My Bible

As I awoke this morning I quickly remembered that Rob took my Bible in to get rebound. "Ahhhhhhhhh..." I cannot describe to you how "naked" I feel. Oh- how I've come to love that WONDERFUL book. It has all my notes and questions. I may not know the exact reference for verses but I can show you right where it is in "My Bible."It's the Bible I really began searching for truth in. It's the Bible I've read through from cover to cover twice. It's the Book I have spent time with every morning for 11 years, since my oldest son, Jake, was born.It's the Book I have held from 1 child to number five child crying out to God, "help me be a good mom. Teach me about you so I can teach them." It's the Book that has convinced me that God is love and life is all about loving God and loving people. I need it more than I need my morning coffee. It is the Book that has been like a mirror revealing all my thankless thoughts, "me" motives, and flighty foolishness. It is My Bible that has been my best friend; comforting me, counseling me, inspiring me, convicting me, and teaching me. It is that very Bible that is not with me this morning that has given me this deep, deep hope that "what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2. It is that Book that has caused me to fall in love with Jesus. I grew up loving Him and believing in Him. I grew up having the Bible read to me and have had many different Bibles throughout the course of my life. Oh- but this Bible is the Bible that has been with me as I have encountered the One behind all the words, the One who the words are all about.This is the Book that was with me years ago when I was wrestling with whether or not I should throw something away. As I sat with this book on my lap and read, "There is time to keep and a time to throw away...Ecc.3:6 I knew that the One who "searches our hearts and minds" had just jumped out of that Book and told me what I needed to do. Wow! I've really grown quite attached to "My Bible." I am soooo thankful. I'm also thankful that You, Jesus, don't ever have to be "rebound." You are always with me. Although I have become quite fond of and attached to "My Bible" may I never be guilty of "worshipping the created thing rather than the Creator." Romans 1:25. I will hold, John 5:39 & 40 in my heart this week.

May there never be a time in our country, like in many others, where we cannot read God's words freely. May we NEVER take the access we have to His precious book for granted. May His word water your souls, and may you go water the thirsty today.

Leave your life in God's hands...

We have a new haircut in the family. Reese decided she wanted to "look AWESOME like her brothers" so she took matters (and scissors) into her own hands. What she thought would turn out "awesome" , well, to put it bluntly , turned out ....oh, what word, what word would I use...MUCH LESS than awesome.( If anyone has a good word, please let me know)

We are like Reese. We are constantly taking matters into our own hands trying to make them "awesome". Unfortuanately, when we do that we get a haircut like Reese. David could relate to this when he said, "Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law." Psalms 119:109

May you wait upon the One who really knows what is awesome and gives what is awesome. May you wait for His leading and His perfect timing. May you know His ways and follow His ways. May you hold tightly to His ways and words even when it seems if you do it your way it will be "awesome".The ONLY way to an AWESOME life is allowing Jesus Christ to be your Master and to trust Him soooo deeply you do everything He commands.

Crystal, Denise, Erika,.......Help! Have any advice??? Looking forward to seeing many of you tonight. K.link

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Hey Watergirls- anybody have any time to water a thirsty soul?/ My friend, Amanda, is a single mom with 3 boys and 1 girl. She fell the other day and twisted/maybe broke her ankle and is having a hard time getting around. She mentioned getting the kids dinner has been hard and they've been living off of cereal. I would love to overwhelm her with some good River lovin' through some yummy meals provided for her family. Does anyone have any time to make her a meal and bring it to her home???? If the answer to that is "yes" will you please e-mail me and we can set something up. I love that I can simply ask you all knowing that you have such beautiful, helpful souls. I totally understand if the timing of things doesn't work out as we all have busy lives.Just thought I'd ask. Talk to you in the morning. K.Link

FOLLOW-UP:
I'm overwhelmed. You guys are the CHURCH! You are the hands of our Father caring for His child that He loves sooo much. I've gotten my friend hooked up for over a week thanks to you. I don't think at this time I need any more help.Thank you, thank you, thank you. I believe her soul will be watered. K.Link

Fall in love with Jesus...

