. Print. 1996.
  
  Strang, Joy F. “Why You’re in a Spiritual Desert.” Charisma Magazine. Web. 31 May 2015.
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments | Tagged Faith, hills and valleys, Jesus, Prayer

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Shanon Crenshaw

God is first and foremost in my life. I LOVE: my husband Steve, daughters Suzanne and Savannah, my AMAZING family and friends, the majestic beauty of the Pacific Northwest, traveling and camping, a GREAT cup of coffee with my morning devotionals, and my Sumner Family Church family. :)

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Heaven Sent Sentiments

Monthly Archives: January 2019

Unleashed Power of Christ

Posted at 6:41 PM by Shanon Crenshaw, on January 31, 2019

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Give Up Your Fake Pearls

Posted at 10:08 PM by Shanon Crenshaw, on January 27, 2019

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Is Today the Day?

Posted at 5:30 PM by Shanon Crenshaw, on January 18, 2019

Going Home…

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Deserts, Valleys, and Hills

Posted at 7:55 PM by Shanon Crenshaw, on January 11, 2019

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Shanon Crenshaw

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