Goodmorning friends! It's good to be back home although I had a great time with my hubby at this church planting retreat (after we got past a little disagreement we had as soon as we got there....I hate that!) If you are married- may I remind you and encourage you to make getting away with your man a priority for the sake of the health of your marriage. I forget how easy it is to fall into the "business partner, parenting-partner, give your best energy to everyone else, I'm too tired for anything else mode". Remember that the foundation of our relationship with God/Jesus and our husbands/future husbands is LOVE,LOVE,LOVE. We've got to be and remain Lovers first in order to really keep that heart alive!

A question to ponder today; Are you "in love" with Jesus Christ?Why or why not?

If someone were to approach you today and ask you why you love Jesus, what would you say?
Perhaps you may want to make a list of reasons you have to love Jesus and meditate on that today.
Do what you need to do today to "fall in love" with Jesus. EVERYTHING should flow out of our being in love with him.

"Above all else guard your heart, for it is the well-spring of life." Prov. 4: 23

Tomorrow night at The River Academy we will be meeting together and talking about PATIENCE. Included in that time we will be asking you all for your patience with us in regards to meeting your needs/desires for women's ministry. We will have an open time of hearing what is on your hearts and your desires and needs as women. You are all welcome to come and we would love to see all of your faces as we really care about your spiritual growth and meeting the needs of women. .Looking forward to seeing many of you tomorrow night. K.Link

Have you worshipped Him?

Happy Sunday. Have you worshipped Him yet this morning in the privacy of your own home and heart? Have you reflected on Him and His goodness and activity in your life and the lives of those around you? I will guarantee that if you spend some time worshipping Him this morning BEFORE you go to church- it won't matter if you like the songs we sing, or if something happens that causes you to not be able to be in the service, or if the handsome preacher doesn't preach what you want him to- you will have already PREPARED your own heart to worship Him.
I have worshipped Him this morning. I have thought about what a genius He is. Who comes up with minds, hearts, skin, eyes, ears, noses, mouths, feet and hands.......everything around is "For him and through Him". And we are actually going to get to meet him someday. I drew a picture in my journal this morning of the earth and his feet resting on it as He says, 'The earth is my footstool.". I didn't even have a clue how to picture his face.....but I had soo much fun wondering, imagining, and dreaming of the day I will meet Him. I kept thinking of the movie, "Titanic" when at the end, when everything was RESTORED and she was wearing her white wedding dress and she looked upstairs and saw Jack, her "savior" and all the people around her were welcoming her and clapping......ahhhhhh.....I cannot wait. So worship Him this morning BEFORE you go to church. He is your SAVIOR!
Rob and I will be at a conference tonight- Tues. afternoon. So I will write again on Wednesday. Love you all. May this water your soul just a little and may you go water many of those other souls out there that our Jesus loves so deeply. K.Link

Prepare.

Yesterday, while Jake was at an ice skating party, he was playfully pushed, fell to the ground and chipped his front tooth right off. How quickly things happen. One minute you are standing there laughing with friends the next minute you're on the ice rink looking for your tooth. None of us know what the next minute will bring. Some of you know this so painfully well. Perhaps that is why God is constantly encouraging us to be prepared! Listen to His words:
"PREPARE your minds for action; be self-controlled;set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16
Prepare- make ready beforehand
Fill your mind with God's words before this day begins. Allow His words to influence your behavior and attitude (how you are going to act). As followers of Jesus- we are His representatives in this world showing them through our actions and words who He is; how wonderful, loving, forgiving, patient, gentle, pure- hating everything that destroys beauty, merciful,gracious and peaceful he is.
"whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Phillipians 1:27
"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14
As we prepare our minds by eating His words all day long, as we are self-controlled, obedient children- careful in how we conduct ourselves- as we seek to be holy by allowing His Spirit to lead us into everything that is right and "hating what is evil; clinging to what is good." is it possible that people may want our God because of our lives? I believe so.
You have no idea what today will bring but if you prepare your mind for action- you may just have the opportunity to reveal your Father to this hurting world. I love you all! Now go prepare.K.Link
p.s. I can't tell you how many times I have had to go to people seeking their forgiveness because I had not prepared my mind and I did not act like my Father. However, "Though a righteous man falls seven times, he gets back up!" Prov.24:16. May we never stop seeking to be holy so that this world may see our God.

May we be known for how we love Him!

so- I went through an hour of misery believing I had lost all my addresses when Rob finally revealed to me that I had lost nothing rather I was in Jake's new account that he set up last night without my knowledge. So add this truth to today's encouragment. Not everything is Satan's fault. God's word says, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6
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One of the frustrating things about losing yesterday's encouragement was all that time wasted. I found myself saying, "ahhh - all that for nothing!" Listen to these words:
"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Galatians 2:21
"Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, CHRIST WILL BE OF NO VALUE TO YOU AT ALL. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is FAITH EXPRESSING ITSELF THROUGH LOVE." Galatians 5:2-6
"You are not your own; you were bought at a price; Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19 & 20
"It is we who worship by the Spirit of God, who GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS, and who put no confidence in the flesh." -Philippians 3:3
"I urge you brothers (sisters) in view of God's MERCY, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices....." Romans 12:1
"Do you see this woman? I came into your house.You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins are forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:44-47
May we be women who do not let Jesus' sacrifice be for NOTHING! May He be of great value to us. May we honor Him with everything we say and do understanding that we were bought at a GREAT price. May we understand how merciful He has been to us causing us to desire to offer our bodies as a sacrifice. May we glory in Jesus (not ourselves!). May we be women who cannot stop kissing His feet! May the women of the River be known for how much they love Jesus Christ!
I love you all. I'm sending this now before it gets erased. K.link

As I went to send this- I found that ALL my addresses have been erased. All that work.....gone!

Treasure hunting...

Welcome to a new day! Are you starting your day off dreading what will come about? Was it hard to get out of bed today? Why? what are the first thoughts that run through your mind as you wake?
Let me encourage you with God's words. Let me remind you why you are here......
"He did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him." Acts 17:27
So what if your first thoughts when you wake are, "Yeah! another day to be on a treasure hunt...seeking God and finding Him. I wonder what he will reveal about himself to me today?"
" This is eternal life; that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."John 17:3
"Yeah! Another day, given as a "gracious gift" (1Peter 3:7), to know the only true God.
"The most important commandment is this...Love the lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul an with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these....You are not far from the kingdom of God." Mark 12:29-34
"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:25
My dear friends- we have been given this day, not knowing if we will be given another- to know Him and to make Him known to our world. We have been given this day to fall in love with Him and to love his people that they too may fall in love with him.
Happy new day to love. It's all about LOVE! It's all about Jesus! Happy treasure hunting!
K.Link
p.s.- Did you watch the Inauguration? Did you hear our brother, pastor, Rick Warren pray? Did you hear him pray in the name of JESUS! I could have wept.

Words. They are so powerful.

Good morning friends. Happy inauguration day. A historical day for sure.
After having been up for awhile now reading His words, praying, worshipping (especially for the sparkles on the snow..isn't that a great idea!) and wondering How I could encourage you today, this is what is on my heart.
Words. They are so powerful. In fact,in just writing a note to a friend I quoted the verse, "The tounge has the power of life and death." Proverbs 18:21
Jesus so desires us to bring life into each other's lives....not death. As you go about your day today, as you yield yourself to God and depend on His Holy Spirit to lead you may you be able to say what Jesus said,
"For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO SAY IT....." John 12: 49
You do know that God is sending you somewhere today don't you? "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." John 20:21. As you acknowledge Him this day, He will direct your paths. May your eyes be open and looking to where and to whom he sends you. May your heart be crying out to him, "Father, tell me what to say to this gas station clerk, this homeless man, this pilate's instructor,...... and tell me how to say it ( timing?? tone???)
May we bring LIFE everywhere we go today...especially in our homes! "By Him, For Him." Kristy Link

Don't go back for ANYTHING!

Good morning friends. I just finished reading this portion of God's word:
"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage (Anna Joy...Yeah! Anyone else?) up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting, and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
It will be JUST LIKE THIS on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for ANYTHING. Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Luke 17:26-32
Do you guys think of Jesus coming back much?Do you ever wonder when you begin your day if this will be the day, while you're eating and drinking and buying (Vive le Hobby Lobby and Dollar Store), that Jesus is revealed from Heaven. I don't think of it as much as I probably should. This truth was a good reminder to me that this is not my home. A good reminder to not hold too tightly to the things of this world. A good reminder to not get too attached here but rather be extremely attached to my God and to store up my treasures in Heaven. The question I'm asking myself this morning is "Kristy- would you be able to not go back for ANYTHING? Is your heart in the Kindom of Heaven or the Kingdom of this world? What about you? I love you all. Happy Monday- May it not be Manic!

Worship Him

Hey Water girls (women is what I really want to say but it doesn't sound right)- Happy Sunday. May you revel in the fact that we can come and worship our God together freely- with no fear of being persecuted. It is a gift never to be taken for granted.
A truth I consider every Sunday morning to prepare my heart to worship is "Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God ACCEPTABLY with REVERENCE and AWE." Hebrews 12:28
Each Sunday morning I look back over my week and consider the reasons I have for standing in awe of Him.
*God says He goes after his lost sheep. God says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, don't lean on your own understading. In all your ways acknowledge him and He will direct your paths." Prov. 3:5 So I acknowledge him daily and it's fun to see where He directs my paths. This week, I have crossed paths with a neighbor of mine, twice, in the most random places. He is a neighbor who does not know God and I am convinced God is pursuing Him through me. How it makes me stand in AWE that He truly directs our paths without us even knowing it. Yet- as soon as I saw my neighbor the Spirt of God within me was going crazy and I was compelled to join God in his activity and pray hard for this precious soul.
* Today is my son, Jake's 11th birthday. 11 years ago last night Rob and I were at Barnes and Nobles waiting for this first baby of ours to come into this world.(so Jake and I are now making it a tradition to go to B & N the night before his birthday and he can pick out a book for his first birthday gift). 11 years ago today, at this time, I was at Bronson hospital ready to give birth to what we weren't sure. Every birthday I read the following verse to my children (and myself):
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself GIVES ALL MEN LIFE AND BREATH AND EVERYTHING ELSE. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and HE DETERMINED THE TIMES SET FOR THEM AND THE EXACT PLACES WHERE THEY SHOULD LIVE. Goed did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us." Acts 17:24-27
So meditate on that truth before you go to church and may these words cause you to be in AWE of Him. Gotta go get ready for a morning birthday celebration. See you in a few hours to worship our Creator. K.Link

If it is encouraging, let her encourage!

Hi guys! It's me- Kristy Joy Link sitting at my computer at 8:08 this cold Saturday morning. My house is still quiet except for Elyse upstairs jabbering away in a sweet little voice so I think I have a few minutes to write before I have to go get her.

You might be wondering why this e-mail is sent to "watergirls". Why in the world is Kristy calling me a watergirl and what is this e-mail going to be about? I'll tell you in a minute.

I've had such a deep desire to bring all the women of the River together- to encourage them in their walk with God. Since I have such a deep desire for this I imagine it is probably a gift of mine "given to me, for you." God's word says, "We all have different gifts according to the grace given us.....If it is encouraging, let him encourage." Romans 12:8 So I suppose I ought to use my gift wisely. Underneath my computer on my desk, are the words painted, "Encourage each other DAILY." So my desire is to encourage you daily (okay- it might be a little more like "weekly"....we'll see)

As I was thinking about who you all are and who I am, I thought," Women At The Encouraging River.". W.A.T.E.R.. I looked up the word "Water girl" thinking it might be under "water boy". It wasn't. However the definition for water boy is :

water boy: One who keeps a group, as a work team, supplied with drinking water.

Truly- we are a work team for our great and mighty God. It is my desire that through this e-mail I may "water" your souls a little bit being your "water girl" and in turn you may go and "water" your team (your family, friends, any soul you come in contact with) for the glory of God.

So Reese has now awaken and I probably need to go. But before I do, about 20 of us women gathered together on Thursday eve ( you all are welcome to join us- it's every other Thursday) and we talked about "peace". Know this: There is one who is a thief- He loves to steal, kill and destroy. He wants to steal your peace. Your Father in Heaven deeply desires you and I to know deep, deep peace. If you are not experiencing peace today- go to your Father and ask Him to reveal to you the "truth that will set you free." and fight hard against the evil one, resisting the negative thoughts that come into your mind and FILL your mind with God's words. You are loved deeply! I am CONVINCED of this. I love journeying with all of you.

I've tried to attach the verses on peace we looked at on Thursday. I hope you can open it and His words will water your soul. Off to caring for 5 beautiful children and 1 wonderful husband. K.link